do bulimics loose weight?

Question

because if they eat then throw up, they arent loosing or gaining they are remaining the same right?

Answer 1

While made-for-TV-movies would have you believe that they lose weight like crazy, most bulimics are within 10% of their normal body weight, and many are even overweight.

I have been bulimic for 5 years and have only GAINED weight since this disorder started.

This is because bulimics binge (take in excessive amounts of calories at once) then purge in some way (vomiting, laxatives, etc.). Surprisingly, vomiting doesn't get rid of many calories, so bulimics actually are holding on to most of what they ate during a binge.

Vomiting only gets rid of 50% of the calories you ate AT MOST - and that is if you vomit immediately after eating. Laxatives only get rid of about 12% (at most) of the calories eaten. Most bulimics aren't aware that purging doesn't get rid of very many calories, so they continue the cycle (and therefore continue to gain weight and destroy their bodies at the same time). Purges also leave the stomach feeling empty, so a bulimic might think "Now I can eat again because I just got rid of all the junk I ate an hour ago..." etc.

Answer 2

Yes of course. They lose the weight that they gained when they ate the food they just ate. And since the body is not getting nutrition it is converting muscle into fatty tissue to be used to supplement the lack of nutrition. Converted fatty tissue is lighter than muscle by a third or is that 2/3's I always forget that part. Then the body burns converted fatty tissue to replace the sugars carbs and other materials it is not getting. The body at that point is literally eating itself though

The question that you should ask is do they look like they are losing weight and the answer is no.

Given the same seven month period an overweight bulimic girl and an overweight girl set up on a healthy non restrictive calorie diet and exercise program were recorded, the bulimic under the care of a concerned physician who tried to put her in a program, the obese girl under care of the same physician. He documented their cases. The proper diet and exercise girl lost weight. the first few weeks she lost up to 10 pounds, all excessive water retention. The following weeks she lost 1-3 lbs a week continuously. The bulimic who was the same weight at the beginning as the other girl lost weight slower at the beginning, but her average loss to week ratio was higher at 2-5lbs. So the expectation would be that the bulimic at a slightly lower weight afterwards would look skinnier. Nope. The bulimics weight may have changed but according to the non-case study (meaning this was not a laboratory experiment, just documentation) the girl who dieted and exercised correctly was an inch to two smaller all the way around than the bulimic. More importantly the girl who exercised kept the weight off. The bulimic went to the hospital under the care of her physician because she finally was sick enough that he could convince the parents that her life was in danger. Which it was, she had a heart episode. When forced to stop being a bulimic she gained a half of the weight back within a few weeks.

Trying to explain that to someone who is bulimic is impossible even if you have the documentation.

Answer 3

Usually they don't lose weight. That's because of the sheer volume of food they eat before they purge themselves. Some of it manages to be absorbed by the body. That's why many bulemics are able to hide their condition for months, even years. Nobody notices a drastic weight loss like with an anorexic. My sister was bulimic for years and all that time, she actually was a bit overweight.

Answer 4

Yes they do lose weight. Because they eat, throw up what they eat which deprives their body, then they eat again and throw up. They are not keeping anything down and they are not getting the nutrients their bodies need.

That is why Bulimia and Anorexia are closely related as far as disorders go

Answer 5

Actually the majority either stay the same weight or gain weight. But they do have some nasty side effects to include killing your heart. They will throwup essential nutrients and vitamins needed to run your body and you will eventually die from that. I keep saying it....It is all about portion control :)

Answer 6

They don't lose weight as quickly as anorexics do, so it's harder to tell a bulimic right off. You'll see them eating, and they may even appear to be a normal size, but they are losing weight, as well as tearing up their esophagus, heart, and teeth.

Answer 7

I've lost 5 kilos in my first week. It's my 10th day and I have included salad with some protein (eg. egg/ lean chicken) as you suggested. After 4 years of trying, the fat is finally coming off. It truly feels like magic!

Get started today!

Answer 8

They aren't holding down any food, so essentially, they aren't eating anything, right? So they don't take in enough calories in a day and lose weight.

Answer 9

No they are killing themslev and losing weight rapidly. Why....you're not going to be bulimic are you? Don''t, dying is sooo not worth being skinny.

Answer 10

Ask Karen Carpenter. They lose weight and die.