Expert: Leigh-Anne - 11/21/2004

Question
I have been reading up on eating disorders a lot because I am afraid I might suffer from one. About a few months ago I wanted to lose weight because I was over weight. I tried cutting my calories down to less than 500 a day. I lost around 30 or so pounds. I am currently about 10 pounds over weight. Some days are good where I eat normal around 1500 calories. Some days are bad where I eat my less than 500 calories a day. I have recently become a vegetarian cutting out the excessive calories in meats. Everything I research abut eating disorders is about either being underweight for anorexia or throwing-up with bulmia (which both don't fit me). I was wondering if you could explain to me if I have an eating disorder, or the signs for one.

Answer
Marie,

You have not really provided me enough information to determine whether you actually fit the criteria for an eating disorder, and I can't provide a diagnosis like that in any case anyways. I would suggest that you look up information on ED-NOS (eating disorders not otherwise specified). If you have/had an eating disorder this may classify you better than anorexia or bulimia.

Leigh-Anne