Expert: Jeanne Rust, PhD - 1/17/2011

Question
Hi,

I am 21 years old and have been suffering with an eating disorder since I was 16. When I first started, I dropped from 110 pounds to 76 in about 4 months, was hospitalized, regained until about 103 and then dropped again. Since then, I have been hovering in the 90-95 pound range (for the most part). I want to start eating more in order to get more nutrients, etc, but it seems that every time I increase anything, I gain weight rapidly. I usually eat about 400-600 calories per day (most of it chewed and spat, but I still incorporate a forth of those calories) and when I stopped chewing and spitting, and then increase to about 800, I gained rapidly and can't seem to loose it. My question concerns how this can occur? If there is 3500 calories in a pound of fat and I can gain 4 pounds within in a week eating 600-800, and exercising like crazy (I'm talking 1000-1400 calories burn daily) how can I still be gaining weight??? I don't understand how this is so and if its water I'm gaining, why does it take as long to loose as a pound of fat? Its not that I want to loose weight, but it freaks me out knowing that another 2 weeks like this and I'll gain another 10 pounds. I just want to know HOW IT IS POSSIBLE TO GAIN SO MUCH WEIGHT SO QUICKLY? Especially considering the mount of cardio I do. It can't be muscle for all I do is cardio, there is not weight training involved. I'm just so frustrated by seeing the scale go up ALL THE TIME and working out more and more and not having it matter at all. How does this all work?!?!

Thanks,

Ivy Rae

Answer
Dear Ivy Rae,

I'm so glad that you wrote!  The problem that I see is not the fact that you're gaining weight -- the problem is that you're still actively anorexic/bulimic (with the spitting)  If you gain 10 pounds in a week, most of this is fluid -- water weight.  

The very best thing you could do is to get some treatment -- Either at home or in a residential setting.  See if you can heal from the anorexia which is out to kill you!  Guaranteed!

Find a good dietitian -- a person you can really like and trust.  Weight gain should be slow -- 1/2 - 2 pounds a week.  Anything faster is not good because a person can't keep up with this psychologically.  Having said that, at the beginning weight gain is faster because you're gaining fluid -- The weight gain from fluid will level itself out in a few weeks -- then you can moderate your food working with your dietitian.

I wish I could give you a specific answer to your question -- it varies so much with each individual.  Your question is probably the one I hear the most!  

Just remember that your body has been in a state of starvation and malnutrition.  It is crying for fluids and nutrients.

Please let me know if I can help!

Warmly,
Jeanne Rust, PhD
CEO/Founder
Mirasol
www.mirasol.net
www.edrecovery.com
888-520-1700