I do want to gain weight, but like most people who have struggled with anorexia, I am afraid of getting fat.

Why are you afraid of getting fat? It's okay if that happens.

No, really. I know that's an odd thing to say in a forum dedicated to fitness, where many people go to help them lose their body fat and become slim and fit instead, but it's true. If you get fat, what happens then? Your family and friends will still love you. You'll still have the same skills you've always had. You'll still succeed at accomplishing your goals. You're the same person, you just take up a little extra space. That's totally fine.

It's not a terrible thing to gain fat; after all, we're built to do so, like any other animal. It is a bad thing if it happens from unhealthy eating, from being completely sedentary, from anything that is sourced from not taking care of yourself. It's also a bad thing to be severely underweight, and to stress yourself out with these kinds of negative thoughts. It's normal to eat too much sometimes, and it's normal to pack on a little extra around the holidays. It's normal, it's healthy, it's totally fine to eat a meal and totally enjoy it and not worry about calories all the time.

It also takes more work to gain weight than you might think - you can have days of extra eating and still be the same size at the end of it, so long as days don't turn into weeks or months. And even if that happens - oh well! You gained it, you can lose it. Your world won't end. Maybe you'll even like your new curves.

Focus on what's important. Will you remain active and exercise enough to maintain your health? Will you eat healthy meals most of the time but happily treat yourself to something yummy and non-diet-minded when the occasion calls for it without stress? Will your visits to the doctor tell you you're doing well? These don't happen only to people who are thin or muscular.

Fat is not your enemy. You deserve love and joy no matter your size.