yes you can...when you binge and purge your body still absorbs 1/2 the calorie content of everything you took in..thats to say that you purge everything out..that why weight cycling is so common with bulimics

Hells yes you gain!!! I gained 20 lbs since my b/p got crazy! You just can't put all that shit in your body and expect it to get completely out!

wait how can your body take in half the calorie content that u take in when you are vomiting up the food?? im confused.....=(

There is much debate about that topic. I personally do not buy it, as sometimes in my worst ED days, I would consume thousands of calories at a time, several times a day, always purging after. And I lost weight - so going on the theory of only getting half of the calories up, I would be gaining weight like crazy at that rate. Anyway, the reality is, is that eventually, the bulimia stops allowing you to lose weight over time, because I think your metabolism gets screwed up - that's whats happened to me, anyway.

I'm not sure if you absorb 50% exactly- it can depend on each case. I lost 15 pounds while bingeing and purging- but what I was doing was extreme. Most people will gain weight or maintain their weight while bingeing and purging because they eat semi-regularly (in calories, that is) for the most part, and then add a binge on top of that.

Hey hunny
I read on net people gaining weight through binging/purging.
I Binged the worst ever yesterday a little roast dinner just after eating 3 bags of crips(skips) I purged.Then later i ate chocolate,crips and sweets that was my worst binge ever nd i lost weight still Thanks God.

ive been bulimic for 6-8 years...it is absorbed (the food) once you put it in ur mouth due to your saliva which helps to break it down...carbs first, and then protein and fats..so your more likely to gain weight or maintain no matter if u purge. and on TOP of that some ppl binge purge and repeat, making it, in general, just more food your intaking/absorbing.

thank you all for your comments. i have gone two days now without doing it and i feel amazing. i feel like i have more control over it.

Im confused because my therapist says that i keep like 60 percent of the calories??

hey, I think it is possible to gain weight from bulimia i no i hav

I'm sorry guys but the absorbtion of calories isn't so much an ED debate as it is a biological function of the body...I honestly doubt that my professor would have stressed this issue if it were not based on sound science

there is no need to argue over it. either you believe it or not. its not that big of a deal. :)

i gained weight when my bulimia got really bad. i was binging and purging constantly throughout the day and night so i was absorbing more calories than i would have if i'd just been eating "healthy".

Forget the calorie percent, it's moot. You CAN gain if you binge a large number of calories. The body will hold on to what food it can and it's usually NOT the healthy calories it holds on to. I have seen women who gained weight purging and using laxatives due to the binges. It's not a diet at ALL and don't forget: there is also an imbalance in electrolytes;
inflammation of the esophagus, salivary glands, and jaw;
problems with teeth, gums, and lips;
chronic irregular bowel movements due to abusive laxatives;
feelings of shame and guilt;
depression;
low self-esteem; and
damaged family and social relationships.

Yes, I think you lose 60% of your self-esteem, and 50% of your friends. And your immune system is 40% weakened unless you purge all day, which could cause 60% of your family to freak out. And then you'll still feel fat. I'm 95% sure of that.