Expert: Loren - 6/10/2007

Question
Dear Loren,
for about two years I suffered from anorexia, I am 5 foot and at my lowest weight was 81 pounds. I went home to live with my mum for a year and have gained a significant amount of weight since then. My problem is that I still exercise for at least 2 hours a day at the gym, sometimes doing more when I get home. The reason I do this is because I have started binge eating and just cant stop myself and its really getting me down! I now weigh 100-103 ponds and feel so unhappy and self-conscious about the way I look! I have just spent a week binging and I go on holiday with my friends tomorrow which I know will involve lots of drinking and meals out. I am terrified of putting on even more weight and I just dont know what to do as I cant help but eat as much food as possible whenever I can! Can you offer me any advice on how to prevent this binging? Also even when I have a good week where I dont binge I have about 800 cals a day and excercise to burn off 1000 cals which takes 2 and a half hours I still dont always lose weight! I just cant see myself ever getting out of this cycle if I gain weight so easily, surely if I want to maiontalin my current weight that Im not even happy with Ill have to live like this forever!?!?

I have also started taking a slimming suppliment called thermoslimmers which I got from a health food store, I took them when I first began suffering from and ED-I think they are mainly caffine tablets, they make me quite shaky and I feel a bit sick but they give me more energy so help me at the gym! I just feel completely out of control at the moment and hugely fat, I am so depressed (currently on fluoxitine, 40mg per day) and just dont know what to do! I have seen a couple of counsellors and a psychiatrist but nothing seems to help!

I hope that you will be able to offer me some advice,

thank you, Natalie x

Answer
Hello Natalie

You are still suffering from anorexia. To have a daily intake of just 800 calories is dangerous to your health and such extensive exercise will be putting your heart under so much unnecessary strain.

The reason your body is giving you such a hard time in terms of weight loss, is that it is NOT your natural weight. Your body is confused from the cycle of restriction-binge and is using all of it's natural defences to protect itself.
I know the part after an eating disorder of 'learning to love yourself' is very difficult. Even I'm not 100% in that department but it does get a little easier every day.

And I'd strongly advise you to stop taking the slimming pills. It has been proven that the vast majority do not work and, worse, they can have detrimental effects on your health.

However, what I would advise above all else is to perhaps get more counselling. I know you say it doesn't work for you, but at least try again and see if, with the right mindset, you can overcome this. I'm not sure about the ins and outs of residential treatment; I know they can be extremely unrealistic about the type of patients they admit, however that is also an option.

I hope this helps.
Take care,
Loren