How much is too much?

iAMaPhoenix

This post will be edited to protect the innocent!!! I recently looked a young lady's profile and she says she wanted to lose 21 pounds. Currently she is "20 years old", weighs "110 pounds". I did not get any info on the height so cannot speak on that. She is concerned that she has plateaued and thinks that she will be able to break through it. Nonetheless, am I the only one who find this dangerous. As a health care professional, there is no way I would endorse this. I hate to put a label on someone trying to lose weight, but I think we all need to come to a point where we realize that enough is enough and sometimes a plateau is just that...a plateau.

Onesnap

I was 119 when I got married at age 23. I'm 5'6". I did not start having trouble keeping the weight off until I hit my 30s (I'm very active and eat a healthy diet). So I do the same healthy habits through MFP, I just eat less.

The part you left out was how tall she is. She could be petite. Changes are though she's at a healthy point and does NOT need to lose any weight (she may need to gain or maintain).

ladybug1620

There's definitely more than one person on this site that uses it for the wrong reasons, aka to support anorexia. I choose to ignore posts from those people and to not friend them because I don't want to be influenced in any negative way or to get any negative ideas if I see how well their "diet" is working for them. It's not my business if someone wants to be 5'7" and 80 lbs, but I certainly won't support someone with those goals either.

Onesnap

P.S. A plateau happens if someone is not MEETING their calorie goals on MFP. The program is set up to adjust when exercise is added and also so that you lose 1 pound per week in a safe manner. For those that hit a 'plateau' changes are they are eating less than their calories (MFP has already built in a deficit). If they are eating under their calories given they will not lose weight (hence the plateau).

Rogiefreida

I would have to agree with you. I have seen other people on this site who are showing some unhealthy mindsets with their weight loss. I have also seen one person in particular who seems obsessed with the number on the scale. She will freak out (and make multiple status posts about this) when the scale shows that she has gained 1 pound, and seems to forget that muscle weighs more than fat, women's weight will fluctuate by as much as few pounds depending on what time of the month it is, etc. I see these mindsets and I feel bad, and I hope that they can change their thinking before it goes to dangerous territory and people start harming their bodies.

Spayrroe

I saw another forum post from someone that said they were 5' 8" and 150lbs, trying to lose another 35 by the fall. I said it as nice as I could and tried to convey my concern for them given that I am 5' 7" and the generic bmi charts say my ideal weight is 150 (the Polar machine that my trainer took my stats on actually says ideal for me is around 180) and that maybe she should consult her physician about what an ideal weight for her is and how to safely achieve it.

I think because media glorifies unrealistic body images, some people don't know when to say when.

iAMaPhoenix

P.S. A plateau happens if someone is not MEETING their calorie goals on MFP. The program is set up to adjust when exercise is added and also so that you lose 1 pound per week in a safe manner. For those that hit a 'plateau' changes are they are eating less than their calories (MFP has already built in a deficit). If they are eating under their calories given they will not lose weight (hence the plateau).

I agree and if you hit the plateau at a BMI of 23-25, I would dare say it is time to maintain.

mawhite717

a girl posted on here not too long ago her "success story" with pics. i check those out all the time becuase 99% of them are motivation for me... but not this one. she look soooooo good before and after she was literally skin and bones. what got me was that EVERYONE who commented on her post was telling her how great she looked!!!!! i thought "am i the only one who thinks this girl looks sick??" i still wonder why no one said anything about it. i wanted to, but i figured i'd just let it be. now i wish i hadnt.