Expert: Ryan Hale - 12/15/2009

Question
QUESTION: Why after being in inpatient treatment for anorexia with a minimal weight gain of 4 pounds in 30 days, a dietary plan of high caloric intake as prescribed by dietician, still no further weight gain?

ANSWER: Deb- first, you need to honestly assess how much you ate, did you cheat at all?  Exercise to work it off?  "Feel" like you ate more than you really did?  I'm not being accusatory, just bringing up some common situations that people experience in treatment.

Second, It could be that you experienced a normal weight gain for someone in your situation.  If you went in weighing around or less than 100lbs, a 4 lb weight gain is at or over 4% of your body weight in a month's time.  That's like a 250lb person gaining almost 15lbs in that amount of time.  As someone who trains athletes (including football players) a 15lb weight gain for one of them is pretty significant in that amount of time.  I'm not sure what the goals of your therapist and/or nutritional professional were, but 4lbs could be a good start for you.

The focus is on your health and not numbers.  In order to live the life you've dreamed, you need to fuel your body and activities with enough energy.  Don't get caught up in numbers on a scale.  Also, focus on the therapy that hopefully you are going through as well.  It is an opportunity to work through everything (family issues, relationships, etc) that has piled on and helped contribute to your issue.  Those aspects must be worked on and worked out.  You can do it!

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: With being addicted to exercise (6+ miles a day and 2-3 hours at the gym twice a day) and burning muscle, would calories now being taken in be going straight to muscle to replenish??  

Answer
Deb- you certainly have the need for tissue rebuilding in your body so no doubt that much of what you consume will be going toward that effort.  It is important to keep in mind that the way your body metabolizes, uses and stores or burns calories has been drastically effected.  It may take some time until you can predict how your metabolism will work.