Expert: Ginger M. - 10/23/2008

Question
QUESTION: 3 years ago i was 5 ft 5 in and weighed 100 lb. i then joined gymnastics and my food intake was reduced to only dinner or some times nothing. i don't know how but after my 3 years of gymnastics i somehow gained weight even though my  calorie intake was extremely low. i'm now 17 and 5 ft 5in and my weight varies from 112-118 lb... i really don't like this weight and would like to get it back down to under 110 lb and i've been trying to restrict my diet again and consuming about 600-700 calories..

my hands and feet are always cold and im always sleepy (but it may be from lack of sleep) and i've been getting shooting headaches that at times hurt a lot.

would i be considered anorexic? is there anyway for me to loose the weight and tone up(i get really disgusted when i see belly fat) with out counting calories? what should be my intake for calories?


ANSWER: Hi Lisa,

Thank-you for your questions! It's great that you decided to seek some information on this now, before it gets more serious.

I'm not surprised that your hands and feet are always cold or that you're tired and have headaches, if you're only taking in 600-700 calories per day. These are all usual symptoms for someone who isn't eating enough. A normal intake for a female should be around 1,500-1,800. After a while of only eating 600-700, your body will go into starvation mode, meaning it will hold on to every single calorie it gets, because it can't be sure when it will get more, and your metabolism will slow down.

Doctors and nutritionists often use the body mass index (BMI) to determine the best weight for you, according to your height. A BMI under 18.5 is considered unhealthy, as is a BMI of over 25. They say the optimal BMI is between 20 and 22. According to the chart, your BMI (at 5'5" and 112 pounds) is 18.6, which is just on the border of being too low, so you don't need to lose more weight. If you do, you would put yourself at risk for a lot of health problems.

There's also a reference doctors have when they're determining if someone is anorexic. They use a manual called the DSM IV, which gives them the criteria for a diagnosis- in order to be considered anorexic, a person must fit the criteria. Here's what the DSM IV says:

http://www.clevelandclinicmeded.com/medicalpubs/diseasemanagement/psychiatry/eat

I know there's a high rate of eating disorders for people in activities like gymnastics, so please be careful. Don't try to lose weight- you're fine and thin (and even on the borderline) as is. If you want to tone up, this could be great- doing some strength training at the gym could help you tone your muscles and strengthen your bones, but you may gain a couple pounds of muscle. This is great, since it will increase your BMI to a healthier range, but you would see yourself looking smaller and more toned.

I would suggest going to see a nutritionist. You could tell her your concerns, and she would help set meal and exercise plans for you so you can take in enough calories and stay at a healthy weight.

If you need anything else, please write again!

Ginger

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: what is the average weight and BMI for a person of my height and age? if i am not hungry and have enough energy to go on with normal active activities that require a lot of adrenaline then  how am i going in to starvation mode?

Answer
Hi Lisa,
I'm not sure what the average weight is for a person your height and age, but in order to have a BMI of 20 (the start of the healthy range), you would have to weigh around 120 pounds.

Starvation mode doesn't have to do with the amount of activity you do ... it has to do with the amount of calories you take in. If you're consistently taking in a really low number of calories, like 600-700, your body's natural survival instincts will kick in. Your body will realize it's not getting enough food, and so it will slow down your metabolism so it can burn/use the least amount of calories possible. It will start to hold on to every calorie you give it, and you will stop losing weight. Not only that, you will screw up your metabolism terribly, so it will be easier for you to put on weight. The kind of symptoms you're describing (cold, sleepy, headaches) will get worse. It's not a good place to be!

Hope this helps!

Ginger