Expert: Nafeesah - 4/9/2009

Question
QUESTION: I struggled for 10 years with pure restrictive anorexia and then 'swapped it' for the last 7 I have struggled with what seems to be called 'exercise bulimia'. Something weird is happening though, and my weight is climbing no matter how much exercise I do and how much I try to restrict. I am very hungry all the time but am trying to fight this. My weight was stable at around 48kg for a few months and I was ok with this (doing up to 6 hours cardio a day though and becomng exhausted). Now I am up to 51 kg and frightened it will not stop. I could starve myself but fear that this will cause more damage if my metabolism is the problem. I am doing 3 hours cardio a day and eating about 2000kcals. Please help me understand what is going on. Thanks.



ANSWER: What's happening is that all the time you were starving yourself it's throwing your metabolism off which is causing you to gain weight at a rapid rate. What you need to do is get your hormones under control and to limit exercise to low impact so you're not burning yourself out. Get a referral to an endocrinologist to get your hormone levels checked and treated if there's a problem.

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

QUESTION: Hi Nafeesah,
Thanks, but my thyroid was ok according to the doctor. So I am guessing it is to do with cortiol or someting? My GP just doesn't seem to get what a big deal it is. Thanks

Answer
I would check other stuff once you saw your thyroid is normal and to make sure that your estrogen levels are ok. You also want to make sure that other hormones that contribute to weight are normal as well. Still get your levels checked because the fact that eating disorders throw everything out of balance and it takes time to get it all back in order at healthy levels.