How skinny is too skinny?

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frosty73
frosty73 Posts: 424 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
It seems everyone who has lost weight has had someone tell them "You're getting too skinny" or "Don't lose any more weight." I have seen some women who look downright anorexic, in my opinion. So my question is, how skinny is too skinny?
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Replies

  • anybeary
    anybeary Posts: 188 Member
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    My thoughts on this are that what you should be trying to acheive is a healthy body mass index number for your age and height. If you're within a healthy range and YOU like the way you look, that's what really matters. My boyfriend is always saying things like, "I love you the way you are!" and "I'd love you if you were 400 pounds!". That's sweet, babe, but I sure wouldn't love me! Ha! And looking in the mirror, I feel like I need to lose 20 more pounds, but fortunately, that puts me at an ideal BMI.
  • kayleesays
    kayleesays Posts: 564 Member
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    When I can see all of your bones through your skin because there's no muscle over them.
  • skywa
    skywa Posts: 901 Member
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    when you reach the point of being unhealthy.

    if your a woman, and you've lost your period and your skin/hair is drying out. you have an issue. xP

    i think different weights and body types are healthy on different ppl. so i think that as long as your healthy and feel good it shouldnt matter. but the things i mentioned above are signs your body fat is too low. >~<
  • SergeantSunshine_reused
    SergeantSunshine_reused Posts: 5,382 Member
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    When you are having health problems from being underweight. Otherwise I think it is no ones business
  • Natihilator
    Natihilator Posts: 1,778 Member
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    I think being too skinny could also be how you feel, and not look. Weak and tired, irritable, always hungry, on top of being at a very low weight? Too skinny.
  • shaydon80
    shaydon80 Posts: 138 Member
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    I get this all the time and it pisses me off! I've lost 80lbs in the last 14 months in a healthy way and I want to lose a few more pounds for me. As it stands I'm within the healthy range on the BMI but JUST barely! How can that possibly be too skinny? it's pretty annoying. My goal from the get go was to be healthy. I am but I'd like to be able to step on any scale wearing anything at any time of day and still be within the healthy range on the BMI for my age and MY height. Is it really any of anyone else's business?
  • jadedone
    jadedone Posts: 2,449 Member
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    I think too skinny:

    More bones, less muscle
    You don't feel healthy and energetic
    Your skin seems dull and sallow
  • saragato
    saragato Posts: 1,154
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    When I can see all of your bones through your skin because there's no muscle over them.

    Basically this. When you've lost so much muscle mass and anything that could hide the shape of your actual bones through your sallow skin, then you've become too skinny. When your hair and teeth are falling out, you can barely move, and your internal organs are bordering on complete shut down, you're too skinny.

    I've seen women who are alarmingly (to me) thin and they have a clean bill of health. Some people are naturally that thin or can maintain the weight and be healthy, but often times the ones that start to look like they've wasted away are the ones who are addicted to drugs, maybe they live on the street, or have an extreme case of an ED. And those are the women that are too skinny.
  • BigDaddyBRC
    BigDaddyBRC Posts: 2,395 Member
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    When you are having health problems from being underweight. Otherwise I think it is no ones business

    Agreed
  • radscorpion
    radscorpion Posts: 55
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    When you are having health problems from being underweight. Otherwise I think it is no ones business
    Totally agree with this.
  • HeidiMightyRawr
    HeidiMightyRawr Posts: 3,343 Member
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    When you become unhealthy. The main indicators of what I think would be "too skinny" is bones protruding and periods stopping in women.
  • warmachinejt
    warmachinejt Posts: 2,167 Member
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    when my arms aren't 16 inches :\
  • Bentley2718
    Bentley2718 Posts: 1,690 Member
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    When you've lost so much muscle mass and anything that could hide the shape of your actual bones through your sallow skin, then you've become too skinny. When your hair and teeth are falling out, you can barely move, and your internal organs are bordering on complete shut down, you're too skinny.

    If you've gotten to this point, you've probably been underweight for a while, or else very actively starving yourself. I'd say you hit unhealthy (and hence too skinny) well before your teeth start falling out and your organs start shutting down. That said, the healthy BMI range for most people is pretty broad, I'm 5'7, and my "healthy weight range" is something like 118-158, that's a 40 pound range--in other words, there is a lot of leeway. There are also individual factors, at one point, I wasn't nearly underweight based on my BMI, but to get to that point I basically had to starve myself and do a ton of cardio, that was not healthy, even if my teeth weren't falling out. I'd say if you're able to eat a healthy diet, feel good, and your doctor is okay with where you're at, you're probably doing okay.
  • lunalulu2
    lunalulu2 Posts: 63 Member
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    This is an interesting topic for me. I have lost 80lbs and I often have people tell me I am too thin. It has made me wonder if I am actually too thin. It is difficult because I do not see thin when I look in the mirror. You can see some of my bones but you can also see my muscles.

    I will say that I think part of it is people get used to seeing you heavy so after dramatic weight loss it is hard for them to adjust to you being smaller.

    I try to remind myself that I eat upwards of 2300 calories per day and feel good so its not like I am withering away but it does get annoying hearing people saying "you are too skinny" over and over.
  • SergeantSunshine_reused
    SergeantSunshine_reused Posts: 5,382 Member
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    I will say that I think part of it is people get used to seeing you heavy so after dramatic weight loss it is hard for them to adjust to you being smaller.

    Certainly agree with this. I eat about 1800 calories a day with no cardio to lose, and I have been accused of starving myself.
  • dmpizza
    dmpizza Posts: 3,321 Member
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    Your butt always hurts when you sit down.
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
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    If you need to eat in an unhealthy manner to get and stay that way.

    Someone can be technically a normal weight, but if they need to eat at near starvation levels to stay at that weight, it's not a healthy weight for them as an individual.
  • lunalulu2
    lunalulu2 Posts: 63 Member
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    If you need to eat in an unhealthy manner to get and stay that way.

    Someone can be technically a normal weight, but if they need to eat at near starvation levels to stay at that weight, it's not a healthy weight for them as an individual.

    Do you think this also applies the other way? If I am eating 2300+ calories per day with 1-1.5hours of exercise (mixture of strength and cardio) and maintaining that my weight is probably not too low?
  • Kebby83
    Kebby83 Posts: 232 Member
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    I've had people call me skinny lately. XD
    Very happy with that (I'm not skinny - I am 169lb and 5foot5 and have flabby mommy tummy like you wouldn't believe) because they saw me before I lost this weight and they are telling me in a way that they understand that I'm lookin' good.

    I say people should lose what they feel comfortable losing. I mean - unless you are anorexic or obsessed you will be ok.
  • iuew
    iuew Posts: 624 Member
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    people who knew me as obese sometimes make comments. however, my BMI is 22, and that's well within normal.

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