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Question
Hi, I'm currently 14 years old, 5'1, and about 76 pounds. I was wondering if you had any tips on gaining weight in a healthy way.
Because of your low weight and struggle with an eating disorder, first and foremost it's important you seek out a dietician who can help you gain weight based on your current condition.
I am not equipped to answer such a question but here are some tips I can give you after getting on a food plan.
1. Keep a food diary but try not to get obsessive about it. It's just important to know if you are meeting all your dietary exchanges.. especially in early recovery. Down the road you can practice "intuitive eating", but for now, the food diary is necessary.
2. Increase your caloric intake gradually in order to prevent any weight loss due to the possibility of your metabolism kicking in and speeding up when you start consuming more calories.
3. While you should not avoid exercise completely, keep any exercise under a minimum of 30 minutes with minimal increase in heart rate. Exercise is still important for your mood and overall health.
4. Take multi vitamins/supplements.
5. Try to eat calorie dense food. That way you can meet your caloric needs and can possibly help with feeling overly full.
I hope this helps.
Best,
Melissa
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Answers by Expert:
Melissa
Expertise
I battled anorexia and bulimia for 6 years. I am not a doctor, but I learned a lot about the mental, emotional, and physical aspects of having an eating disorder and how scary it is to feel like you are alone in your illness. You are not alone. I can answer questions based on my experience with anything relating to anorexia and/or bulimia. I can provide information on treatment options, some specific treatment centers, resources that may help you find a treatment center, and my opinion on all of the above. I was a patient at a few outpatient and inpatient programs so I am happy to answer questions about those experiences. I am not affiliated with any of the resources I may provide. It’s strictly my opinion based on my experiences. I can NOT answer medical questions. I will NOT answer questions on how to become anorexic or bulimic or how to lose weight in an unhealthy matter.
Experience
I have recovered from a six year struggle with both anorexia and bulimia. I hope my experiences and the time I spent in and out of treatment will encourage others to never give up. I never thought I would or could recover because I couldn’t picture myself ever having a normal relationship with food. Since then, I have grown and learned that I can overcome what I once thought was impossible. Hold on to the idea that recovery is attainable!
Education/Credentials
I am attending college for an unrelated degree.
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