Don't ask if you are "too thin"...

LAT1963

There are so many threads asking "am I too thin", I'm so tired of seeing the same thing over and over.

The answer is this:

If you have to ask, just assume you are too thin.

If you are (too or just ordinary) thin. but still don't like the way you look, the answer isn't more weight loss, it's weight-lifting. Go find the weight-lifting gurus around here and ask them how to improve your body composition.

If you think you might have an eating disorder, hire a professional psychologist (not a nutritionist or fitness trainer) who specializes in eating disorders to evaluate you and tell you if you do or don't. Eating disorders kill people, so it's important to get it diagnosed if you have one--or to rule it out if you're just being a worry-wart so you can stop worrying. Either way its a win to see an expert so you know for sure.

meshashesha2012

i bet you're fun at parties

jemhh

Don't like the threads, don't read them. There are very few unique threads on any internet message board. Just like there are very few new conversation topics in real life. But people keep communicating because discussions can differ based on the participants.

As for the specific topic of thinness, some people have never been thin as adults. Some people are surrounded by others who discourage or denigrate their weight loss efforts by telling them they are too thin. If those members need support or guidance or just a quick " you're doing great, keep it up," they should absolutely feel free to reach out for it.

Miss_1999

It may be a little blunt, but she's right. This isn't a question that anyone here is trained to answer, unless they are a medical professional, and even then, how is a person *really* gonna know? Are they going to ask for the person's credentials? Regardless, being too thin can be just as dangerous as being too heavy and needs to be handled by a medical professional. If there is an eating disorder, it needs to be diagnosed and treated. If not, then with the instruction of a nutritionist, and the help/support here of others who are trying to gain weight/build muscle mass, he/she can get on track. But asking for advice on something such as posting a picture of yourself and asking, "am I too overweight?" That's another thing that obviously, no one could answer. It's just best left up to a medical professional.

DjinnMarie

This. +1

Don't like the threads, don't read them. There are very few unique threads on any internet message board. Just like there are very few new conversation topics in real life. But people keep communicating because discussions can differ based on the participants.

As for the specific topic of thinness, some people have never been thin as adults. Some people are surrounded by others who discourage or denigrate their weight loss efforts by telling them they are too thin. If those members need support or guidance or just a quick " you're doing great, keep it up," they should absolutely feel free to reach out for it.

Liftng4Lis

I don't mind when it is someone who has never been thin asking, its when these young attention seekers ask over and over in different threads that's annoying.

paperpudding

There are so many threads asking "am I too thin", I'm so tired of seeing the same thing over and over.

So. Stop seeing them.

Either by not opening and reading such threads or by having a break from the forum if you are feeling tired and over it all.

I like this forum - but there are topics in it that don't interest me, so I don't read them .

Too easy

majigurl

There are so many threads asking "am I too thin", I'm so tired of seeing the same thing over and over.

So. Stop seeing them.

Either by not opening and reading such threads or by having a break from the forum if you are feeling tired and over it all.

I like this forum - but there are topics in it that don't interest me, so I don't read them .

Too easy

I agree

You can't please everyone all the of the time. There will never be a time that all threads are to your liking. Welcome to being social

LAT1963

OP here. I guess you are right, and I usually don't open the threads, but it seems like so many... and not all ask the question in the subject line.

But I also agree about the "attention-seeking young people" vs. someone who's been overweight forever and doesn't know what normal weight looks like on them.

MarshallLuke

I was actually just talking to someone who was complaining she was too thin. I was about to agree with her but a gentle breeze kicked up and she blew away down the street.

JTick

If you think you might have an eating disorder, hire a professional psychologist (not a nutritionist or fitness trainer) who specializes in eating disorders to evaluate you and tell you if you do or don't. Eating disorders kill people, so it's important to get it diagnosed if you have one--or to rule it out if you're just being a worry-wart so you can stop worrying. Either way its a win to see an expert so you know for sure.

Yeah, because it's just that easy.

Galatea_Stone

Too bad more people don't ask "am I too judgmental?" before starting threads.

ew_david

Ok

SunofaBeach14

Don't start threads telling people not to start threads about telling people what to do with their threads about starting threads

taunto

I get tired of many other threads on these boards. You know what I do? I don't read them.

Second, no, weight lifting is not the only answer. Many girls don't wanna lift. While I love lifting and encourage girls to look into it, I don't like how broken record MFP forums are becoming about lifting. Lifting isn't answer to everything. So quit saying about it.

Also, just because somebody is self conscious about their weight, doesn't mean they are. If they are asking if they are too thin, doesn't mean they are. Many people have different perspective of "too thin" and sometimes, when somebody who is used to being around too fat people or are fat them-self, they tell the now fit person that they are too skinny. Doesn't mean they are too thin, it just means they are being told wrong. We have these discussions here to suggest to these posters what our perspective, as a fitness community is.

I appreciate your effort but your delivery is extremely poor and will probably do more harm than good. We like to encourage people to ask questions and learn. We do NOT like to shut people down and tell them "if you have to ask, you already are"

Pirate_chick

I like thin tortillas, so salty and crispy.

Me too!

likitisplit

I get tired of many other threads on these boards. You know what I do? I don't read them.

Second, no, weight lifting is not the only answer. Many girls don't wanna lift. While I love lifting and encourage girls to look into it, I don't like how broken record MFP forums are becoming about lifting. Lifting isn't answer to everything. So quit saying about it.

Also, just because somebody is self conscious about their weight, doesn't mean they are. If they are asking if they are too thin, doesn't mean they are. Many people have different perspective of "too thin" and sometimes, when somebody who is used to being around too fat people or are fat them-self, they tell the now fit person that they are too skinny. Doesn't mean they are too thin, it just means they are being told wrong. We have these discussions here to suggest to these posters what our perspective, as a fitness community is.

I appreciate your effort but your delivery is extremely poor and will probably do more harm than good. We like to encourage people to ask questions and learn. We do NOT like to shut people down and tell them "if you have to ask, you already are"

I can never tell if you are chaotic good or chaotic neutral.

Biggirllittledreams

If you think you might have an eating disorder, hire a professional psychologist (not a nutritionist or fitness trainer) who specializes in eating disorders to evaluate you and tell you if you do or don't. Eating disorders kill people, so it's important to get it diagnosed if you have one--or to rule it out if you're just being a worry-wart so you can stop worrying. Either way its a win to see an expert so you know for sure.

Yeah, because it's just that easy.

With the number of free clinics that are popping up - at least in my area and whatnot - it is. You don't necessarily need to see a specialist to receive a quality diagnosis (you may want to for quality treatment as many go through a 4-6 hour training on eating disorders then label themselves specialists - so always make sure you are actually seeing specialists with experience and legitimate credentials), but trying to use 'am i thin or not' as a means of gauging whether or not one has an eating disorder is a horrific means of doing such. I obviously can't speak for everybody as people have their own individual circumstances, but a LOT of people I've spoken to whom have showed an extraordinary amount of eating disorder symptoms, realized such, yet not pursued treatment have rather been in denial, or basically made excuses as to why they didn't want to pursue treatment - for which the above was one.

Also, see: Binge Eating Disorder, PICA, OSFED, Bulimia, etc., all of which don't have diagnostic criteria requiring that one be underweight to receive a diagnosis (which is the case with Anorexia), so whether or not one is 'too thin' is quite frankly completely irrelevant. So, i don't see how the question 'am i too thin' really has anything to do with eating disorders, as the forum post should be 'A, b, and c are my eating/exercise/emotional habits and i feel as though they're unhealthy/dysfunctional'. Weight is a symptom of eating disorders, but it by no means is one that at all gauges the severity, presence, etc., of them. So that question isn't really relevant unless one has a past of BDD/has already been diagnosed with one - you know?

I agree with everybody else here, who has brought up the point that you do always have the right to ignore posts you don't like - even if you do end up reading the post past the title on the homepage. Reading the post doesn't mean you have to respond. You do have the right and ability to simply see it, X out, and move on if it annoys you that much.

Cliffslosinit

When someone with an eating disorder comes to the forums and asks questions.
To me it is an opportunity for those that are"willing to help".
To have the chance to suggest counseling, treatment, etc.
As well as relate their personal experience ie. "How THEY were able with treatment to overcome the disorder."

I never shun people away like you are doing.

Biggirllittledreams

Don't start threads telling people not to start threads about telling people what to do with their threads about starting threads

Touche.

taunto

When someone with an eating disorder comes to the forums and asks questions.
To me it is an opportunity for those that are"willing to help".
To have the chance to suggest counseling, treatment, etc.
As well as relate their personal experience ie. "How THEY were able with treatment to overcome the disorder."

I never shun people away like you are doing.