Expert: Dawn McNamara - 2/8/2011

Question
QUESTION: I've been bulimic for about a year now. I'm 5'4 and I'm 16 years old and I started off at 215 pounds and I was 98 pounds at my lowest point. Just recently I have been eating normally but I have gained 15 pounds in the week I have been eating, is that normal? How many calories should I be eating on a daily basis? Will I keep continuing to gain weight? I'm scared that I will get overweight again and then relapse. Or will I stop gaining weight once I get to a healthy weight? I havnt threw up in about a week now and I feel so bloated and miserable all the time, how long will it take for me to eat and feel normal eating again?

ANSWER: Hi there!!
Congrads! Dont worry about the weight gain right now. I am 5'4 too and I keep myself at 1600-1800 cals a day. Your body is coming out of a starvation mode. Right now its hoarding calories and trying to prepare for the "next famine" Its normal all the way. Eventually your body rill begin to "trust" again. When the next "famine" doesnt come, your body will relax its tenacious hold on calories and you will start to burn calories normally.  
  Also part of the bloating you are feeling is fluid build up (which is a lot of the weight too). Thats also normal and will pass. You may start to cramp, get constipated, pee like a racehorse, and fart like a bad dog too. This is your body learning to digest  food again, and its not fun. Think of a baby when its learning to eat solid food ( gas, burping, nasty poo, colic) its gonna happen to you too. But have faith, it will pass. It takes a couple months. But if you begin to purge again, it starts over because your body..which has started to trust you, gets slapped and will try to revert back. Teaching your body to trust again it  hard because the weight gain is terrifying. Hold your ground. Keep your calories constant and spread throughout the day. This will help regulate insulin. Stay consistent. this will build trust. Also try a probiotic yogurt every day...maybe two, this will help a little. keep up with fluids
I hope this helps..
 

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

QUESTION: I was hospitalized once 4 this problem and they had me on a 2000 calorie diet so I thought tht since I've been eating I've been eating about 1500 calories a day, is that too much? And also I'm about to join a gym so I won't get too big to the point where I really hate my body, will exercising help with the fast weight gain?

ANSWER: Your caloric intake is lower than mine. I take in 1800 and my weight jumped around and then finally settled in at 105lbs. It hardly changes at all now. But it took time for my body to trust me and let go of the calorie hording that it was doing. It will stabilize.
  As far as exercise is concerned and joining a gym...I wouldn't, not yet. Wait until your body stabilizes. You need to avoid triggers and electrolyte depletion. keep exercise simple and modest right now. Go for walks if you can, but keep it light. Your body needs a calm stretch. if anything, yoga would be a good compromise. Since you are monitoring calories, your weight will slow down naturally. The key is to try to not get scared. You are going to go through a very tense awkward transition, and the change is gonna be scary.
 If I was as strong as you are now, when I was 16.....I would have never had a stroke. I admire your strength. You will get through this.
 Be well,
Dawn

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

QUESTION: So I am going to keep gaining weight until my body is stabilized? How long does that usually take? And I also heard about starvation mode? What is that and how do I get out of that?

Answer
yes. But remember that at 1800 calories  a day you can only gain so much weight. Your body will stabilize once it gets out of starvation mode. Right now your body's anticipating being depleted again, so...like a squirrel its gathering nuts (calories)and storing them. Much of your weight gain will be fluids also called refeeding edema. This will stop on its own. Stabilization depends on the degree and length of time you've been bulimic or anorexic. If you keep your calories constant and spread out...and don't relapse (because breaks the 'trust' your establishing with your body) you should begin to even out in a couple months.
 Keeping your body's trust is the only way to get out of 'starvation mode'
And trust takes time...and the temptation to relapse is the greatest during this period. Fear will try to take over and anxiety will build. But REMEMBER this: it will even out, and I've been through it. You will not go through this alone.  I will be here too.
Be well..and stay strong tonight
Dawn