Expert: Nafeesah - 5/4/2009

Question
Hi! I suffer from Anorexia...and have since I was 16 (I am turning 20 this year). I currently work out everyday and birn 750 calories daily, at the gym alone. However, I still gain weight VERY easily. All that I consume daily is the excess of spitting and chewing, in addition to vegtables and maybe a bit a fruit that I actually intentionally swallow. I have been told it is water weight (for I can gain up to 1.5 pounds in 1 day)...but it takes just as long to lose as fat would. I do not understand how I could be gaining weight off eatin barley anything for I thought there was 3500 calories in a pound of fat, and even if everything I chewed and spit counted, it would not total nearly that many calories. I am 5'2 and easily range from 94-97 pounds. I am very confused and do not know what to do to be able to ACTUALLY eat something and not have to worry about hitting the gym everyday in order to at least maintain my weight. I heard of metabolism's slowing down, but is it possible for one to slow down to be able to gain weight off 500 calories??? ANY insight would help...

Aurora

Answer
You might be throwing your metabolism off which can cause weight gain and that's a result of your eating habits. When you're not taking in the correct amount of nutrients your body compensates in other ways which can result in rapid weight gain and other complications.