Expert: Meg - 5/6/2006

Question
well I dont know I mean im 5'4 and only 99 pounds. I eat a lot but i gain absolutly nothing! I have a high matabalism,i worry about gaining weight because i like where im at I just want a little more muscle, i exercise daily but im not sure if it's over exercising because i loose more weight. I have abs and look good but am i too skinny, am i anorexic? I always het stomach pain and headachs but i take a tylenol, at school some times i wont eat cause i feel fat but KNOW im not. Whats wrong with me?

Answer
Hi Drew,

Thanks for your question and I hope that I can be of some help.  

Its really pretty impossible to diagnose someone over the internet so I can't tell you definitively if you have an eating disorder.  However, having said that, I think the fact that you are worried about what is going on is cause to take a closer look.  

A few things that you mention (feeling fat, while you are indeed underweight, the stomach pains and headaches, and not eating sometimes) are signs that you might be damaging you health and have an eating disorder or be well on your way to developing one.

Here are some links with some more information that might be of help to you.

http://www.something-fishy.org/isf/signssymptoms.php

http://www.anred.com/warn.html

http://www.healthyplace.com/communities/Eati ... edcounseling/warning_signs.htm

The upside is that you are able to see that your behaviors and feelings about your weight are not too healthy.  I encourage you to find a way to stop your behaviors (underating, possible overexercising, and the negative thoughts about your weight) as soon as possible.  You might want to find a therapist or someone who can help with this.

Good luck and please feel free to write again if there is anything else that I can answer or do to help.

Best,
Meg