Expert: Samathlee Colon - 8/6/2006

Question
Hi,

I'm 14 and I've always struggled with... well, my appearance. It's not as if I spend endless hours in front of a mirror, but I'm careful about what I eat and how much of it I eat. Though it pains me to say this, I've always wished I could look different. It hasn't gone unnoticed that I eat much less than the average person in my grade. I weigh much less than most people my age. People are always making remarks about how I need to eat more, and I just can't bring myself to do it. At times I felt I was fat, but the days pass. And still I just can't eat as much as I know I should. Is it possible to be anorexic... without... knowing it? I don't throw up my food, but if I eat too much (which, in my case, is almost as much as I really should be) I feel sick, as if I were going to vomit. There was a period of time not long ago where I'd eat enough, and that night I would sit in front of the toilet, fearing the worst. I felt so sick a lot at that time and would go to bed feeling sick to my stomach. The thing is, I know I should be eating more. I was always small for my age, but lately it's not so much, "You're so short," or "You're so small;" it's "You're so skinny." Is this anorexia? Something else?

Thank you.

Answer
It is not abnormal to want to look different, and its not abnormal to want to watch what you eat. Thats perfectly fine and healthy. However, you are young and still growing so of coarse you need as much nutrition now then you will any other time in your life... during this growing stage- so do NOT deprive yourself. However, if when you eat- you do feel full... and that you have aten enough... do not force yourself. Your body will go through a thousand changes as time goes by. You might get more hungry - you might not... the wieght may come later then now. You never know... just feed your body enough- as much as you feel you need to feed it. Do not deprive yourself. Now getting sick when you have aten just a lil over your normal amount... sounds like your body is well trained to have a certain amount of food... and having a lil over that limit will throw ur body off... AT FIRST! If you are hungry- eat and eat until you are full.. If you eat less then other people because you are watching your weight- you are doing it for all the wrong reasons, and it could lead into Anorexia... but if you are eating normally and you get full- there is no need to over fill your self.