Table of Contents
Introduction
Want to lose weight, throwing up may seem like a good idea to get rid of extra food and calories. How many calories do you lose when you throw up? It is a misconception that throwing up will help in losing weight. Instead throwing up results in more food consumption because throwing up makes your stomach feel empty. Also, if you are making yourself vomit, you risk long-term damage to your digestive system and esophagus. So how many calories does throwing up burn?
My friend had this habit of vomiting to become skinny and starving herself to lose weight. It caused her to have a weak heart, guts, and teeth, and her breath was so stinky that no matter how much she brushed her teeth, it would not go. Her heart always felt like it was pounding, and she would constantly feel anxious. Her stomach would pain a lot and be bloaty due to constant self-induced vomiting.
How many calories does vomiting burn? Many of us suffering from Bulimia or any other eating disorder have been to dietitians, psychologists, and even psychiatrists. Still, instead of helping, it left us feeling more confused, frustrated, and lost. If my friend can break free, then surely you can too.
How many calories does purging get rid of? Some research says if you vomit within half an hour of your last meal then you lose fifty percent of the calories consumed. However, this is only true if you consume certain types of diets.
What is throwing up?
Throwing up or vomiting is a natural reflex action of the body that helps get rid of toxins or other unwanted substances by expelling the food from the stomach through the mouth.
Natural vomiting occurs due to many factors
1. Nausea brought on by movement
2. Poisoning
3. viral illnesses
4. Negative effects of specific drugs
Self-induced vomiting is a serious issue if it is frequently done and is probably due to an eating disorder.
What is Bulimia Nervosa?
An eating disorder that affects millions of people all over the world. It is characterized by binge eating and the purging of food. The affected person first consumes food and then tries to reduce the number of calories consumed by self-induced vomiting. It is not a well-understood disorder; however, studies claim it may be due to genetic, environmental, or social factors.
Genetics plays an important role in individuals developing this disorder, while environmental factors such as childhood trauma or any stressful event can trigger it. Society also puts a lot of pressure nowadays on unrealistic body standards.
Further, Bulimia nervosa is a serious psychiatric illness that requires specialist professional treatment to overcome it. It can lead to malnutrition, weakness, fatigue, dizziness, and other health problems.
How soon are calories absorbed after eating?
Ever wondered how many calories vomiting gets rid of? how many calories do you lose when you throw up? does throwing up food actually get rid of calories?
Calories absorbed or lost depend mainly on what you eat and food composition. Simple carbohydrates like bread and candy are absorbed after eating complex carbohydrates. For example, whole grains, beans, and vegetables take some time to be absorbed. Whenever we eat, the body begins to break it down into smaller components while using them for various functions, building proteins, creating energy, etc. However, the calories can be absorbed depending on the type of food you consume the body in a few minutes to a few hours.
So, the answer to how many calories you lose when you throw up is that many calories are consumed immediately because simple sugars and many oils are instantly digested. Some complex sugars like starches are too.
Many of us suffering from Bulimia or any other eating disorder have been to dietitians, psychologists, and even psychiatrists. Still, instead of helping, it left us feeling more confused, frustrated, and lost. If my friend can break free, then surely you can too.
Does throwing up help you lose weight? Reasons as to why it does not work
Wondering how many calories do you lose when you throw up? but first, let’s think about does throwing up really affects your weight.
- The body lowers the metabolism as soon as the food intake is controlled and makes fat stores out of calories consumed.
- After vomiting, your stomach will feel empty, and you will consume more food than ever.
If I throw up do I still consume calories? Calories retained after purging?
According to the University of Copenhagen, even after purging, some calories may still get absorbed in the body.
Calories retained rely on a variety of factors, including
- Amount of food consumed
- Type of food consumed
- Time duration of food inside the stomach before getting purged.
How many calories does purging get rid of?
To know how many calories do you lose when you throw up? we need to know the total body fat percentage. To know this, you need to get your body composition tests done to know the fat percentage in your body.
Let’s assume that some women have a weight of 6 pounds and consume about 572 calories, so 5 % of total body fat is 0.0572, which means a BMI of 21
What is BMI?
BMI is body weight in kgs divided by height in meters squared.
So, a BMI under 24.9 is considered normal.
Pros and cons of throwing up
Pros
There are no pros when it comes to weight loss and calories burned.
Cons
A new study claims that vomiting does not lead to a loss of calories; instead, throwing up is just a way to say you’re sick of food.
- Damage to enamel
When you throw up, the gastric acids reach your mouth through the vomit; this acid will damage the enamel of your teeth. Tooth erosion can lead to sensitivity in teeth and other problems
- Oesophageal lining irritation
Repeated trauma to the oesophagus during vomiting may damage mucosal cells in the area, leading to the cell layer becoming inflamed and causing blood to vomit.
- Dehydration
Deliberately throwing up leads to a loss of nutrients, minerals, and water from the body.
thereby resulting in a body-wide electrolyte imbalance. When the body remains dehydrated in the long term, it leads to chronic kidney disease.
- Parotid gland enlargement
Repeated throwing up may lead to swelling in the parotid gland as they secrete saliva and will get overstimulated.
- Mouth ulcers
The throat gets damaged due to repeated acid reflux because of throwing up repeatedly. Gastric acid can damage the oral mucosal lining of the mouth, leading to oral ulcers and pain.
If you find yourself extremely preoccupied with your weight and body image and wonder how many calories do you lose when you throw up? If you have started throwing up food even if you have been careful about it and only throw up when you think whatever you have consumed has not been healthy food.
You will not want to stop purging even when fully aware of the risks and consequences involved. You will cross the line before you can even comprehend that you are getting preoccupied with your body image.
If you exhibit these behaviours, look after yourself.
- Self-induced vomiting
- Over-exercising
- Laxatives
- Diuretics
- Controlling your food intake
- Weight loss pills
All these won’t lead to weight loss or its management. In fact, over time, it may make you seriously ill.
Remember, you don’t get fat during recovery, and you can always conquer your eating disorder.
Conclusion about how many calories do you lose when you throw up?
It should be noted that vomiting is not a weight loss strategy that should be followed as it is ineffective and dangerous. It may also result in certain severe health problems. Maintain a healthy lifestyle and exercise every day if you wish to lose weight.
Calories lost during throwing up are so low that they don’t help lose weight. Initially, it may seem you are losing weight, but that is just a water loss, and it may lead to dehydration. It is important to seek medical attention if you are having thoughts like wanting to throw up just to lose weight because it may be very likely that you are suffering from Bulimia Nervosa and which is a serious eating disorder that requires professional help.
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Dr Amit Sharma is a Doctor and writer with a particular interest in mental health. He helps individuals by combining practical advice with emotional support.