Is it possible to have a binge eating disorder but still be skinny?

Millions of people aren’t happy with the way they look. In fact, the National Eating Disorder Information Centre estimates that up to 40% of nine year-old girls have dieted to lose weight—even when they were at a normal weight. We’re constantly told that thinner is better and that we should look a certain way. Some people go to extremes to lose weight because they feel like they’re not thin enough. And unfortunately, this can lead to an eating disorder Eating disorders are a group of mental illnesses that affect the way you feel about food and the way you feel about your body and yourself. There are three main eating disorders: anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge-eating disorder. While these are all called eating disorders, it’s important to remember that these disorders are about much more than food—they’re also about how you feel about yourself, how you cope with your feelings and other deeper factors.

I would say yes, your weight mostly depends on your metabolism, not what and how much you eat. Some people can eat tons of junk food and stay super skinny, while some can diet and eat nothing but salad and still be curvy. It's all about your metabolism. However binge eating disorder, just like any other eating disorder can have a quite negative impact on your metabolism which can lead to weight issues. Don't dive that deep into disorder, fight it and look for help, once you beat your disorder, your weight will be manageable too.

It is absolutely possible for this to occur. Metabolism is something that few people would really understand. If you are to have a higher metabolism, it can be rough for people to know whether or not you are to actually have an eating disorder, since you would be so skinny. In this situation, it seems as though you are skinny and experience some symptoms of a binge eating disorder. This can happen and it happens more than people will think. If you truly believe that you are experiencing a binge eating disorder, it is the best recommendation to contact your doctor about the situation and see what they say.

It absolutely is! Eating disorders do not come in one shape or size. Many people with anorexia are overweight, and many people with BED and other overeating conditions are underweight. An eating disorder is not defined by how you look or how you weigh. Rather, it is defined by the behaviors you employ when eating. Our weights are defined by more than just what we eat; our metabolisms, workout schedules, and genetics also play a large part. If you believe you have Binge Eating Disorder, it is important to seek out help. Eating disorders can be dangerous when left untreated. There are many resources available to you online, including right here on 7cups :)

Yes, this is definitely possible, binge eating disorders often consist of a mixture of binging and purging. This may mean that even though someone with this disorder may eat large quantities in one sitting, they are also likely to engage in extreme dieting and excessive exercise at other times. This could keep someone with a binge eating disorder relatively slim. Being slim and having a binge eating disorder could also be a result of metabolism and age. Generally young people can eat more whilst staying relatively slim compared to older people as metabolism slows with age (though this will vary person-to-person.)

Eating disorders do not discriminate by size. Any person of any size can suffer from any type of eating disorder. It is even a possibility for one person to struggle with multiple at once or at different times. Binge eating disorder can affect any person at any size, as is the same with other types of eating disorders. Just like you do not have to be in a smaller body to struggle with anorexia, you do not have to be in a larger body to struggle with binge eating disorder. If you suspect you are suffering from binge eating disorder, please reach out to a doctor or therapist, or use the resources on the NEDA website.

Being "skinny" is a term I don't like to use. It promotes body dysmorphia in a society where only certain bodies are accepted. A binge eating disorder is something that could make your health worse and should be checked out at the doctors. There are many factors that cause this and your concern should be about fixing that and staying healthy, not staying healthy while endorsing body dysmorphia and binge eating. It is bad culture to keep eating in hopes of staying skinny. Food is fuel for your body. Your body can be any shape or size, it does not matter. What matters is your healthy.

yes, it is possible. A person could binge eat food but after that feel so guilty and bad about themselves they throw up. this is also called as Bulimia. As a survivor of eating disorders, I used to eat all my feeling, I wanted o fill the hole inside my body but I couldn't, I allowed the same cycle of eating and feeling so ashamed of yourself that all you want to do is throw up. A person who is binge eating will always see themselves as fat, they would never se themselves as skinny. No matter how much wait they loose the are still going to perceive themselves as over weight. In conclusion, I do think binge eater can be skinny but the person with this disorder would never think that

Hello, Yes it is possible to have a binge eating disorder but still be skinny. Often times people who are skinny and also binge eat have an addiction to exercising for long periods of time. They will exercise for many hours a day in order to burn off all the calories they have just consumed. It may be an effective way to prevent a person from gaining weight after binge eating, however it is not a healthy way to live life or take care of a person's body. Eating normal portions of healthy food and exercising in a way that gets your heart rate up 3-5 times a week is a much healthier way to manage a person's health and weight. It is also a better use of time management. Most people do not have time to exercise for multiple hours a day.

Yes, it is possible. I know someone who works out a lot to keep the weight down, it can be exhausting and they get really worried about it. There are also some people who throw up after eating compulsively and lose the food and nutrients they have consumed. There are also different metabolisms, so a person can eat a lot but not gain much weight. It can be quite difficult to tell just from the looks of a person what they struggle with, most of the time they hide it from the view. It can be hard to open up about such things with close ones, especially in real life.

The answer is yes. Eating disorders are not, and should never be, defined simply by how someone looks. Eating disorders are mental with physical side effects, the way your brain obsessed over food and patterns of eating is what makes the eating disorder. Not how ‘skinny’ someone is or isn’t. There are people who experience anorexia who are not underweight, and those with binge eating who are under weight. The constant thought obsession with food, or holding off for a binge, or calorie counting and other disordered behaviours, are what define the eating disorder. You do not have to look ‘sick’ or as if you have it, to actually have a binge eating disorder.

Yes, although I would suggest visiting a medical doctor to inform you of your health status and working closely with a dietitian to ensure you have a well balanced diet that allows your body to function efficiently. Speaking to your parents or guardian would be the first step towards knowing the reason behind your lack of weight gain and eating habits, never try to find out what's "wrong" through google though as a google diagnosis is dangerous as it is inaccurate and is potentially harmful for your mental wellbeing as it results in a constant state of stress

Yes it totally is. Some people have higher metabolism than others or exercise as long side binge eating. Binge eating is not just relevant to people overweight. There are many things that come into play with binge eating. What foods are you eating and also if you make yourself vomit or not afterwards. Please don't just believe you do not need help because you aren't what people expect. If you feel you need help then seek it for your own sake not because you don't fit in to a criteria. I really hope this helps you and good luck

Yes it is defintely possible to have a binge eating disorder and be skinny. Even though you have the impulse to eat a lot of food, your metabolism can digest it really fast and you won't even feel the effects of it. Sometimes, you can't even control it no matter what you do and even if you barely move around you will still lose calories just because your chemical processes and reactions happen really quickly. It may be really stressful because you don't know how to respond to it or because you don't know exactly what is going on but things like this are completely normal

I think that it is possible to still be skinny with a binge eating disorder. Some people with a condition like this binge only sometimes and if they really never eat until then, while its still very unhealthy, you could still be skinny. Some people with a disorder like this can keep very good care of their body but just lose the self control with the food, so they then binge. It is still unhealthy but theoretically, you could be skinny while having a binge eating disorder. Also it is important to remember that disorders come in all different forms.

Yes it is possible. I was like that. I binge ate a ton in high school, but my family is genetically skinny and we don't gain much weight, so even though I was eating a bunch of chocolate and cookies everyday, I still looked like a "normal" size and weight. Only I knew that I had an eating disorder. So yes - it is possible to binge eat and still look skinny. I would say if you do struggle with an eating disorder though, definitely seek the help of a professional. Typically, it occurs with other mental illness disorders such as depression or anxiety.

Yes, everyone metabolizes food differently. A binge eating disorder is a disorder of the mind, not the body. It does have effects on the body but is a result of disordered thinking patterns. Same way with Anorexia Nervosa, you can be "fat" or "chubby" or overweight and still be an Anorexic, or have a restrictive eating disorder. Body type has nothing to do with an eating disorder. Over time, your bodies' figure may change as a result of your eating patterns, but your size does not make your criteria for an eating disorder diagnosis. For example, there are very skinny people, who eat a normal amount but based on size one might call them "anorexic", even though this is not the case.

I struggled with bulimia and a binge eating disorder for over a decade. I only been in recovery for 60 days. Typically, people with bulimia and binge eating disorders have a regular body type. With my own personal experience, I carried extra weight when I had a binge eating disorder. My body never knew when it was going to get food and my body also retained a lot of water. This yo yo diet made the weight stay on. It was until I started eating breakfast and stopped binging and purging did the weight start to come off.

Yes, it is completely possible. Just because you are skinny doesn't mean that you don't have a binge eating disorder. Just because you are skinny but engaging in harmful acts doesn't mean you don't have a disorder. You can be skinny and engage in a harmful act which is the due to the disorder itself. It is important go and seek help when you feel like something is causing you distress. Doesn't matter how you look because it doesn't define the disorder but rather the act of engaging in harmful behaviours is what defines the disorders so it is very imporant to seek help

Everyone's bodies are built differently and there are a few reasons why someone who binge eats may still remain skinny or not appear to put on more weight. 1) The person has a very fast metabolism and many people who have this kind of metabolism will remain around the same weight even if they eat a lot. 2) If you are binge eating certain foods and working out or doing a fair bit of physical activity to burn off the calories, this is another reason you may not be putting on much weight. 3) The person also forces themselves to throw up what they binge on after eating, meaning the individual has another eating disorder which is known as bulimia.

To say it simply: Yes, it is most definitely possible to have a binge eating Disorder while being skinny. Weight and size have nothing to do with the validity of an eating disorder. You can be skinny or overweight and still have an eating disorder. Someone can be overweight and have anorexia. And in the other hand someone could be underweight and have a binge eating disorder. Your eating disorder is valid no matter your size. Consider seeking out help from a medical or mental health professional for your eating disorder. Recovery is possible and so very worth it.

It's absolutely possible! Binge Eating Disorder is characterized by behaviors, NOT weight or body size. Binge Eating Disorder is described as eating more in a given period of time to the point of feeling uncomfortable and even sick. Eating "more" can be compared to other individuals or the time/place in which the episode occurred. For example, eating a little more than usual at holidays (such as Christmas) would not be that out of the ordinary, since most people tend to eat more at some holidays. However, eating to the point of feeling ill and sick daily or even just a few times a week, could be indicative of a problem.

Of course. Binge eating disorders can happen to any body type and can sometimes be overlooked in skinny people. Binge eating happens to mostly average or slightly overweight people. Binge eating means that they regularly purge because they feel compelled to do so. Sometimes people can develop binge eating disorders because they attempt to lose weight. Be careful that trying to keep track of how much you’re eating or counting calories can make it worse. Be aware when you feel satisfied when eating and aware of what food is in front of you. A person cannot ‘look’ like they have a binge eating disorder, people have different metabolisms and genetics. An eating disorder is down to behaviour not body type.

Absolutely. Do not let your symptoms or other peoples opinions let you think you aren't "sick enough" or that your problems aren't valid when they absolutely are. Eating disorders do not have a look which is a common misconception, you have to be "skinny" to be anorexic or "overweight" to have a binge ED. This is just not the case so please do not let other people make you think this. I do suggest talking to a friend or family member/ trusted adult about your struggles as well as reaching out for help.

I believe that it is possible to have a binge eating disorder, while maintaining the skinny physique. Many individuals may utilize the gym to get rid of the calories being consumed in binge eating. I personally have experienced this myself, where I have developed an unhealthy relationship with the gym and exercise classes due to my constant overeating. Any person, in any shape or size, could be dealing with any kind of eating disorder that we may not know about so it is important to not automatically judge someone based off of their own physical appearance. Be kind .

While I'm not a doctor and this shouldn't be taken as medical advice, I'd say yes. The thing is it all depends on your metabolism. If you have a really high metabolism and choose to eat a lot, then yes, you could have a binge eating disorder. However, I'm also led to believe that the opposite would also be true. If you had a binge eating disorder and a low metabolism, people would notice that you're eating too much. I hope you can see how this is a bit of a complicated question but maybe my answer has helped in some small way.

Eating disorders do not define your body type and weight. They only shape your mind's visual and textural ideas of what you believe to appear like in the world. Body dysmorphia is a complex way of viewing one's weight and psychical appearance through an often damaged lens and point of view. You could be 70lbs 5'6 and see something completely different in the mirror. Eating disorders can make you feel like 200lbs no matter what size you truly are. Your eyes see that you are unworthy of food or emotional kindness by judging your body no matter what form of punishment you give it. Whether you binge eat, don't eat, or throw up your food daily your mind will never see the truth. Often most dealing with eating orders are very thin but cannot see the "skinny" and never will until they seek healthy routines and want to see whom they truly are. Which is perfect and beautiful just the way they are.

yes of course. binge eating has nothing to do with weight but everything to do with losing control when eating until one feels sick, binge eaters tend to lose control when eating and hence eat more than their body needs at that required period of time, however this has nothing to do with metabolism. A person can have a high metabolism and suffer from binge eating disorder which could easily allow them to be skinny. Some people with eating disorders have a mixture of disorders as well such as anorexia and binge eating disorder where this person will go to the extremes to be skinny and possibly even lose all their weight but still binge eat and lose control due to their hunger. So yes it is possible to be skinny with binge eating disorder.

Yes, it is, these disorders are not limited to or defined by what can be seen physically. Someone can be overweight and still be anorexic. It is about behavioural patterns and psychological aspects. Binge eating can be related to a number of things, it is basically eating large amounts of food with no feeling of control. A person may have a fast metabolism that results in them not gaining a lot of weight. I is important to figure out what is going on emotionally to understand why binge eating is happening. How is it making the person feel? Are there triggers that bring it about?

Absolutely. Weight is indeed a useful criteria when diagnosing eating disorder, like the BMI in anorexia nervosa for example. However, binge eating does not have a causal correlation to weight. Many skinny people can suffer from binge-eating. The best way to diagnose binge-eating is by contacting a specialist, who will perform a broad dignosis, including many criteria. Relying only on weight to idenify any eating disorder is not serious and could also be dangerous, because skinny people might think they are not able to suffer from binge-eating, where in fact, this is not true. Take care and stay healhy :)