Can you have an eating disorder and be over weight?

KarenLouise1981

An eating disorder is based on your relationship with food - whether you over eat, under eat, binge or purge makes no difference. it is literally disordered eating. 800cal is unhealthy for your body - it will take the energy it needs from muscles and will store every ounce of food you eat in your fat cells incase you start starving to death. The end result will be a "skinny fat" body were you have no muscle, jut fat. The very minimum the body needs is 1200cals to function without you feeling the side effects (tiredness, anemia, missed TOM, mental confusion etc). If you are eating so little and still punishing yourself over little things like chocolate (girls best friend dont forget!) than I would agree with others on this page and have a chat wih someone - even if it is just getting those cals up to a healthy range with some good nutrition advice.

On a personal note, I have a friend exactly the same and not only is she incredibly difficult to be around (I cant eat this or that, oh my goodness I have had 4 protein shakes today AND a sandwich!) but it breaks my heart and is very draining emotionally. If you can't do itt for yourself - do it for those around you who care.

Good luck xx

JPayne53

In the past, I have actually been diagnosed with an eating disorder (about 6 years ago).. I was overweight according to all BMI charts.. I was 5'1" and weight 155 lbs. (obese for my height), because of this I found myself avoiding food, obsessive exercising, and focusing my whole life around what to eat and what NOT to eat, after ending up in the hospital something had to change... MFP has actually helped me focus on the healthy part of living rather than obsessing over a weight problem. I am still 5' 1" currently at.. 150 lbs!! But, I can proudly say BMI charts are crap... it's a comparison of height and weight ratios a doctor uses as a "reference" not an exact measure... muscle vs. fat is a completely different issue... I am a certified nutritionist and personal trainer now.. and as someone who has had personal experience with an eating disorder, I would love to help and motivate or answer any questions you would like an opinion on.

MrsCon40

To everyone who is saying she needs at least 1200 calories, you do realize she is saying she eats 800 KILOcalories, right? 1 kilocalories is 1000 calories.

So, OP, do you really eat 8000 calories in a day? Just wondering so we can get a better idea of what people are saying about you in terms of an eating disorder.

That's not true. What we consider a calorie in terms of food is actually a kilocalorie.

* The small calorie or gram calorie (symbol: cal)[2] approximates the energy needed to increase the temperature of 1 gram of water by 1 °C. This is about 4.2 joules.

* The large calorie, kilogram calorie, dietary calorie or food calorie (symbol: Cal)[2] approximates the energy needed to increase the temperature of 1 kilogram of water by 1 °C. This is exactly 1000 small calories or about 4.2 kilojoules.

Sarahr73

@Sarahr73 kilocalories are what we commonly refer to as calories. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kilocalorie

I had read a different article before and it said something different. But this one makes more sense. Sorry about that.

1234lbsgone

Actually most people with eating disorders ARE overweight. Anorexia is not the only eating disorder. Bulimia (binge/purge) usually causes weight gain, as does binge eating disorder, and many obese people have some form of eating disorder. Disordered eating is about the mental processes and relationships with food and body image. Lack of eating, bingeing, purging and other things are just SYMPTOMS of disordered eating.

If you suspect you may have or are beginning to develop an eating disorder, please look for resources that can help.

1-800-931-2237
http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/get-help-today/

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
THIS!!!

Yes you can. I was Anorexic at 98lbs and still anorexic at 200lbs.... and now a healthy weight of 130, I'm still anorexic. It is a disease, not a look. And take it from me, the sooner you get help, the sooner you will like how you look. It's not something you can control on your own, it can be very dangerous. Think about those walks with your kids. One day, you may pass out. Your body can only take so much before it starts fighting back. Please take the advice of the poster that I quoted. The reference she gave is a fantastic organization.

myofibril

@Sarahr73 kilocalories are what we commonly refer to as calories. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kilocalorie

I had read a different article before and it said something different. But this one makes more sense. Sorry about that.

Actually, you were technically right. On a scientific basis a calorie is such a small unit of energy that in dietary / nutritional circles units of energy are shown in kcals for ease of reference eg 1,000 calories per kcal.

However, you can pretty much be sure that when anyone on here talks about calories they are actually talking about kcal values...

moonay

I discussed this issue with dieticians at the obesity clinic and they referred me to a few articles in regards to not eating 1200 calories a day and the starvation myth.

Take a read of this: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1574882/starvation_mode_dispelling_the_myths.html?cat=5

Weightwatchers also did a similar article but I can't find it on the net. It was in their magazine.

The dieticians told me that if your body wasn't receiving enough calories you would feel it, firstly you would feel hunger but mainly you would feel lightheaded and dizzy the majority of the time. If you aren't hungry and you aren't feeling lightheaded or any other side effect then 800calories works for your body. Don't forget everyone is different and our bodies all need different things, It is actually worse for you to eat if you aren't hungry just to hit 1200 calories than it is to stick to the 800 if that is what fills you up.

If you feel bad after you eat anything that isn't a salad then you should seek out a counsellor or similar to talk that through as that could stem into a serious problem psychologically.

If you want to read anymore articles on the starvation myth then let me know, I have loads of links.

1234lbsgone

I discussed this issue with dieticians at the obesity clinic and they referred me to a few articles in regards to not eating 1200 calories a day and the starvation myth.

Take a read of this: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1574882/starvation_mode_dispelling_the_myths.html?cat=5

Weightwatchers also did a similar article but I can't find it on the net. It was in their magazine.

The dieticians told me that if your body wasn't receiving enough calories you would feel it, firstly you would feel hunger but mainly you would feel lightheaded and dizzy the majority of the time. If you aren't hungry and you aren't feeling lightheaded or any other side effect then 800calories works for your body. Don't forget everyone is different and our bodies all need different things, It is actually worse for you to eat if you aren't hungry just to hit 1200 calories than it is to stick to the 800 if that is what fills you up.

If you feel bad after you eat anything that isn't a salad then you should seek out a counsellor or similar to talk that through as that could stem into a serious problem psychologically.

If you want to read anymore articles on the starvation myth then let me know, I have loads of links.

We are talking about eating disorders here. As a lifelong anorexic, I promise you there are NO feelings of hunger and an anorexic will not give in to feeling lightheaded or dizzy untill they actually pass out. Even then, they will stay in denial. This is a serious topic, please be careful telling someone that 800 cals is working for their body without fulling considering the consequences. Eating disorders are very serious and you cannot relay general information when it comes to EDs. Not only is it completely wrong, but you risk playing with that persons mind and telling them that what they are doing to their body is just fine. It is NOT! She is a mother, she needs to be healthy for her kids, but more importantly for herself.

ladyhawk00

I discussed this issue with dieticians at the obesity clinic and they referred me to a few articles in regards to not eating 1200 calories a day and the starvation myth.

Take a read of this: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1574882/starvation_mode_dispelling_the_myths.html?cat=5

Weightwatchers also did a similar article but I can't find it on the net. It was in their magazine.

The dieticians told me that if your body wasn't receiving enough calories you would feel it, firstly you would feel hunger but mainly you would feel lightheaded and dizzy the majority of the time. If you aren't hungry and you aren't feeling lightheaded or any other side effect then 800calories works for your body. Don't forget everyone is different and our bodies all need different things, It is actually worse for you to eat if you aren't hungry just to hit 1200 calories than it is to stick to the 800 if that is what fills you up.

If you feel bad after you eat anything that isn't a salad then you should seek out a counsellor or similar to talk that through as that could stem into a serious problem psychologically.

If you want to read anymore articles on the starvation myth then let me know, I have loads of links.

Quite untrue. I have been, and know many others, IN starvation mode and you usually DON'T feel hungry, have lightheadedness or any other physical symptoms for quite some time. Unfortunately, many "obesity clinics" are merely scams selling diets and diet products. A qualified (and ethical) dietitian is well aware of the risks of LCD/VLCD and would never suggest that just ANYONE can eat 800 cals a day and be "fine".

Here are just SOME of the actual scientific studies addressing LCD/VLCD and adaptive thermogenesis (starvation mode):

The following describe the various risks inherent in LCDs and VLCDs (eating below BMR, typically), especially without supervision of a doctor and dietician. And these are mostly for obese/morbidly obese people - The dangers for a relatively lean person can be far higher.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=8777329&dopt=AbstractPlus

http://www.ajcn.org/content/47/6/981.full.pdf+html

http://www.ajcn.org/content/56/1/230S.full.pdf+html

http://www.ajcn.org/content/39/5/695.full.pdf

http://www.springerlink.com/content/vl488623pn1q0219/


Long-Term Weight Patterns and Risk for Cholecystectomy in Women
Background: Obesity and rapid weight loss in obese persons are known risk factors for gallstones. However, the effect of intentional, long-term, moderate weight changes on the risk for gallstones is unclear.

Objective: To study long-term weight patterns in a cohort of women and to examine the relation between weight pattern and risk for cholecystectomy.

Design: Prospective cohort study.

Setting: 11 U.S. states.

Participants: 47 153 female registered nurses who did not undergo cholecystectomy before 1988.

Measurements: Cholecystectomy between 1988 and 1994 (ascertained by patient self-report).

Results: During the exposure period (1972 to 1988), there was evidence of substantial variation in weight due to intentional weight loss during adulthood. Among cohort patients, 54.9% reported weight cycling with at least one episode of intentional weight loss associated with regain. Of the total cohort, 20.1% were light cyclers (5 to 9 lb of weight loss and gain), 18.8% were moderate cyclers (10 to 19 lb of weight loss and gain), and 16.0% were severe cyclers (≥ 20 lb of weight loss and gain). Net weight gain without cycling occurred in 29.3% of women; net weight loss without cycling was the least common pattern (4.6%). Only 11.1% of the cohort maintained weight within 5 lb over the 16-year period. In the study, 1751 women had undergone cholecystectomy between 1988 and 1994. Compared with weight maintainers, the relative risk for cholecystectomy (adjusted for body mass index, age, alcohol intake, fat intake, and smoking) was 1.20 (95% CI, 0.96 to 1.50) among light cyclers, 1.31 among moderate cyclers (CI, 1.05 to 1.64), and 1.68 among severe cyclers (CI, 1.34 to 2.10).

Conclusion: Weight cycling was highly prevalent in this large cohort of middle-aged women. The risk for cholecystectomy associated with weight cycling was substantial, independent of attained relative body weight.
http://www.annals.org/content/130/6/471.full

http://www.nature.com/ijo/journal/v22/n6/pdf/0800634a.pdf

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8696424?dopt=Citation

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=7489033&dopt=Citation

http://www.springerlink.com/content/t462u540t7151722/

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0689/is_n3_v41/ai_17516395/

http://www.jacn.org/cgi/content/full/18/6/620?ck=nck

http://www.ajcn.org/content/53/4/826.full.pdf+html

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=2341229&dopt=Citation

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2613433?dopt=Abstract

http://www.ajcn.org/content/49/1/93.full.pdf+html

http://www.ajcn.org/content/45/2/391.full.pdf+html

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=6694559&dopt=AbstractPlus

http://www.ajcn.org/content/57/2/127.full.pdf

http://www.ajcn.org/content/51/2/167.abstract?ck=nck

http://www.nature.com/ijo/journal/v32/n3/abs/0803720a.html

http://win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/low_calorie.htm

ladyhawk00

Take a read of this: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1574882/starvation_mode_dispelling_the_myths.html?cat=5

BTW, this is essentially a blog, written by a random person on the internet with NO academic, nutritional or any other kind of stated credentials.

moonay

[/quote][/quote]

We are talking about eating disorders here. As a lifelong anorexic, I promise you there are NO feelings of hunger and an anorexic will not give in to feeling lightheaded or dizzy untill they actually pass out. Even then, they will stay in denial. This is a serious topic, please be careful telling someone that 800 cals is working for their body without fulling considering the consequences. Eating disorders are very serious and you cannot relay general information when it comes to EDs. Not only is it completely wrong, but you risk playing with that persons mind and telling them that what they are doing to their body is just fine. It is NOT! She is a mother, she needs to be healthy for her kids, but more importantly for herself.
[/quote][/quote]

If she had said she has passed out or had any other side effects from eating only 800 calories then it would be different but she didn't. People saying you HAVE to eat 1200 calories a day are relaying general information and could be just as damaging to a persons mind if they feel worse about their eating habits because they aren't hungry and thereforth don't hit 1200 calories a day.

I didn't undermine eating disorders or their severity, nor do I encourage anorexia but it is about what is right for our bodies and scientific research shows the 1200 calorie a day rule to be a myth. Forcing yourself to eat to achieve 1200 calories is just as bad for your physical and mental state.

Please note :I did also suggest she seek counselling if guilt is present after eating as that is a problem.

monicaP413

Yes! I had them all at one time or another! You can be overweight and bulemic. Your body will hold onto weight if it thinks something is wrong! Please message me if you need to talk, I have struggled through overeating, bulemia and anorexia and none of them are fun, but you can get past them and have a normal life!

blackdragonclare

thank you for all your replies! I will read through the links in the morning as its lateand I will get an appointments
with a different doctor and ask to be refered (uk so nhs refer you to councellors). I ment 800cal btw I w
thought it was kcal as thats how they put it on food. I have always been over weight but thinking about it I've always had a thing about eating in front of people and even used to throw my lunches away at school. I know what I'm doing is odd but I don't feel hunger at all. nobody notices what I'm doing and my mum even encourages me to eat less. I've found if I don't mention food then nobody takesany notice as long as I have something.

thanks again for your replies and sorry for found on.

1234lbsgone

If she had said she has passed out or had any other side effects from eating only 800 calories then it would be different but she didn't. People saying you HAVE to eat 1200 calories a day are relaying general information and could be just as damaging to a persons mind if they feel worse about their eating habits because they aren't hungry and thereforth don't hit 1200 calories a day.

I didn't undermine eating disorders or their severity, nor do I encourage anorexia but it is about what is right for our bodies and scientific research shows the 1200 calorie a day rule to be a myth. Forcing yourself to eat to achieve 1200 calories is just as bad for your physical and mental state.

Please note :I did also suggest she seek counselling if guilt is present after eating as that is a problem.

While I understand the contraversy with the whole starvation mode thing, I'm trying to say that a person suspected of having an ED is not considered in the general scheme that a non-ed person would. 800 cals for a mother who takes daily walks is too low. I challenge you to find ACTUAL science that says I am wrong. I don't doubt that you can survive on less than 1200 cals, I did for 13 years before I was hospitalized. But the effects that I now have to live with are life-altering. Because I was treated by a team of medical professionals, it was determined by blood tests that I could safely eat 1000 cals, no less and still live comfortably with no dangerous effects. The OP did not let on that her metabolism had been medically tested to determine what her body needs to survive. And you cannot determine that based on her post and your weight watchers article. If you want to debate starvation mode, fine. But this is not the thread do do it in.

I'm just saying.

1234lbsgone

thank you for all your replies! I will read through the links in the morning as its lateand I will get an appointments
with a different doctor and ask to be refered (uk so nhs refer you to councellors). I ment 800cal btw I w
thought it was kcal as thats how they put it on food. I have always been over weight but thinking about it I've always had a thing about eating in front of people and even used to throw my lunches away at school. I know what I'm doing is odd but I don't feel hunger at all. nobody notices what I'm doing and my mum even encourages me to eat less. I've found if I don't mention food then nobody takesany notice as long as I have something.

thanks again for your replies and sorry for found on.

Kcal is not an incorrect term. It is actually the way calories were referred to in my biology of nutrition class. We just say cals for short.

I wish you luck in finding a new doctor, preferably someone who is educated in eating disorders. I say that because I experienced something similar. After my recovery, the first time, I started gaining weight. I had new doctors because I was living on my own and not on my fathers insurance anymore, so nobody knew my history. As my weight climbed, they encouraged me to diet. I told them about my ED and they insisted if I was gaining the weight I was gaining then I was obviously "cured" of my eating disorder. I think I was eating around 500 cals on some days. By the time I reached 200 pounds, I found an endochrinologist who was mortified at how long this had gone on. Not just 1, but 7 different doctors encouraging me to starve myself. My metabolism was completely shut down, my thyroid wasn't working, and my hormones were beyond messed up. He said in these exact words, "IDIOTS, thats what they all are, you should have NEVER been told to diet, especially not alone!" We worked to increase me calories to 1000, then 1200, and now I'm at a normal weight. I still struggle with not eating at times, but for the most part, I know that food is good and I need it to live.

Feel free to friend me if you would like support. I'm here for you. You don't have to go through this alone.

audjrey

Wow. What a lot of info to get through (all the responses I mean). And yet, no real solutions. How sad.

According to wikipedia.com,

"Eating disorders refer to a group of conditions characterized by abnormal eating habits that may involve either insufficient or excessive food intake to the detriment of an individual's physical and mental health."

blackdragonclare - from my understanding of what you've said thus far, you eat bad foods and you under-eat. That said, I think it's safe to say you have some unhealthy relationship to food, which might be characterized as an eating disorder.

To help you understand why you eat bad foods and under-eat, you might consider trying to answer these questions, for yourself.

What association do you have to these 'bad' foods?
How do these foods hinder you?
How do these foods nourish you?
When you first start eating 'bad' foods, how did they make you feel, initially?
At what age were you when you first started eating these bad foods?
What major event occurred in your life at the time when you first began eating these bad foods?
How do you feel now when you eat these foods?
Do you have the same thoughts and feelings about these foods today as you did when you first started eating them?

If you were to write a list of 'good' foods, what items would you write on that list?
How do you feel about those food items?
What thoughts do you associate to these food items?
What sort of people do you associate eating these foods?
How do you perceive yourself in relation to the sort of people you imagine eating these foods?

If you could be a skinny person right now, what types of foods do you think you would WANT to eat?
How much food do you imagine you would eat if you were skinny right now?
What would your plate look like?
What kinds of foods would be on that plate?
If you could count the calories on that plate, how many would there be?

Imagine yourself hanging out with your friends as a skinny person. Can you?
What types of foods are you eating?
How do you feel about these foods?
What, if anything, is lacking in these foods?
How do these foods deprive you?
How do these foods nourish you?
How do your friends feel about you eating these foods?
How do you feel about eating these foods?
How do you feel about eating these foods with your friends?
What thoughts and feelings do you have about yourself while eating these foods?

moonay

I'm not posting to debate starvation mode I am bringing another viewpoint to the table because it is just as incorrect to tell someone they should be eating 1200 calories if that is not right for their body.

You cannot determine based on the OP that eating less than that would catagorically be too low for her body (there are no references to her frame size, bone mass, muscle mass - all of which make a substantial difference), nor based on the OP can you determine any effect that telling someone they should be eating 1200 calories a day would have on someones mental state if an ED is present.

I'm not telling her to become anorexic or belittling eating disorders I am giving an objective opinion based on my experiences and the information I have been given from the NHS just as you have posted based on your experiences in life.

allegram

Yes, absolutely. Like everyone else has said, if you feel that you have a poor relationship with food and your weight, seek help. There are a million and one resources for someone with an ED.

Meganne1982

Yes you can. My bulimia was at it's worst when I was still obese. And compulsive overeating is an eating disorder.
Eating disorders are not dependent on being too skinny (though anorexia's specific definition includes low weight)- it's about the psychological relationship with food.

calliope_music

yes, i have (mostly) recovered from one, and i am still considered obese.

blackdragonclare

Wow. What a lot of info to get through (all the responses I mean). And yet, no real solutions. How sad.

According to wikipedia.com,

"Eating disorders refer to a group of conditions characterized by abnormal eating habits that may involve either insufficient or excessive food intake to the detriment of an individual's physical and mental health."

blackdragonclare - from my understanding of what you've said thus far, you eat bad foods and you under-eat. That said, I think it's safe to say you have some unhealthy relationship to food, which might be characterized as an eating disorder.

To help you understand why you eat bad foods and under-eat, you might consider trying to answer these questions, for yourself.

What association do you have to these 'bad' foods?
How do these foods hinder you?
How do these foods nourish you?
When you first start eating 'bad' foods, how did they make you feel, initially?
At what age were you when you first started eating these bad foods?
What major event occurred in your life at the time when you first began eating these bad foods?
How do you feel now when you eat these foods?
Do you have the same thoughts and feelings about these foods today as you did when you first started eating them?

If you were to write a list of 'good' foods, what items would you write on that list?
How do you feel about those food items?
What thoughts do you associate to these food items?
What sort of people do you associate eating these foods?
How do you perceive yourself in relation to the sort of people you imagine eating these foods?

If you could be a skinny person right now, what types of foods do you think you would WANT to eat?
How much food do you imagine you would eat if you were skinny right now?
What would your plate look like?
What kinds of foods would be on that plate?
If you could count the calories on that plate, how many would there be?

Imagine yourself hanging out with your friends as a skinny person. Can you?
What types of foods are you eating?
How do you feel about these foods?
What, if anything, is lacking in these foods?
How do these foods deprive you?
How do these foods nourish you?
How do your friends feel about you eating these foods?
How do you feel about eating these foods?
How do you feel about eating these foods with your friends?
What thoughts and feelings do you have abou

jt yourself while eating these foods?

I don't really eat "bad food" I live on soup, grilled or steamed fish and lots of vegetables. I ate a magnum ice cream yesterday and the guilt was terrible but that's quite a rare thing.

if I had to write a list of good food and bad food good - fish chicken vegetables and fruit bad- pretty much everything else


I think the only way I will ever be skinny is when im dead as I never have been not eating much for me is more about feeling in control more than anything.

as for howI would feel being skinny I don't know as I can'timagine it

blackdragonclare

*bump*

cowlover22

yes I have know people who starve themselves and are overweight b/c their metaolism shuts down. Also binge eating, bulilmia. I have anorexia now but stuggled with bulimia of and on for what ever reason my metbolism kicked in and now i am anorexic..usued to weigh over 200 lbs so the answer is yes!

blackdragonclare

yes I have know people who starve themselves and are overweight b/c their metaolism shuts down. Also binge eating, bulilmia. I have anorexia now but stuggled with bulimia of and on for what ever reason my metbolism kicked in and now i am anorexic..usued to weigh over 200 lbs so the answer is yes!

thank you for your reply and good luck on your recovery