Expert: Nafeesah - 3/5/2009

Question
i have had an eating disorder for 4 years now. i recently went into the hospital at 86 lbs (5'4) and got out at 97 lbs, after which i gained about 20 lbs in two months. i noticed i only gained weight after vomitting (not bingeing first) and rehdrating my body, which i have mostly stopped. my measurements have not changed by more than an inch; the last time i weighed this much at this height, they were a lot larger. i have had my body fat tested and it has only increased by a tiny bit from 97 lbs-117 lbs (though it had increased a lot from my lowest weight of 82 lbs-97 lbs). how is this possible? i thought maybe it was water retention, but it has been 2 months now since i gained the weight and it hasnt gone down. im not asking for medical advice or anything, i'm just curious as to what i've gained, if not much body fat.

Answer
You're dealing with both water weight and fat retention and that's your body's way of readjusting from having lost and gained weight due an eating disorder. If you're having concerns see your doctor right away to make sure that what you're dealing with is normal after recovering from an eating disorder.