Anorexics (starvation and weight loss versus starvation mode)

They say that if you dont eat you actually gain weight or something like that, but how come anorexic people are so thin?

Is it true that if you dont eat you will gain weight? Or will you lose weight?

What happens is that if you don't eat, you will lose weight.  Although a good majority of it will be muscles as well.  However, it slows your metabolism down so badly that when the person does give in and eat something, the body holds on to all of the calories and fat in the food.  This means that the body won't burn calories as effectively as a person who eats normally.

Anorexic people are so thin because they NEVER eat.  True anorexics don't see losing weight as a quick fix or a diet.  They have serious issues going on in their heads.  for them, not eating is a way of life.  if you never eat, eventually you WILL end up looking like a skeleton.

I really hope that you are not contemplating this. 

Also, if you don't eat your body will eventually cannibilize your own organs.  Untreated Anorexics will wind up with permanent heart problems, if those heart problems don't kill them first.  And it's because your body destroys those tissues to survive.

Also, don't confuse the term "starvation mode" with actually starving yourself.  Starvation mode is just a term to describe what your body does when you diet too restrictively and your body's metabolism slows down in order to live off the limited calories you're feeding it.  Starving yourself, as in Anorexia, is not even in the same realm.

Trust me, starving your body to look thin is not worth it. You may look good at first, but in the end, when you have to eat again for whatever reason, it turns into a shitty mess.

It's not worth it.

Get an attractive body by eating healthy and exercising.

Can I just add that the average all around healthy individual sees nothing good of anorexia.  We feel BAD for anorexics. The way you feel bad for someone sick from HIV. Its hard to take anorexics seriously - outside of getting help for them. Healthy people do not see them as a good potential new friend or new relationship. They are seen as weak and frail and in desperate need of love, attention, affection, and FOOD.

Not worth it at all.   You wind up surely skinny as a lampost but hey your mind is diminished into thin air.  You won't think straight, Hey you won't be even able to think.  You can be recovered physically but never completely in the mental being (In the head that is). 

sure, annorrexics are skinny, until they finally decide to eat. then they pack on the pounds like no other. on top of that, they have really pale skin, huge bags under their eyes, no energy, limp and unhealthy hair, and they even start to grow more facial hair! personally, i would rathor work a little bit so that when i become my ideal weight, i will look toned and hott.....instead of like someone who is really ill.

Hi there, a while back I put together a thread about anorexia, you are more than welcome to check it out: http://www.calorie-count.com/forums/post/9165 .html

Well, ok wait a sec.  Just because of a the risk of anorexics seeing this & finding it an excuse to keep going (since getting fat is probably their worst fear), with a lot of help, therapy & very strict new eating habits they can become a healthy weight.  A lot of damage is done by the anorexia & anyone should avoid falling into that illness at all costs, but if you are willing to do the work, you can recover in time & do so without getting fat.  I just wanted to throw that in... just in case.  :)

I'm going to assume its a question of curiosity, and not so much contemplation of starving yourself. Basically if you eat nothing, you can't gain weight and most certaining you will lose weight. muscle, fat, organs, everything goes. But if it's starvation mode, you are still eating a fair amount, just not enough to keep your metabolism up. so you hold onto what food you eat longer.

Anorexics have no control, they think they do.

I have an eating disorder since Ive started 8th grade. Its an extremely hard thing to go through. and NO ONE here can tell how anorexics feel unless theyve experienced it themselves. And I wanna clear something off, I do eat. Probably not enough, but Im trying to recover.  Anorexia nervosa is an obsession, an addiction, at first I didnt know I was, or what it was. And I didnt want to be either, I just got so obsessed it became a serious issue. Anorexics are not fucked up or mean or sluts or anything. Theyre just like you and they have a terrible issue to deal with. I dont know if you all get it, cause Im not really good at speaking english.

- Marie.

You will not gain weight if you don't eat.  That's a lie.  If you starve and then binge 4-5000 calories, yes you will not lose.  It's not healthy and your body will do nothing but eat muscle and tissues and organs but you will lose weight.

Well I am currently in recovery from anorexia.  Its frustrating to hear people talk about it because few people actually understand it.  I am now eating a lot more, but have still been unable to gain.  Once an anorexic starts eating normally, eventually their metabolism returns to normal as I have done.  I know many anorexics who have struggled to gain even when they resume eating.  Just because someone looks anorexic, it doesnt mean they are still starving themselves, so please dont judge us.  Its a very difficult disease and if anyone ever considers starving themselves, please stop!  It will ruin your health, mentally and physically.

Fat goes first, then the body quickly turns to burning a mix of fat and skeletal muscle, and once those are partially depleted, organ muscle is added to the mix. The human body will attempt to preserve organs but if it gets to the point that it's unlikely to be possible, THEN the organs shrink. Which ones go in what order seems sort of random and variable by person to person - only partially determined by vitamin and mineral intake.

Also, that anorexics don't eat is 99.9% myth. The vast majority do - just not enough, and rarely in front of others (especially adults who don't have to "prove" to anybody that they do eat sometimes.)

You won't gain weight from not eating. I was anorexic and I ate 500 calories or less and I got very skinny. I've even known of other anorexics that ate the same amount as I did, or a little bit more even. They were all very thin though! They never ate too much though. I would not advise you eat very little, as anorexia is very serious and not only an eating disorder but a mental illness as well.

You won't gain weight while you're starving yourself, but when you do start to eat again you'll balloon up. That's why when people are anorexics when they are young they usually end up fat when they get older and want to eat normally.

good god I dont know what to believe anymore, some people say that if you eat very little you will lose others say starvation mode, what the hell?! Im so totally confused now.

the average calores to maintain is around 2000, but I seem to be maintaining at 1400-1500 I personall dont think i will ever be able to ear 2000 calories a day without gaining.

its because your body eventually starts eating itself.

if you don't eat, you will loose weight but it will be very unhealthy. im a recovering anorexic and its so hard for me to gain weight. im on a 4000+ calorie plan cuz my body is in hypermetabolic mode and its burning everything it gets to restore muscle and everything. so not all anorexics easily gain weight when they start eating again.. at first yeah, i did but its cuz my body wasn't used to it but now my body is starting to get used to like 4000-5000 calories a day

It is not that easy to gain weight when your in recovery.  Yea at first maybe you gain water weight because your not used to eating, but eventually your metabolism returns to normal.  All anorexics I know have had a  very difficult time gaining weight.  It takes time.  Eating often speeds up metabolism.  When you dont eat your thyroid becomes very slow, but after eating is resumed, it should usually return to normal.  I just wish people wouldnt be so judgemental about anorexics.  Its a mental disease.  Anorexics arent just selfish people who only care about being thin.

I learned quite a bit from reading these posts. Congrats to you all who have recovered or are in recovery :)

hey guys, she asked a question and it got answered but lets now start making comments about stuff u guys bascially know nothing about like saying o they are lokked down on and weak and such lets just answer the question and move on, im not trying to be rude or anything