question for people who have gotten over anorexia - Eating Disorder Recovery Message Board

passdays · 04-20-2003, 08:39 PM

Hey everyone
I was wondering for people who have gone through anorexia and gotten over it, that does the weight that you lost stay off? Also, can you be "fat" and then be anorexic until you're your perfect weight then get over it and start eating healthy and exercising to stay that way?
Thank you

SCarpenter333 · 04-20-2003, 10:59 PM

Hi Passdays,
I have "gotten over" anorexia for some years now. Although I have gained weight this last year because I quit smoking. I am trying to lose the weight that I gained to be a normal weight. Although I have to watch it. In January when I started my diet, I noticed I started obsessing and would not allow myself to eat over 1000 calories in a day. I stopped counting calories right away. I eat 3 meals a day, and I walk. I also baught a video on lifting weights for weight loss. Muscle weights more than fat. A healthy person is not a skinny person, but one who loves and cherishes their body as a gift. Always conscious of how one is treating it.
No, you can not be fat and then be anorexic until you're the perfect weight again then get over it. That is not a healthy way to lose weight at all. Nor is it healthy on the mind. To lose weight you need to eat, you need to exercise. Most of all, I learned last year when I quit smoking, "I am not going to try to kill myself anymore. My wish was to die when I was anorexic, and bulimic. My last thing to give up was the smoking because that was still a way to kill myself. ( I have asthma). No a person can not be anorexic and be healthy mentally or physically.
If I have offended anyone by this ... sorry... only speaking the truth.
Shelly

Ashlee · 04-22-2003, 02:56 AM

Hey there, Passdays.

I agree with Shelly, you can NOT resort to anorexia just to lose a desired weight and then when you reach that weight, start eating again and expect to stay at the same weight.

It won't happen.

Reason? When you starve your body it automatically slows down your metabolism. Therefore, when you begin to eat again all the food your body is getting will continue to be stored as fat - thus you will gain weight quicker than ever. More than likely you will exceed your original weight using this "method".

I am currently in recovery from bulimia and have dealt with anorexia in the past. I have been in recovery since November/December 2002 and yes, I HAVE gained weight back. But the weight gain for me has been very slow so it's not as scary as you may think.

Well, good luck to you!

Ashlee

PS: Shelly, well done on giving up smoking AND recovering from an ED!!

SCarpenter333 · 04-22-2003, 07:28 PM

Ashlee,
Thanks for the well done. Although I recovered from my eating disorder years ago. I would say around 1999/2000 is when I really stopped with the eating disorder. I think it takes a lot just to give up one thing at a time. Abusive men, abusing myself, etc one step at a time. Giving up smoking was my last really bad habit that I needed to give up. Now I am learing to eat right and exercise. I've gained a bunch of weight in the last year, and need to lose it, but I will normally.
Thanks for the well done, but it has been years of work for me, and not just in the last year.
Shelly