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Q: How Is My Sister Losing Weight While Constantly Grazing?
asked by: whangdoodle on October 16th, 2007
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My sister was diagnosed with bulimia earlier in her life and now seems to have relapsed into an eating disorder in response to stressful life events. She is very secretive, so I have not been able to determine how her eating disorder actually works, and I am perplexed and distressed. She seems to graze constantly and compulsively throughout the day. She almost always has some little crumb of food in her hand and often hoards food in her pockets. Meanwhile, she has a significant amount of weight. I'm trying to understand how this is possible. I understand the concept of bulimia, with large binges and purges. But how does someone purge when they're eating small amounts constantly? It seems unlikely that she is vomiting up a tablespoon of food every few minutes. She eats normal amounts at meals, and I am also certain that she is not controlling her weight through exercise. What technique could she be using to lose weight while eating virtually all the time? Thanks for your help.
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Mabel
replied on October 16th, 2007
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Maybe she isn't eating? Sometimes people with eating disorders lead people to believe they are eating by putting food in their pockets and moving food on their plates into smaller areas.

She maybe throwing up. Even throwing up small bits a day would cause someone to lose weight.
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whangdoodle
replied on October 16th, 2007
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By the Way,
In my original post, I said, "She has a signficant amount of weight," but what I meant to say was that she has *lost* a significant amount of weight. Sorry for the confusion.

Ingi, Thanks for your thoughts. I'm absolutely certain she's eating. She does it when she thinks nobody's looking, and she does it all the time. Maybe you're right about the vomiting, but I'm just confused by how that would work with small, gradual intake. Maybe it's a "skill" she's developed?
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Sue M
replied on October 19th, 2007
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Your sister might be purging by using laxatives.
Or she might be "filling up" until she has enough in her stomach.

Myth: Bulimics binge, eating great quantities of food at once
Truth: Bulimics can be "normal" eaters, or grazers

Myth: Bulimics purge by vomiting immediately after they binge
Truth: They can wait a couple hours or longer

When a person has been bulimic for some time and go the vomit route, they get knowledgeable:
1. What foods are easy to bring back up
2. How long different types of food stay in the stomach

Sadly, it's extremely difficult to overcome an eating disorder on one's own. If you can, please get your sister under the care of a professional.
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glynnis
replied on October 25th, 2007
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she could be eating lots of food in secret and then purging wen no one else is around. she could also be over using diet pills or laxitives to keep her weight dwn, these r often part of the disorder.

sit her dwn n tlk 2 her calmly, let her know ur there for her and that u wanna help and understand.

i completely agree with sue m there are many myths about bullimics, the case is just that evry1 is different

good luck, hope ur sister gets better
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