To think extreme weight loss is not taken as seriously in overweight people

[Weightloss88]

I have a friend who’s lost 8 stone started off at almost 24 stone. She’s lost the weight by not eating only chicken and apples sometimes and living off no sugar fizzy drinks and energy drinks. This has been done in about 9 months. Aibu to think if it was smaller person doing this the fact it’s an eating disorder wouldn’t be ignored but because she’s overweight people are telling her how well she’s doing

I didn't say it wasn't but, equally, eating less and eating regimented to lose fat doesn't equate to an ED. Being overweight/obese and lack of self-discipline despite health issues etc can also be an ED.

Not everything is an ED.

Edited to add: they are obese specialists who perform bariatric surgery and kidney surgeon who treats obesity related kidney failure - internet helps your research and I would suggest they know more than any of us in this area

Of course it’s an eating disorder but it’s also very well acknowledged that overweight people have eating disorders- maybe you’ve just not come across it?

eating only chicken and apples for 9 months is an eating disorder

Dr Now is a bariatric surgeon from My 600lb Life
edit
Nowzaradan was born and raised in Tehran, Iran. In 1970, he graduated from the University of Tehran with a Doctor of Medicine degree. He then moved to the United States. He participated in the Medical Orientation Program at Saint Louis University in 1971 and completed a Rotating Surgical Internship at St. John Hospital (operated by St. John Providence Health System) in Detroit. Nowzaradan is currently affiliated with Houston Obesity Surgery in Houston, and practices at several local hospitals.[4][better source needed] He is the author of several scholarly publications on obesity and laparoscopy.[5]

Yes, I’d find this sad and hard to watch in a friend tbh, I don’t think losing weight outweighs all else in terms of health

I lost 7 stone in about 7ish months on mounjaro last year. Dropped from 17 stone to 10. I was in a huge calprie deficit. Lived to tell the tale and best decision I made.

The majority of overweight people already have eating disorders - which is why they’re overweight.

And you are absolutely correct that someone who is underweight is taken much more seriously with an ED, than someone who is overweight.

But considering that she’s losing weight, she’ll be much healthier than someone who is underweight and losing weight.

Obviously if she starts becoming underweight then she can quickly turn unhealthy.

It’s healthier to lose weight when you’re overweight, than it is if you were underweight.

Its like saying what’s more dangerous - someone gaining weight when they’re underweight or when they’re morbidly obese.

I had an eating disorder for quite a while before I became under weight. I tried to get help but unfortunately I wasnt taken seriously until it became physically obvious. My hair started falling out while I was still a healthy weight. So in my experience, I think you are right to he concerned

100% agree, I can’t believe people are saying this is fine.

If a 9 stone person lost 8 stone it would be an impossible disaster. If a twenty four stone person lost 8 stone it would be a good thing. Of course they are treated differently.

It’s not healthy - especially not the fizzy drinks - but I’d hazard a guess that it’s much healthier than being 8 stone overweight. That is a whole extra person her heart, lungs and joints have been carrying, and a whole extra person’s worth of fatty tissue for nasties to hide in (cancer etc.) Basically anything you can do to get that off is probably worth it.

That said, it sounds like it would be time to start eating a balanced diet.

Well if she was thin to start with then losing that much weight would be dangerous.

It's true rapid weight loss isn't great but it's not life threatening unless you get to below a certain BMI.

It’s not an eating disorder. An obese person eating a low calorie diet to lose weight isn’t an ED.

I lost significant weight through diet/extreme exercise then through a gastric bypass. Nobody bar my dm was worried. I was very overweight, almost 24st. People have just been happy for me. I’d say pretty much everyone who’s significantly overweight-I don’t mean putting on a few stones over the years/menopause/baby weight-has an eating disorder. On my gastric surgery groups, people frequently talk about addiction transfer and have developed alcohol dependency or are obsessive about weighing themselves.

Given the extremely restrictive nature of what your friend is eating, I’d say she might benefit from some kind of therapy, it certainly isn’t healthy. I had a pretty restrictive but balanced diet when I lost weight ‘naturally’, but nothing that extreme. I hope she is taking a broad vitamin and other supplements: I was told to take copper, calcium, vitamin D as well due to absorption issues but your friend’s limited diet probably means she needs more.

Trouble is, the comments from those noticing the weight loss will be her new endorphin and being able to buy clothes in any shop, plus how great she probably feels with less weight on her will mean she won’t stop. Without surgery, she will easily be able to put weight back on and she knows this so she’ll probably not want to change anything.

👏

Eating only chicken and apples or fizzy energy drinks certainly isn’t a balanced diet!

Sounds like she's killing it. Hardly at risk of dropping dead at 16 stone!

How can you possibly know that? Just because a person is over weight doesn't mean they aren't struggling. You've no idea what's going on in her mind. I have permanently damaged my body through what I did in my teens and early 20s, I'm still suffering the effects now at 40 years old. All of it could have been avoided if I'd have had access to help earlier, I tried and was brushed off and left to spiral.

i can’t believe people are so dumb that they think it’s better to have an eating disorder and lose weight than it is not to have one.

Well done to your friend.

I’m surprised by the comments here. Yes, it is a concern. Living off chicken, apples and energy drinks is not nourishing her. She needs nutrition. Just being in a calorie deficit isn’t healthy. You could eat one Twix a day and be in a calorie deficit and lose weight, but you are going to become very unwell.

It’s natural to be concerned about your friend, could you tell her you are worried?

So maybe don't drip-feed.

It was obvious the posters friend had an eating disorder from the first post, the drip feed didn’t change that

The OP had no right to moan at another poster when she couldn't be arsed to include a few more words in her opening post.

The thing is, she is still better off in many respects.
Shes just swapping one disordered way of eating for an also damaging, but different way.
Whilst shes at the mid point- and struggling with vitamin deficiencies (probably) constipation, hair loss and skin issues, those issues would have been hypertension, type 2 diabetes, breathing issues- these issues are more serious than what she was dealing with.
However, yes i agree, she needs to get ahead of the issues but she has some time to do so whilst she continues to lose weight.

The eating disorder service can help, however most areas have a very long waiting list. Many people with EDs swing from one end of the scale to the other and back again.