Expert: Meg - 8/4/2006

Question
hi! as for needed background: i am a recovering anorexic/compulsive exerciser. i am 21 years old, and was anorexic for about 6 mos. i have been in recovery and on a really good road now for about 6 months. i have reached my goal weight of 125 lbs (i'm a muscular 5'3"). for the most part, i feel really really great about where i am mentally and physically - obviously there are bumps.

i'm at a bump now. i decided that i was going to try to change my routine to a "maintenance" routine (as opposed to weight gain/loss routines) in the gym and with the way i eat. however - despite my cut in calories (from 2200 to 1800) and my regular exercise, i'm still gaining weight!

i fear that this loss of lack of control will start spinning in my head and i'm kind of starting to freak out. i dont want to freak out, and i know "i know better". i'm in a temporary living situation now for about 6 wks, away from from my nutritionist, so i'm turning to you. why is this happening? why is my body holding on to everything when its been so great up to this point? i thought i had a great metabolism, but right now, its confused? i dont know - any help? thanks so much!!

- freaked.  

Answer
Hi Kelly,

Thanks for your question and I'm sorry that you're feeling a bit freaked out right now and hope that I can help you put your mind at ease.  

First of all, good job on getting this far in recovery.  You sound very motivated to be healthy and live an ed free life-which is awesome.  

I'm sorry that you're away from your nutritionist right now and especially as you are hitting this "bump" and I'm sure could use encouragement.   My hypothesis about what is happening is that because you have a high ratio of muscle, your body requires more than 1800 calories for basic metabolic functions.  Therefore, but cutting out the 400 calories that you had been eating, your body is again tricked into thinking that it is starving and is beginning to hold onto the 1800 calories that it is getting.   You may be thinking that this is more than you used to eat while anorexic, but with a heavy workout schedule and lots of lean muscle, your body really does need a fair amount of calories just to function.

I'm wondering, since you mentioned that you were maintaining fairly well on the 2200 if you can try to go back to that for a little while and see what happens.  While I understand wanting to hurry along the recovery process, there is probably a good reason that your dietician had you at that level and it might be easier to decrease your cals (if you want/need to) once she is back around.  

I hope this helps and please take care and feel free to write again if there is anything else that I can help with.

Best,
Meg