I'm like 4kg underweight but I've never been more confident in my own skin. I finally have a thigh gap and I look amazing in clothes - skinny, but not to the point of being skeletal. I really don't want to gain weight because 4kgs ago, I was really self conscious of my flabby thighs and stomach fat. I never spend a second of the day feeling fat or gross anymore - and I don't want to go back to loathing my body (which is naturally shaped so that I have a really bony upper frame but a thicker and stubbier lower body).
The only reason I'm concerned about being underweight is that I'm still 14 and that I haven't had my period in 5 months - though this may have more to do with hormone issues and diet changes (I lost the 4kg after going vegetarian and cutting out junk/processed foods - I did this both for acne-related and moral-related reasons).
I'm struggling with whether I should eat more and gain the weight. I know that gaining weight will make me, just like it will make any typical person (especially self conscious teenage girls!), extremely uncomfortable and unhappy. If I gain weight, I'll feel pudgy again - and I worked so hard and ate so clean to achieve the body I'm proud of right now.
Everyone is hounding at me to gain weight once they find out about me being underweight (only by 4kgs though), but no one would tell someone who is overweight by 4kgs to lose the weight?
Answers & Comments
Being underweight (as told by a doctor) is not always a bad thing. Being underweight due to not eating is a bad thing. However if you're like me who eat a healthy amount and just don't gain a significant amount of weight that sticks, no its not a bad thing. I'm 5'9" and 117 lbs. when I should he 132 lbs. So you can see the criticism thin people received for something we cannot change. So just eat until you feel full, stop when you do. And as long as YOU are comfortable with YOUR body, no one else has a say.
It is not always bad, but being underweight enough that you no longer get your periods is a bad thing. It means that your body is not functioning properly because of your weight. You are not looking at your situation in a realistic way because you want to rationalize being underweight.
You have lost your period which indicates that yes it is a bad thing, it's your body's way of preventing you from becoming pregnant because it knows that it is not healthy enough to sustain a pregnancy, not that you want to at 14 of course but that is why it is unhealthy, your own body doesn't feel healthy.
If someone was 4kg overweight yes the doctor would advise that they lost it, it's not a truly serious amount of weight either way but the doctor would still say the same thing.
My BMI is 19, it is healthy but my doctor told me she would prefer me to be at a BMI of 20 because it gives you some wiggle room if you get sick and can't help but lose a bit more weight, I too am happy where I am but these are qualified professionals and know what they are talking about.
A vegetarian diet which is poorly planned can lead to such problems. We can't tell if you are getting the required amount of protein, B vitamins, and such since we don't know what you are eating. Numerous other things can cause a loss of periods. You should ask you doctor.
Shithead...OF COURSE IT IS BAD...especially NOW when you are transforming from a child into an adult. Who the f#ck told you that a "thigh gap" is a GOOD THING? I want to slap these f#ckers in the head. You have YEARS of development to go before you are in a suitable adult form. You body COMPLETELY CHANGES. You are are DESTROYING the process by eating NOTHING but f#cking RABBIT-FOOD. We need to eat PROTEINS and FAT to be healthy. You are DESTROYING any ability to properly have CHILDREN when you finally are in a position to do so. This is WHY we are here...to CONTINUE the SPECIES...it is WHY your parents brought you INTO this world...so that YOU could, in turn produce offspring. You are F#CKING it UP...BIG TIME. You are suffering from a MENTAL DISEASE. GO GET HELP. Talk to your PARENTS you silly little GIT!
Naa
fair play to you