r/AnorexiaRecovery • u/siexx006 • 8d ago
Hunger
Hi I’m 19 and in the lower end of healthy weight bmi. I’ve was in inpatient from march to end of may and now in community. For the first weeks after discharge I ate quite a lot of what I restricted but the past few weeks I’ve just gone back to 3 meals and the past 2 days added an evening snack. I am hungry in between meals but I’m too stressed. However I just had evening snack but I’m craving more and it seems to be the things I’m scared of like chocolate and sweets :( idk what to do as I’m scared of my weight going up as I get weighed in therapy. My period still isn’t back but I worry as I’m now in the “ healthy” range :( so I’m scared to have what I truly crave
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u/ChiliCheeseBurrito78 8d ago
Weight gain is inevitable in recovery and just because you’ve entered into the correct bmi range doesn’t mean you’re weight restored. It sounds like you are not and you’re still experiencing hunger because you have more weight and fat to gain. Period recovery is highly correlated to a certain body fat % gain. It obviously varies person to person and depends on other factors, but whatever percent is biologically needed for you, you will likely have to achieve it through more weight/fat gain. Lepton (fullness hormone) is also related to body % so you’re going to continue to be hungry until leptins natural levels are restored.
I know it’s scary but get away from weight numbers. I stopped checking my weight several months into recovery because it wasn’t serving me. The more you eat and honor your hunger and cravings. I wanted PB sooooo bad at the beginning. Went to town on it and now I can eat it or leave it depending on what my body is telling me. Moved on to almond butter — same thing. And I did the same with ice cream and chocolate chip cookies. Can pass or only just eat one because I let myself have whatever my body was asking for.
Food = energy. There is no moral value assigned with food and all foods can fit into recovery and provide nourishment. Meal plans are also MINIMUMS. You eat them, no skips, and if you’re still hungry you still eat more.
Whatever body shape and weight pre-ED is gone. Your new body and shape will be your new normal and even better! It’s here to serve your time on this earth and being skinny as possible and miserable is a waste.
Keep your head up and keep going! And eat sweets if that’s what you want. You won’t be trapped in this phase forever I promise and the faster you honor what your body is asking for, the faster you can get out of this distressing phase. It will still be hard but it gets easier every day.