Expert: Ryan Hale - 7/1/2011

Question
Hi,
Iam a 25 year old girl that has just been diagnosed with bulimia. I am also a gym fanatic too. But although I go to the gym everyday I have noticed that I haven't lost any weight at all.... Rather the opposite....but its not muscle... I do cardio normally but just started weights! I consume arouind 1000 ish calories a day and I have a physical job too.
So here is my question.... In order to lose weigh would you first build up muscle and then burn fat or visa versa? Also how many calories would you suggest is idea to lose weight but have enough energy to carry out task etc?
Thankyou so much in advance
X

Answer
Adele- it is important that you address your caloric needs for your activity.  It is impossible to tell what that is from your info but a good coach or nutritionist should be able to help you get pretty close.  Also, the amount of calories you need each day just to survive and go through activities of daily living is around 1,000 so I imagine you are not getting enough calories and every once in awhile consume quite a few calories.  The up and down makes your body reluctant to burn calories at a regular pace, so even when you are active, your body wants to hold on to the fat in your body because it is predicting a time when you will be consuming too few again.