So, health really isn't the focus here I take it. Quite disa

RegularGuy

Oh brother....

getitamb

Okay, in my short while as a poster (used to just browse) I've already experienced people encouraging people to maintain BMIs of 18.48 (lowest healthy weight if rounding) on less than 1500 calories.

Can you really call if a "naturally" low weight if you're on a weight loss website, counting your calories in the first place, and eating a weight loss amount whilst maintaining?

Some people should realize that there's more to life than the number on the scale. Eating disorders are very real and when you develop one you can no longer "listen to your body" because your body is wrong. It's confused, it slows down all metabolic function so that you don't die. Hunger cues are distorted and basically you've got to challenge yourself to do what is healthy despite what your body is telling you.

Seriously, telling people they are doing great MAINTAINING their weight, with exercise, on less than 1500 or maybe even 1400 calories a day is NOT healthy. I will use CAPS the emphasize my point. It's not shouting, it's emphasis, if you take offense my apologies.

I am just seriously saddened by the encouragement of unhealthy habits that exhibit signs of eating disorders. Thanks for listening to my rant.

kudos for being brave enough to sare your opinion.

love4fitnesslove4food_wechange

This is the post in which the OP is referring to:

I average 1,250-1,300. Don't eat back my exercise cals and work out on average 30 or so minutes a day. I figure if it is part of the way I live, why eat back the calories. -I zig zag a ton! My weight has been a stable 118 pounds - 5'7in and I'm happy with that. If I wanted to loose I'd probably eat 1,000-1,200...maybe I have a slow metabolism? But I feel good and am satisfied with how much I eat I've been counting calories for a very long long time and know that 1,300-1,400 calories I maintain, 1,600 up I gain, 1,000 ish I get smaller.

Considering you're at the LOWEST weight to be considered healthy for your height it's not surprising that you're maintaining on a weight loss amount. 1250-1300 calories is "dieting" for MOST people and should be for you as well but I suspect that this is an unnaturally low weight for your body and it simply isn't losing because you're already at a dangerously low weight/body fat for your height.

I have a bmi of 18.5-18.9 (I think). So I'm healthy. And like many people I probably underestimate my calories. (not by much but It's not like I measure the cream in my coffee). So. no need to attack me- if I have my calories higher I gain because I eat to much and don't feel good. I have plenty of energy. I think everyone is built different, their isn't a one size fits all. Some people have slower metabolisms which actually is not a bad thing (though many people think it is). I use calories more efficiently. And I have been underweight my whole whole life and also a small eater so a bmi of 18.5 is at the high end of what I am used to and I am happy to be there.
Any ways. I'm not at a "dangerously low body weight", every time I go to the docs they say I'm doing great.
( really hope I don't get attacked for this post but If I do ell well.-Just trying to say that I believe people need to listen to their body's-it's ok to eat a little less if that feels right to you...maybe I'm wrong. But if I am you could tell me with out using caps locks...thnxs)

You're doing just fine hun. Keep it up.

I encouraged her because, if you actually read her response, you'd see she came a long way from where she was previously. So, *for her* the 18 point whatever BMI is good *for her* and she shouldn't have to be ridiculed from people who DON'T know her situation or history. Like you said, you've been here for a short while. Perhaps, you'd be better off reading a little more instead of pushing your standards off on others. I mean that in the nicest way possible.

okay, so this person has a BMI of 18.48, technically UNDERweight. She's eating 1300 calories MAX and not eating back her exercise calories. She said this explicitly. She knows from experience that 1000 calories = smaller, so she's done the starvation diet thing. She claims to be underweight her whole life BUT she counts her calories and has done so for a long time? Seems unnaturally underweight to me and attempting to justify it.

Then the response to that is "you're doing fine hun, keep it up"....now how is she doing fine? She's already said she's basically starved herself with 1000 calories a day..."1000 calories and I get smaller." she is borderline underweight. She eats a weight loss amount and doesn't eat back her calories even though she exercises for 30 minutes a day (so burning an extra 200-300 on top of her BMR). How is this okay? She is making no effort of eating how many calories her body requires. Seems like an unhealthy lifestyle to me.

I've read this whole thread, and I have to agree that people telling this girl that she's doing fine eating 1000 calories a day and not eating back her exercise calories (meaning she's only NETTING about 700-800 calories a day) is bad advice. She's not technically anorexic, but encouraging this behavior could lead to that. Her BMI is at the upper end of UNDERweight, which means it would only take a gain of a few pounds to be back in the healthy range. Anorexics are in danger of organ failure due to insufficient fuel to keep those organs functioning. My niece went through a time a couple of years ago where she developed a phobia of swallowing. She was terrified she would choke to death if she swallowed food. She ended up in the hospital working with a psychologist. The insurance paid for it because after only a few weeks of this, she was dangerously malnourished. They had to do some intense work with her to get her over her fear. Thankfully, she did conquer it and is back to a healthy weight now, but if she hadn't, she could have eventually died from it. Being seriously underweight can be just as dangerous to your health as being obese; the health issues each causes may be different, but the end result can be the same.

I don't question the motives of the OP; I think she was genuinely concerned. If she wasn't, she wouldn't have bothered to post in the first place. She also stated that she works with people with eating disorders, and I'm sure it's very frustrating to her to see people giving unhealthy advice because she sees the aftereffects of that unhealthy advice.

I did some BMI calculations, and my ideal weight range is between 107 and 145. 107 is completely unrealistic for me. I'm aiming for 135-140, allowing for some slight fluctuations in weight while still remaining in the healthy range. If I get to 140 and I feel like I need to lose a little more, I'll address that then. But I have a feeling after a lifetime of being 50-70 pounds overweight, I will be thrilled with 140! I'm sure I'll have to experiment at that time with what my maintenance intake will be, but hopefully by then I will have developed a habit of healthier eating and I won't have to count every bite I put in my mouth. I'm hoping maintenance will be about 1800 or so. I'll always have to watch sugar and carbs due to my PCOS, but hopefully I will be able to eat what I want to, within reason, and not have to stress about it.

OP, I know you've kind of been slammed for expressing your thoughts, but I appreciate it. I've not really run into anyone such as the person you mentioned (must be reading the wrong threads), but those folks are walking a dangerous path and they need someone to tell them the truth. Don't stop doing that, even when people slam you. It's like the people pushing the HCG diet...yikes! I always speak up about that one because it seems SO dangerous. If they don't like me for it, so be it.

thank you so so so much for saying this. I was starting to think that EVERYONE thought I was completely wrong for seeing it the way I did. I don't know that poster's history but it does frighten me when I see things like that because it is a slippery slope to be on the verge of underweight and eating that way to being full blown underweight and headed into ED territory. People don't usually plan to become anorexic, it happens when they allow unhealthy behaviors to go unchecked. So again, thank you for being supportive of my intentions. It seems better to be quiet and watch from a distance though.

love4fitnesslove4food_wechange

Oh brother....

I don't even need to tell you what you sound like. a whole 8 posts under your belt and you're attacking me for how long i've been posting. Most people don't run around screaming "hey, I'm headed for an eating disorder...please help!" Sorry, doesn't work like that. Help is usually unsolicited in those cases.

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