How many calories for an anorexic?!

I answered this question yesterday, where a girl asked if eating 850-1000 calories a day was considered anorexic!. As your question is similar, I'll post the same answer:

The amount of calories anorexics eat varies very much from individuals and also from day to day!. They can eat cake, pizza, chocolate or whatever, but what they have in common is that they feel guilty afterwards!. They don't necessarily think they're fat, or see them as fat when they look themselves in the mirror!. Some people do, but that's something the media have considered as all anorexic people do, and even some doctors believe the same!.

What's true is that a part of an anorexic person have a wish to maintain an unhealthy low weight!. There are many different ways to maintain and obtain a weight like that, and many people with an anorexic mind do not "succeed"!. There are also different grades of anorexia nervosa, both physically and mentally!. What we hear about in the media is often the extreme cases of anorexia nervosa, and the information about their weight and what they eat, are also sometimes not true!. However, many anorexics compare them self to these people, and this may make them even sicker!.

If you eat 850-1000 you don't eat enough to maintain a healthy weight!. 850-1000 calories a day may a small amount of food, even for anorexics!. It's a myth that anorexics never eat, they do eat, if they don't they will die in a short period of time!. What's true is that they try to eat in a way that makes them control their weight in a way their anorexic mind wants!.

To sum it up, the only thing that "characterize" an anorexic person is not what they eat, it is rather their relationship to food and weight, as well as their health condition!.

No healthy diet should be below 1200 calories, and eating 500 calories a day is going to make your friend really ill!. It's unfortunately not much you can do, other than being a good friend and try to encourage her to eat!. If she's not aware of the health issues connected to anorexia nervosa, you could tell her!.

Here's a list of some of them:

Physical

* Stunted growth
* Endocrine disorder, leading to cessation of periods in girls (amenorrhoea)
* Decreased libido; impotence in males
* Starvation symptoms, such as reduced metabolism, slow heart rate (bradycardia), hypotension, hypothermia and anemia
* Abnormalities of mineral and electrolyte levels in the body
* Thinning of the hair (makes your hair look weird and ugly)
* Growth of lanugo hair over the body
* Constantly feeling "cold"
* Zinc deficiency
* Reduction in white blood cell count
* Reduced immune system function (increases chance of getting several diseases, usually harmless diseases like flue may put your health at risk)
* Pallid complexion and sunken eyes
* Creaking joints and bones
* Collection of fluid in ankles during the day and around eyes during the night
* Tooth decay
* Constipation
* Dry skin
* Dry or chapped lips
* Poor circulation, resulting in common attacks of 'pins and needles' and purple extremities
* In cases of extreme weight loss, there can be nerve deterioration, leading to difficulty in moving the feet
* Headaches
* Brittle fingernails
* Bruising easily

Psychological

* Distorted body image
* Poor insight
* Self-evaluation largely, or even exclusively, in terms of their shape and weight
* Pre-occupation or obsessive thoughts about food and weight
* Perfectionism
* Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)
* Belief that control over food/body is synonymous with being in control of one's life
* Refusal to accept that one's weight is dangerously low even when it could be deadly
* Refusal to accept that one's weight is normal, or healthy

Emotional

* Low self-esteem and self-efficacy
* Intense fear about becoming overweight
* Clinical depression or chronically low mood
* Mood swings

Some of these causes of being underweight may sometimes not occur before you get older!. Like for example bone problems

Other causes are loss of menstruation, risk of becoming sterile, stomach pain, delayed/abnormal puberty and wounds will also heal slower, and easier get infected, due to a weak immune system!. And extreme underweight may cause other serious health issues!.

For a child or teenager, the damage may happen on an earlier stage than for an adult!.

Good luck to both of you:)Www@Answer-Health@Com

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less than 500!. (just a guess)Www@Answer-Health@Com

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i dont know but some Eating and food behavior signs and symptoms:
Dieting despite being thin

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