My Dad days I'm too thin and should gain 5 lbs

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I'm 5'6 started at 140 lbs, now 130 lbs and 20% body fat. I'm eating 2100-2300 cals a day and losing 1-1.5 lbs a week. He says I'm too skinny now and shouldn't weigh less than 135 lbs. I also fainted yesterday at the grocery store and he had to come and pick me up, so he's kind of upset. He blames the diet and overwork. I fainted because I got some very upsetting news on my phone. My Dad's been skinny all his life. When he was young he clocked in at a natural 6' 140 lbs (he's now 60 and 170 lbs). What should I do? I want to get down to 125 lbs.

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  • susannamarie
    susannamarie Posts: 2,148 Member
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    OP: 1-1.5 lbs/week is far too rapid for someone with your activity level and current body fat level.

    You have posted earlier about feeling uncomfortable with your body, being thin and not being able to see it, feeling cold, weak, and hungry all the time, and now you have said you are fainting. You might not be too thin yet, but you are seriously undereating.

    As others have told you in your earlier threads, you need to up your calories more. If you cannot make yourself do it, you need to see a doctor, because chances are high that you're beginning to develop an eating disorder.
  • _Zardoz_
    _Zardoz_ Posts: 3,987 Member
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    Why 125 pounds? whats magic about that number. You are already within a normal weight range so if you are after a look maybe concentrate more on appropriate exercise to get that look. There comes a point when you are losing weight when you realise it's not the number on the scales that's important it's overall health. The numbers are a guide and should not be set in stone. If you're fainting I can understand why your Dad is concerned. A number is just that people who meet you wont think wow she's 125 pounds. If you are fainting I would go and see a doctor as there can be many causes.

    Good luck
  • sloth3toes
    sloth3toes Posts: 2,212 Member
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    You're losing weight too fast.

    As a rule of thumb, the following weekly targets would give a balance between minimizing these negative side effects and seeing a reasonable weekly weight loss:
    More than 75 lbs: 2 lbs/week
    40-75 lbs: 1.5 lbs/week
    10-40 lbs: 1 lb/week
    Less than 10 lbs: 0.5 lb/week

    You should up your calories until you are losing 1/2 lb per week. That's if you really need to lose another 5 lbs. Some of your other posts indicate you might have some other issues?
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,150 Member
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    Losing that much that quickly is ridiculous and unnecessary. It's not even a matter of skinny, its a matter of being healthy and if you're fainting, you are not healthy.
  • MelodyandBarbells
    MelodyandBarbells Posts: 7,725 Member
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    According to BMI calculations 125 is a healthy weight for your height. Personally I'd lose the weight and then transition to maintenance (five weeks max?). If you really fainted because of some bad news and don't have any other issues with your current weight and deficit I say finish the job and move on with your life. You're an adult and should decide for yourself what you want to weigh.
  • michelle_816
    michelle_816 Posts: 621 Member
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    I'm 5'6 started at 140 lbs, now 130 lbs and 20% body fat. I'm eating 2100-2300 cals a day and losing 1-1.5 lbs a week. He says I'm too skinny now and shouldn't weigh less than 135 lbs. I also fainted yesterday at the grocery store and he had to come and pick me up, so he's kind of upset. He blames the diet and overwork. I fainted because I got some very upsetting news on my phone. My Dad's been skinny all his life. When he was young he clocked in at a natural 6' 140 lbs (he's now 60 and 170 lbs). What should I do? I want to get down to 125 lbs.

    OP, are you exercising a lot, too, and not eating back any of those calories? I am genuinely curious because you said above that you eat 2100-2300 calories in a day. To me, that seems like a good amount of calories if you are not exercising excessively.
    I am eating only 1380 calories (actually more as I eat back my exercise calories, too), and I am set up to lose 1 to 1.5 lbs a week. I am shorter and weigh more than you too. So part of me is confused I guess that you are losing that much each week if you are eating as much as you are.
  • La5Vega5Girl
    La5Vega5Girl Posts: 709 Member
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    just curious but how old are you? if you are really young (and/or) if you live with your dad full time and he is concerned, maybe there is a reason for it. I know if my dad said something to me about my weight, I would listen because he very rarely mentions things like that to me, so for him to say something would mean that something might be wrong with what i'm doing. otherwise, if your dad picks on you all the time, the fainting really was about bad news, etc. then ignore him and weigh what you want.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    There's nothing wrong with 5'6" and 125 or 130. THAT is fine. But you're trying to lose too quickly at this point.
    You need to fuel your body, and aim for 0.5 lbs a week.

    How old are you? If you're still a teen you definitely need more calories.
  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
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    I'm 5'6 started at 140 lbs, now 130 lbs and 20% body fat. I'm eating 2100-2300 cals a day and losing 1-1.5 lbs a week.
    What are you doing to burn 2700-3000 calories a day? That's a lot for someone your size.
  • DWBalboa
    DWBalboa Posts: 37,255 Member
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    I would say always listen to your father, but then again I am a dad so take that with a grain of salt.
    What is your level of activity? Because if your eating 2100-2300 calories a day and that is not enough to sustain you; you must be highly active. Are you eating back most/all of your exercise calories? Your fainting could be due to many reasons, it could be related to your diet but there are to many reasons that could be the culprit. You should see your doctor on that and maybe talk to them about your diet, they may recommend talking to a nutritionist.
    Best wishes.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,626 Member
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    Your weight certainly doesn't sound unhealthy, but if people who love you are concerned about you and you're passing out, it might be time to stop and think about what her your eating is making you healthy or sick.

    Consider the idea of seeing the doctor. He can assure your dad that you are physically healthy (if, indeed, nothing is wrong) and can direct you to a nutritionist and maybe a therapist who specializes in eating disorders, so the therapist can figure out if you have one or not.

    You do not want to end up anorexic, so take steps now to be sure that you're okay.

    Good luck.