Expert: Leigh-Anne Persing, PA-C - 2/24/2007

Question
I am 18 years old and suffer from anorexia. i'm 5ft7 and at my worst (in december) was 6stone12pounds. i only had a brief fling with anorexia and i am desperately trying to recover. in december i aimed to put the weight back on. in the fist 4 weeks, i managed to put on 1 pound per week, taking me up to 7st2pounds. however since then, my weight has gone back down to 6stone13pounds - accidentally. i have been eating more and more. i have even this week managed to overcome my fear of junk food - hoping that will help me to put on weight. Basically, i just want to know how many calories i need to consume per day to put on 1-2pounds per week, and whether "normal healthy eating rules" apply or not when trying to regain weight. should i eat lots of chocolate, as this is little food, but with more calories? any advice on eating to put on weight would be appreciated, i'm stuck!

Answer
You don't need to eat junk food to gain weight. Rather, on the other hand, I would recommend eating the "heavier" of your food choices. For example: 2% or whole milk instead of skim milk; regular yogurt instead of fat free or light yogurt. There are lots of ways to spice up healthy food choices... if you have salad add some yummy dressing (not fat free or light), and have some crutons and bacon bits with that. If you have a plate full of veggies... dip them in some ranch. You don't need to go out and start eating a bunch of junk... and I wouldn't want you to do that because if you find yourself gaining weight too rapidly I'm afraid you would become discouraged and go back to your old eating habits. Try increasing your calories by 200 everyday until you notice your weight going on the upward trend... at a rate that you are comfortable with. Your daily caloric intake will depend on what type of lifestyle you lead... how much activity you particpate in. Between 1400 and 1800 is a good goal to shoot for. However you may need more if you participate in sports. Hope this helps. Good luck with everything. and if you have any more questions please feel free to contact me again!