Expert: Joanne - 1/8/2008

Question
i dont really have a question, more of a problem. I know i have eating issues, and may be on the edge of being anorexic. I go months with barely eating at all, basically a bagel a day, if that much. And then like right now, i'll eat normal meals but then obsess over what i ate and how much weight im going to gain. I also weigh myself constantly throughout the day, i'd say atleast 15 times a day. And my scale hasn't worked all day today, and im freaked out about how much i weigh because now i dont know. And im all fidgety and feel like now i dont have control over it. It's driving me crazy and im starting to get really down, like i feel like im falling back into depression, all because my freaking scale broke. and yeah, i just i dont know how to deal with this. I probably sound soo stupid right now because of this, but weighing myself is like a daily thing for me, and i dont know.

Answer
Sarah

You need try to calm yourself - easier said that done, I know.

I know that this will be very hard for you, but you need to try to turn this round and focus on something else.
Your scales aren't working, you need to remind yourself that it is completely out of your hands and there isn't anything you can do about that just now!

Maybe you should to look at this as a positive experience.  Rather than panic about not being able to weigh yourself, think of this as an excuse to go a whole day without weighing yourself - you can't weigh yourself, the scales are broken!  That isn't your fault, and there is nothing you can do about it!

You shouldn't worry about what the scales say 15 times a day - your weight will not be accurate every time you read it!  Your weight changes throughout the day due to changes in water content - it does in everybody!  So if you seem to lose or gain weight in afternoon compared to morning, remember that this is not true weight loss/gain, but fluctuations in water content.  I know that this may seem impossible, but the only true way to weigh yourself to monitor proper weight changes is to weigh yourself only about once a week at roughly the same time each week.  By not stepping on your scales today, you will not be missing any weight loss/gain!

Sarah, I plead with you to try and get some professional help for this!  If you continue on this track, there is a real risk that you may develop a life-threatening eating disorder.  Please think about visiting your Dr or talking to someone you trust about your behaviours and your feelings that surround the issues with eating!

Please try to get help!

Please come back if you have any other questions!

All the best
Holly