Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 3: Increasing your calorie intake
• Method 2 of 3: Changing Your Attitude About Your Weight and Nutrition
• Method 3 of 3: Changing Your Eating Habits
• Tips
• Warnings

Anorexia is a serious medical condition that affects millions of people. If you have anorexia, it is imperative that you gain extra weight. To get rid of this disease, you need to change your attitude towards nutrition, as well as determine which types of foods are most useful for you.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: Increasing your calorie intake

1. 1 Eat nutrient-dense foods. Eat high-calorie foods that contain enough nutrients to replenish your body's energy expenditure. At the same time, although some foods, such as fast food, are high in calories, they are less healthy than other, more natural, high-calorie foods.
   • The good thing about high-calorie foods is that you need less of them to gain extra body weight. This is especially valuable for people recovering from anorexia, as they are not used to normal portions. In this case, a small amount of high-energy food can provide the body with the necessary amount of calories and nutrients.
   • Typically, a nutrient-rich diet includes foods high in protein, as well as vegetables, fruits, and natural carbohydrates such as pasta and whole wheat bread.
   • Foods that are high in nutrients include salmon, shellfish, whole wheat bread, olive oil, hulled rice, oatmeal dishes, yogurt, and dried fruit without added sugar.
2. 2 Increase your calorie intake if possible. If you have the opportunity to add 50-100 calories, take advantage of it.The extra calories help increase body weight.
   • Foods that are high in vegetable fats (such as nuts) are healthy and high in calories. Add chopped nuts to salad. Toast and sandwiches can be spread with almond butter or cashew nut paste. Chickpea hummus is an excellent addition to pita bread and flat cakes.
   • Consider increasing the amount of oil or sauce you use to dress your salad or spaghetti. Add ketchup and mayonnaise to meat and sandwiches. Mexican dishes go well with sour cream sauce.
   • Whenever possible, use high-calorie condiments and dressings such as sour cream sauce, mayonnaise, Thousand Island sauce, cream sauce.
   • Oatmeal flavored with nuts and dried fruits is a good source of dietary calories; you can also add yogurt to this dish.
   • Season salads, soups, casseroles, and whole grains with canola oil and olive oil, which contain healthy natural fats.
3. 3 Drink high-calorie drinks. A significant number of calories can be obtained from drinks containing high-calorie nutrients. Drinks cause less satiety than solid foods, so they can be consumed in large quantities without feeling oversaturated.
   • Drink natural, healthy beverages such as pure fruit juice, skim milk or milk replacers (such as soy or almond milk), tea sweetened with natural remedies (honey).
   • Fruit and vegetable smoothies work well. They are high in calories, easily absorbed by the body, and can be filled with a variety of natural additives such as wheat germ, nut butter, protein powder.
   • Smoothies and drinks, which are available in many supermarkets, are also good substitutes for solid foods. However, for optimal weight gain, they should be taken along with solid foods and added with fruit, milk powder, or soft (silk) tofu.

Method 2 of 3: Changing Your Attitude About Your Weight and Nutrition

1. 1 Prepare for the physical consequences of the recovery process. Many people with anorexia have an aversion to food and fear of being overweight, and these feelings are heightened with treatment. Often such people, after gaining a little weight, feel frustrated and do not want to continue treatment. Try to overcome these physical effects, keeping in mind that they are temporary.
   • When overcoming anorexia, the extra weight usually builds up in the abdomen. Although the reasons for this are still a topic of debate, the vast majority of studies show that weight distribution returns to normal about a year after starting treatment. In other words, this effect is temporary. Many people recovering from anorexia look at the accumulation of fat in the abdomen as a positive sign of successful treatment.
   • Rapid weight gain is also common, especially during the first days and weeks. Body tissues are filled with intercellular fluid, glycogen stores in the liver and muscles grow, which leads to rapid weight gain. Do not weigh yourself too often during the initial recovery period so as not to be upset about gaining weight too quickly. This is a completely normal reaction of the body - weight gain will slow down over time and stop as soon as you reach the norm.
   • Be aware that there may be some unpleasant side effects. After your body has suffered from a lack of food for a long time, it will experience shock when it resumes eating. Side effects include diarrhea, nausea, weakness, sleep disturbance, increased sensitivity to cold, frequent urination, and constipation.Be prepared for these kinds of problems by looking at them as signs that you are on the road to recovery.
2. 2 Change your attitude towards food. Many people with anorexia believe that the diet consists of constant malnutrition, which is why they develop the disease. Try to see food not as an inevitable evil, but as an integral part of a healthy lifestyle - this will help you gain weight and significantly improve your health.
   • Get the support of others. Communicate often with loved ones and friends who lead healthy lifestyles, eat healthy and eat well. It will be difficult for you to recover from anorexia when surrounded by people who are constantly on a diet, or vice versa, who abuse food and drinks. For proper weight gain, you must have an example of a healthy attitude towards food.
   • Start a journal. Marking all your meals in it will help you develop healthy eating habits and, in addition, a healthier lifestyle in general. Monitor how you feel before and after meals, as well as your mood and thoughts that can negatively affect your eating habits and attitudes.
   • Learn from others. Check out the success stories of other people who have recovered from anorexia (you can find them in your local support group or on the Internet), and determine what they have done to change their attitude towards food in the right way.
3. 3 Check with others. Anorexia is a very dangerous disease that you will hardly be able to get rid of without the help of a psychologist, simply by gaining weight. There are many psychotherapeutic approaches that have proven effective in treating eating disorders, and the right counselor can help you get rid of the illness.
   • Choose a doctor who is familiar with the latest advances in eating disorders. Before choosing a particular doctor, ask him about his educational background, his experience in treating patients with eating disorders, the methods and the ultimate goals of treatment, and if he is a member of any professional organizations dealing with nutritional problems.
   • You can find the right psychologist by calling your nearest mental health clinic and asking for recommendations for doctors who deal with eating disorders, or by talking to people you know who have received similar help in the past.
   • If you have health insurance, do not limit yourself to just those institutions that are listed on the list of the insurance company. Perhaps the company will agree to meet you halfway and at least partially pay for services that are not included in this list.
4. 4 Make an appointment with a nutritionist. As noted, anorexia is a serious medical condition, and you can hardly get rid of it completely without professional help, just trying to eat more and gain weight. The qualified help of a nutritionist is essential to gain weight. Gaining weight is important, but there are a few things to consider that can harm your health. Your doctor will check you regularly to monitor your health as you recover.

Method 3 of 3: Changing Your Eating Habits

1. 1 Be attentive to your food intake. How you eat is just as important to weight gain as what you eat. Mindful, intelligent food intake is practiced in Buddhism and aims to fully experience and enjoy the taste of food. The ultimate goal is to satisfy the physical needs of the body, primarily hunger, and not in food for the sake of food itself or simply out of boredom.
   • Eat slowly. Chew each bite thoroughly and enjoy it. This will help you feel full faster and develop a healthy attitude towards food and hunger.
   • Eat in silence.This can be tricky if you are eating with your family or friends, but even then you can suggest keeping quiet and focusing on the food. Also turn off your TV and your cell phone.
   • Concentrate on the taste of your food, enjoying it to the fullest.
2. 2 Eat throughout the day. Anorexia is often associated with poor eating habits. Your body needs energy sources throughout the day, especially if you are trying to regain the normal weight lost due to anorexia. To gain weight in the right and healthy way, eat regularly, with intervals of 3-4 hours between meals.
   • Snack frequently. Remember to eat regularly, with extra snacks between meals; eat as soon as you feel hungry - this will help you recognize the signals from your stomach. Learn to snack on healthy snacks throughout the day. This will increase your calorie intake without overloading your stomach.
3. 3 Train yourself to eat normal portions. Gaining weight after anorexia can be difficult because your perception of serving size is skewed. Getting used to normal portions is a challenging but important part of the recovery process.
   • Don't skip meals. Otherwise, it will be more difficult for you to get used to normal portions: skipping one meal, you risk overeating the next time, which will lead to malaise and loss of confidence in your abilities. Eat three times a day with snacks between meals.
   • Measure and weigh the food you eat. People often make mistakes in quantitative estimates, therefore, when starting to prepare food, stock up on small weights and a measuring cup. This will help you determine the correct amount of food you need.
   • Remember the useful tricks for assessing the size and weight by eye. For example, a 100-gram piece of lean meat is about the size of a deck of playing cards, and one cup of oatmeal or other cereal is about the size of a fist. Use friends, doctors, and the Internet to find some of these memorable comparisons, and you can easily determine the amount of food you need.
   • Plan your meals ahead of time, keeping in mind how many calories you need and what foods to eat throughout the day.

Tips

• Sometimes, in the course of getting rid of anorexia, people experience intense cravings for fast food and sweets, triggered by acute hunger in the early stages of recovery. You need to fight this feeling, because your body, weaned from proper nutrition, needs healthy and natural foods, and not unsupported calories.
• At the very beginning of the recovery process, eating can be painful, accompanied by stomach cramps and nausea. These are normal occurrences and symptoms will subside over time. If the discomfort is so bad that you cannot eat, talk to your doctor about how to reduce the intensity.

Warnings

• Anorexia can be life threatening. If you are recovering from this condition, do not self-medicate and be sure to seek the help of a qualified eating disorder professional, nutritionist, and therapist. Gaining weight is very important, but it should be done under medical supervision, otherwise you will put your health in great danger.
• Those who previously consumed very few calories (no more than 1000 calories per day) should be especially careful when increasing their diet. After the body has been in a state of hunger for a long time, a sharp increase in the diet can lead to serious complications - the so-called refeeding syndrome, which causes an imbalance of electrolytes and a lack of fluid in the body.During the recovery period, consult your doctor more often to know if you are at risk of this syndrome and in what ways you can prevent it.