Kind of scary...those who don't need to lose.

I agree. A lot of the people I see mainly just need to maintain. They look awesome!

Hmm maybe they just want to tone their bodies. Perhaps their goal should be to gain a bit of muscle c:
I know a lot of thin unhealthy people. It's fine to count calories and all but maybe not be obsessed with losing so many.

I was browsing profiles the other day and a female had the following quote; "I love my 10 year old boy body". I realize she was trying to be humorous but it kind of creeped me out.

I think a lot of people here put up older pictures as motivation. And, I don't know about you, but I use pictures that make me look thinner than I really am.

I have just about reached my goal of 100 pounds.. I am at 98.6! However, it has been such hard work I bet that I will be logging my calories for a while so I can make sure I don't regain....

After looking through some of the profiles I have noticed some seemingly thin and healthy looking people who still have a goal of losing up to 20 pounds or more. No one needs to be able to count your ribs or vertebrae just by looking at you. That is kind of scary. Maybe everyone should send those people messages and tell them how good they look already??

Are you going solely on profile pictures? As others have already stated, these pictures might be old, etc. Unless you know someone's height, you can't judge.

I think a lot of people here put up older pictures as motivation.

^^this and a lot of people use pictures they find online of thin celeb's and other people as a motiviational tool

I'm thin (now) but my profile still shows me as losing.... where I'm only attempting to stay within nutritional levels. As far as the "10 year old boy body" - that's where I am and can't say that I love it but I have no chest and so there has to be some humor there insanity would set in - men / boys are cruel.

After looking through some of the profiles I have noticed some seemingly thin and healthy looking people who still have a goal of losing up to 20 pounds or more. No one needs to be able to count your ribs or vertebrae just by looking at you. That is kind of scary. Maybe everyone should send those people messages and tell them how good they look already??

I completely agree! We are here to be healthy or to work towards being healthier. My goal is to maintain, this site helps me see past meal choices and remember how they made me feel or what they made my body look like.

Hmmm. If you saw my picture and my weight loss goal, you might say I am one of these people. My BMI is fine and I'm not someone you would describe as being overweight. However, since getting married almost a year ago, both my husband and I quickly piled on 20 pounds each. All of a sudden, clothes didn't fit, we weren't working out, and going out to eat was a 4-night per week venture at easily $60 per outing. We realized we had to do something or the pounds would continue to creep up on us. We joined myfitness pal together. In the last two months, we both have dropped 10 or so pounds, we are making healthier food choices, we are working out at least four days each week, and to put this icing on this sugar-free cake, we have saved over $180 per week! Our goal is to get back down to the original weight then continue on the program at a calorie/exercise level that will allow us to maintain it long term. We are holding each other accountable and having a great time doing it. I think MFP is for EVERYONE! As much as there will always be overweight people who don't take care of their health, there will also be the opposite end of the spectrum in the skinnies who are also unhealthy. I think the best we can do is put positive messages out there and hope they will realize they can do this the right way for the right reasons. :flowerforyou:

You also have to remember there are a lot of people out there with eating disorders, too. That might be some of what you're seeing (though not all, of course). It's unfortunate to see, but it's a mental illness and they really can't help it without therapy, which isn't always easily available. I see nothing wrong with sending a message telling them they look good, though As long as it's not preachy or anything.

Yes, there are unhealthy targets on here, but the range of what is considered healthy is wide too

You have to keep in mind frame size as well. If you are a larger frame size, you will be at the higher end of the range when it comes to ideal weight. Vice versa for small frames.

Assuming the photos are current:

I am concerned about the younger women here who are almost as thin as I was in high school. My own sister said I looked anorexic at 16. I thought I looked fine but when I dug up pics of me then and 15 lbs. heavier in college, I realized she was right. I was not at a healthy weight at all. I ate much healthier in college, too. I was 115, then 126 at 5'4 ish. I looked and felt better at 126-130.

The beginning of my range is 111 lbs. If I even try to go that low, I will be sick. (I am a medium frame, so you wouldn't think it would be that bad for me at the outset.) It is my fear that these young ladies will also be making themselves sick by expecting too much from their bodies. Some of them are downright georgeous as it is. To be too thin may take away some of their beauty.

I can see these young women using MFP to get toned up and make sure they are eating healthy, but I don't think weight loss should be a goal if they are a healthy weight.

I really don't think it's anyone's place to judge someone for wanting to lose more weight in a healthy manner. I want to lose more weight to be at the level of fitness I find appealing for me. To each his own right? But I do recognize that there is a fine line... when people start crossing into the underweight and obsessive zone.

If I take what I read on here seriously I would be constantly writing snarky remarks and making myself nuts. I take it all with a tub of salt. However, I tend to agree with what you are saying. Just a general observation but I see many eating disorders either in full progress or starting. I see a huge amount of unhealthy behavior and more misinformation than wiccipedia.

However, I will not allow myself to judge others. I will offer my support for those who want it and are doing what they can to be healthy. The rest i do my best to simply ignore. There are many people on here who have obvious mental health issues but I am not here to help them. I am here to help myself.

Enjoy life, be kind to those that deserve it and be healthy.

I question the authenticity of a lot of profile pictures

I actually look like Jackie Gleason.