I have been working hard for the past two months to restore my body to a healthy weight. I HAVE FINALLY DONE IT – BUT MAN HAS IT BEEN HARD! A change in metabolic rate is the reason for this. Often when individuals with eating disorders enter treatment their caloric intake is quite low. When people do this, restrict their intake for long periods of time, their metabolic rate actually slows down in order to conserve energy and protect the vital organs. However during treatment the bodies’ metabolic rate increases beyond a “normal” rate. This is because the body learns to trust that it is no longer at risk for starvation and will require additional energy to repair damage and restore proper functioning. This is called a “hypermetabolic state”. Some people experience this state for a few months, others a few years, and some not at all.

This is a really important concept to understand because family and friends of people with eating disorders think in order to get better their loved ones just need to start eating normally again but as I just pointed out it can take a lot more than that. If a hypermetabolic state does occur it can mean that in order to put on weight the individual will require upwards of 2500-3500 calories a day. Studies have even shown that for a few years post weight restoration an individual with an eating disorder history will require more caloric intake to maintain their weight than someone with similar body statistics who do not have an eating disorder history.

As one could expect figuring out how much nutrition someone needs at different points in their recovery can be very difficult and cause a lot of anxiety. Deciding to get healthy is a very big step and from my own experience I find that if you can trust that you will be able to gain weight at a healthy manageable pace and then transition to a proper maintenance plan then staying in recovery and preventing relapses is more likely. I strongly suggest everyone struggling with an eating disorder see a dietician to guide them in this process. Dieticians are able to set you up with a structured and balanced meal plan, monitor your progress closely, make the necessary changes to help you accomplish your goals, and be a support and someone for you to stay accountable to.

A real and lasting recovery may seem impossible in the beginning but I promise you if you work hard, show yourself compassion, accept that it sucks but is a necessary evil, and are patient with the process, then success and health is more then possible.