I've been thinking about this for a while, and at the risk of being flamed, I wanted to get your opinions on this. Since I joined the board several months ago, I have noticed that occasionally there will be a post from a member who is thin to begin with, but wants to lose weight. For example, I recall one member who was my height (5'6") with a starting weight of 120 lb. (which is less than my goal!) who wanted to get down to 105. I was disturbed that everyone replied to her post on how to speed weight loss on LC, without noting that her goal weight, in my opinion anyway, was unhealthy.

I do recognize that weight loss, weight goals, and what constitutes a desirable body type are highly subjective and personal. I also recognize that body types are different, so that two people of the same height might need to weigh different amounts in order to appear their best. I myself have less weight to lose than some on this board, more than others. HOWEVER, I do begin to question whether any kind of weight loss is wise when it drops below the BMI for that particular height.

I think that Atkins also can have a place even for already thin people who just want to improve their health -- getting rid of sugar, refined carbs and trans fats can help everyone, skinny or not. But it seems to me that most of the thin people who start Atkins are not doing so to change their lipid profiles, but to lose weight just like the rest of us.

I think perhaps that we are so afraid of offending people on the board that we choose to ignore this. I know that I've kept my lips zipped when reading some of these posts, because I'm afraid that the poster will tell me that her weight goals are no one else's but her own. I guess my concern is that I don't want to tacitly be condoning LC weight loss for someone who potentially could have an eating disorder.

Would love to hear opinions on this -- from the skinny people as well as the rest of us.

I saw a post the other day were the girl weighed 107 and wanted to weigh 90 pounds. I don't think your goal is ridiculous. As a matter of fact I'd like to get down in the area myself. But when I saw this one post, I had to speak up. That to me was too drastic. Why would anyone want to weigh 90 pounds.

Atkins isn't for everyone, but that is up to each individual. Good luck and much success to you.

Lily.....who doesn't have a problem saying it like it is

I too, have seen what you are mentioning Thumbelina, and I have chose to tactfully refrain from commenting as well. I am afraid of offending, as it is a very sensitive subject, and I have come to realize that we all have our issues and reasons for being here.

You know what, when I was a kid, I was very skinny. As-a-matter-of-fact, I didn't start putting on weight ( that I didn't want ) until I was in my mid-thirties. For the most part, I did not eat alot of breads or pasta. I didn't like them. I didn't like doughnuts. The carbs I ate the most were candies and you know how mom's are about eating too much candy? So all-in-all I was a low carb eater without proclaiming it. I had a very small appetite and I was healthy.

But, I didn't want to be skinny. I prefer having meat on my bones even when I was thin. When I was thin, losing weight was far from my mind. But I have met women who are thin and they try to lose weight. That is why we should be careful as to how we perceive ourselves.

Yes thats a loaded question. I'll just say Yes if they want to then they should be. Some people feel physically better on Atkins even though they are at a normal weight. My husband lost 20 lbs on atkins and he is maintaining, he is "skinny" and when people find out he is still following Atkins they look at him like he is nuts.

Some people are on it for medical reasons. I know one thing for sure, Atkins helped me medically this year (my first year on it) because I normally get SAD every winter and I go on medication, well this year I am proud to say I didn't need the meds, I had no signs of depression AND we had one wicked winter....as we speak its snowing out ICK!

I think that a person's weight goals are personal but I do agree with you that some people I've seen post, are trying to take it to what I consider a dangerously low weight. I'm not a medical person but I know there are many on this board.

When I see a profile with a goal like this, I think/hope that other more senior members who may have a medical backround would post a reply or private message to the person.

By the way, You sure are brave and no doubt you will be flamed.

In the original experiment on "no carb eating", the Arctic explorer Vilhjelmar Steffanson and a colleague ate nothing but meat and fat for one year. The explorers, who were very fit and athletic before starting, lost about 6 pounds despite eating no carbs at all.

Low carbing will NOT make a person lose weight below a good point. You'd have to go to starvation levels of calories to do that.

"Goal Weights" are arbitrarily set numbers which may have NO relationship to reality or a healthy goal.

Many people are fixated on getting down to a particular number and will feel fat if they don't get there, despite the fact that their body should not go there. This indicates an eating disorder or 'body image' disorder.

Many LCers weigh more than they expect when they reach a good appearance because they have a higher lean muscle mass than low calorie dieters or fit people who eat high carb. So everyone should be prepared to revise their goal weight as they get within 20 pounds of it.

It's really important not to focus on a number. Every board that talks about weight loss gets visited by people whose "goal" is an unhealthy reflection of an eating disorder. I don't think it's unkind to suggest that the goal seems unrealistic or unhealthy. And it is a fact that LCing will NOT be a fast weight loss method, nor get a person below a good weight.

That said, lower carbing will probably benefit anyone who eats meats, vegetables and fruits rather than eating processed foods, fast foods, carby snacks etc. Everyone will get the benefit of more stable blood sugars, freedom from carb hunger, better blood test numbers and so many more improvements in health. But they probably won't lose weight if they shouldn't.

The scales should not rule our lives. Just my humble personal opinions as a member of this board.

I guess it is all a matter of perception, when I was young and weighed 96 lbs (I am 4'10) 110 was "fat". Now I would kill to weigh 110 again and know it will be very tough to get down to that.

How old where you though when you weighed 96 pounds. I remember weighing that growing up. My son weighs 80 pounds but he's only 10 now. That is normal for him and his height.

Lily

Thumbelina--
I can only speak for myself, but Atkins is a way of life for anyone seeking improvement. As a person who is 'regular sized' I began Atkins because my cholesterol was nearly 300 and I had unhealthy eating habits. However, Atkins has helped me develop healthier eating habits, understand my body better, and has greatly improved my cholesterol levels.

On a forum like this, I think it is especially important to remember that each person is here for a different reason, even the "skinny people". Since no one is presenting themself as a medical physician I see absolutely no harm in communicating with each other, sharing tips, anecdotes, and advice....no matter what the person's weight or goals. Sometimes I also have to remind myself of the tired cliche: To each his own. But only because there is a lot of truth in that belief.

Again, as for myself, I am just 5 feet tall and don't feel embarassed asking for help to make my goals both physically and in some ways mentally. I have spoken to my general practitioner about my goals, health, and diet. I use this forum as a place to connect with people making the same changes in their lives and to share an experience common to us all~no matter what our weight may be. I rarely look at a person's stats because I do not want to judge them and would feel uncomfortable doing so.

Using this forum I feel lucky to have connected to many people struggling with the same issues as myself. I make it a point to not judge them, but be there for them as a friend. Many of the "skinny people" struggle with high cholesterol, binging, and eating disorders that they are working hard to recover from using this way of life. I think it is sad to even make a general statement lumping a group of people together as "skinny people" when we are all working towards a goal of some kind. I hope that this forum continues to offer unconditional support for anyone who wants it because that is what it is supposed to be about.

Anyways, we are all entitled to our opinions. I just think it would be sad if people felt judged in a support forum...no matter what their goals.

Jenn

I worry less about underweight people trying to lose more by low carbing than I do about the same people starving themselves by counting calories. I think lc is a healthy way to eat for most, and we all know from either our own experience or hearing others, that the last pounds are the hardest to lose. I believe that if we give these folks our best advice about healthy, low carb WOL eating, that is the best we can do.

It makes me sad to see them ~smile~ and I guess it scares me a little to realize that weighing 120 doesn't necessarily mean that you are "happy" with your weight.

carole

I weighed 96 lbs when I was 20 and still wore a size 5/6. I know it must sound anorexic but that is a normal weight for my height.

I dont' have a problem with anyone wanting to further their health - or get to a weigth they desire, it is their personal choice how much they want to weigh.

What I DO have a problem with is some of these people who want a "quick" fat loss fix, who could care less about maintaining a healthy lifestye, or learning what is involved and required, and just jump on the LC bandwagon becuase it is the "in" thing now.

I think some very valid points have been made.

Body image is a terrible thing, because quite often a person perceives "fat" where none exists (of course, if you've seen some of those daytime 'talk' shows - you'll see people at the other end of the extreme - those who think they look absolutely sexy, and are hanging out of clothing at least three sizes too small).

That being said, I agree that almost anyone can benefit from not eating processed foods, white flour, sugar, and trans fats. These are all unnatural substances that do our bodies no perceptable good.

However, if health is the primary issue, and not weight loss, then the LC menu should be adjusted accordingly - so that weight is maintained (increased if necessary), rather than getting down to an unhealthy existence.

I started this WOL strictly for health reasons. Of course, my body realized that health also meant losing some excess baggage - but I didn't even think along those lines at the start. I never had a scale, nor a place to regularly weigh myself. So, whatever I weighed and measured in September is lost in history, as I didn't get weighed by my doctor until December (my request, not his), and I didn't measure myself until February.

Of course, now that I've purchased a scale, I'm not sure if that's a good thing or bad - I don't want the obsessive behaviour to start, and perhaps that is why I avoided scales for so long - I remember going to the gym and weighing myself on every scale in the place - two or three times during the workout - a totally unhealthy obsession, I'm believing.

That's a great point. I don't think that if you are taking in plenty of protein, fats, and veggies, that you will shrink beyond what your body needs. I have a friend who is overweight now (just had a baby) but will go on Atkins induction after she finishes breastfeeding. This same woman would eat one small snack every two days in high school to stay thin. Absolutely, Atkins is better for her than that.

I have been known to mention that someone's weight is at the low end of what the charts call for for a small frame, and that perhaps they should reconsider their goals, like maybe exercise to firm up rather than trying to lose more fat. I've never been flamed for it.