How to Gain Weight After an Eating Disorder

Weight gain after experiencing an eating disorder is difficult on two levels: (1) the body may initially reject food as the caloric intake is too rapid, or the food is not easily digestible; (2) psychological impediments to weight gain may be as severe as physical ones as an individual recovering from an eating disorder is likely to be sensitive to any weight gain.

Instructions

Getting the Weight and Keeping It On

• 1

  Keep a close network of family and friends and a nutritionist, doctor and psychologist nearby. Though it is not always possible (or necessary) to have that entire network simultaneously, a strong network will nonetheless prove vital to getting the weight and keeping it on.

• 2

  Start slowly, eating softer, fattier foods that are high in calories, but also easy to digest, high in nutrients and provide a lot of energy. Oatmeal is an example of an energy-rich complex carbohydrate food that can be helpful. There are also many nutrient-rich, fatty shakes that can be helpful. If possible, consult with a nutritionist to develop an eating plan.

• 3

  Eat more and more over time, adjusting one's caloric intake with the recognition that one's metabolism will speed up over time, making it more and more difficult to gain weight; however, a faster metabolism over time is normal and should be considered encouraging as it is a sign that one's eating habits are returning to normal.

• 4

  Learn as much as you can about the disorder to get a grasp on it. In particular, consult with useful sources for information and cutting-edge research such as the National Eating Disorders Association. (See Reference 1.)