Member Since: August 7, 2012
Answers: 1038
Last Update: August 2, 2021
Visitors: 33765
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Hi guys! So For a really long time (at least three years) I've been crazy worried about my weight. I'm female, 5'9, and weigh 136lbs. I almost never eat over 950 calories unless I'm out of town for the day, and I go to the gym and work off around 150-200 calories. On days I don't go to the gym, I eat around 700. Today I ate 644 calories. My mom thinks I may be giving myself low blood sugar, and my dad thinks Ive put myself into starvation mode, and I think it may be an eating disorder. The thing about this is, I have another condition that makes me pass out more often than normal, and when I eat too few calories I black out and sometimes pass out. What will happen if I continue eating like this? And is low calorie intake the same thing as under eating? I know calories is what you need to live, so does anyone have an answer? And by the way, I honestly don't think I can stop this eating habit, just in case some say eat food with higher calories. Thank you in advance! (link)
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Difficult to say, but eating disorders are more typically indicated by an irrational belief on the part the sufferer that they are 'really fat'. Even when they get to the point of significant malnutrition and are little more than 'skin and bone' they still believe they are fat, and still see a fat person in the mirror. You strike me more as becoming a little bit too health/weight obsessed. You've got some pretty exact and specific figures here comparing your calorie intake and useage. In essence, yes a low calorie intake is the same as undereating. But it's not the same as an eating disorder which is a (bad) sort of coping mechanism and has psychological and self-image entailments. While your calorie intake exceeds those you use you will not actually starve to death. But remember that the biological mechanisms of just 'living' (respiration, digestion of the food itself, brain activity and so on) are ALSO burning calories. A good example of the input/output balance might be a predatory animal (say one of the big cats, leopard etc). The energy it will stand to gain from eating it's prey has to exceed the energy it will use running it down, catching and killing it. If the cat gets it wrong too many times (the hunt is long and hard, and/or maybe he doesn't catch it at all) he's in trouble. Don't want YOU getting in trouble, do we?
Low blood sugar will tend to give you muscle cramping, feelings of extreme fatigue, difficulty concentrating. Followed by shaking. Eventually you'll pass out in extreme cases. You've got a tendency to blacking out. So you really DO need to keep an eye on getting enough energy into your body mate. Our bodies do have signals when we need more energy. Heart speeding up, bit of a sweat, a shake in your hand? Feel a bit light-headed or 'fuzzy'? You need to get some sugar into you quick. Hunger is simply a signal our body sends to our mind that we need more input. If you feel mad hungry after the gymn, or at random times....EAT SOMETHING! Our bodies 'first choice' for energy conversion is the sugars. (there are different types). Carbohydrtae converts to sugar. So taking in both will 'fuel' you. It's not actually that keen on burning fats, oddly enough. But it's the unburnt sugars/carbs that TURN to fat (to be stored away in/by your body). It's been a lot of 'background' stuff so far. In the practical sense, OK you want to be fit and healthy and be a nice 'shape'. That's great. But don't overdo things mate! And get all the dope. How about doing some research on the net about good weight for your age and height and stuff? Body Mass Index. Typical calorie intake. Excercise 'burn rates' , and what regime might be specific to the parts of your body you want to especially hone, tone-up and polish-up? Has your gym got personal trainers? Many have . If so discuss all this stuff with him/her. Mention the black-out condition though. I doubt it will rule-out exercie, but you might need to 'tweak' the work-out amount/duration or type. Or maybe taking some glucose tablets/drinks or something? Weight isn't the single factor remember. Muscle weighs more than fat. A well-toned, in-shape young woman looks FAR better (to other women, and us guys!) than one who is just 'skinny'. No-one 'sees' your actual weight. Hope there's SOMETHING in here that might be of help?
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Rating: 4
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Thank you. I was thinking it could be becoming an eating disorder because I constantly see myself as fat, but everyone says I'm getting small. If those are the symptoms of low blood sugar that you just gave, then I guess it could very well be it. I have a huge family history, and I'm one of those unlucky people that end up with everything their parents and grandparents have.😞
No, I don't have a personal trainer, but I went to the doctor about passing out, since I've done it quite a few times, and she told me what it was, but wanted to find the source, and has been running some different tests on me. I know, the less I eat, the more I'm prone to passing out, so I have to carry food with me 24/7. Thanks for the advice though. When I see the doctor later this month I'll ask for a blood test. She's just been scanning me so far. Thank you!
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