Lizzie Velasquez is an Austin, Texas girl who must eat every 15 minutes to stay alive. Her photo would give the impression that she is anorexic, but she’s not. In fact, her medical condition is a mystery. She is unable to gain weight or store fat in her body.

Lizzie Velasquez, 21-years-old, stands 4 foot 2 inches tall and weighs just 60-pounds. She wears a size triple zero clothes even though she eats between 5,000 and 8,000 calories every day. Her body does not store fat so she has to eat that much, at least every 15 minutes, just to stay alive and healthy. She says she weights herself constantly and is ecstatic if she’s gained even a fraction of a pound.

When she was born she weighted just 2 pounds, 10 ounces and had very little amniotic fluid protecting her in her mother’s womb. Her skin was translucent and her parents, Guadeloupe and Rita Velasquez had to dress her in doll clothes. Her mother said that doctors had no idea how she survived. She has been part of genetic studies and fascinated scientists throughout her life.

Her parents say that they made every effort to raise her as normally as possible. She has participated in school activities, including cheerleading. She is currently in college and plans to become a motivational speaker. And she has quite a story to tell and IS motivational!

Over the years Rita Velasquez has carefully documented her daughter’s health and experiences. Her numerous notebooks are being made into a book that will be available for purchase in September 2010.

Her weight isn’t her only problem. She is blind in one eye and has limited vision in the other. According to doctors, she probably has neonatal progeroid syndrome, a rare condition that causes accelerated aging and an inability to store fat. Abihimanya Garg, MD has said that the medical community has not been able to document older people with NPS and therefore are unable to predict what will happen to Lizzie in the long-run. He said there are a very small number of people with similar conditions.

In spite of her condition and her uncertain prognosis, Lizzie Velasquez the Austin, Texas girl who must eat every 15 minutes is an inspiration as evidenced in the video about her.

You can read more about Lizzie and see photos of her at her website. Hear Lizzie Velasquez in her video below.