This article is for those who believe that she/he has found a magic wand to control their body weight and it is called bulimia.
Many bulimics think they invented it and keep it secret for a long time because it feels shameful to admit about throwing up food.
Bulimia as a weight loss strategy is common and affects about 4%-6% of women. The numbers could even be higher because the condition is very secretive and not all bulimics admit they have a problem.
So, throwing up food can help initially to lose some weight. But what happens next? Is using bulimia as a weight loss strategy really helpful for the long term?
Let's take a look at how bulimia can start.
Initially people just go on a diet which progresses to a stricter diet and even a period of starvation. During this period they experience enormous hunger and cravings for certain foods (especially ones full of sugar and fatty foods).
They start dreaming about food and it takes more and more effort to keep control over their mind and body in stopping themselves from eating. So finally they start eating but no longer do they have a normal sense of satisfaction while they eat. The body is saying:"It is famine, eat while food is available". And it is how the binging cycle begins.
They eat until they are so full that they can't keep all the food down. They must purge it all up. And after vomiting the body is starving again. People experience cravings for sweets, chocolate, chips, biscuits and other snacks which are high in calories.
Bulimics then develop habits of snacking but at the same time avoid normal meals. As a result by eating snacks they consume more calories than they would have consumed by eating normal meals.
Plus the vomiting makes them constantly hungry even after eating some food. So instead of eating and feeling satisfying from normal servings, they consume much more food than they would under normal circumstances.
To conclude, bulimia weight loss is not a good option for controlling your weight. Vomiting induce constant hunger which will make your body want to compensate itself by eating sweets, biscuits, chips and etc.
So in the long term your body weight can increase because of the constant snacking of high calories foods. Moreover you will develop a deadly addiction called bulimia nervosa that affects your body, mind and spirit and turns you into a slave of food.
The younger you are the easier it is to get help and stop the bulimic cycle from taking over your life. If you want more support go to http://www.mom-please-help.com
| Dr Irina Webster MD is the Director of Women Health Issues Program. She is a recognised authority in the eating disorders area. She is an author of many books and a public speaker. http://www.mom-please-help.com |
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