I was planning on writing on something else, but then the message I received for my previous post got me thinking about a very serious problem.
You might have read (or not) some of the previous posts on what NOT to do to lose weight. I am underlining it each time because from there to becoming an anorectic or a bulimic is not a long way.
I have seen plenty of cases, especially in my teens. I had a classmate whose best friend was naturally skinny. The pressure was too much for her, it seems, and from 115-120 pounds she got to 95-100. The thing is that she didn't get there by being on a proper and healthy diet, but she got there by eating normally and then putting two fingers into her throat and emptying her stomach.
A friend I had was not fat, but she was a bit more roundish, because that's how mother nature made her forms look. At home she was overeating lots of times as well. And then she was following a very struct diet and losing in between 10-15 pounds in two-three weeks. Then, in no time, she was putting everything back on. Her mind was so screwed after a holiday we had that when she came home she couldn't stop herself eating anything and everything. Would you eat fish with chocolate? She was. And many other weird things. She craved food so badly, she couldn't stop herself. And do you know what that was? The lack of food she put herself through. The lack of vitamins and minerals.
This is not a joke. This happens. It mostly happens with insecure people, or with teenagers. When you are 14-20, you can control your appetite better. So well you control it, that you get yourself in trouble.
Bulimia
According to theFreeDictionary, bulimia is "an eating disorder, common especially among young women of normal or nearly normal weight, that is characterized by episodic binge eating and followed by feelings of guilt, depression, and self-condemnation. It is often associated with measures taken to prevent weight gain, such as self-induced vomiting, the use of laxatives, dieting, or fasting".
I recognize half of the issues (the first part) because I could eat forever before my period. I do control myself however, or I prepare myself for this occasion by buying lots of fruits and vegetables and cereals or diet cereal bars. Even so I feel guilty eating. But I try to exercise and drink penty of tea and I also know that these cravings will be over the moment my period comes. I also know that these pounds will also come off then.
Anorexia
According to Wikipedia, anorexia is "an eating disorder characterized by low body weight and body image distortion with an obsessive fear of gaining weight. Individuals with anorexia often control body weight by voluntary starvation, purging, vomiting, excessive exercise, or other weight control measures, such as diet pills or diuretic drugs".
I do have an obsessive fear of gaining weight but I am happy with that. If you lose the fear, you are in trouble. Especially when you have a tendency to put on weight. I don't think that the fear of putting on weight is something negative, as long as you know how to deal with it. Excessive exercise - well, you have to tell me what excessive means. Because I don't think that exercising for 1 hour a day or two is excessive. Unless you exhaust yourself each time. The others are a problem though. Puking, starvation, purging, laxatives - they are the sure way to putting on weight later on.
When you think about doing any of the above in order to lose weight, think of this: you will get better or you will die. It's very easy. And you will get better either by yourself, and you will end up destroying your metabolism, or someone else will take action and put you into a hospital, and then you will get well again. Which still means that you have ruined your metabolism.
So, look at it the way you want, but if you are taking this way or you find yourself on it, stop before it gets to late. This will NOT get you slimmer, but sick and in trouble with fighting off pounds for the rest of your life.
Losing weight and staying healthy is easy, when you care. Forget famishing yourself: there are other ways.
Since I was 15 I've been obsessed with healthy diets, losing weight, sports, and everything included. I read books after books and I collected articles on staying fit and healthy. Even now, 12 years later, I am still reading everything I find on the subject.
I will share with you, step by step, everything I know. Free advice.
About Me
Name: Andreea Home: Bucharest, Romania About Me: Post graduate student, happily married, who has found the perfect job in a perfect company. :) See my complete profile
