Mend Your Diet - anorexia...?

anorexia...?

whats the best way to overcome anorexia? and after the anorexia stops will i stay skinny? also i'm afraid to go to my parents for help. (to tell the truth i'm not too fussed about stopping anorexia but i just wanna stay skinny without starving myself) P.S i try to exercise but i'm afraid of building muscle instead of losing weight. im a 12 year old girl

Public Comments

hi I'm 13 and i went through the same thing. don't starve yourself. what i did was i started eating, but only small helping like 5 times a day. to stay skinny exercise and don't eat fatty greasy foods. that way u don't get fat.or go on a diet and exercise everyday.
I think that the best way to stop is to go online and search stuff and see what kind of healthy meals that you can live on without not eating too much and not eating like a bird. I am kinda trying to do the same thing, but I am looking at healthy meals and it is working. I am 14 and I weigh 88 lb. I really love it, i dont want to get fat but I want to stay healthy.
don't worry about anorexia worry about eating until your satisfied. it doesn't matter if ur "full" or not or if other ppl think you've eaten enuff. all that matters is that u've had as much of the taste of that food as you can stand.. Then move on to a diff food. As for excersize, girls actually gain muscle waaay slower than guys do and all you do is lose flab most of the time, (i run 2 miles a week plus gym and i stay a decent 90 lbs, plus i eat 2 meals a day and an afternoon snack). if you can run a mile without fainting your healthy, so make that your goal. I know its hard 2 confront parents, i wouldn't do it if you dont absolutely have to.
the best way to over come it to eat. accept yourself when your not starving yourself. i doubt you'll stay as thin after you start eating, but you can do other things like exercising and such and seriously for a 12 year old, its vital you eat healthy food your growing and if you dont have the right nurtrients you might have more acne, weird skin color, bad breath, etc and without eating you wont grow[obviously] so if you wanna be tall when your older, you should eat healthy stuff. remember, you grow only once in your life and this is the time to eat. once this growing phase is over, no matter how much you wanna grow you can't cuz, thats over. anyways, i suppose being thin is important too good luck
I really think that the best thing to do is talk to your parents and be honest, cause if they really luv u they will understand and help u.Please dont starve urself be thankful that u have food in ur house, u might want to know that anorexia has killed many people not just celebrities and models.If u really put it to your mind u can overcome this but wth help u can't do this alone.Remember u dont have to starve yourself to be skinny u can do any excersice like sports or anything there are a lot of options. Good Luck!!!
Oh, sweetie. You are so much smarter than this. It is not healthy for your body, and can have long term effects on your health. The only way that you will look like a body builder is if you lift extremely heavy. By doing push ups, squats, lunges, pull ups and crunches, you will tone what you have and have a faster metabolism. Then, you can eat what you want in moderation. Anorexia nervosa, which is also called anorexia, is a type of eating disorder. It is both a physical and emotional problem that can become life-threatening. A person who has anorexia severely limits the amount of food he or she eats, has an intense fear of gaining weight, and can become dangerously thin. Severe or long-term anorexia can lead to starvation, serious health problems, and even death. Anorexia is not dieting. It may start as dieting, but it grows beyond your control. Anorexia is also linked to anxiety and an intense fear of gaining weight. 1 If you have anorexia, you may be the last person to know it. When other people say that you are very thin, you may not see it. This is called having a distorted body image. Anorexia can become a lifelong illness, although it is possible to fully recover with proper treatment. What causes anorexia? The cause of anorexia is not known. However, it can be closely tied to anxiety, most often obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). 1 Your chances of getting anorexia may be higher than average if you have certain traits (such as perfectionism or anxiety) and feel under pressure to be thin, such as people in modeling, ballet, wrestling, or gymnastics. 2 Of course, it's also common to feel pressure to be overly thin simply from watching TV or reading magazines. There is a strong genetic link to anorexia. Your chances of developing it increase if other people in your family are obese or have an eating disorder or mood disorder (such as depression or anxiety). 3 What are the symptoms? Common feelings and actions that are linked to anorexia include: 4 Having an intense fear of gaining weight. Restricting food or types of food, such as food that contains any kind of fat or sugar. Weighing less than 85% of your expected body weight. (In a child or teen, losing or not gaining weight during a growth spurt is a concern.) Seeing your body as overweight, even though you are underweight. Overexercising. Being secretive around food and not seeing or wanting to talk about having a problem with eating. Common signs of malnutrition from anorexia include: 5 A low body weight. Constipation and slow emptying of the stomach. Thinning hair, dry skin, and brittle nails. Shrunken breasts. Stopping or never getting a monthly menstrual period. Feeling cold, with a lower-than-normal body temperature. Low blood pressure. A slow heartbeat (fewer than 60 beats per minute). Not feeling pain as you normally would. Purplish skin color on the arms and legs from poor blood circulation. Swollen feet and hands. Yellow-orange skin, especially on the palms of the hands. Some people who have anorexia also make themselves vomit (purging). Breakdown of the enamel on the teeth is a common symptom of ongoing or regular vomiting. How is anorexia diagnosed? There is no single test that can diagnose anorexia. However, this illness has an obvious effect on your health and eating habits. When malnutrition or starvation sets in, every part of your body is harmed. If your health professional thinks that you may have an eating disorder, he or she will check you for signs of malnutrition or starvation, such as osteoporosis or heart problems. Your health professional may also ask questions about your emotional well-being. It is common for a treatable mental health problem such as depression or anxiety to play a part in an eating disorder. How is it treated? Getting early treatment improves your chances of beating anorexia. Even if you (or someone you care about) have only a couple of the signs of an eating disorder, see a health professional now. The sooner you start learning how to take charge of your body and mind in a healthy way, the easier your recovery will be. All people who have anorexia need treatment, although most do not seek it on their own. Treatment includes taking steps to regain and maintain a healthy weight, learning good eating habits, and getting professional counseling. There are no proven medications that can treat anorexia. However, if you also have anxiety or depression, your health professional may recommend an antidepressant drug. After you have gained some weight, an antidepressant medicine such as fluoxetine (Prozac), may help prevent a relapse. (Antidepressant medicine is most proven for treating bulimia.) 3 Urgent care in a hospital is needed for extreme weight loss or life-threatening health problems. This is a time when a family member or health professional would have to decide whether you are in danger. If you have severe malnutrition, you are not likely to be able to think clearly. Someone else will have to make medical care decisions for you. How common is anorexia? Anorexia affects less than 1% of the general population. Of that group, 90% are female. 6, 4 Anorexia usually begins during the teen years, but it can develop in early childhood. A few cases first occur in adulthood. It happens in people of all races, although white females are most often affected. Young people who are in sports or in work that requires a certain body type (such as wrestling, ballet, or modeling) are also at increased risk for developing anorexia. 2
see a doctor.
try talking to a teacher you trust at school they will help you. you can also talk to a pharmacist,there is a special canned drink you can get at the store there. you may want to stay skinny now but when you get up in your teens i think you will want to put a few lbs.on. your body needs to stay healthy for the future you will only make yourself sick if you continue to do this. PLEASE look after yourself you have allot to look forward to ,very soon
Hi, my grandmother had this. i am sure you have head aches alot huh ! well for on don't worrie about your image on the out side it's the inside that counts ! and thats true ! you can stay thin by maintaining a healthy diet you should have at leats one dariy one sourse of bread for instant bread,noodles eat lot's of fruits and vegtables and this it the big one meat at least one 3-5 ounce piece of meat you need the protein also walk this will keep you at your slim size 30 min. - 1 hour. is plenty this will keeep you thin without the musles! . if you fallow this it will get you to the weight you should be and keep you there no it won't make you fat! you should be at certain weight depending on how tall and how old you are your body know this so don't worry just fallow this and you will stay slim and healthy. GOD BLESS! and GOOD LUCK!
Just look in the miror and I say I look perfect.I went through the same thing,I am also 12,and I hope this doesnt get any worse.Just try to eat a lil' bit more. And,yes,you will stay skinny for a little longer,just dont eat fatty foods 24/7.Well,Good Luck!
Hi! When I was 14 I went through the same thing. My parents did end up finding out. But what happens its that when you starve yourself like that, your body basically starts shutting itself down and you start to lose muscle and stuff. I was 88 pounds when I realized I had to stop. At first it was really hard to eat, without overeating, but just start out by eating little things for breakfast lunch and dinner. For example, if I knew that we were gonna have a really starchy dinner, I would eat an apple for breakfast, maybe some salad for lunch and then by the time dinner came around, I was able to control myself and how much I was eating because I wasn't starving. Just start out eating small things, like now I eat about 1/4 cup of Yogurt for breakfast with an apple, a quesedilla or two for lunch and then, depending on what we have for dinner, a small portion. Just get used to eating. Don't freak out when your weight goes up, I went from 88 to 97 in two weeks and then it kinda leveled out after that. Now that its after the holidays, I weigh around 105(btw. I'm 5'7"). But keep in mind that it takes 3500 extra calories on top of your daily value to gain one pound, and if you're exercising, your daily value could be between 1800 and 2200 calories. The biggest things for me were not to worry too much about gaining weight, I still have my days, and to tell myself that I was attractive and to tell myself that guys don't really like ultra-skinny girls like us. If you need any more info or help or stuff, I would be more than willing to encourage you. Good luck!
Jessi, this is not something that goes away, and it's not something you can choose to start and stop. This disease takes away your willpower and your judgment. Many people will tell you, "Just eat." It's not that simple. Please go to the public library and get a book for adults about anorexia. Be ready to give that to your parents. While there, ask the librarian how to contact community mental health in your area. No, you are not crazy, you just need some resources that they have available. Get ahold of community mental health, give your parents the book, then remember that you are a smart and wonderful person and deserve to live.