Expert: Gerri Helms - 8/20/2009

Question
QUESTION: Dear Gerri,
I an 15 years old and almost 5'5. i have a eating disorder, i know i do but i need to know something. This sunday i weighed myself and i was 6 stone 9 pounds and i was okay with that but then i had a binge on sunday monday and tuesday just eating what i can and when i measured myself today i was 7 stone 10 pound. How is it possible for me to put o this much in 3 days and is it permanant. Please tell me it's not all fat and can you tell me how long it will take for me to get rid of it because i really don't want to end up starving myself to get it off like i did once before . i didn't eat anything for a week and i lost the nerve in foot. I can't go back to that. how long will it take to get it off?

ANSWER: Dear Aksa,

Binge eating and anorexia are the same, but just operate on the opposite ends of the eating disorder spectrum. The binges or starving are both symptoms.

To get some help with your thinking, please visit the OA website, www.oa.org. You will really find some people who relate to you and can help you to stop eating and to stop starving yourself. Both are dangerous and get worse with age.

Let me know how you make out.
Sincerely,
Life and Health Coach Gerri Helms
www.lifecoachgerri.com
lifecoachgerri@aol.com

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

QUESTION: I know that it is a eating disorder. I just want to know if the weight gain is permanant and how long it will take e to take the weight i put on back off.

Answer
A healthy weight loss in pounds (not sure how to calculate stone) is one to one and a half pounds a month.  But a fifteen year old should not have to be worrying about quick weight loss. This is a symptom of eating disorders. Please, again, contact Overeaters Anonymous, at www.oa.org. What you consider a temporary problem (the weight gain), is a lifetime battle, without help, for those with eating disorders.

Let me know what you think after you've visited the website.
Gerri Helms
Life and Health Coach
www.lifecoachgerri.com
lifecoachgerri@aol.com