Anorexia/Eating Disorders/Losing and gaining weight

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Expert: Katie - 12/12/2007


Question
Hi There.  For last while i have been struggling with sports anorexia.  my highest weight was 160.  and over the course of 4 yrs, ive lost 30 lbs to become 130.  now, i eat about 1500 cals a day and use curvelle.  all i want is a flat stomach and nice lean hard muscle.  ive always been muscliar and i love it but i have lost all my muscle and have trouble playing hockey.  i work and am on my feet for 7 hrs 4 days a week, and i know i burn a lot at work.  i also dance in my room for 30-60mins a day for fun.  please help me!!  i want to gain weight, be healthier and get my muscle back.  i just dont want to be fat again... HELP! im so scared i keep losing weight! in a month i have lost 8 lbs and am now 123.  i eat healthy but maybe not enough.  i love working out and need more energy to gain muscle...HELP PLEASE!!

Answer
Hi Ashley! Thank you for your question.
There are a few things to address here. First of all, I wouldn't quite categorize you as having an eating disorder. There are a couple reasons why I say this, which I will explain. First of all, there is no such thing as "sports anorexia," unless you are starving yourself to maintain a certain weight or to lose weight, for a certain sport, which it sounds like you're not. You are eating 1500 calories a day, and that is neither unhealthy nor anywhere near starvation, or a diagnosis of "anorexia." With anorexia, the sufferer severely restricts their food intake. The usual daily caloric intake of a sufferer of anorexia is around 500 calories, sometimes less, but rarely more. However, there is an eating disorder known as "exercise bulimia," which entails someone "purging" the food they eat with excessive and unhealthy amounts of exercise. Oftentimes someone with exercise bulimia will run 6 or 7 miles a day, or even exercise for six hours throughout the day, therefore their body cannot maintain their weight. This may be the type of eating disorder that most closely categorizes your symptoms.
However, it sounds to me that you may just be losing "baby fat." (Depending on your age) losing 30 pounds over the course of four years is normal! We all have differing amounts of baby fat, and we all lose it at differing speeds. For each pound lost, about half of that is muscle mass, so this could explain why you don't have as much muscle tone as you used to. As to the Curvelle, it is not deemed as dangerous (yet), but I would not suggest using it. Diet pills can tamper with your metabolism and ultimately lead to very unpleasant side effects such as insomnia, jitters, and even hallucinations. The Curvelle could be the reason (coupled with exercise) behind why you have lost eight pounds in one month. If you want to gain back weight, simply lessen your exercise! You can keep your caloric intake the same, while you lessen your exercise, then you will have the weight gain results that you want.
You will not gain back huge amounts of weight this way, and you will not become "fat" again. You lost your weight through exercise, not through calorie restriction or "crash" dieting, therefore the weight loss results will be more permanent, rather than the temporary results achieved through crash dieting or severe calorie restriction. You will gain gradual amounts of weight, and you will be able to monitor it by balancing your caloric intake with your exercise.
I would suggest going to see a doctor, as they can rule out bodily issues such as an overactive thyroid that may be a contributor to your (recently) rapid weight loss. I would also suggest seeing a nutritionist, as they will work with you to perhaps set up an individualized diet plan, determine what foods you like and would be willing to eat, determine what types of foods you should be eating, as well as how much, and most importantly, they can tailor your diet ("diet" meaning just the foods you eat, not a restriction of calories) to your activity level, therefore you will neither lose more weight, nor will you gain an amount of weight that you're uncomfortable with. I'd suggest doing this soon, so that you don't crossover into having a serious eating disorder. These steps will help you, I guarantee it.

I hope this helped. Best of luck, and if you have any more questions or concerns, feel free to ask me.

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Katie

Expertise

I can answer (at least to the best of my ability) any question or concern you may have pertaining to eating disorders. I have been deeply touched and effected by these devastating diseases, as I have suffered through them myself for years, and I feel that I definitely have the ability to help others who may be going through the same thing. These diseases tend to give the disordered a feeling of helplessness and aloneness, and there is no feeling more frustrating than trying to reach out to someone who just doesn't understand (as those not effected with the disorder have the inability to do), and who is dismissive of your disease. I have experienced all of that, which is why I am here to help. I've suffered through both anorexia and bulimia for seven years, and I've experienced and been through it all, and my only purpose in doing this is to help those who may be in the midst of an eating disorder themselves. I am not here to criticize you, I am only here to shed a little bit of light in your tunnel, and to do the best I can to help you. While I am not a doctor, I will try to the best of my ability to answer each question I receive with as much honesty, compassion, and heart as I can. Most likely whatever it is you're going through at the moment, I have been there too, so I can help by drawing from my own experiences. My biggest goal would be for eating disorders to be alleviated altogether, but until that happens, I am here to help.

Experience

I have suffered through both severe bulimia, as well as severe anorexia, for seven years. I have done extensive research on these diseases throughout the years, in an attempt to understand them better and to help guide myself through the very difficult path to recovery. I have received some help from others along the way, in order to make the road a little less lonely, and I have acquired some tools myself, that I believe have helped me to better combat these difficult diseases, and the emotions that usually accompany them. I have learned (although it took many, many years) to see my eating disorders as learning experiences, and as tools to use to better understand myself, and perhaps I can help you to do the same. Or perhaps I can help lead you to a healthier path, avoid reaching the point where your eating disorder may seem beyond repair (I've been there, and I've learned that it is never too late to seek help, or to prevail over this disease), or to help open your eyes to all of the wonderful aspects of a life free of eating disorders. I believe that I was given this disease for a reason, which has been to use my own painful battle with eating disorders and turn it into what may be a bit of hope for someone else who is suffering through what I had gone through. I am passionate about the positive awareness and ultimately the elimination of these diseases, and our media seems to portray eating disorders in a very, very inaccurate and unhealthy light, which often encourages these diseases, or discourages those who suffer from them in getting the help that they deserve. I am here to help, and I will do so to the best of my ability.

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