It's the second time since I joined here that I had unwanted weight loss. At 5'almost10", I weighed (first thing in the morn, totally naked) 118lbs.

HOLY YIKES!!!!!!!!!

This was due to lack of appetite and diarreah along with being forced to exercise (because I'm a fitness trainer) because of a new job and breakup with bf.

Well, bf and I reconciled, but we had not been intimate in weeks. Now that we're back together, he noted that my legs, arms and even my breasts were smaller.

Ugh. I know.

I'm happy to say that I'm up 4 pounds in the past two days. My appetite is back, I'm eating totally healthy and supplimenting my regular 3 full meals with protein bars, shakes, ice cream, peanut butter, alonds, cashews, peanuts, fruit, eggs, cheese, crackers and wine . I skipped workouts M-W but I lifted hard on Thursday and am taking the weekend off working out to gain more energy, and will lift hard again all week next week.

Is there anyone here that can relate?

I post this here to emphasize the law of averages. There are many people in the middle of the weight spectrum. There are few on the opposite ends of the spectrum. Some are there due to disorders such as over-eating/food addiction, some are there due to eating disorders.

Some, like me, are there because of digestional reactions to stress and outside factors like job and personl-life stress.

But I feel like I am the ONLY one in the world who fears she looks like she has an eating disorder when I totally don't. I mean, what can I do when I eat 3 breakfasts and visit the bathroom (not due to anything I consumed other than food, I swear) 45 minutes after each meal and out comes not totally digested food? (We all know what happens when you eat nuts. LOL).

Anyone out there with suggestions for how to handle crisis without wasting away to nothing? Because I'm sure, with this job and upcoming changes in job that are sure to be totally stressful, that I will encounter more upsetting challenges that will affect my ability to want to consume nutrients and keep food in to be digested.

Hmmm ...You sound like my mother..She has the same issues..She cant keep food in her body when she is stressed and she has no appetite when she is emotional. She is a nurse and runs around like crazy and when she goes through bouts of that, people complain that she just got out a prisoner of war camp because her face is so gaunt..

So this is what she does: When she feel she cant eat..she buys a LOT of those supplement drinks like Boost or Ensure..and she drinks a few of those ..She uses cream instead of milk in her coffee to add fat to her diet and calories..She consumes more higher in fat cheese..uses more olive oil and eats more nuts and adds in more avocados..she tends to drink a lot of smoothies and drink cream soups which are made with full fat whipping cream..She looks for easy ways to incorporate more calories and protein into her diet with little to no chewing possible..In terms of the diareah..a classic and common way to stop it ..is to actually drink 1/2 a can of coke..Nurses use this in the hospital with patients having major gastro issues...By drinking 1/2 can of coke, your giving your body potassium at a high level and that in turns actually helps to relieve the cramping and contractions going on in your intestinal tract that are causing your body to get rid of the diahreah..I wasnt a believer about this until i tried it myself..I got really really ill with the flu and for 3 days straight everything came out..then i drank 1/2 can of coke and within about 20 minutes it slowed down and finally stopped cramping up..

But for a long term soloution..you need to consider ways to deal with your stress and emotions and find some relief so that it doesnt happen to begin with..

Jase - I didn't know about the Coke thing. I'll try it!
Thanks

Have you been to a doctor?

If I were you, I'd also find a bodybuilding (or other fitness-related) forum out there and put out a call to ectomorphic types with this same question. You'd get plenty of helpful suggestions from people with personal experience. People like you certainly exist... just not usually on a weight loss forum, even among "featherweights."

Sumire, I'll try your suggestion about going to another forum. I just hope that wasn't meant as a boot to my pants, like "get outta here!".

To me, the word "diet" implies "food that you consume daily" instead of the typical meaning of purposely and temporarily restricting your calories in order to lose weight. To me, featherweights implies people who are ectomorphs. I just thought I was in the right spot.

You make many fine contributions to the boards here and are obviously welcome. I'm just saying, if you want some really helpful feedback, I would also ask the folks who have walked the walk, too. I've never seen another really ectomorphic type on these boards (in the traditional "I struggle to gain weight and have always maintained a low weight" sense), so I don't think there *is* a place for them to congregate and give each other helpful support.

fitness4life,

just want to say that i can relate. in the wake of taking care of my husband and getting him through his illness as well as some other things i just wan't feeling well, was constantly busy and stressed. i've dropped to about 105 at 5'5" and have had to get supplements and stuff. this will always be the sort of thing i have to look out for when i get stressed. in fact, that's why i stopped posting here -- i know i need to gain, and didn't see a way to ask for support for that. so i appreciate that you started this thread and i hope that you'll be able to get back on track!

Sumire, thanks. Fivestone, thanks, too!

So far so good. I haven't stepped on the scale yet - I don't usually do - but I can just tell that a weekend of good, hearty eating and two excellent days of lifting and I'm back on track. Crappy that I gotta cut the lawn now after 9 hours of work, but I got all my left overs to eat from the weekend, afterwards.

After reading peoples struggles here, I just wish there were a way to bottle up whatever it is inside me that makes me this way to average out the opposite end of the spectrum. I truly want to give help. Just, sometimes I need help, too.

Thanks for supporting all walks of life in this "support forum". xoxo

I completely relate. When I'm stressed out, I do not want to eat a thing and it has nothing to do with wanting to lose weight. I can barely choke down even a protein shake even if I am hungry. Currently, I am just not stressed out nearly enough to make me too slender. However, when I work outside the home again, I"m quite sure I will get much more slim. Right now I do have a normal appetite because my stress levels are low/normal

There are some things I can usually make myself eat, even when I don't feel like it. Smoothies, as others said, or oddly enough sliced apples or grapes. I guess the problem is they're not nearly as calorie ridden as you need to gain weight. Anyway, although not too helpful, I just wanted to let you know I've been there too

You need to see a doctor.

Quilter and Monica, thanks for your concern. However, this isn't an acute problem. I've had it my whole life.

My body type is like Olive Oil, as in the Popeye cartoon character.

Had I been struggling with weight my whole life in the other form (as in, trying to lose but couldn't) I would agree. Life, for me, has always been the opposite.

I truly thank you for your concern, but honestly, the way you posted your comments without supporting thoughts, and I know I'm sensitive to "too skinny" criticism, I have to say...well...can I offer you an opportunity to support your comments with other thoughts? Otherwise, I sort of feel a bite, of sorts.

I guess if someone were posting in the binge-eating section, I would never flat out say to someone "you need to see a doctor" without giving some sort of indication of where my thought was coming from, as in "have you explored whether or not you have an eating disorder?".

I understand that accute weight loss can indicate a disease, whether it's an eating disorder, or cancer, but my question was pretty clear it was stressed-based and has happened before in my life (like maybe 5 times in 41 years).

I hope your comments weren't intended to be harsh.