The A word
 

I know it gets thrown around, when people lose weight, but thought maybe this would be the right subforum to possibly bring a few people out of lurkdom to chat. (Just to explain where I'm coming from, anyone who spends a day with me CLEARLY sees I don't have it--I probably eat 1200-1500 calories a day--but parts of me did get kind of bony, while I STILL have a little chub on my belly.)

Last summer, when I reached goal for the first time, I had this big discussion with the boyfriend, who really wanted me to stop losing weight. The big A word was not mention, but he said that my bones (my back bones, specially) were really starting to show too much. But as you said, I was not willing to stop because I was not pleased with my belly and my legs.

This year, I reached goal again (gained back abotu 10 pounds) but I added strength training and my back is wayyyy less bony than it was last year. I think just doing this eased up everything of the weight loss process, concerning the ''you're getting too bony'' aspect.

P.S. I LOVEEE your profile picture!!

My mum and my grandma get on at me like this. I've lost just over a stone since I restarted- phone call to my grandma yesterday and she was all 'YOUR MUM SAYS YOU'RE TOO THIN. STOP IT'

Like, waaa, I don't even have a healthy BMI yet! :(

I have had problems with eating, and in dealing with them, ended up ballooning from being in the 90's (unhealthy at my height and structure) to being in the 140's (also unhealthy for my height and bone structure) ugh. So I've been working to get back down to a healthy weight and I think it really worries my family/friends/boyfriend, even though I am being monitored by a doctor, and eating 1500 cals a day.

It's a tricky thing. I also think that sometimes people react this way when they are envious, for instance, a good friend of mine recently went from being in the 200's to being in the 170's, a great accomplishment, but she has received backlash from a lot of people who say she's losing too fast, and/or that her personality has changed since she started losing, and that she's obsessed with her weight/nutrition and/or that she looks down on people who aren't working out/eating right, etc.

I, for one, do not believe that this is true AT ALL. I think that her success is making other people feel uncomfortable because they are being made to realize that weight loss and improved health is possible, but it does take hard work and understanding nutrition.

I hope this doesn't offend anyone, because I don't think all cases of tossing around the A word, etc. are the result of jealousy, or insecurities, but I do think that some of them are.

From someone who actually had (I'll admit it) "A word" habits at one point, it's very frustrating trying to get healthy this time around and have people automatically think I am going back to my old ways. When I discovered running my relationship with food got a WHOLE lot better - I needed to eat healthy food as fuel for my long runs. Someone who is the "A word" cannot run long distances; their body just can't handle it. I wish people would see that I'm doing it the healthy way, but in the end I have to realize they just care about me and don't want to see me back in that low place, which I understand.

I think all that have commented have made valaid points.I am at and below goal this is the first time I have been {this} low. But this time am not hearing the A word thrown at me. I do a ton of strength training and also am a runner. This time I am very lean and muscular looking.I think some people at first think its skinny till they look close.
A lot of times people say it out of jealousy and sometimes because they are use to seeing you heavy. I had been close to this weight and maintained for a year and a half. BUT then gained 30 pounds I was miserable! And they were all saying you look fine!

The "a" word? What are we, five? ANOREXIA. I was anorectic for two years. It isn't so much about your scale weight as it is your habits. Continually starving yourself, falling into the binge/restrict cycle, excessive cardio, skipping meals, food avoidance, social withdrawal: common habits of anorectics. It all boils down to your habits. You can be underweight and unhealthy thin but not be an anorectic. For example, my former group running leader was severly underweight because she was a strict vegan and ran 40+ miles a week. On the flip side, you can be at a higher weight and still have anorexic habits.

In the end, it all boils down to health. It is important to treat your mind and body with respect and keep yourself healthy regardless of what weight you are at. Practice habits that are sustainable for a lifetime, not just short term.