Big lumps on both sides of them. That worked out brilliantly, didnt it? and why you need to know the difference. Kerry, I think that working on body acceptance is key. Ill come back to read again when I start to lose hope. Reading through the comments has been cathartic too about the binging, and how sometimes I just feel like I have NO control on when to stop. Then I was at a decent weight for a long time. I am reading it again and again. I wonder, do you have any further thoughts on visceral vs subcutaneous fat deposition during this stage of recovery? Hypermetabolism in Eating Disorder Recovery Like this blog, podcast, or YouTube channel? Dulloo, A.G., Jacquet, J., Miles-Chan, J.L, and Schutz, Y. I want to be patient enough to see this happen, but I dont know what the outcome will be. Anorexia Recovery Weight Gain Stages - Organic Body I found that when I was really really eating enough protein and fat at mealtime the urge to binge on sweet foods dissolved. i know this is a idiotic question, but is there any way that will help my tummy from being so big while im recovering? i had extreme hunger a few days a week, but on other days i was eating the same amounts as you. THANK YOU. And I promise, it is worth it. You need to be on board with your body, and you need to trust your body. Hi. I know it would be much more tolerable without my stomach fat. The highlighted red line made me feel so much better: One of the cardinal symptoms of anorexia nervosa (AN) is the fear of gaining weight and becoming fat (DSM-IV, criteria B). Now, at 52, I have the belly you are talking about. I come back and re-read this post every time Im feeling bad about my stomach fat, it really helps me. Ive gained on my belly and sides and its very wobbly, I hate it. Thank you, and God Bless. So that evening, I wrote in an email to my soon-to-be partner of my "shock, fear, and disbelief" at the numbers on the scales, but I also wrote about how "it is really remarkably wonderful to be safely within the healthy range, both in immediate terms and for the sake of my future" and of how "even a month ago there were so many more rules and rigidities so firmly in place. But the writers are very clear that this is an unconfirmed hypothesis. The paralysis as regards action comes from the many physiological and psychological effects of starvation that act in concert to make weight gain seem impossible, from the shrunk stomach to the rigidly obsessive thought patterns, from the diminished self-esteem to the slowed metabolism. My therapist has told me about redistribution but it seems more validating to read about it from someone in recovery. Keep eating. thanks so much for ur help.i have been in recovery for a yr now after suffering for 18yrs.i hav been struggling with my body image cos of my stomach and hav relapsed a few times but not to the extent where I lose weight.i now have to b patient and keep going.it will even out.xxxx ps.still not completely convinced tho. Thank you for your brilliant words x, Thank you so much Maisy! Full text here. We all need all the help that we can get in recoveryparents and sufferers alike. There is absolutely no way you will ever recover fully if you decide on a (for your body) arbitrary BMI like 20 and, once you reach it, start restricting again to make sure you stay there. I understand how scary this is for you, but restriction and exercise are not the answer. I was covered in ugly reddened patches of skin where the bones rubbed against my clothes. Is this normal? Youre already so far along wanting to recover it sounds like all you needed was a final part of an explanation about the Fat Tummy in recovery. I suffer from anorexia have for 18yrs and this time i WANT to recover bit this os a HUGE fear of mine and stops me from eating more this is a great rwad i just need to believe it! In contrast, if you start to implement all of the above suggestions into your recovery and daily life you will see loads of positive improvements: Signs your metabolism is speeding up: Higher body temperature, warm hands and feet More energy Better mood Better concentration Higher sex drive Every day that you do not eat you are not taking your medicine and you will get sicker as a result. My first few days I managed to polish off three things of peanut butter that were each 1/3 full, and large amonts of cookies, and other sweets that were off limits in my eating disorder mind. I dont think of my stomach as fat when it is distended because I know its not. I dont think there is any set rule that we can all follow as we are all so different. I think that this is one of the most crucial aspects of recovery as after a while I started to hate the irrational thoughts so much that it was like a battle against them. This was around the same time that I also got my period(I wrote about that in detail too). In the beginning, my anxiety over weight gain was greater than my general anxiety and C-PTSD. When I was first recovering from anorexia I couldnt stand all the weight I had gained in my stomach, and I started to question if I was even eating correctly again. Anorexia nervosa: An optimistic guide to understanding and healing. April 25, 2023. But your words and research are helping me to see this is part of the process and to sit and be with it and hopefully over time with continuing recovery all will balance out. I started exercising a couple months for 3 days a week 30 min a day but recently stopped because I wasnt enjoying it and was doing it to control the weight gain. Of all the areas it has to redistribute to it has to be the stomach area, which has always been my number one trigger for me. They are much less spoken of, but that is something that many of us are trying to change. After about three weeks of a consistently followed refeeding plan, fat will start to be deposited, in a thin layer all over the body, serving as insulation and protective padding, and helping restore hormonal balance.
