hello, just recently I have noticed I have lost quite a bit of weight.I am 16(male), 17 soon, 6'2 about 198 pounds a couple moths ago, now im in the 170's.I used to eat chips and pop all the time, maybe a big bag and can every other day but I would work out about 3 times a week.for about 2 months ive stopped with the chips and pop altogether but continued going to the gym.I do eat whenever there is food around but my parents are really busy and we dont go to the store as often as i think we should and we dont always have easy stuff I can make myself so i usually have to wait for dinnertime.also i dont usually eat breakfast because i dont have time and i just dont feel like eating in the mornings. when im at school sometimes i wont eat lunch because im so pissed about my day and i hate my lunches, i always get tired of eating the same thing over again. i change luches but i still get tired with them within a dew days and i d rather not eat anything that have the lunch.because of this, sometimes I will go the whole day without eating untill dinnertime, cause theres nothing easy to prepare and i dont feel any different if ive eaten or not. so anyway, in the past few weeks ive really noticed a change in myself, i do feel BETTER , and i think i look better, its easier to walk and run especially, and i just fell like im in more control of my body movements... all my life ive been on the chubby side and always hated it, no one ever said anything when i was around but i can tell people looked down on me and made fun and said stuff because i was fat and kind of clumsy. when you are 6'2 almost 200lbs, your body is kinda hard to control sometimes. even today my mom told me that my face looked really thin. personally i think its better because ive always had this fat baby face and i HATE it. i dont think it looks thin, its just starting to look normal now to me.when i used to look in the mirror i just saw a gut and some man titties. now when i get out of the shower and see me in the mirror i notice that i can see alot more muscle definition in my arms and chest but i also can start to see my ribcage, if i feel it i can feel individual ribs, but there is still a layer of fat covering them. and my stomach looks like its caving in, but with still a fair amount of fat there. i see it cave in when i suck the gut in. but when i flex it, i can feel hard muscle and its not going in...wierd eh. what im trying to say is im not trying to starve myself on purpose but i think thats whats happening.
anyways, sorry for the ramble but im just wondering if this sounds liek it could be the start of an eating disorder :confused: any thoughts,suggestions,tips would be greatly appreciated.

also those eating habits are not typical everyday habits. the days when i dont eat all through the day, those might happen 1-2 times a week

I'm not sure there is an actual "beginning to an eating disorder". An eating disorder isn't really like another physical disease, like the flu or a cold, where you can identify the start of it. It's more a disease of the mind, more than anything anything else. I wouldnt say that you can't stop it from taking you over, but sometimes, even if you realize that your thoughts/actions are bad, its way too late.

People with ED's have certain similar thoughts/characteristics. Are you afraid of eating more because you think you'll gain weight? Are you afraid of gaining weight (ie/ if a doc said u had to, would you try to get out of it? or just gain b/c its healthier?)? If yes to one or the other, your thinking is already fairly disordered. Teens usually carry around a bit of baby fat because their bodies are changing (guys mature even later than girls, so they need it for longer) and you need that to help everything run smoothly. Around your 20s, that baby fat will vanish. I know many many many people who had the weight melt off, without them dieting or trying to lose it. At 6'2' and 170, I don't think thats a healthy weight. If your body was happy before, it was at that weight for a reason. It's ok if you cut out the pop and chips, but don't skip meals- ever.

You really need to try to get all your meals in- or at least get snacks in to replace them. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day (cliched i know, but VERY VERY true). If you skip it, your metabolism could slow, you could overeat later (though i dont think thats the case with you), and more. You need to have SOMETHING to "break" the "fast" that you went through while sleeping. So you need something quick- theres SO much you could have- grab fruit on your way out (banana, apple, pear, orange, etc), a muffin, doughnut (ok, not healthy, but it wont kill you and its very easy to grab), etc. Have a Pop Tart (not the healthiest, but quick, easy and you dont necessarily need to cook it, plus everything is absolutely fine in moderation). Have a granola bar- they can be very healthy, and yummy, and theyre VERY easy to grab (now they even have the Oatmeal 2 Go Bars- very yummy and nutritious). make yourself a sandwich the night before, for the morning- PB & J for example (sandwiches are pretty easy and can even be made in the morn.). OR you could get up a tad earlier and have a nice healthy bigger breakfast- toast, cereal, a bagel, eggs, etc. That would be ideal, but you may not want to- but think about it. You could also ask your mom to make you something, and you could eat it quickly at the table or on your way out (ie/ have her make a cheese/ham omelet, fold it, and put it in a piece of toast- very easy to eat and very yummy!).

Secondly, it sounds as though you're using food as something to show your emotions- not as just food. You should eat luch whether your happy, sad, busy, bored, etc. Again, the same thing goes- grab something quick if you don't want to sit down for a huge lunch. Pizza pockets are always great, but theyre hard to bring to school. You could always have fruit, again, a sandwich, pizza slice, etc. There are so many possibilities.

About the grocery shopping- talk to your mom or dad! Ask them to go with you to get groceries when youre not doing anything. Pick up some things you'll like and eat, and that way you'll be able to ave all 3 meals!
Hope this helps!! If you're still worried- talk to someone! A parent, doctor, etc. Figure something out!!

Girlygirl, thank you so much. Im starting to work on it and Im not as worried about it anymore. Thanks :)