Is my weight OK? Can I stop now?

Question

I am recovering from anorexia. I am 20, 5'5, and weigh 110. 6 months ago I was 91. I want to stop gaining so bad! Is 110 enough for me? My parents want me gain more. I still dont have a period. But I really don't want to gain anymore! But I honestly dont want to lose either. At 110 I can still fit my size 0/1 jeans, because I can't gain any weight in my lower body. Honest opinions please. I know I can't trust myselfon this one.

Answer 1

im 5'5" i weight about 115, if your parents are worried and think you need to gain more weight, go to your doc get a ceck up and ask your ideal weight for your height. then tell your parents what it is (only if its close to what you weight now) so them they see your at a normal weight and dont worry. they just care about you and want you to be healthy thats why they prolly think you need to gain more weight.

Answer 2

I think you should talk to your doctor. A doctor can tell you objectively what you should do. Since you don't have a period still it might be wise to gain a little more weight. I know that with all of the pressure to be bone thin that its hard and you really want more than anything to have that control. You need to think of your health though. You can die and although the anxiety feels like it could kill you it really can't, not like the anorexia can. See your doctor. Maybe you can get some medication for the anxiety.

Also look into healthy activities that are good for your body - ask your doctor if yoga would be ok? And are you in therapy? A counselor would be a really good person to have in your life. Someone to talk about the struggles you face daily. Food is going to be a struggle for a long time.

Good luck.

Answer 3

That sounds a little on the skinny side, but a great improvement from 91! I would suggest you let yourself slowly gain another 5 or so pounds. Look at yourself in the mirror... Can you clearly and easily see your ribs or any other bones from a relaxed position? It's ok if you can tell that they are there, but they don't need to be sticking out where you can clearly see them individually.

Congrats, it sounds like you have come a long way! But I am guessing that you know not having your period is a sign that your body could still benefit from gaining a bit more. I hope your parents are proud of you :)

I know they love you and have good intentions, but I would trust a doctor's opinion more than theirs. I am sure they don't want you to be overweight, but seeing you a little closer to the "plump" side of a healthy weight would probably be like a dream come true for them.

Answer 4

Your present BMI is 18.3, so you are almost there. Ideally you should weight at least 112 lbs.

However, I understand your concern. As much as anorexia is not healthy, putting on fat isn't healthy either!

I also understand your parents. They want you to be healthy and think that more pounds would make you so.

If I were you I would try to gain LEAN mass. That is, I would do weight training and eat proteins, so that the pounds you put on aren't fat but muscle.

Muscles weight more than fat.... so actually you can be tiny AND healthy (I am 5' 6", 121 lbs and 22% fat wearing a size 0-2 now... but I was skinny-fat... 112 lbs, a LOT of fat and a size 4). At that point, both you and your parents will be happy, and you will also be healthy.

Good luck!

Answer 5

If you ever hope to have children you need to gain more weight. I know nothing I say will matter to you because you have a disease. I hope you are seeing a therapist and on medication. Ask about OCD medication for anorexia. The more your parents push you the more you will try to rebel. Anorexia is about control more than it is about weight, but you should still surround yourself with more healthy images of women. Obviously thinness does not equal happiness or else so many anorexics would not commit suicide by dieting. I am a size 18 and married to a hot, loving husband & happy. Get a subscription to Figure magazine and throw out any others. Don't watch TV because they are all under-weight. And get help from a professional please! I weighed 99 pounds in the THIRD GRADE! You are twenty years old for crying out loud.

Answer 6

I'm 5'5" as well, my weight normally stayed at about 110 115.lol but i gained so i weigh just about 130 now...and i hate it...too flabby,but people still tell me im too thin.I think you can relax for now.Maybe go 5 more pounds.Because when i was 110...i still looked a little yucky with ribs showing and such.

Answer 7

Hi, good job on your progress! I don't think you would feel good if you were any thinner than you are, and you could probably stand to put on more weight. However, I would like to see you change your focus a bit. Instead of thinking about making your body thinner, think about making it HEALTHIER. Could you make that your goal instead? Think about what you can do to make your body strong, resiliant, healthy, athletic, responsive, agile and energetic. You need to build up health reserves like a bank account because in years to come if you ever get sick, you will need that strength. To have a healthy body, you need enough exercise and the right kind of fuel in your body so it can maintain its vitality, spirit and strength. Food such as vegetables, complex carbs like brown rice, fruit, a little dairy, and plenty of water. Your body is like a machine and it has built-in abilities to heal itself and rejuvenate. But it cannot function properly unless you treat it right.
The size of your jeans is just of such little significance. A size 5/6 jeans is actually quite petite so a 0/1 sounds extremely tiny!
A better thing to think about as far as self-improvement would be how to be strong, healthy, happy, kind, intuitive, intelligent, capable, clever, serene, etc. Remember, your body is the vehicle for your soul. That's all it is. Make sure your soul has a good strong place to live.
Also remember that your body has to last you for your whole life. You are young now and its hard to think that someday you will be 40 or 50 or older. But you will. And that's when it will matter a great deal whether you took good care of your body when you were young.
Wouldn't it be nice if you didn't have to think about weight anymore? It would free up so much time for you to devote to more pleasurable pursuits. Ask your doctor for a healthy eating plan to follow, get 30 minutes a day of physical exercise, and that's all you need to do. Then you would have plenty of time to think about other things, learn a new skill, find a hobby you love, take dance or self-defense lessons, write stories, learn a foreign language, volunteer to help someone else who needs help, or whatever interests you most!
You must be a very fine person for your parents to care so much about you. And you are lucky to have a good family. I hope this helps, dear. And best wishes to you!

Answer 8

I think doctors have lists and even charts on the wall, that show for every person of a certain sex, height and possibly age - what their weight should be.

I know anorexia is a terrible mental illness for someone to go through, but you have to recognise this, maybe swallow some self-pride, and trust them on this one.

Doctors spend years and years learning about all kinds of complexities to do with the human body. These people are going to know what weight you should be.

If it makes you feel better, stick to the bottom weight from the range of values that they say is the correct weight for you. If you can acknowledge that you suffer from anorexia, you must know that people don't view your body as scrutinously as you do. Trust doctors on this one.

Answer 9

i think you are fine and can stop trying to gain but if you lose more and go down past 104 or something you should start to gain again

Answer 10

please use an advise from a doctor, not from parents or anyone else who THINKS he knows anything about that kind of stuff.


by the way i think its very stupid to do those kinda stuff, you must always concern your health.