Kimm and/or Emma Leigh, can you direct my next step?

[Needatuneup]

I'd REALLY value your help with my diet ~ I'm getting my life back under control with my eating (history of ED x 20 years). I am very determined and motivated by several factors (my stress load has lightened significantly with dh getting a job, etc).

I am not underweight at 5'3.5" 118, but I need spend some time addressing my body composition and nutrition status.

Please don't anyone on the board rip me apart on my plan or tell me to seek professional help. I've spent $70K on a fancy inpatient facility who fed me Ensure, processed carbs and fats, and very little protein. I gained "weight" but left very fatty, didn't put on any lean body mass, and had terrible carb cravings for 3 years after (worse than before I went in). As far as my plan, I'm easing into increasing my calories and trying to figure out what my body will respond to best. I would like to lean up a bit first before doing a clean bulk.

I'm easing into a nutrition plan and abstaining from bingeing/purging. I tried this months ago but I went too high in clean carbs at first and the bloating was more than I could handle. This time, I'm going slower so I have a better chance of sticking with it (the first few weeks are always the toughest). I bought a bodybugg to see what I burn a day and, who knows how accurate it is, but it says an ave. of 2100 with my 4-day split routine and 3x/week cardio (brisk 4 mile walk with my dog). Here's what I've done for the past 3 days, no bingeing/purging, and I've had very few carb cravings. I use a body fat scale (I know not 100%) as a tool to see trends/if I'm gaining/losing LBM. I haven't felt very bloated at all the past 3 days, which is a first when I abstain from the ED:

Everything logged on Fitday:

Tuesday (day 1) = starting weight 116.8 - 21% bf - 55.3# H20 wt - 87.6 LBM
Calories 1200
Protein 101
Carb 62
Fat 67
32/20/48 (P/C/F)

Wednesday (day 2) = weight 119 - 21.5% bf - 55# H20 - 86.7 LBM
Caloreis 1274
Protein 107
Carb 108
Fat 50
33/33/35

Thursday (day 3) = weight 118.2 - 22% bf - 54.7# H20 - 87.4 LBM
Calories 1294
Protein 105
Carb 103
Fat 56
30/34/36

Friday (day 4) = weight 117.6 - 22.4% bf - 54.4# H20 - 87 LBM
Calories/macros not logged yet.

I've been eating chicken, salmon, tuna, lots of veggies, eggs, egg whites, EV coconut oil, and have been staying away from non-veggie carbs to ease into this and avoid a severe refeeding bloat (which I don't know is avoidable at all, but I thought I'd try to ease into it this time).

Kimm and Emma Leigh, do you have any advice on how to proceed from here? My weight is fluctuating quite a bit (not surprised) and my body fat is higher on these bare minimum calories. I know this will take time to even out. I really value your input!

Thanks

ETA: My goal is to work up to 1800 calories, but I'd like to slowly increase to get there. I have no intention of eating 1300 long-term.

[marioana]

Just an observation: If you look more closely you will see that the BF will increase when the H2O ( I assume H2O is water) decreases. If you want to use the scale in measuring bf you will need to measure at the same level of hydration.

[Needatuneup]

Originally Posted by marioana

Just an observation: If you look more closely you will see that the BF will increase when the H2O ( I assume H2O is water) decreases. If you want to use the scale in measuring bf you will need to measure at the same level of hydration.

I noticed that, too. I always measure first thing after waking, nothing in my stomach.
p.s. I drink about 2L water/day since starting my plan.

[kimm4]

Originally Posted by Needatuneup

I'd REALLY value your help with my diet ~ I'm getting my life back under control with my eating (history of ED x 20 years). I am very determined and motivated by several factors (my stress load has lightened significantly with dh getting a job, etc).

I am not underweight at 5'3.5" 118, but I need spend some time addressing my body composition and nutrition status.

Please don't anyone on the board rip me apart on my plan or tell me to seek professional help. I've spent $70K on a fancy inpatient facility who fed me Ensure, processed carbs and fats, and very little protein. I gained "weight" but left very fatty, didn't put on any lean body mass, and had terrible carb cravings for 3 years after (worse than before I went in). As far as my plan, I'm easing into increasing my calories and trying to figure out what my body will respond to best. I would like to lean up a bit first before doing a clean bulk.

I'm easing into a nutrition plan and abstaining from bingeing/purging. I tried this months ago but I went too high in clean carbs at first and the bloating was more than I could handle. This time, I'm going slower so I have a better chance of sticking with it (the first few weeks are always the toughest). I bought a bodybugg to see what I burn a day and, who knows how accurate it is, but it says an ave. of 2100 with my 4-day split routine and 3x/week cardio (brisk 4 mile walk with my dog). Here's what I've done for the past 3 days, no bingeing/purging, and I've had very few carb cravings. I use a body fat scale (I know not 100%) as a tool to see trends/if I'm gaining/losing LBM. I haven't felt very bloated at all the past 3 days, which is a first when I abstain from the ED:

Everything logged on Fitday:

Tuesday (day 1) = starting weight 116.8 - 21% bf - 55.3# H20 wt - 87.6 LBM
Calories 1200
Protein 101
Carb 62
Fat 67
32/20/48 (P/C/F)

Wednesday (day 2) = weight 119 - 21.5% bf - 55# H20 - 86.7 LBM
Caloreis 1274
Protein 107
Carb 108
Fat 50
33/33/35

Thursday (day 3) = weight 118.2 - 22% bf - 54.7# H20 - 87.4 LBM
Calories 1294
Protein 105
Carb 103
Fat 56
30/34/36

Friday (day 4) = weight 117.6 - 22.4% bf - 54.4# H20 - 87 LBM
Calories/macros not logged yet.

I've been eating chicken, salmon, tuna, lots of veggies, eggs, egg whites, EV coconut oil, and have been staying away from non-veggie carbs to ease into this and avoid a severe refeeding bloat (which I don't know is avoidable at all, but I thought I'd try to ease into it this time).

Kimm and Emma Leigh, do you have any advice on how to proceed from here? My weight is fluctuating quite a bit (not surprised) and my body fat is higher on these bare minimum calories. I know this will take time to even out. I really value your input!

Thanks



ETA: My goal is to work up to 1800 calories, but I'd like to slowly increase to get there. I have no intention of eating 1300 long-term.

How long do you plan on keeping these calories? Too many people have the intention of leaning up when they don't have enough lean mass to work with. The final result...you end up skinny and emaciated...not the healthiest look to shoot for.

Keep working slowly towards your goal of increasing calories. Most important, stop weighing yourself everyday. I've never had an ED, but I can't imagine weighing yourself everyday as being part of the recovery process.

Best of luck and don't ever give up!

[Needatuneup]

Originally Posted by kimm4

How long do you plan on keeping these calories? Too many people have the intention of leaning up when they don't have enough lean mass to work with. The final result...you end up skinny and emaciated...not the healthiest look to shoot for.

Keep working slowly towards your goal of increasing calories. Most important, stop weighing yourself everyday. I've never had an ED, but I can't imagine weighing yourself everyday as being part of the recovery process.

Best of luck and don't ever give up!

I'm not planning on keeping my calories this low for very long at all. As my body adjusts and my stomach starts emptying at a more normal pace and my hunger cues normalize I plan to add more and more in. I was hoping to slow down the weight gain by doing it slowly. In the past I've increased too fast and would gain 10# in a week. It quickly demotivated me. I thought this approach would be better. I just thought you might have some insight into the best way to go about increasing calories and if more proteins versus fats was the best approach.

Thanks for your advice!

[kimm4]

Right adding too many calories too fast would cause a quick weight gain. But keep in mind once your body adjusts to the new calories, you'll be fine. Even when you gained those 10 lbs...your body wouldn't have continued to do so on a weekly basis...it doesn't work like that.

When you increase your calories you could try something like this:

202 g protein
112 g carbs
60 g healthy fats

Total calories 1796

I did it this way because you mentioned carb cravings. So I'm thinking this might be a better route for you. If you don't like it then you could cut the protein by 30 grams and just throw it into your carbs.

Hope this helps!

[Needatuneup]

Originally Posted by kimm4

Right adding too many calories too fast would cause a quick weight gain. But keep in mind once your body adjusts to the new calories, you'll be fine. Even when you gained those 10 lbs...your body wouldn't have continued to do so on a weekly basis...it doesn't work like that.

When you increase your calories you could try something like this:

202 g protein
112 g carbs
60 g healthy fats

Total calories 1796

I did it this way because you mentioned carb cravings. So I'm thinking this might be a better route for you. If you don't like it then you could cut the protein by 30 grams and just throw it into your carbs.

Hope this helps!

That's really good advice, and I appreciate your reinforcing that the weight gain *will* stop! Thanks Kimm!

[Hannah73Louise]

Originally Posted by Needatuneup

I noticed that, too. I always measure first thing after waking, nothing in my stomach.
p.s. I drink about 2L water/day since starting my plan.

That'll be artificially high BF% then cause you're dehydrated first thing in the morning. I have similar scales and record my BF% later in the day when I'm hydrated in the 56-58% range. And I only compare readings with exactly the same water percentage because even 0.1% water difference affects the reading....

[Needatuneup]

Originally Posted by Hannah73Louise

That'll be artificially high BF% then cause you're dehydrated first thing in the morning. I have similar scales and record my BF% later in the day when I'm hydrated in the 56-58% range. And I only compare readings with exactly the same water percentage because even 0.1% water difference affects the reading....

That's really good to know! I thought the everyday scale thing would help me figure things out, but it's not, so I'll put it away until everything settles down and is more consistent. Right now the weight fluctuations are insane.

[sweeth4796]

LOOK HUN! I know how you feel! I am STILL recovering from my ED and I know the fear that comes along with eating more. The anxiety that grabs you and you feel the urgency to start drastically dieting or what not. TO recover and I mean RECOVER...you HAVE to stop weighing yourself!!!! PERIOD!!!! throw the damn thing out...that number on a scale is what keeps driving (partly) your behavior..it is hard.....but hun if you want the body that you want...lean tone strong healthy..you are going to have to

a) throw out the scale
b) eat MORE (weekly increase 100 cals til you hit 1800- 2000 minimum per day)
c) continue in abstinence of binging/purging
d) lift heavy and hard as you can
e) LOVE yourself and KNOW YOU CAN DO IT!

Your weight is fine your body will tighten up with the right training and nutrition...starving it at 1200 is going to get you the same body that you have had......GET THROUGH THE FEAR and see the other side hun!

God bless yoU!

PM me if you NEED ANYTHING! its never to late to change your thinking, body, and soul.

[sweeth4796]

I <3 Kimm..always great advise!

Originally Posted by kimm4

Right adding too many calories too fast would cause a quick weight gain. But keep in mind once your body adjusts to the new calories, you'll be fine. Even when you gained those 10 lbs...your body wouldn't have continued to do so on a weekly basis...it doesn't work like that.

When you increase your calories you could try something like this:

202 g protein
112 g carbs
60 g healthy fats

Total calories 1796

I did it this way because you mentioned carb cravings. So I'm thinking this might be a better route for you. If you don't like it then you could cut the protein by 30 grams and just throw it into your carbs.

Hope this helps!

[Nightbird573]

Originally Posted by sweeth4796

I <3 Kimm..always great advise!

Kimm's such a sexy beast!

[kimm4]

You gals are so sweet and I thank you!