Is Anorexia Recovery Belly Fat Making You Anxious? Here Are Some Answers!

By - Faiyad Ahmed

With the expansion of technology, life surely has become much easier for all of us. But, the greater the brightness, the deeper the shadow it casts.

The huge expansion of the entertainment sector online has brought about a new craze amongst our teens and even adults, “the perfect figure”. The results? A rise in dependence on unhealthy diets and mental disorders. A hindrance to leading a healthy, happy life.

So what causes anorexia recovery belly fat?

As you start taking an unusually small amount of calories to keep your body ‘’fit’’, your body starts to adapt itself to this new, calorie-deficient diet. The shift in your body’s mechanism triggers a hormonal change as you try to return to your normal diet. This shift might likely be the cause behind the extra fat.

Still curious? Let’s dig deep.

What Is Anorexia?

Anorexia is an eating disorder in the simplest terms. As you change your normal diet to achieve an unrealistic body shape, you start feeling anxious or even start taking the bare minimum of food. Scary! Right?

So what are the signs of anorexia? It includes:

Once developed, the path towards recovery can take a toll on both your physical and mental health. 

So why exactly does a person develop anorexia? The answer is in the next section.

The Mechanism Behind Anorexia

The exact mechanism behind the development of anorexia is still unclear. A few hypotheses include:

Anorexia VS Dieting

The pattern of behavior amongst regular dieters and anorexics might seem quite similar, yet there exists a huge difference between the two of them.

Diet on a controlled, regular basis for a healthy life, while under the supervision of a nutritionist is normal dieting. This is one of the tried and tested methods of losing weight. 

However, anorexia has a much broader consequence on both the physical and mental health of an individual. This may even progress to lifelong consequences.

Anorexia Recovery Phases

Recovery from any form of mental disturbances like eating disorders, is quite a tedious process. It involves a lot of composure, family support, and mental resolve.

Recovering from a serious condition such as anorexia might also involve a bundle of side effects, the most common being anorexia recovery belly fat. However, such hurdles can be overcome if one knows the basics of recovery. 

The stages of recovery are as follows:

Denial Phase:

The first step towards any solution is, “understanding your problem”. Anorexic people often believe they don’t have a problem. 

It’s necessary to make them understand their problem and encourage them to take the right steps towards recovery.

Contemplation Phase: 

After admitting to the problem, anorexic people become open to receiving the needed help. 

Give them all the support they need. 

The parents and family members should educate themselves about how they can support them. Environmental and family support plays a huge role in recovery from any ordeal.

Action Phase: 

In this stage, the person is willing to change and also has all the necessary tools. But, proper guidance is necessary. 

It is at this stage that the individual also starts having second doubts, or side effects. A proper mentor and lots of love are crucial to getting them through this stage.

Maintenance Phase: 

This is the post-treatment phase of recovery. 

The patient has received the needed help and is well on their way to making a full change to their lives. But, any hindrance during this phase can awake a possible relapse and make all the attempts seem futile.

So, what can be done? First off, applaud them. 

They have come far from their dark days, keep them occupied with everyday work, give them enough space to work on themselves. Steady maintenance is vital to full recovery.

So, now you know all the recovery phases of anorexia. You must realize it takes time and patience to get back to your normal life.

You are likely to experience lower belly fat from anorexia recovery, so realize that it’s a natural process and will automatically dissolve with time.

Causes of Anorexia Recovery Belly Fat

One of the main reasons a person even gets to the point of developing anorexia is quite simple, ‘Unrealistic Body Standards”. Constant social stigma, loneliness, abnormal standards of beauty set by the entertainment sector. All contribute to driving an individual to such a breaking point.

It’s quite applaudable for anyone to want to return to their regular diet after achieving their so-called, “ dream body”.

But, the path to recovery often hampers when the individual starts seeing a relapse in their weight while trying to recover.

So, what causes this unexpected weight gain? A few possible theories include:

Coping Mechanism Of Body

When you start dieting, it’s not only your belly that gets smaller in size. It’s also a lot of the other organs such as the liver, lungs, and even the brain that suffer the consequences.

Hence, when you start intaking more food than the amount you were used to taking, your body starts to think that, 

‘OH! They might starve again, so let me store some food for survival.’

Such unique ways our body keeps us alive. Right?

Slow Metabolism

Imagine your body as a device. 

The more you use it, the more it will increase its efficacy. The less you use it the lower its work efficacy. 

Many falsely blame smaller stomach sizes for the side effects. But you should know, “do anorexics stomach shrinks”, is just a myth.

As you divert your food intake to a calorie deficit diet, your metabolism starts to slow down. It starts to utilize this new diet in the best possible way to keep the body functions up and running. 

Hence, you feel full after intaking a very small amount of food.

Hormonal Change

The rise in belly fat can also be attributed to the heaves of hormonal changes going on inside you! This is for the change in food intake.

Sign Of Healing

It’s natural for any injurious area in your limbs to swell up and retain water. Same way, it’s natural for your stomach to swell up as it is trying to adapt to the normal diet again.

Anorexia recovery belly fat can be considered a phase. 

A sign towards a better, healthier life!

5 Ways To Overcome Anorexia Recovery Belly Fat!

Lower belly fat from anorexia recovery can be a hindrance to an aspiring anorexia patient hoping to recover. The anxiety and tension caused by it can even break their resolve and possibly bring about a relapse of their condition.

So, how can you overcome anorexia recovery belly fat? A few guidelines include:

Know the Reason

A complete understanding of any problem can help bring about the solution much easier. 

It’s important to know for the patient that the increase in belly fat is a sign of healing. This must not be taken as a possible rise in weight.

Remember, your body needs time to recover from the trauma it has received from unhealthy eating habits. Give your body the chance to regain its machinery.

Develop Confidence

If you are aware of your body’s condition and are determined to bring about the change, be confident!

Push aside all sorts of insecurities revolving around your weight and be bold enough to flaunt the belly fat. Knowledge about the do’s and don’ts revolving around how to lose weight, anorexia recovery also helps.

Also, as a pro-tip just don’t weigh yourself regularly. Let your body heal properly. 

Nothing good can come out from added anxiety!

Family Support

Support from family and friends is crucial for any person to heal properly. 

Make them feel loved and appreciated at all times. Make them feel worthy and happy. A good environmental factor helps make their recovery much smoother.

Consult Professional

It’s necessary to consult an expert in the field to make sure the healing process bears permanent results. 

Oftentimes, anorexic people develop multiple GIT disorders, fatigue, and even permanent conditions such as Diabetes, Hypertension!

So, remember to consult a professional before starting the recovery process.

Have Faith, It’s Temporary

One of the beliefs an anorexic who is trying to recover needs to hold on to is, 

“This is temporary”! 

Yes! Your body will likely adjust with the normal diet in time and you will start feeling so much better than you did while dieting.

Take the advice of your doctor regarding all fields. Push aside all your insecurities surrounding lower belly fat, anorexia recovery and make the perfect diet plan for yourself to make sure you get the best out of healing.

FAQs

Does anorexic stomach shrink?

Answer: No! While you may think that anorexia symptoms such as bloating, gas formation, and lack of appetite are related to stomach shrinkage. It’s however not possible to shrink your stomach without undergoing surgery.

Why do anorexics get bloated stomachs?

Due to the hormonal changes brought about by repeated episodes of hunger and purging. 

Will I become fat after anorexia?

Anorexia is normally characterized by a decrease in weight and a slim appearance. The initial recovery stage is quite different and it actually causes an increase in belly fat. So, yes you might get fat during recovery.

How long does it take to recover from anorexia?

People who have recovered from anorexia report an estimated 6months to more than 2 years to completely recover from the mental strain.

I am trying to recover from anorexia. Do I need to take more food?

YES! Anorexia leads to deficiency in the required nutrition of your body. To counter this effect and also to heal your body it’s recommended to increase your daily calorie intake. However, don’t rush the change. Take it slow, let your body adjust to the minimal changes before tackling any major changes.

How to get rid of bloating, anorexia recovery?

Try taking it slow. Instead of gulping a large amount of food, take slower, controlled bites gradually. Bloating is quite common during this period so drink more liquids and try to minimize the effects.

Final Words

Anorexia recovery belly fat is quite an ordeal to the path of recovery. But, with the right support, firm resolution, and enough confidence, this hurdle can quite easily be overcome!

“The Perfect Shape”,” Beauty”, “Zero-Figure”, are a number of obsessions quite so common amongst the general masses these days. 

In search of the perfect form aren’t we compromising on our health a lot more?