One of the most notable symptoms of anorexia and bulimia is the fast and excessive loss of weight. The also wear large clothing to hide their skinny build caused by dramatic weight loss. Complaining about being overweight as food becomes central to there life, often finding an excuse not to eat and when they do there obsession with counting calories and choice of what to eat is fed by their obsession to lose weight. They become uncharacteristically uncomfortable around food and often display bizarre behaviour when eating such as playing with their food in an attempt to either prevent eating it, or trying to minimize caloric intake by restricting eating to diet foods only. They also cut the food up into tiny pieces, and try not to touch food with the lips. Sometimes they also spit the food out into a napkin so they can bin it later. So as you can see, they become fearful of eating around others because it threatens their attempt to lose weight. Eating in public is even more of a difficulty for sufferers. After eating meals they sometimes flush uneaten food down the toilet and also usually vomit the food up frequently while attempting to hide the behaviour but frequent toilet flushing or by running the shower to hide the noise associated with vomiting. This is known as bingeing and purging. They are in-effect starving themselves, in as much as 20% of cases, literally to death. They also use dieting pills and laxatives but keep these hidden from others. There bingeing eating is also kept hidden from others. They also hide food in strange places like under the bed, suitcases and bathroom cupboards either for disposal or later eating. They are also secretive about their eating patterns.

They can become obsessive when it comes to exercise, working out frequently above recommended guidelines. They develop muscle weakness and they complain about being overweight even when they are noticeably underweight, and may well appear to be malnourished.

There obsession leads to them monitoring their weight very often on an hourly basis. They develop feelings of guilt, depression and mood swings. Their feelings of self-worth center around there eating habits and how successful they are at losing weight fast. Obsessive thoughts center around eating, losing weight and cooking. They often cook for others but seldom eat with them, giving an excuse for not eating.

Some of the physical symptoms of anorexia and bulimia are, the loss of hair, the skin appearing to be turning pale. They can also suffer from low blood pressure. Women can also experience a disruption in their menstrual cycle which can become irregular or cease altogether. They often become constipated and have little or no interest in sexual activity. They are prone to headaches, dizzy spells and fainting. Their sleeping patterns can also become disrupted and can sometimes be disguised or explained away as insomnia. Constantly feeling cold and fatigued is also a symptom of anorexia and bulimia.