Is it possible that I have an eating disorder?

Question

I freak out if I go over 400 calories a day and I work out a lot. I am 5'8" and 117lbs... I have been restricting like that to lose weight for a few years. At my highest weight, I was 135 and at my lowest 110. I'm 21 years old, so is it possible that I have an eating disorder? I thought only younger girls suffered from them.

Answer 1

yes

Answer 2

The truth is only you can answer as to whether or not you have an eating disorder. I was anorexic and I was often not hungry so I didn't eat, but I also had a completely distorted body image and needed something in my life to control. The question you need to ask yourself is this: Are you really not eating because of lack of time or lack vegetarian choices at school or for other reasons. You are not that underweight, but if you are concerned with your eating habits then you should take actions to fix them now before you do have a problem. Find something that you can eat as you run out the door in the morning or get up a few minutes earlier to allow time to eat and try packing yourself some vegetarian foods for lunch. The bottom line is you need to make sure that your body is getting the right amount of nutrition on a daily basis or you will end up with health issues.

Answer 3

If you are eating 400 calories a day for extended periods of time , your putting your life in danger. Yes, you have an eating disorder. Anytime someone freaks out over their calories, or weight in general to the point they are starving themselves to death, then yes there is an issue. An eating disorder can strike anyone from 4-99. You need to get therapy to find out why you have such a control issue in your life. Obviously, you find out your life OUT of control and eating is all you feel you can control. Get help before you really hurt your body. Good Luck.

Answer 4

I would say yes...you have an eating disorder. Not only young women get them. Also...if you are honestly trying to lose weight...you can't starve your body. Your body needs to heal from your workouts, and your not giving it enough calories to do that. As hard as this might be for you to believe, you actually will lose more weight if you give it more calories. Try going to 600 calories and see how things change.

If you cut calories too low, your body thinks there is a food shortage and slows down your metabolism to eke out the calories. As well as causing this slower metabolic rate, eating too few calories may decrease thyroid output and cause loss of lean body mass. In addition, you may feel extra tired, irritable and completely de-motivated to follow any weight loss diet plan. All this is bad news for weight loss, which invariably slows down and may even stop completely.

Answer 5

i am not a doctor but i would say you have some kind of an issue, 400 calories is not even half of what you should have for a daily healthy diet. 110 pounds to 135 pounds is also a huge difference in weight fluctuation.

Answer 6

yes you most probably do have an eating disorder. to start off with you really shouldn' be having only 400 calories a day because thats not nearly enough, you're ment to have a mimimun of 1200 cals. working out on only 400 cals a day is really really bad, to tell you the truth i'm 99% sure you do have an eating disorder.

I know from experience because i'm in recovery and you learn all about them!!!

be very careful because you're really damaging your body. i know ho hard it is though.

Do you ever find that your mood changes alot because thats what happened to me and i never got to really enjoy life.

You don't have a long life and you really should be enjoyin it.

My advise to you is to get some help from your locl gp, and be well, love and enjoy life.

Answer 7

yes, you have an eating disorder. Excessive working out and extremely restrictive diets are an indicator. You should be eating at least 1,200-1,500 calories a day, depending on your specific needs.

Make an appointment with a nutrionist to learn how to eat properly and stay at a healthy weight. You don't want this to spiral out of control and it sounds like it may be getting there. Please get help before things get worse.

Answer 8

Yes it is possible. Ask a friend or family member of what they think about you. People from all ages suffer from eating orders, not only younger girls. You just need to ask yourself if you feel you have one. Working out for health is good, but working out just to lose weight is bad

Answer 9

Age is not a factor regarding eating disorders and is probably more prominent in your age range, due to multiple factors like stress, change in environment, etc. Exercise dependency is a disorder as well. On the surface, it looks like you are concerned enough to consider that your "restrictions" may be a problem... By simply reading your stats and mind set... it does look like you have an image problem which is unhealthy.

Answer 10

Yes. Eating disorders don't have age limits and can affect both sexes. I think that while you may not be at an unhealthy weight ( I am 5'9" and weigh about 125), you definitely have some unhealthy thoughts in your head about yourself and seem a little obsessive. I think you should probably consult a trusted doctor and they can refer you to appropriate treatment. Good luck and God bless!

Answer 11

I don't think it is gender restricted but you sound a bit under weight to me . Your caloric intake seems low as well .
Here is one of many links that might help answer your question
http://www.hpathy.com/healthtools/calories-need.asp