Expert: Loren - 4/27/2007

Question
Dear Loren,
i suffered from exercise related anorexia for about 3 years intensely, increasing more severely year by year. I finally did reach an intervention and just snapped one day and realised with the help of my family, friends and a sport nutritionist/psychologist that i did in fact have anorexia and needed to do something about it. previously i used to work out for about 60mins everyday, with very little to nothing in my belly some days and then on 3 of the days for dinner eat absolutely outrageously for like 3 hours continually.Since then i have moved to the gold coast, i have given up dancing( i used to be a performer and dance till all hours in the morning , eating nothing beforehand,. i was a professional RNB dancer and image was very important. i was in the newspapers and magazines all the time. people used to scrutinize my image. i know i was way too skinny as i used to get complimented on how fantastic my body was then to wow ytou are soo skinny. i got out of that environment and now i go to university, i work only 20 hours a week in a fish shop, i am a news presenter. I have cut me exercise weekly by heaps. i now only exercise for 45minutes five times a week, and totally mix it up, between body balance, cardio, weights a bit, a walk or run around the block. i have gone from seriously eating nothing but organic, no sugar, no wheat food, no meat, chicken, fish, anything but tuna really and veggies. some days i didnt even eat at all except soup. now i eat 2 meals a day but very decent big meals. I eat a huge breakfast, muesli, with dries fruits, goji berries, pine nuts, peppitas, almonds, rice, honey and tea, then im not even mildly hungry to dinner and i mix it up every day but i will have fish, red meat, turkey, veggies, lentils, chick peas, gravy, pasta sauce, herbs, yogurt, HEAPS of cereal, musli bars, HEAPS of normal cadbury chocolate, actually i dont restrict myself from anything i desire as long as i know its healthy and im satisfied.i dont think just because i have been anorexic that i have to go out and eat mcDonalds every night just to justify that i no longer have an eating disorder. i honestly eat more than my boyfriend who is a professional basketballer but most of it excluding the chocolate, toppings, cereals is very healthy food. the very strange thing is i havenet really put that much weight back on. i know i must have put enough on because i have got my period back regularly after not having it for four years, and i look alot better and feel better, im not ever sick anymore. my mum is only a tiny lady and so is my dad so it is hard to know whether i was always just going to be little even if i didn't go through my whole dieting dilemma from 18-23years old. I would like to know what are the major signs that you have physically and mentally recovered from anorexia, and have i really recovered? and what is a healthy eating plan. i am currently 167cm tall and weigh about 51kg
thank you kindly
Alissa

Answer
Hello Alissa,

I am very happy to hear you decided to turn things around - that decision will prove to be the best you've ever made, I can assure you.
Ok, so I've calculated your BMI from the statistics you gave me and it is 18.3, which is slightly outside the healthy range of 18.5 - 24.9. However, you also said that your parents are small and you're eating well so I wouldn't worry - it's most likely down to genetics.
One of the main problems with recovering from an eating disorder is pressure from the media, and common opinion which has been distorted so by what we see all the time in magazines. I'm glad that you've taken yourself out of that environment. Being skinny doesn't guarantee happiness, does it? It's at times like that you need to realise who it is you are trying to please - yourself or the people around you?

Now, to your question. How do you know when you have fully recovered? It's not just a physical thing. Most people seem to think that once you've achieved a healthy weight you're recovered, but it is far deeper than that. The fact that you mention you eat good sized meals, and eat whatever you feel like without worrying sounds to me like you're well on your way to a full recovery, if not there already. Satisfaction after eating suggests that your approach to food is healthy and the foods you do mention are all vital for good health. However, I'm not sure about 'heaps' of Cadbury chocolate. Have you tried dark chocolate? It has more beneficial qualities than ordinary chocolate although should be consumed in sensible quantities, of course. The higher the cocoa content the better it is for you!
In terms of exercise, it sounds like you have a good balance there, too. Too much exercise can be just as bad for you as none at all. The recommended amount per day is 30-60 minutes and need not be anything strenuous - a simple walk is ideal. However, a active person like yourself will probably prefer a more varied exercise regime.

So basically, yes I think you are almost there. Your relationship with food sounds great and you know what's beneficial to keeping in both good physical and mental shape. Your periods are a sign that the oestrogen levels and fat levels in your body are at a perfect balance, and you know your own body better than anyone else so if you look and feel healthier then it would appear that you body has pretty much recovered. And your eating disorder is unlikely to have affected your physical growth as it did not occur until most women have finished their development.
You're right, you do not have to eat a McDonalds every night to prove anything. That would be ill-advised anyway because, and I think you'll already know, that fast food is detrimental to good health. But your eating plan sounds healthy. Have you perhaps considered spreading it out over the duration of the day? You mention only two meals, and I myself don't necessarily follow a six-small-meals-a-day plan but perhaps you could include lunch (even if it is only fruit). Your energy levels are at their highest around that time and you'll need fuel to keep yourself going.

I hope this helps, even if it is only a little reassurance. By the sounds of it you've already done all the tough work yourself!

Loren