TeenHealthFX - Answers - Very picky, weak and tired

What You Should Know About Diet Aides And Certain Diet Tactics / Question
Published: September 30, 2002

Dear TeenHealthFX,

Hi. I am 17 years old and I am having some health problems and would like to know what you think. I am 5 feet and weigh 106 lbs, I lost 11 pounds in two months, because I joined the swim team. I went on a diet and exercised an hour more than the other swim members every day. I've stopped exercising as much, but am still on a diet. I don't feel like I can eat a piece of cake or a candy bar like other people, because I'm afraid of getting fat, is there something wrong with this? It's not only getting fat though, it's also that I don't want to treat my body unhealthily. I experience: heart pain, dizzy spells, I eat small amounts, very picky, weak, tired. P.S.: I don't fell like anyone notices.

Signed: Very picky, weak and tired

Dear Very picky, weak and tired,

TeenHealthFX is glad you are aware of your health and concerned with the possibility of unhealthy behaviors. Based upon your height and weight you have a Body Mass Index of 20, which is completely normal. Please see our answers to body weight and nutritional guidelines. These may help you create a healthy eating plan and exercise plan to help you stay healthy. See your doctor or talk with a coach or school nurse about implementing a safe and healthy plan. Eating the right foods and exercising daily will not only help control your weight, but will also keep you healthy and feeling great. Teen Health FX is concerned, however, that you are so worried about gaining weight and feel that you cannot eat normally. These may be signs of an eating disorder.

Many young women at your age are very self-conscious about their weight and their body image. They are obsessing about food and are very concerned that they may gain weight. If the thoughts about food and maintaining one's weight start to be the most dominant thing in a person's life it usually is a strong indication that that person has developed an eating disorder.

Eating disorders are primarily psychological in nature. Usually, when someone has an eating disorder, there is something else bothering him or her. It may be low self-esteem or depression, but the person uses food as a way to try to gain control of their life. Often, the person with an eating disorder has a distorted body image and does not like himself/herself. The eating disorder is a way of hiding other underlying issues and personal problems that are unrelated to their weight. The person may feel out of control of their lives and their eating behaviors are something they are in total control of. Unfortunately, eating disorders among teenage women are very common and becoming more and more common among boys as well. Eating disorders are very serious because they take over the person's life and can cause physical damage to the person's body and maybe take their life. There are several different types of eating disorders, including Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, Binge Eating Disorder and obesity.

Some signs and symptoms of an eating disorder are

A dramatic weight loss or refusal to maintain normal body weight.
A person who says he or she is fat, but are visibly underweight.
Repeatedly gaining and losing weight.
Intense fear of gaining weight.
In women, missed periods or amenorrhea (Not getting her period at all)
Eating very small portions.
Starvation to lose weight.
The person making himself/herself vomit.
The possible presence of bruises on the knuckles or hands from induced vomiting.
Bingeing (eating a great amount of food).
Bingeing and purging (Eating a lot, then throwing up.)
Eating in private (closet eating).
Use of medications such as diet pills, enemas, laxatives, diuretics or other medications to lose weight.
Excessive exercise.
A person, who chews and spits out food, but does not swallow it.
An intense preoccupation with weight loss.
Covered mirrors in his/her living space.
An obsession with food preparation.

Medically, the eating disorder will have effects on the body that can hinder its growth and development. The teeth and throat can be damaged due to excess vomiting and the bones can become weak and break easily. In severe cases, the body's organs will not work correctly causing kidney problems and poor heart functioning, which could even lead to a heart attack.

Since you also experience symptoms like dizziness, heart pain and weakness, TeenHealthFX strongly recommends that you see a doctor to rule out a medical condition for your problems. If your doctor thinks that you may have an eating disorder, he or she may refer you to an adolescent medicine specialist who is an expert in the diagnosis and treatment of eating disorders. If you do not have a doctor and live in the Northern New Jersey area, you can contact the Adolescent/Young Adult Center for Health at 973.889.6350 or Girl's Street - A Young Women's Health Program at 908.522.2555 or the Eating Disorders Program at Atlantic Health System at (908) 522.5757.

TeenHealthFX also encourages you to talk to your parents. If you do have an eating disorder, you need to get professional counseling. A professional with experience in eating disorders can help you get to the root of the problem and give you better footing as you continue your quest for healthier living.

Signed: TeenHealthFX