I'm... Underweight?

tigerjade
tigerjade Posts: 5
edited September 29 in Health and Weight Loss
Hey everyone! I've been using myfitnesspal for a little over a month and my goal was to burn a bit of post-college-finals stressed-induced stomach fat and tighten up my abs for a beach-ready body :). For all the calorie counting, I used 98lbs as my weight, since that is what I weighed when I went to the doctor two years ago. I don't have a scale and haven't measured my weight ever since because weight wasn't a big thing to me, I just wanted to tone up.

Today I finally bought a scale and it read that I weighed 90.8lbs, and at a height of 5'0', that puts me at a bmi of 17.7! Should I be concerned about this?

I'm not sure quite what to do now, since I still don't have the beach body I want, but I don't want to be underweight either?

Replies

  • Fayve
    Fayve Posts: 406 Member
    Wow, that's really really light. I would think that weight training might be the thing you're looking for in order to achieve the "beach body" you want. Often times this involves putting on 5-10 lbs of muscle (in your case, maybe more? maybe not?).
  • Kelly_Wilson1990
    Kelly_Wilson1990 Posts: 3,245 Member
    Just do some toning exercises.
  • sarahbeth17
    sarahbeth17 Posts: 100 Member
    I would talk to your dr about it but sounds like you could gain some muscle weight and that would help lose the fat and you can weigh more. If you have a small frame then you might be at or around a good weight, best way to know is get a physical!
  • skinnyhopes
    skinnyhopes Posts: 402 Member
    BMI is stupid.
    As long as you don't look unhealthy, it would be a good weight for you.
  • whiskyzee
    whiskyzee Posts: 102 Member
    I'm gonna vote for asking a dr. on this one. If it's been 2 years since your last check-up, you're probably due for a physical anyway. S/he could also refer you to a nutritionist, who could really help you pick the foods that would help you tone up in a healthy way. Best of luck!
  • kaitimae
    kaitimae Posts: 727 Member
    I would be concerned - and I can tell just by the fact that you posted and asked about it that you are!

    I really don't think fat loss will help you get the beach body you want - but I do think you can get it by doing some strength training! Do you have a gym? If you do, you could ask one of the employees or trainers there how best to build muscle. You will probably also want to up your calories, and make sure you are eating plenty of protein. (I would even go over what MFP recommends for protein - I do all the time!)

    Building muscle will help you get the body you want, as well as help you gain weight - in a healthy way!
  • nicothepotato
    nicothepotato Posts: 306 Member
    Put yourself in maintenance and up your protein. Start doing strength workouts. If you are that tiny and still feel flabby, then you are just lacking muscles.
  • EuroDriver
    EuroDriver Posts: 254
    Haah i could use u for my workouts! Shoulder press, bicept curls, will have to feed u a little for bench press, squats n deadlifts
  • heathersmilez
    heathersmilez Posts: 2,579 Member
    this_thread_is_worthless_without_pics.gif
  • kassandra1717
    kassandra1717 Posts: 82 Member
    Try to eat the recommended amount of cals for your height and weight but just up them a tad and stop doing cardio and start lifting weights.. Don't do "toning exercises" its a waste of time, do weight that are heavy enough that you can only do 8 to 10 reps. If you want results you have to lift heavy enough weight to push your muscles to grow. While your doing that its important to eat your exercise calories back so your body has enough cals so you can grow muscle properly and as fast as your body can. I've been working out my whole life and just a few months ago i decided to lift heavy and i'm ACTUALLY getting results now. Its really works give it a try. Also get a set routine and stick to it for a month then change it. If your doing something different every single time your not gonna see much improvement. I hope this helps
  • mamagooskie
    mamagooskie Posts: 2,964 Member
    I'd work on building muscle and toning up. You will put on weight in lbs but will get thinner in inches.
  • christinathompson1
    christinathompson1 Posts: 144 Member
    YES!! that's too skinny! on MFP you can set it too GAIN weight, you will gain it in all the right areas, you should gain at least 10 more pounds. being underweight has a lot of risks too as well as being obese. anything under the bmi of 18.0 is very underweight.
  • 4KidFather
    4KidFather Posts: 134
    Hmmm, I was scrawny and underweight for years. (so are my kids). Interestingly when I moved to America i was considered EXTREMELY underweight LOL!!!
    If you are healthy -GREAT forget the BMI that is DESIGNED for overweight patients anyways.
    Want your Beachbody on? Sooo you want some lean muscle I guess? Lift heavy and eat enough protein AND Calories.
    It's tough to tell without pics and a food log. You can check my profile pictures out, there's a before and after pic their when I wanted the same thing :)
    You can get it - myfitnesspal can help
  • EuroDriver
    EuroDriver Posts: 254
    Yes BMI is bull****... Friend of mine.. 6'0 245lbs... Considered high BMI obese.. His is ripped! Pure muscle....
  • EuroDriver
    EuroDriver Posts: 254
    Try to eat the recommended amount of cals for your height and weight but just up them a tad and stop doing cardio and start lifting weights.. Don't do "toning exercises" its a waste of time, do weight that are heavy enough that you can only do 8 to 10 reps. If you want results you have to lift heavy enough weight to push your muscles to grow. While your doing that its important to eat your exercise calories back so your body has enough cals so you can grow muscle properly and as fast as your body can. I've been working out my whole life and just a few months ago i decided to lift heavy and i'm ACTUALLY getting results now. Its really works give it a try. Also get a set routine and stick to it for a month then change it. If your doing something different every single time your not gonna see much improvement. I hope this helps

    Exactly this!!! Best advice!
  • tigerjade
    tigerjade Posts: 5
    Thanks for the input, everyone!

    LOL I thought my food diary was already set to public? Ah, well friend me to see it if any body wants. I have a nasty penchant for sweets and endulge in ice cream, cookies, and cupcakes frequently :X. There's also a lot of frozen/processed/easy to make items because I'm a college student and just don't have the time to cook everything from scratch... Which is why I'm a bit in disbelief at the scale. Perhaps it is broken, but I highly doubt that's the case, lol.

    I also don't feel underweight - I am often fatigued and tired, but I've always attributed it to stress and not getting enough sleep from college. Otherwise, I feel fine whenever I'm not busy with schoolwork.
  • cowlover22
    cowlover22 Posts: 309 Member
    Drink some protein shakes and do some weight lifting. Prob need more cals
  • kklindsey
    kklindsey Posts: 382 Member
    Haah i could use u for my workouts! Shoulder press, bicept curls, will have to feed u a little for bench press, squats n deadlifts

    I was thinking the same thing. I could bench press her and squat her for sure. When I was lifting heavy at my peak I could squat 140, my own weight. She would be a breeze to squat. 100bls is the most I could bench so I would have to lock her into the Smith Machine for safety's sake.

    Seriously though, sounds like you need to lift weights. If you are underweight and not happy with the way you look then you want to tone and add muscle.
  • stefv86
    stefv86 Posts: 60
    My 7 year old niece weights 90 pounds...

    (granted, she's overweight, but she's tall, so she's not one of those faaaat kids you see...)

    Anyway
    That seems really light. I'm right around your height, at 5'2", and I've read that I'm healthy between 110 and 135.
  • i_love_vinegar
    i_love_vinegar Posts: 2,092 Member
    it sounds fine to me. As long as you look healthy, and feel healthy. You may just be naturally small boned. I'm 4'9" now, but I used to be 4'11" and at 4'11" I could easily go to around 93 pounds without a problem.

    I know how it is to be short lol...you are probably more petite in many aspects than taller people (ex. shorter people TEND to have less of a waist, smaller boobs, smaller butt, smaller everything lol)...
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