Concerned about gradual weight loss and cancer

[omhk]

I'm sure you guys know the deal with anxiety - there's always some symptom that I'm fixated on. I currently have a lot of free time in my schedule so that makes thing worse for me, but right now, it's my weight.

I'm 25, short (5'4") and stick thin. I don't weigh myself all that often but I remember last summer and fall that I weighed maybe 113-114 lbs when I checked the scale, and it seemed pretty consistent no matter when I weighed myself.

I don't know when I started to obsess over my weight, but it seems I've been losing a bit of weight without trying to. My weigh has fluctuated between 109-112 when I've checked lately. I try to do it at the same time in the afternoon every day for a baseline. I was 107.5 lbs when I checked this morning.

I know it doesn't seem like a huge amount of weight, but 5 lbs is basically pushing 5% of my body weight. I told myself last week that I'd stop looking at the scale because it makes me anxious, and it was working - I felt a lot more relaxed. But on a whim, I checked the scale this morning before work and it read 107.5 lbs, so now I'm all anxious again.

I got full blood work a little over a month ago and everything looked normal. Not really any other symptoms on my end except a shortness of breath that comes and goes, but the pulmonologist ran chest x-rays and stationary breathing tests and all was normal. Have to go back for a stress test but he strongly suspects some sort of exercise induced asthma exacerbated by stress since I had asthma as a child.

Just thought I would unload that from my plate since I don't really talk to anyone about this in my life...

[poppadr3w]

Hey friend,

I always tell people - I am not a doctor, and seeing a true medical professional and getting adequate and proper testing may make you feel better overall. Plus it is good to get baseline bloodwork every year or two.

What I am is a Certified Fitness Trainer (ISSA) and a blog writer of The Anxiety Press (www.anxietypress.com) - a blog about fitness geared towards anxiety.

Weight fluctuation of that caliber is not unheard of. When people link weight loss and cancer, it's... different. Can you eat? Do you have nausea? Maybe you're just stressed and not eating enough without realization. Regardless, you can be more constructive in your fitness/weight endeavors.

What I wholeheartedly suggested is calculating your daily caloric needs (there are calculators for free via Google). The calculator should take gender, age, height, weight, etc. into account. Take that number (it is most likely not precise, but rather is a ballpark figure) and add 500 calories per day (So 3,500 calories per week). That is equal to a single pound. Eat well and eat plenty of good carbs and protein (when people try to increase their weight they eat more carbs). I'd also suggest ample strength training a 2-3 times per week to help build muscle.

I hope that this helps.