• Notice when and how much a bulimic eats.
• See if there are any situations that typically stimulate a binge eating session.

• Recurrent episodes of bingeing and purging, carried out secretly with no regard for feelings of hunger or fullness 
• A Typical “binge” usually involves uncontrollably eating large amounts of food over very short periods of time, which usually last about an hour
• Binge eaters commonly consume more than 1,500 calories (often more than 3,000) during an episode
• Recurrent inappropriate “compensatory behaviors” to relieve guilt and prevent weight gain, such as self-induced vomiting, abuse of laxatives, diet pills and/ or diuretics, enemas, fasting, or excessive exercise.
• Self-evaluation is unduly influenced by body shape and weight (less distortion than anorexia

Because Bulimics usually stay within a normal weight range, it is sometimes hard to detect a problem. Follow these guidelines to detect Bulimic patterns of behavior.

Signs of Bulimia Nervosa

• Physical changes such as unusual swelling of the cheeks or jaw area, calluses on the back of the hands and knuckles from self-induced vomiting, or discoloration of the teeth, stained from stomach acid
• Evidence of binge eating behaviors might include the disappearance of unusually large amounts of food or empty wrappers.
• Suspect purging behaviors to look for include frequent trips to the bathroom after meals, signs/ odors of vomiting, or packages of laxatives or diuretics.
• Whereas anorexics avoid mealtimes altogether, bulimics create complex schedules or rituals to allow for the binge-purge sessions. If for some reason their schedule becomes prevented or even interrupted, they will engage in excessive exercising to burn off the calories taken in.