I just want to sit down and cry.

Well, actually I did last night...

But that's besides the point. I feel like I just can't do this whole "2500 calorie diet" thing anymore. The bloating is actually becoming painful. Does anyone else get bloated to the point where they look pregnant? I look and the mirror and it's just not pretty...I want to gain weight but I don't want to gain weight in JUST my stomach. I thought at this point i'd be gaining weight in my arms and legs but I'm just not. All I have is a bloated stomach. I've gained a little more than 15 pounds and I think I have like 15 more to go and im so scared at what's going to happen with these next 15. The thing is...I don't eat any fat in my diet...which means that I have to eat A TON in order to get my 2500 calories in. I dont know if that has something to do with the bloating...but then again, i dont want to switch my diet up because im just too scared to...i dont want to make the bloating worse...ahhh i just want all of this to go away. I want normal arms, normal legs, a normal stomach...a NORMAL DIET....i don't know what to do.

GurlyGurly
I wish i could give you a big hug...you are fighting extremely hard, and i can hear how difficult things are with the bloated stomach. I have the same problem, i have nights where my stomach is sooo sore that i do cry, i do look pregnant - but by morning it has gone down a little.
some advice which i hope may help is to try and have more energy dense foods...now, i no nuts have fat in them but it is all good essential fats. i try and think of them making my hair thicker and healthier...so nuts, what about yoghurt? smoothies? umm...lollies? dried fruit?
as for the bloating is it like a gassy bloating or full of food bloating?
i no for gas you can get tablets which help with this...which i cant darn name..but ask the chemist, as for the food bloating - try not to drink too much when your eating - this actally makes the food heavier and bulkier...
hope that helps a little
please take care gurly
chookie

GurlyGurly
I wish i could give you a big hug...you are fighting extremely hard, and i can hear how difficult things are with the bloated stomach. I have the same problem, i have nights where my stomach is sooo sore that i do cry, i do look pregnant - but by morning it has gone down a little.
some advice which i hope may help is to try and have more energy dense foods...now, i no nuts have fat in them but it is all good essential fats. i try and think of them making my hair thicker and healthier...so nuts, what about yoghurt? smoothies? umm...lollies? dried fruit?
as for the bloating is it like a gassy bloating or full of food bloating?
i no for gas you can get tablets which help with this...which i cant darn name..but ask the chemist, as for the food bloating - try not to drink too much when your eating - this actally makes the food heavier and bulkier...
hope that helps a little
please take care gurly
chookie

Hi Chookie,
Thank you so much for your response. You're such a comfort...it's amazing. Thank you so much for reaching out. And before I say anything else I'd just like to say congratulations because I read some of your other boards and it seems like you're really doing great. Great job on all of your hard work! But yes...it's definitely a comfort to know I'm not the only one dealing with a bloated stomach...people don't understand how painful it is, both mentally and physically. So the "energy dense" foods...that would also be like peanut butter right? ahh...okay...well...is that what you've been eating a lot of? I just don't want to eat anything that is going to pack the weight JUST on my stomach because my stomach already looks bad because of the bloating. Yes it actually is gassy bloating...and i've tried those over-the-counter bloat reducers and nothing seems to really help. Maybe i'll take your advice and not drink so much water with my meals. Gosh it just helps to talk about this and to get another person's opinion who has been through it...

Oh wow, girls! I, too, suffer from really bad bloating! Finally other people that do too! Sometimes I just look at it and start crying because not only is it physically not attractive, but it does actually hurt! I completely understand what you guys are going through.. It's tough! Just remember that our bodies are trying to even itself out, you know, and that it won't happen overnight. Stay strong, girls! You can do it:) Take care and God Bless.

I remember reading somewhere that sometimes when gaining weight back it can be in the stomach first, but then later it will distribute back more evenly.

Kathrin

hey gurly, sincerity and kathrin
gurly - yes, energy dense foods like peanut butter, avo, nut bars, etc - these are all extremely good for you (remember the hair!!) wont cause you to feel completely stuffed and are yummy
thats something i wanted to remind everyone - is that we are allowed to enjoy food. for so long the ed has limited us, we ARE allowed to have variety and stuff the ed!!
yes, bloating is terrible, but it will go down, try and cut back on the water during meals - anything is worth a shot, also, and this may seem a little crazy - but try not to be too worried when eating. as i realise eating at times can be really stressful, this anxiety can actually not help the whole digestive process...this is a hard one i no,,...but deep breathing, having nice music on, even doing a puzzle or reading something (not a diet mag or gossip mag...these can not be helpful, trust me!) can make eating a little more enjoyable.
take care all - and gurly, im always here - and it is soo good to log on and read these boards - just no - ing someone else no's what its like is reassuring
take care
chookie

Thanks Chookie. I just have so many questions...im sure you felt the same way. And they aren't questions that I can ask anyone because people will freak out...for example, i want to ask my mom, my doctors, everyone if eating entirely carbs instead of fat is why im putting weight on just my stomach, or if carbs can put weight on your arms and legs too...and i want to ask if peanut butter and avacados and things like that would be better than the carbs while trying to gain back EVEN weight...but I can't ask those questions because people will get worried that i don't want to gain weight. BUT I DO. I want to gain weight sooooo bad...but i don't want to gain it JUST in my stomach. My arms and my back look terrible. How do I put weight on there?!?! And I think my stomach looks horrible...particularly the area right below my belly button. Anyone have any advice???

I just appreciate you guys so much.

How about everyone else...what do you eat in a day? What's your diet like? What kind of weight are you gaining?

I hope you guys are doing well :)

hey gurly
A typical days eating:
b- yoghurt with nuts and museli (dried raisins and apple)
skim latte (yes i no its skim, but the yoghurt is full cream)
2xtoast add p/n butter or avo

mt- muffin or chocolate bar or nut and seed bar or ice cream

l- sandwich with avo chicken and salad or 3-4 sushi handrolls (with chicken, fish, etc) or noodles with chicken (you, like the stir fry ones from the asian places)
add a juice or coffee

at - big mango and full cream yoghurt, instant noodles and juice

dinner - carb protein and veg....
fruit salad

s- biscuits (like crisp bread) with avo or p/n butter and milk, or bowl of ice cream or raisin toast add spread or stuff like that...

ok, does that seem like heaps..cant say i like to write stuff down, but im trying to spread my food more throgh out the day as i was having heaps of trouble with over eating at night.
as for eating all carbs, and those questions...well gurly, a few years ago (this is the truth) when i was trying to recover i gained a stack of weight by simply eating carbs, a little protein and no fat...and you no what - i got bored...and the ed got very comfortable only letting me eat carb related products....so, i really do advise you to try and add in more protein and things like avocado and nuts and extra virgin olive oil...i had a natripath consultation about 18months ago and she opened my eyes to the healthy oils...and gurly...(this is the trth once again!!) i actually felt better eating them and didnt have to eat as much bulky things to get to the prescribed cals per day and the bloating reduced..
so, tips are: have protein carb and fruit / veg at each meal..some snacks as well - it WILL make you feel better and ... for me anyway - the weight gain wasnt as fast as other ways...but by no means am i saying to be extremely strict as that isnt living either - moderation my friend
take care gurly - always here for you my friend
chookie

I know that i'll feel better once i start eating fats...i just have to MAKE myself do it...i don't know how to start, or where to start though.

That's so interesting...you actually are gaining SLOWER now that you've added more fats and are eating less carbs? I mean...ALL i eat is carbs...I calculated that I only get like 10 grams of fat a day. What is a good amount of fat to have in a day?

Oh, and I had another question (sorry for all the questions lol) but you said that the way you were gaining weight changed when you changed your diet from carbs to more fat...did WHERE you put on the weight change too?

How about everyone else...how much fat do you guys eat in a day? What are your diets like? I'd just love to hear from other people and I'd love to hear how you are all doing out there...I hope well.

Well, I was taking in at the MOST 24 grams of fat per day. 80% of the time it would be between 6-13 grams. Unless I binged, which I like to do a lot.. lol But I am at the VERY beginning stages of trying to add more into my diet.. so.. it's still pretty low. I'm trying to go gradual to avoid the feelings of guilt which make me wanna fast the next day... which will only lead to binging at night.. which starts the cycle over again. lol

hi gurly, i noticed that when i lost about 4lbs a month ago was when i cut out eating sweets and carbs, i ate the same # of calories, but cut those out, so i'm guessing that's why that happened too. it seems like when i eat more proteins(oatmeal, yogurt, etc) i feel more satisfied then if i just eat bagels, bread, etc. and i can go longer without feeling so hungry