Underweight but healthy?

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  • lovethemgorillaz
    lovethemgorillaz Posts: 17 Member
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    I'd say only YOU know the real answer to your question. If you really do eat that many calories and are able to work out every day without feeling exhausted, and if you really don't have any medical problems - then you might be healthy even with a low weight. Just like some people might have a BMI over 25 and are technically overweight, but they are just muscular.

    Being honest with YOURSELF is the key!!

    I've dealt with an eating disorder for 15 years (and have been told this lasts one's entire life,) but I am confident that I am doing very well. The problem with asking other people who have NEVER had an ED if you are healthy, is that they will always tell you you are not. So what are you supposed to do? Stop working out? Start eating ice cream for dinner? No, you still have to stick to the same healthy fitness and nutrition code everyone else does, just watch out for...you know...those lies you tell yourself.

    That's my 2 cents...

    Wow, thank you for that. That definitely made me feel tons better, because I agree that you only know how it feels if you have had an ED yourself, no matter how severe it was. And congrats to you for being so incredibly strong! Really, that's quite an inspiration.
    I feel that I am much, much, much healthier than I've ever been (even before my ED). And, I mean, I'm right on the edge of underweight and healthy, so that's why it's questionable.
    But yes, personally I feel healthy.
  • kiminikimkim
    kiminikimkim Posts: 746 Member
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    NO, that is not possible.

    If your BMI falls below 18.5, your mortality rate is twice as high as the NORMAL BMI range.

    Therefore, you can't be underweight AND healthy. You just have a higher risk of dying. Overweight BMI have a mortality rate of 1.2 which means you can be overweight and healthy.

    You can find the article that explains the study in layman's terms here: http://www.xojane.com/issues/new-study-finds-being-fat-alone-does-not-make-you-more-likely-die

    The actual study conducted by the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine is found here: http://www.jabfm.org/content/25/4/422.full
  • lporter229
    lporter229 Posts: 4,907 Member
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    NO, that is not possible.

    If your BMI falls below 18.5, your mortality rate is twice as high as the NORMAL BMI range.

    Therefore, you can't be underweight AND healthy. You just have a higher risk of dying. Overweight BMI have a mortality rate of 1.2 which means you can be overweight and healthy.

    To draw this conclusion based on the findings of this study is absurd. The study merely surveyed 50, 00 or so people from the ages of 18-90 and grouped them according to BMI. Then they counted how many of them died within the next 5 years (less than 2000 of them, so your are talking about less than 5% mortality rate among all respondents). There was no discussion of how the respondents were distributed with regard to age and it did not account for illnesses or other medical conditions. For example, a respondent with cancer is likely to have a low BMI and is also has an increased chance of mortality. I read both articles in your links and there is nothing in there that would lead me to conclude that a person who is underweight can not be healthy.
  • missym357
    missym357 Posts: 210 Member
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    I have been slightly underweight or on the edge of underweight most of my life. As a person who has never had an eating disorder, I think being a little underweight doesn't automatically mean you are unhealthy. I am right on that bmi edge where if it's that time of the month I am +4 lbs and am above 18.5 and if I am carrying less water weight 2 weeks later I may hit below a bmi of 18.5. You can't tell me my health status is any different. I also eat plenty of calories (1800-2000+), I have an outrageously high HLD level, rarely get sick, have plenty of energy, managed to have 2 kids and one was more than 9lbs at birth, breastfeed, etc. I don't know how anyone could call me unhealthy. BUT, as a person recovering from an eating disorder, I think you have to be very careful that your body fully recovers- which means making sure you have enough muscle and bodyfat for optimal functioning. And not only that, but make sure you are not stuck on a number and slipping into old behaviors.
  • lovethemgorillaz
    lovethemgorillaz Posts: 17 Member
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    NO, that is not possible.

    If your BMI falls below 18.5, your mortality rate is twice as high as the NORMAL BMI range.

    Therefore, you can't be underweight AND healthy. You just have a higher risk of dying. Overweight BMI have a mortality rate of 1.2 which means you can be overweight and healthy.

    To draw this conclusion based on the findings of this study is absurd. The study merely surveyed 50, 00 or so people from the ages of 18-90 and grouped them according to BMI. Then they counted how many of them died within the next 5 years (less than 2000 of them, so your are talking about less than 5% mortality rate among all respondents). There was no discussion of how the respondents were distributed with regard to age and it did not account for illnesses or other medical conditions. For example, a respondent with cancer is likely to have a low BMI and is also has an increased chance of mortality. I read both articles in your links and there is nothing in there that would lead me to conclude that a person who is underweight can not be healthy.

    Right on.
  • warmachinejt
    warmachinejt Posts: 2,167 Member
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    I think I already know the answer to this question, but I'm curious what others think:

    I am slightly underweight (5 ft tall & 89 lbs). I am a vegan, but I eat extremely healthily and meet my caloric & nutritional requirements everyday as well as taking my vitamins. I exercise about 5 times a week, and I do yoga on a daily basis. I'm also very toned and do, in fact, have lean, healthy muscles and little fat. I do not have any medical problems except for anemia which is genetic and because of an unbalanced vegetarian diet a few years ago (I know take iron supplements and B-Complex supplements as directed by my doctor).

    So knowing all of this, is it safe to say that I am healthy despite the scale saying I'm not?
    I'm underweight too! I am 5' 9" 145lbs at peak and i have some muscle. Without the muscle i would be like 130 something lbs. However I eat 2200 calories a day and i lift very intensely. I even am underweight when i mess up and gain a couple of lbs from fat lol
  • lovethemgorillaz
    lovethemgorillaz Posts: 17 Member
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    I have been slightly underweight or on the edge of underweight most of my life. As a person who has never had an eating disorder, I think being a little underweight doesn't automatically mean you are unhealthy. I am right on that bmi edge where if it's that time of the month I am +4 lbs and am above 18.5 and if I am carrying less water weight 2 weeks later I may hit below a bmi of 18.5. You can't tell me my health status is any different. I also eat plenty of calories (1800-2000+), I have an outrageously high HLD level, rarely get sick, have plenty of energy, managed to have 2 kids and one was more than 9lbs at birth, breastfeed, etc. I don't know how anyone could call me unhealthy. BUT, as a person recovering from an eating disorder, I think you have to be very careful that your body fully recovers- which means making sure you have enough muscle and bodyfat for optimal functioning. And not only that, but make sure you are not stuck on a number and slipping into old behaviors.

    Thank you for taking the time to write this; It was very informative. When I look in the mirror now, I like what I see, and I want to stay the way I am and continue eating healthily and being in shape whether that be at my 89-90 lbs or a "healthy" 94 lbs.
  • graelwyn
    graelwyn Posts: 1,340 Member
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    Forget the scale and focus on reaching optimum health, and getting enough calories to cover all your activities. I would say that you should be having more than 1600-1800, more like 2000-2200 everyday, given your exercise and then just see where your weight settles naturally. You would likely still only be at the mimumum for a healthy bmi anyway so I don't think you need to worry there. I personally aim to keep my weight just on that point without falling into underweight territory as it really can mess up your metabolism and hormone balance if you are underweight from unnatural means, in my opinion, ie, if you are not naturally that weight when eating a healthy, adequate and balanced diet.

    I eat between 2000 and 3000 calories a day to maintain with my exercise, at the bottom of the healthy BMI for my height.
    Focus on filling it with healthy, nutritious foods, and you should be fine.
    And try and break away from thinking about the number on the scale too much for now.
  • danithegirl89
    danithegirl89 Posts: 203 Member
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    I don't think it's that big of a deal. I don't see why the people here often pick on people who are slightly underweight but say only encouraging things to the morbidly obese people who constantly binge. It drives me insane. You're a tiny person! If you have a small bone structure you are probably just fine! If your cheeks aren't all sunk in, if you aren't weak, etc. then I wouldn't worry about it. 1600-1800 calories is a lot of vegan food so I doubt you are trying to starve yourself! You are probably nice and full. If your doctor isn't worried about it, then I wouldn't be worried about it either.
  • lovethemgorillaz
    lovethemgorillaz Posts: 17 Member
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    I don't think it's that big of a deal. I don't see why the people here often pick on people who are slightly underweight but say only encouraging things to the morbidly obese people who constantly binge. It drives me insane. You're a tiny person! If you have a small bone structure you are probably just fine! If your cheeks aren't all sunk in, if you aren't weak, etc. then I wouldn't worry about it. 1600-1800 calories is a lot of vegan food so I doubt you are trying to starve yourself! You are probably nice and full. If your doctor isn't worried about it, then I wouldn't be worried about it either.

    Whew, beyond full really! I can get to about 1200 pretty easily and be full but I have to push myself to 1600...
  • CoderGal
    CoderGal Posts: 6,800 Member
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    I don't think it's that big of a deal. I don't see why the people here often pick on people who are slightly underweight but say only encouraging things to the morbidly obese people who constantly binge. It drives me insane. You're a tiny person! If you have a small bone structure you are probably just fine! If your cheeks aren't all sunk in, if you aren't weak, etc. then I wouldn't worry about it. 1600-1800 calories is a lot of vegan food so I doubt you are trying to starve yourself! You are probably nice and full. If your doctor isn't worried about it, then I wouldn't be worried about it either.

    Whew, beyond full really! I can get to about 1200 pretty easily and be full but I have to push myself to 1600...

    I eat vegany sometimes and I would starve on 1200. It concerns me when people live on that number. I was on the 1200 calorie diet before and when I stopped I could still eat over 2000 of healthy foods and not be overly full. Except at first, I was bloated all the time because I wasn't use to food. The full factor is probably the fact you were use to low calories speaking, or you have one much larger then the other meals a day. With regular intensity exercise my body tends to want over 2200 calories a day (I go up to 3500 sometimes). Yes I've managed a whopping 3500 cals on days and don't gain the next. I'm hovering over you in height though so I'm sure you could survive on less if you're not killing yourself with exercise. Just make sure you're not coaxing yourself that it's ok because some people say it is. Unhealthy thoughts are not ok. Don't try to lose or gain. Just focus on healthy food and make sure you're getting enough of it. There's nothing wrong with being under weight when you're healthy, unless those unhealthy thoughts are there.

    The thing with anorexics is everyones constantly trying to get them to eat. If you were in the middle of the healthy BMI range people would probably still worry if you started eating slightly less. But you shouldn't take that as a reason to try and stay incredibly thin. But that shouldn't stop you from a reasonable goal either. You're probably already bombarted with a bunch of people telling you to eat more no matter how much you binge yourself. And if those people are over weight that probably doesn't make much sense to you. Want to stay thin and healthy? Eat a sensible amount, and exercise. You'll also see several anorexic threads around here with peoples before and after pictures. You'll notice all of them look incredible when they pack on some muscle. It's not the weight number that's the problem. Lift heavy and you'll find that the larger in weight you are the better you'll look. I wish I could do the same but my back is shot :P

    Anyway I don't understand you people, being hungry is the worse feeling in the world :P
  • Ocarina
    Ocarina Posts: 1,550 Member
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    I don't think it's that big of a deal. I don't see why the people here often pick on people who are slightly underweight but say only encouraging things to the morbidly obese people who constantly binge. It drives me insane. You're a tiny person! If you have a small bone structure you are probably just fine! If your cheeks aren't all sunk in, if you aren't weak, etc. then I wouldn't worry about it. 1600-1800 calories is a lot of vegan food so I doubt you are trying to starve yourself! You are probably nice and full. If your doctor isn't worried about it, then I wouldn't be worried about it either.

    Whew, beyond full really! I can get to about 1200 pretty easily and be full but I have to push myself to 1600...

    I can totally relate being vegan and having a hard time getting the calories up. I don't have a hard time persay getting to 1600 but I always feel very full and satisfied eating that much whereas with meat + cheese and processed foods I was always hungry under 2000. I think it's just all about how you feel, consult a doctor for more information, and go from there. We can only provide personal experience.
  • mlc323
    mlc323 Posts: 7
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    I could not have said it better myself... being underweight isn't good (or healthy) but there are easy ways for you to boost your caloric intake while still maintaining your vegan lifestyle by adding healthy fats (avocado is god's gift, I PROMISE YOU!).

    You've admitted to having destructive thoughts regarding weight/eating so make sure you are in CLOSE contact with a RD/MD regarding your diet. Shoot for 5-10 lbs of weight gain and you will be on the right track. Also, too boost your caloric intake in a vegan way, be sure to consume LOTS of fruits and legumes and nuts in moderation!
  • mistimn
    mistimn Posts: 58 Member
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    There are ways to meet calorie intake I don't care who you are or whether your vegan or not. You could eat two tablespoons of pb in the morning and reach your goal eating regular after that. I think 1200 is extremely low. If your doing yoga on top of working out your exhausting your body...yoga isn't just for the mind... it's a workout as well. Don't even get me started on what you could be doing to your bones...diseases aren't just onset through over eating they come from under eating as well.
  • saxmaniac
    saxmaniac Posts: 1,133 Member
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    I'm underweight too! I am 5' 9" 145lbs at peak and i have some muscle. Without the muscle i would be like 130 something lbs. However I eat 2200 calories a day and i lift very intensely. I even am underweight when i mess up and gain a couple of lbs from fat lol

    At 5'9" you'd have be be 120lbs to be underweight by BMI.
  • LuckyLeprechaun
    LuckyLeprechaun Posts: 6,296 Member
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    But see, the lowest weight for my height is 94 lbs, and I fluctuate between 89 and 90... so is the 4 lbs really going to make that much of a difference?

    why are you thinking in terms of what the lowest possible "healthy" weight is for your height?

    My advice would be to aim for 110 lbs, as a initial goal weight. Aim at a daily calorie intake of around 2000.
  • LuckyLeprechaun
    LuckyLeprechaun Posts: 6,296 Member
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    Even on a vegan diet (why are you choosing vegan? Is it so you can still exercise restrictive control over your food?) you can add a variety of different kinds of oil to nearly everything you eat, which increases the calorie count without adding a lot of volume.
  • lovethemgorillaz
    lovethemgorillaz Posts: 17 Member
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    Even on a vegan diet (why are you choosing vegan? Is it so you can still exercise restrictive control over your food?) you can add a variety of different kinds of oil to nearly everything you eat, which increases the calorie count without adding a lot of volume.

    I was a vegan before I developed an eating disorder but had stopped for a while and when it did develop. I chose my diet for the health benefits, for animal rights, for the economical and environmental positive impacts it has, and for religious reasons. It makes me feel very good health wise by eating a vegan diet too.
  • FlaxMilk
    FlaxMilk Posts: 3,452 Member
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    Ignore everything you are told on here and work with your medical team. Ignore goal weight suggestions and calorie suggestions from people outside of your team, especially strangers on the internet. Get second opinions professionally if you want them. Once an eating disorder enters your life, it's not as simple as 1 + 1 = 2. Work with your team on what's going to be livable for you--emotionally, physically, mentally. Best of luck to you.
  • elm2008
    elm2008 Posts: 95 Member
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    Not vegan, but vegetarian. I'm 5'1 and around 97ish lbs, meaning my BMI is just at underweight. I struggle to get to 1200 but I feel like I eat a TON, and a very wide variety of foods, all very healthy. I am not one to rely on breads/pastas/avocado (I feel like avocados are now the holy fruit, people are obsessed) so that's in part why I'm not necessarily high with calories. I get almost all my nutrients and take a supplement when I don't hit, get around 50-70g protein, I think i'm healthy. I would say the same for you, however with a recovering ED, I dont want to say anything as I am not a doctor. you should discuss this with them.

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