Getting people with anorexia to gain weight and eat more is the number one thing in helping them get better. Increasing weight for anorexics improves their health and helps them think clearly. There is a strong connection in anorexia between weight and thoughts: the lower the weight goes their thoughts get vaguer about their body image and the whole of reality.
Many sufferers can't actually accept that they are ill until they put on a certain amount of weight; this extra weight gives their brain the ability to think more rationally.
So, how do we go about putting weight on anorexics?
For dangerously underweight people if you start to give them lots of food it can make them extremely sick. The risk is especially enhanced if the anorexic has been fed through a feeding tube.
This problem can be treated with injections of minerals and other substances they need for basic survival. This can be done in a hospital but is only recommended in extreme weight loss cases.
In the cases where a feeding tube is not been involved it is recommended to increase the amount of food the anorexic eats slowly, over time. It would increase something like from 100 to 300 grams of food a day (depends on the tolerance of the person).
It can be hard for people who have been starving themselves to just start eating again. That's why anorexics will need home counseling and support at the same time they start to change and all the time they are gaining weight.
It is recommended to gain between 0.5 and 1.0 kg (1 or 2 pounds) a week until the person's body mass index (BMI) returns to 18.5-19.
To gain this amount of weight, they will need to eat between 2,200 and 2,500 calories every day. That's not a lot of food. It's only about what a healthy adult eats every day, on average. But anorexics may start eating much less than this and slowly work up the amount until they feel comfortable with it.
Taking multivitamins and minerals is a great help in maintaining body biochemistry balance throughout all recovery stages.
In the early stages of gaining weight sufferers do need close monitoring of their weight to avoid significant weight fluctuations which can be dangerous for the heart and brain function that is why a home treatment method is essential.
After the body mass index (BMI) stabilizes and remains constant for a few months, monitoring is unnecessary and the person has been taught to live without focusing on counting calories and looking at the labels on the back of packages.
To conclude, gaining weight for the anorexic sufferer is a mandatory step to their recovery. It has to be done in a gentle non-forceful way, with lots of family support and help.
This also means that family education about the problem is as important as the education of a person suffering from anorexia especially in the early stages.
Weight Gain For Teenagers
It's no secret that about forty percent of Americans are way above their ideal weight. So you should not find it unusual to see millions of people trying to battle their bulges and flab. What should surprise you, however, is to see people trying to sweat the fat out everyday and eating healthy diet only to have their weight go off the scale.
Indeed, weight gain may be brought about by several factors other than instinctive eating. Here are other determinants that can greatly contribute to your poundage.
Drinking Too Much Alcohol
It is true that alcoholic drinks do not have fat; but they are surely packed with calories. In short, when you take too much alcohol, the amount of calories or energy will be added to those that you get from food. And here's the thing, calories from alcohol can not be stored by the body as fat, unlike energy from food. So what happens is that your system will store more calories from the food that you eat as it burns out the ones from alcoholic drinks.
Whenever alcohol is circulating inside your body, it would seem that you have all the energy or heat you need so your body will consume lesser amounts of calories from food or stored body fat. The end result is you get bigger and heavier. Still, you can enjoy some beer or whiskey, drinking moderately will allow you to spice up your evenings without gaining unwanted pounds.
Prescription Drugs
You are suffering from a disease and you should be losing weight because you are most likely to be out of appetite. But when you step on your scale, the numbers just don't seem right; you are gaining weight.
Unwanted weight gain can be caused by certain prescription drugs, especially those that are used for the treatment of diabetes, depression, migraines and high blood pressure. Anti-psychotic drugs are said to cause the biggest weight gain in patients. Men and women who are into hormone replacement therapy or steroidal medication may also gain a lot of weight.
Drugs that can bring in the pounds are a reality in the medical field. Nonetheless, you have to take them as required by your doctor. You can counter the effects of these medications by doing regular exercise and proper diet.
Emotional Issues
Your emotions have a definite connection with how much you weigh. Depression and anxiety are two of the most recognized emotional problems that can make you gain weight. You do not need to suffer from extreme cases like manic depression to see that you are gaining unwanted pounds; the mere fact that you are stressed out or overworked in your job or family can contribute to your weight gain.
Under these conditions, your system will produce more cortisol; this hormone can inadvertently increase your appetite. So it is not surprising for people who are depressed or anxious to grab food to ease the pressures or stress they feel inside. And prescription drugs aimed at combating depression can only make things worse for your weight.
Sadly, the link between depression and weight gain can turn into a nasty cycle. Because of depression, you will feel isolated and lonely; so you will get your hands on food to find a bit of gratification. Then you will see that in a few weeks' time, your weight is going nowhere but up, so your depression increases, again you turn to food for that much needed alleviation. Each time the whole process repeats itself, your weight keeps on ballooning.
If you have been fighting off unwanted pounds for too long and results are nowhere in sight, maybe it is time to ask for professional help. Consult your doctor about what you should do to shed off unwanted pounds. As always, exercise and healthy diet are vital in your quest to get back in shape. But with factors like alcoholism, some prescription drugs, or even depression, you need to boost your weight loss program with products like Zylorin to help increase your metabolism and reduce your appetite. Visit for more information about this product.
Both Irina Webster & Janet Martin are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Irina Webster has sinced written about articles on various topics from Weight Loss Pills, Wellness and Mental Health. Dr Irina Webster MD is the Director of Women Health Issues Program which covers different areas of Women Health. She is a recognised athority in the eating disorders area. She is an author of many books and a public speaker.. Irina Webster's top article generates over 6600 views. to your Favourites.
Janet Martin has sinced written about articles on various topics from Womens Health, Pregnancy Problems and Asthma. Janet Martin is an avid health and fitness enthusiast and published author. Many of her insightful articles can be found at the premiere online news magazine
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