Expert: Leigh-Anne Persing, PA-C - 5/1/2008

Question
Hello, okay i am 19 right now but all through high school i was always on diets, then i would binge eat, and i also went through periods where i didnt eat anything at all.  I exercise 45 min on my treadmill about 4 days a week and am active, but i think i might have screwed my metabolism up from all the body images issues i had when i was younger.  it seems like the minute i eat a cookie i gain 10 lbs or something. Do you think i wrecked my metabolism for good or what???  im only 19.  However when i do diet, i guess it seems to come off fairly quickly.  what do u think?

Answer
You are young so your metabolism should recover over time, but that may depend on how long you were engaged in those behaviors... and also your family... this type of thing can run in families. You need to make sure you are also getting enough calorie intake to maintain not only daily bodily functions but to support your exercise as well. If you aren't, then your body is going to hold on to every bit of food that you give it... and that may be why it seems like you gain so much by eating so little.