Don't get too skinny

[Beth]

I know that this forum is all about losing weight and weight loss, but there is such thing as going too far. It’s important for us to see a healthy body weight as being beautiful because all too many people are pushing themselves too far and are going underweight.

A new study that I just read aobut in the paper is showing that it’s actually more unhealthy to be underweight! It shortens yoru life and puts you at risk of a lot of different health problems that you likely wouldn’t get if you were a normal weight.

So just as a little piece of advice to all of us who are trying to lose weight so that we will be more healthy, don’t go so far that you end up losing too much weight. You’ll just end up making yourself as unhealthy as you had been when you were larger.

[Ron]

No type of extreme is good for health. Obesity or being very over weight are opposite sides of the same coin.

[chefmel]

It's a good message for people to learn that being very skinny is just as unhealthy as obesity because so many people aren't just aiming to be healthy and fit, but they're aiming to actually be skinny! I'm so glad that the "thigh gap" concept didn't exist when I was a kid. What is wrong with the way that we form opinions about ourselves? This is nuts!

[Beth]

That's just it. We're our own worst enemies, it seems.

[speeddemon]

I don't get the obsession with being super skinny. It really doesn't look very good.

[Penny]

You're right, speeddemon, I don't get the trend toward being very skinny either because it's really not that attractive.

It's funny that we instinctively knew that but that now science is proving that we were right. Maybe if we really listen to what we know inside then we'll end up making the right choices. We just need to listen to what we really know, not what we want to be the truth because it involves eating cheesecake all the time - or starving ourselves through some insanely low calorie diet that only allows us to eat chickpeas or something.

[lia]

If you really want to know where your weight should be, ask your doctor, don't look at models and actresses

[char]

That's a really good point, Lia. And I'm sure that's the kind of advice that we'd give to friends and family members, but it's very hard to think that way about ourselves. It's such a shame that we can't see ourselves realistically. We're so busy looking at what the media tells us is supposed to be beautiful that we will never truly be content with ourselves, even if everyone around us and our doctors give us praise for what we've done right.

It's all a matter of coming to learn that reality and the celebrity world are not the same thing.

[Gina]

How do you know what is too skinny or too heavy? I heard that BMI isn't considered to be a veyr good judge of that anymore. Is there a better way to know?

[Ron]

I totally agree, as some women are losing weight till you can clearly see their bones...girls! its not attractive you can ask any man)

Well said!

[jenny25]

Well said!

Thanks for adding your two cents here, Ron. It's good to hear that a guy agrees with us about how super skinny women aren't as healthy and attractive looking as those in their proper weight with a bit of curve to them!

[lia]

That really is a very good point, Lia. Plus, do you feel good at the weight where you are? Do you feel you're at your optimum? Those should be considerations, too.

Thanks! And yes, I agree, those should also be considerations. Too many people make the mistake of basing what they think a good weight is for themselves on what other people think. When it comes down to it you need to do what's best for you and also realize that most of what you see on tv and in magazines isn't real. Photoshop can make anyone look skinny