Expert: Autumn - 11/12/2006

Question
hi thanks for that any idication of the amount that she may lose? recently she has gained weight and eaten nothing and exercised like a maniac>...

yes she is 170.5 and she weighs around 50-52kg but she use to be less and we don't know how she gained the weight and she can't even shower or look at her self and i can't huge my own daughter so in a way i feel that i should help her lose weight because i feel so bad she chews and spits but recently because of the fast that has stopped and she rides a lot like 40km every 2 days and her thighs are big could this contribute?
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The text above is a follow-up to ...

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hi there my daughtr is on a one month fast could you indicate me as to how much she may lose with only water and 1 stick of gum per day and she does around 5-7 hours of exercise......
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Hello Kerry! I'm quite concerned about your daughter, and I certainly wouldn't allow this to go on if I were you, because this is not normal, and she could end up with a lot of health problems or dead from doing this sort of thing. To answer your question, starving for a month (keep in mind that anything under 800-1200 calories is considered starving) will end up causing a weight loss of most likely extreme amounts, but once the fast is over it will all be gained back very quickly, so fasting isn't exactly a good way to lose weight, just as an eating disorder isn't, and basically what you're telling me is that you're daughter is going to go anorexic for a month. Fasting is deemed "safe" and is praised by many cultures for ridding the body of impurities, but fasting for an entire month to lose weight is very dangerous. Your daughter would end up with much slower metabolism, vitamin deficiency, and probably just about every symptom of malnutrition if she does this. A "safe" fast is between a 1-5 day duration, and is done without exercise, as not consuming calories will have your energy level extremely low. You are supposed to rest while on a fast, and these fasts are usually executed with juice, not water and gum. I must say that I highly doubt your daughter would be able to do 5-7 hours of exercise, and if she were able to, she could end up hospitalized or dead, because that could cause EXTREME problems. I'm not sure what would posses your daughter to want to do this, and I'm definitely certain you wouldn't want her to, because this is a serious problem and causing yourself serious health problems or death to lose weight is not worth it. How old is your daughter, and what are her height/weight stats? I honestly believe this is a case of anorexia and possibly compulsive over-exercising. It'd be a good idea to bring her to not only a doctor, but a counselor as well, and if you're not ready to take that step at least ask her to contact me, as I could help get to the root of this and nip it in the bud before she ends up miserable, which is what happens in every case of an eating disorder. If you have any more questions or want your daughter to contact me, please do so. I'll help in every way that I can. Also, check out this website: http://www.somethingfishy.org
It would be a good idea to explore it.
Otherwise, have a beautiful day and I wish the best for you and your daughter with every ounce of sincerity.

Answer
You're welcome. Like I said if she did go through this she would lose a lot, at least 20 lbs, and if she did that, being that she's already underweight, she could very well die. It certainly sounds like she's anorexic and she needs to see both a psychologist/counselor and doctor as soon as possible. You certainly shouldn't help her lose even more weight, that would just be watering the weed, and you'd basically be causing her even more damage. Instead of feeling bad that she feels fat, feel bad that she thinks she's fat, and that her thoughts about herself are disordered. Her weight gain could very well be muscle if she takes part in bicycling/etc., and like I said she is underweight now, more so before. Her thighs being bigger is caused from a build-up of muscle. It doesn't mean she has fat there. Also, if she chews and spits she might also be purging, and could have bulimia, so PLEASE seek medical and mental health help for her. At this stage the disease is at a peak and out of both you and your daughter's control. Don't contribute to her disease, contribute to her health. If you have any other questions, continue to contact me please. I will help as best I can, like I said before. And again, please visit somethingfishy.org for more information on eating disorders and recovery.