I started atkins about a month ago. While I don't weigh myself, I feel like I'm gaining weight. My pants are tighter. This scares me.

In general, I don't eat fruits, grains, artificial sweeteners, cheese. Sometimes I have nuts, but I stay away from them for the most part because they make me binge.

Anyway, I was posting last week because I was experiencing extreme fatigue. I couldn't even keep my head up. I average about 1000 calories a day, 65% of which comes from fat, about 10% carbs and 25% protein. So yesterday, I upped my carbs to 35 (net) and felt a bit better. This makes me wonder whether the rest of my diet is really as optimal as it should be? Am I eating too much? Too little? Why does it seem like I'm gaining weight? What can I do about it? Any help would be greatly appreciated. I would be particularly interested in hearing from other women who have struggled with an eating disorder.

Some background: I lost a significant amount of weight through severe calorie restriction over the space of about three years. I'm a bit OCD and must count calories.

Side note: Regarding the fatigue...it was pretty intense. I'd never had this sort of fatigue before, even when I was starving myself years ago. It was scary.

I'm also in the process of upping my carbs - and yes, I do feel better with slightly higher carbs. Thing is - it's important to make sure that 'most' of those carbs are coming in the form of vegetables and the odd serving of low-sugar fruit.

Interestingly - as you up the carbs, and make sure that most of them are coming in the form of healthy vegetables and some fruit - you'll find that you're able to keep the calories in line, and also get the benefits of feeling a bit better.

If you increase carbs with things like peanut butter or grains or more dairy, sometimes this can interfere with calorie goals, and furthermore - some of these things can induce cravings. Adding some more vegetables and even some fruit has *not* resulted in cravings for me.

You're talking about the composition of your eating plan - and I'm coming around to the idea that it's the *kind* of carbs that matters, and that it's also extremely important to ensure adequate protein intake.

This is just my opinion - but I think that calories at 1,000 for too long at a stretch could be detrimental. Your metabolism might slow down at some point, or you'll feel tired and so on.

The best thing about a lower-carb eating plan is that you can eat more calories and still keep your weight in check. I'm not saying 4,000 calories - but that it's fine to eat more calories on a lower-carb plan. You'll still definitely be able to manage weight and so on.

I'd suggest making sure you get protein at every single meal or snack, that you get the great majority of your carbs in the form of fruits and vegetables, and that you stay away from things that trigger cravings and so on - whatever those things might be (ie. nuts, in your case), or learn how to manage portion sizes with these foods. As an example - two tablespoons of sliced natural almonds (skin on) is only 79 calories and 0.9 carbs - and these make a lovely addition to any salad or vegetable dish. Maybe treat nuts as a 'garnish' rather than a snack or meal item?

1. - Protein, no matter what - and by this I mean, every time you eat.
2. - Lots of vegetables and a few low-sugar fruits if you like
3. - You can up your calories a bit without fear, within the context of a lower-carb diet
4. - Treat nuts as a garnish, or leave them out for awhile if you're struggling with them
5. - Do *not* try to do this in a low-fat way - I'm not saying go crazy on fat intake, but it's essential that you get a moderate fat intake. Add some fish oil capsules to help with this as well. Do not be afraid of a bit of salad dressing or mayonnaise or butter - portion control will help with these things. But you do definitely need fat in your diet in order to feel well, and to keep your metabolism (and brain) happy.
6. You can up your carbohydrates too - nothing 'bad' will happen, just focus on mostly fruits and vegetables.

Hope this helps a bit.

I'm bringing over a post I saw in the Paleo Forum - in a thread comparing various diets, because it highlights very well this carbs/calories conundrum:



From this thread: http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthre...72&page=1&pp=15

(on page two of that thread).

I 'bolded' for emphasis the pertinent points that might help you out a bit in dealing with this 'diet composition' question.

Good luck figuring this out for yourself - and please feel better soon.

You were fatigued because you were not eating enough ffood to meet your caloric requirement -- you are seriously undereating at that level. You removed some of the severity of undereating by eating those carbs.

I understand why you fear gaining weight as a recovering anorexic. I also understand the OCD component. It may be helpful to you to ask people you trust about how you look because you cannot trust what you see in the mirror. Your brain lies to you, and it beats you up.

The truth is your body is not getting what it needs at 1000 calories per day. It is also true that if you eat sufficient fat and protein you may gain weight, because your body may try to restore lost muscle mass and the lost fat that is necessary for a grown woman to have for good health. Further, your body my be designed to carry more than the 125 pounds you have on your 5'8" frame, and gaining weight will make you healthier.

I suggest you try limiting your carbs to 40 - 60 g net, and set a calorie goal of 1400 per day. That is a very low goal, and I know it may seem monstrously high given what you've eaten in the past. If you can't make yourself go that high, shoot for 1200. This is part of recovery, it is not optimal. Optimal is more likely 1800 calories or more.

The minimum amount of calories your body requires everyday just to survive, without movement (i.e. spending all day in bed) is your Basal Metabolic Rate. You can calculate yours here. I guessed your age at 25, and came up with 1400 calories. When you eat less than that your body is stressed, and must use fat reserves. You do not have much at all for fat reserves, so you experience extreme fatigue. Note that the 1400 calories is just to live, breath and have your organs function. It does not include the calories necessary for you to walk around, shop, shower or do normal life functions.

I hope that you are getting help during your recovery and not winging it alone. You are very courageous for posting about this topic, and it must be one hell of a struggle to overcome anorexia. Congratulations on taking steps for recovery -- anorexia is an utterly cruel disease. I hope you are feeling better soon.

sugarhi, i've been there myself, and i can tell you honestly, if you make the "right" choices, you won't have to worry about gain. your metabolism can stablize even if you feel like you caused it damage (i did it myself in my teens, and now i eat 1800-2000 calories without gaining any weight). just stick to healthy eating, low carb or moderate carb for that matter, and incorporate reasonable amounts of exercise. you don't have to accept fatigue as a consequence of undereating when you can experience the feeling of health and wellness that comes from makes good choices.