Too skinny?

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melisha922
melisha922 Posts: 19 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm sort of the "all or nothing" type- meaning if I decide to do something, I go for it. I may not get there right away but I'm pretty persistent. That quality has its good points. For instance, I owe my current academic progress to it (I'm a doctoral student). However, it also has major downsides. I injured my shoulder and both my knees because I continually over stressed my body playing sports in high-school. Knowing that I have a tendency to take things too far, I thought I'd ask- how skinny is too skinny?

Let me give you some background. I come from a family, on my dad's side, where skinny (and small) is important. My grandma told me I looked like I was gaining weight when I was in high-school. She is about 5 feet tall and weighs around 95lbs. I, at the time, was 5ft 4in and was around 100lbs. I started starvation dieting in high-school mostly because of stress but partially to keep myself from gaining any weight- even healthy weight.

Fast forward to today. I started MFP because I wanted to lose some weight. I was 134ish pounds when I started and I didn't like that I had been slowly putting on the pounds. I wasn't overweight but that's how it starts. Today, I weigh 124lbs (yay) and am looking to get down to 120. According to my BMI calculator, that still solidly puts me in the healthy range (I am 5ft 6in).

However, I know that the BMI covers a wide range of weights as "healthy." I want to be healthy. I have a chronic illness and a big reason why I'm using MFP is to include food/weight in my treatment process (I'm also working on eating healthier foods and increasing my exercise). So I want to ask, how do you determine what weight is healthy?

Replies

  • DanaDark
    DanaDark Posts: 2,187 Member
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    I think that anyone that suffers from any illness should actually choose to have a few extra pounds as back up. Basically, if you get really skinny and thin, and an illness comes for the worst, you won't have sufficient energy stores to put up your best fight. This is actually a contributing factor to the fact that people that are just barely slightly over weight tend to live longer than those in the "healthy range".

    Overall, it is up to the individual to decide if a few extra pounds for emergency is worth it. Even a person without an illness can benefit from such a reserve... its sorta partially why we HAVE fat.

    For me, I will never ever advise anyone to do anything unhealthy, or suggest any vanity goals over health goals. That being said, it is still up to the individual to determine what level of body fat they should have on hand (well, hopefully not in the hands!) for whatever they feel is required in their lives.
  • BuffyEat2Live
    BuffyEat2Live Posts: 327 Member
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    I go by body frame and BMI. I have a medium frame, so I'm shooting for the middle of the healthy range for my age and height (119-154, I'm going for 135-140).

    I also just go by what "feels" right for me. I may get to 165 and decide that I look and feel pretty great at that weight. If that happens, I will go to a doctor and ask if that is a healthy weight for ME.

    If all else fails, go to your primary physician with this question.

    If that's not an option (I'm currently an uninsured United States citizen, so it's really not an option for me), try surfing the WebMD website, they are pretty top notch in my opinion

    Good luck to you! I have an eating disordered history, so I can relate to your starvation dieting past and not knowing what weight is best.
  • melisha922
    melisha922 Posts: 19 Member
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    First, thanks for the advice. I do have health insurance and my doctors are not concerned about my weight... at all. I got complimented the last time I stepped on a scale by the nurse. This is also not about vanity (or not primarily about vanity). I looked good at 134. I am mainly looking for how people determine their ideal weight. In other words, how did you decide how much to lose. Picked a number out of a hat? Asked your doctor? Looked in a mirror and said that looks good? Looked up the lastest supermodel weight/height ratios (jk!). I really don't want to just say I'm in the healthy BMI range so that's good enough... I want something a little more concrete. Like I said, I'm all or nothing. I guess what I really want is an equation that tells you- this is what you should weigh, this is how much fat you should have, and this is how much you should eat. I know, impossible, but any advice is appreciated.
  • babesintow
    babesintow Posts: 59
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    Wow...I am a little concerned actually. I am also 5ft 6in...and my doctor doesn't want me to lose much more and I am at 148 right now...I was told not to drop below 135. You didn't mention your age but I am 39 and I am pushing to lose my weight before menopause sets in and packs on that 10 or 15 pounds everyone talks about. I want to be ahead of the curve!
    Keep in mind doctors are human and they spend very little time with us until we are sick. I have heard outrageous claims on here before where doctors are recommending thin people lose more weight...so get a second opinion. If you are really concerned set up an appointment with a dietician.

    Guidelines may be more helpful for you...
    First how do you feel?
    Are you hungry, worn down, getting sick easier than before? If you say yes to any of that...you are too thin!
    Are you strong?
    Are you constantly needing help lifting ordinary things, get winded...or can't keep up with others your age...if you say yes to any of that ...again your are too thin!
    Are you healthy?
    Does your hair shine, skin glow and are your nails strong? These are sings of overall health that are easy to see...
    Are you sharp?
    Has it become more difficult to think and remember things? Is so, you are starving your brain of nutrients it needs to function
    Is it harder to lose weight?
    The closer you get to your body's natural weight the harder it will be...everyone talks about that last 10 pounds for a reason.

    Given what you said about comments made growing up looking in the mirror may not be trustworthy source. But if you feel like you can see yourself honestly... look at yourself as though it was a stranger and decide what criticism would you give that person. We are often are too hard on ourselves.

    My scale is only one way that I measure myself, it is more important that I am healthy and strong. As I say...I want to stop jiggling when I stop giggling
  • DanaDark
    DanaDark Posts: 2,187 Member
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    I determined my weight loss goals based on my goal body fat percentage.

    Started MFP with 21%, I want to get to 8%, where I will then switch to a calorie surplus and increase my weight lifting to build muscle. Once my body fat percent is at 15% from doing this, I will switch back to weight loss and get down to 8% again. Rinse and repeat until I have about 130/135 pounds of lean body mass.

    In the end, I plan to weigh MORE than I did starting MFP. But significantly less body fat and more muscle.
  • 3foldchord
    3foldchord Posts: 2,918 Member
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    I agree- having a chronic illness is a reason to not be at the low end of healthy weight- to hang in the mid range of healthy weight.
    **I have a chronic illness too (a latent virus and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and hypoglycemia). I am 5'6.5" . I have 135# as my goal. I started here 11 days ago weighing 144# - which my doctors have all told me was a good weight for me. (but so is 135#)
    BUT My Main goal for being here is know what I eat, and make sure I am making good choices. And to be accountable to exercise enough without making myself sick. (I have to llimit exercise becaus of the CFS andd latent virus... and sometimes the Hypoglycemia requires a few extra meals-- so I want to f ind a balance in food and exrcise)
  • melisha922
    melisha922 Posts: 19 Member
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    Hmmm. The body fat calculations seem like another way to look at this. Very helpful! I will look into that more. As to babesintow's concerns. Thank you for taking the time to be worried about me. You're very sweet! Because of my illness, I do suffer from some of the things you mentioned- but that is normal for someone with my issues. Beyond that, I actually need to be light for my illness. Not too light, of course, but any extra weight makes it harder for me to control my symptoms. OK. I think my new plan of action is to continue forward with my weight loss and start implementing more muscle building exercises. This may add on some weight but if I weigh around 125 and have a low body fat percentage, I'll be very, very happy with that. Thanks for all the concern and tips! Any others?
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
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    I'm 5'5 and currently 135-ish, but I'm "thinner" (wearing smaller clothes) than I did ten years ago when I was about 120 pounds. This time, I have a good chunk of muscle mass, eat a LOT, and exercise regularly (running and lifting). Then, I lost weight because I had a jaw joint problem and couldn't eat normally.
  • rahrahrita
    rahrahrita Posts: 225 Member
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    I'm 5'6" and I weigh 125 right now (in my default picture I weighed around 134) and I want to lose a few more pounds, so I can understand if you want to lose a couple more pounds because I'm around your height/weight. Check your body fat percent, I think that's the best indicator on whether or not you're 'too skinny.'

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