When is thin TOO thin?

i think when your period stops that definitely too thin
and if you can see the bones on your chest. that just freaks me out

Perhaps you should talk to your doctor? I have had family tell me to gain weight but they have a very warped view of what is "thin." I fall right in the middle of my healthy weight range for my height, eat plenty of food and am super healthy. My doctor said I am doing great so I ignore those people. If you are concerned, I would definitely speak to your doctor. They can help you determine what a healthy weight would be for you.

i go by BMI, as i'm not a bodybuilder. mine is in the 22 range. under 18 would be considered too thin by the BMI scale.

some people who knew me as heavy have given me the "too thin" comment. some even said that before i got my BMI below 25 and into the normal range. however, people who meet me don't think anything of it.

I am glad you are going to follow your doctor's advice to gain weight - from the numbers you report, it sounds like you might be on the unhealthy/too thin end of the BMI scale. Good for you for making a positive decision about your health.

I think it's important to pay attention to your bmi if your thin. It's not a good thing to look at when you have a good bit of muscle but as far as telling you if your underweight it is. Once I hit the underweight category years ago, thats when all the problems started to occur. Lost my period for a while, bad circulation in fingers and toes, always cold, sickly looking in pictures..

I used to be too thin. I was very active and didn't have much of an appetite. Now, I'm still small, but I'm not too thin. And I loooove my curves. Nothing sexier than a round butt, full boobies and a lil padding on the hips. Men like curves. Women seem to favor looking like sticks. I try to stay sexy for my husband. And sexy for me is 130 lbs, not 110, he prefers me that way. I went down to 118 last year, and he just wanted me to keep exercising, but eat for god's sake. But thats just me. If your not healthy, or if your bmi is 18 or lower. Your too thin. You are setting yourself up for health problems. I have never felt sexier, healthier or happier. Fit is beautiful, being a bag of bones is not fit nor is it beautiful. If you are naturally skinny, just wait until you are 30, you should put on some weight.

My advice is....Make sure you are eating enough for your bmr and activity level, and take advantage of your small build. Lift weights, you will never ever bulk up ( small boned people rarely do) But your natural low body fat self will look hot, no cutting needed! Cook, learn to love food. Be grateful for your high metabolism and natural petiteness. And yes, if you don't get your period, your too thin. Unless you are training for the olympics, examine your lifestyle and eat more healthy foods.

i think when you start seeing bones that are normally covered up...like your ribs from your back, your sternum/rib cage above your nipple area...when your cheeks looks sunken in and normal things like walking around or getting out of bed seems like a lot.

when you lose that *healthy beautiful glow* people have when they are healthy. and when your hair starts falling out and your period stops. i havent had my period in over a year but i am not thin whatsoever i think its just a low body fat thing because my muscles make me look big.

Something important that no one has mentioned is that you need to ignore your dance teachers.

I spent 16 years as a ballerina, and when you get the the competitive end of things, Anorexia and Bulimia become an almost enforced lifestyle. I remember teachers walking through our ballet summer camp and removing everything from our lunch boxes except one piece of fruit or lean meat.

A friend of mine, dancing with a company, put on 5lbs over Christmas, and her director told her she looked pregnant and gave her role to someone else.

These dance-culture behaviors need to STOP. They are unethical, cruel, and inhumane. So if anyone--teachers, directors, your fellow dancers--are daring or taunting you to stay below a healthy weight, please, please ignore them. This culture needs to change, and you will still have opportunities to dance professionally at a healthy body weight--I have many friends that had great careers with slender but healthy bodies.

It is a great step to be here, and your attitude sounds fantastic. Please keep it up! Feed your body--you will find your dance performance is enhanced with all the muscle and energy you can build!

The BMI scale was developed for statistical purposes in charting large groups- not meant (and shouldn't be) used to judge an individual's ideal weight, as height is just one of many factors... Science stuff aside, I love that MFP asks you if you want to lose, maintain, or GAIN weight. It just so happens in our society, most people want to LOSE weight. Many members of MFP are here to maintain or gain. When is fat TOO fat?
I applaud your effort to be healthy and to reach your personal ideal weight. However, this topic is misleading in my opinion. People come in all shapes and sizes.
But almost no one develops amenorrhea by accident except for athletes training at the pro level. I guess it's possible. I'd recommend talking to your GYN if your period doesn't come back after a 5- 10% body weight increase.
Good luck with the meal plan!

I know someone who got so thin she lost her breasts. She just had nubs. She still had her period though, or at least I assume so since she got pregnant shortly after that. She's still very thin, but forces herself to at least be withing the healthy range for BMI so no one talks to her about going to the hospital. It must be terrible to live this way.

In your opinion when is thin too thin? When you lose your period? When your friends and family start commenting on your thinness?
When your bmi is low? I am trying to gain weight because I am too thin. Some people might think its crazy to try to actually try to gain weight but appently I am too thin. What is your opinion on being too thin?

It's probably just as unhealthy as being "too overweight".

I know someone who got so thin she lost her breasts. She just had nubs. She still had her period though, or at least I assume so since she got pregnant shortly after that. She's still very thin, but forces herself to at least be withing the healthy range for BMI so no one talks to her about going to the hospital. It must be terrible to live this way.

Some women just have really small breasts. I had a friend when I was a kid whose mother basically had raised nipples, but she was a healthy weight.