Expert: Meg - 7/5/2007

Question
Hi megan my name is kristal and i have had an eating disorder for a little over a year. In this time i've lost about 40lbs my lowest being 105lbs (I'm short though, 5'1).  When i was 105 i was severely restricting, like no food one day, 300-400 calories another day, and I was getting really depressed, and my hair was falling out like mad and I PANIC in social situations where there is food involved, so I've been trying to recover and over the past 2-3 months I've begun eating more normally, around 1100 calories, and I had leveled out at 112lbs.  For a week, I've been going to the gym, doing about 30 min cardio on the elliptical, and then various weight machines, and it seems that within around 4 days I've gained 5 lbs!  I didn't even know that was humanly possible.  I have been eating more, around 1500 cal, but that is a lot of weight for 4 days.  I am seriously freaking out and I am ready to just stop eating again because then at least I get results.  I was wondering do you have any ideas as to why this may be happening?  And with exercise and proper diet would it be possible for me to get back down to 105?  Can i only get that thin by severely restricting calories?  Do you have any recommendations for me?  I mean, I really want to eat normally and just work out a lot to reach and maintain my ideal weight but if it's not happening lettuce and diet coke get results you know?  And maybe i was depressed before but looking like this is equally depressing just in a different way.  At least then I was proud of myself, now I'm just disgusted.
Any advice would be appreciated.  thank you
kristal

Answer
Hi Kristal,

My sincere apologies for taking a few days to get back with you.  I am actually on vacation and thought that I set my account to reflect that, but must have done it incorrectly.  In any case, sorry for the wait and I hope this finds you well.

First of all, good job on working so hard on recovery.  That is not easy and it takes a lot of strength and dedication to get as far as you have, so give yourself a big pat on the back and know that you're doing wonderfully.

It is actually a normal (albeit, not fun) part of recovery to kind of freak out when you are trying to eat more normally again and your metabolism goes a bit haywire.  I promise you that you did not gain 5 pounds from the food you ate and for some reason your body is probably holding onto water weight.  One scientific proof of this is that a pound is equivalent to 3500 calories and you would need to eat 17500 calories to gain five pounds.  Even more than that actually because your basic bodily functions even when resting will take at least 1000 a day.  So, I think its safe to say that your body is reacting weirdly due to your eating disorder and being out of whack but you definitely haven't gained 5 pounds suddenly.  

If you have the resources to do so, it might be helpful for you to talk with a nutritionist who can help you determine just how many calories YOUR body needs and how you can be healthy and look the way you want to.  Here is a link for you:

http://www.something-fishy.org/treatmentfinder/Category/Dietician-Nutritionist/

While I understand freaking out (goodness knows, it happened to me as well), I do not suggest going back to your eating disorder as it will only mess up your metabolism more.  The best advice I have it to hang in there and give it some time.  And, trust me that your weight will level out and you can eat enough for your body to be healthy without gaining a lot of weight and getting "fat".  In the meantime, focus on doing healthy things for your body and let the scale and weight go as little if you can.  I know, difficult, but so very worth it.

This will get better and I know that you can hang in there until it does.  I hope this answered your question and please feel free to write anytime if there is more I can help with.

Take care, okay?

Meg