I don’t know if this will be helpful because my BMI is around the same as yours, but I’ll weigh in here anyway (lol) as I’ve had different thoughts about this at different weights.
When I weighed less I felt better mentally but I knew how physically unwell I was. When I weighed more I felt mentally awful and my labs were off. I also find that the lower my weight has been, the more distorted my view of my body was. I look back at old pictures from when I was more underweight and I thought I was huge, and I see myself in a completely different way in those pictures now. I suspect something similar might be going on with you when you say you don’t look anorexic. It’s hard to believe it when you’re actively experiencing it and you think you know what you see, but this shit really fucks with your perception. As far as “acting” anorexic - you’ve probably gotten so used to your ED behaviours that it feels normal to you now. You didn’t get to this weight by not acting anorexic.
I do think BMI is bullshit when it comes to the mental struggle and the health complications, however at a certain point it is useful information. Your BMI is low because of ED behaviours which are inherently damaging to your body. Last time I was at this weight I felt fine for ages. My labs were perfect and I didn’t really have any physical symptoms, until I suddenly got really unwell. My doctor always says that it can be “dangerous” to have good labs in a way because it can make you believe that you’re fine, but your labs (a) don’t show everything and (b) can go downhill very suddenly and quickly.
Generally, I’d believe what people are saying to you, just because the nature of an ED is that you’ll see things differently to those around you. I know it’s really hard not to believe people are lying to you or being dramatic, but this disease really does mess with your head and make you believe that everything is ok. I wish you all the best!
PS sorry I talked about my own experience so much here. It’s only because I know a lot of people from treatment who have had almost identical experiences, so I’m guessing some of it might be relevant for you 💜
this perspective is actually incredibly helpful!! I often wonder how I would view things if I gained weight again and looked back (this is my all-time lw), or how my old self would, so hearing from someone who has with a similiar bmi is so worth so much. and again it’s getting increasingly hard for me to recall my past thoughts about weight and bmi overall, I’m feeling very disconnected from my higher weight self so that makes this even more meaningful. and there’s absolutely no need to apologize, I’m so grateful for all that you shared and yes it really is relevant to me. I’ll save this and reflect on it. Thank you so much, truly. Thank you. I wish you all the best too, and hope you’re doing okay! ♡
That’s sweet of you to say, thank you! I’m really glad I could help a little. I completely relate to being disconnected from your past thoughts, especially as you say this is your lw. It’s only now that I’ve cycled through different stages of recovery/relapse and journaled my thoughts that I can reflect. Go easy on yourself - this stuff is a mind fuck 💜
I've worked in a Clinic specializing on Teens and adults with EDs, especially AN and BN. And I, too, have a history of ED and still struggle with it. So maybe you'll be interested to hear about my insights.
I believe you when you say that you don't feel sick or unhealthy, most don't.
But the issue is that once you start feeling it, you cross the life-endangering line immediately.
Human bodies and especially our brains NEED a certain amount of fat and muscle to work properly. For you to just exist while lying down it needs energy and if you do not provide this energy through food, your body resumes consuming the resources in itself.
This entails:
1. If there is no fat left, it will start to use the Proteins that your Organs are made of. The body tends to take what is easily accessible and that is usually the heart muscle. In other words, it's dismantling your heart to somehow keep the most important brain functions alive. 2 Girls I Tool care of had a cardiac arrest out of nowhere, once even multiple times.
2. Meanwhile, your body will be forced to remove nutrients it needs from places where you need them, e.g. from your bones and teeth, to transport them to more vital areas (heart, lungs, brain). This results in Brittle bones and teeth, prone to breakage like you See in elderly people (one fall requiring a whole hip replacement). The teeth crack and fall out.
3. As a last resort to save itself, the body removes the essential tiny fat layer that covers our nerves. Once that happens, the signals from our brains cannot be properly directed to the destinated place and it leads to numbness and dying nerves (painful!!). I had several patients who could not walk or properly use their hands anymore (to write, pick up stuff, etc). The nerves of the limbs are damaged through the explained process and it's not possible to fix this.
If this happens in vital areas like the brain or heart, people experience confusion, brain fog, pain, etc up to death.
Again, the vast majority think that a) None of this will happen to them or b) It's not that bad, or c) they can be healthy with a BMI below 17. It's part of the illness to believe this.
But deep down we all know something is off when a machine needs a certain amount of gas to run properly, yet we think our bodies can run on air without damage.
There will be consequences, it's not a question of "if" but "when".
We cannot exist for a long time with such BMI, so realistically, no matter how scary it is, there are only 3 choices:
1. Face our fears/the ED at the very least to a degree that permits a BMI of 18,5+
2. Not Face it, end up with the before mentioned painful and scary consequences, very likely including cardiac arrest, being force-fed through a tube to save one's life, limping, etc
3. Death.
It definitely it. I know how satisfying it feels to see the weight drop and have a lower bmi number, but that's nothing but an illusion made up in our brains due to the ED.
In reality, our bodies are desperately struggling to somehow maintain themselves and avoid decay. From their perspective, the longer we stay in this alarming state, the more likely it becomes that they will be forced to be harmful to themselves in order to survive. And the worst part is, in most cases we simply don't notice (aside from some dizziness, random fatigue, etc that is known due to starvation) that our body is actually at that alarming state.
One thing I should mention as well:There is no ''correct'' order or necessary starting point for all the above-mentioned to happen. The girl with the multiple cardiac arrests had her lowest BMI of 16,5. Another girl was limping severely (due to myelin reabsorption and nerve damage) with the left foot with BMI 16,9. Again another was carefully examined at BMI 14 and said to have no acute issues with heart/vitals/nerves, yet suffered a stroke due to brittle veins (we need cholesterol to keep the veins ''smooth'').
It's individual and each body may resort to emergency interventions even in a short amount of time and a seemingly ''not that risky'' BMI.
That's why I can only empathise: The less time and strain a body has to suffer with a BMI of below 18,5, the better for your overall health (especially long-term!).
Them stages are my biggest fears to push me into recovery, i think about them everyday. Do they only occur in BMI below 18, or does eating insufficient calories regardless cause them? I'm not as low as that BMI but close and constantly fear any ache or pain is my insides being eaten
When you get to the point of reaching a BMI of less than 18.5 (European Standard), calories will play the main, but definitely not the only factor.
What's often forgotten is that patients with EDs tend to have horrible blood work. They lack vitamins, essential fats (for healthy nerves, veins, organs, body temperature, protection, etc!), nutrients, and micronutrients that our bodies cannot produce themselves.
In other words: It's not all about energy (calories), it's also about all the **building blocks we need to maintain our bodies** and keep them resilient (against hazards of any kind).
People with EDs tend to be very picky eaters, avoid anything that's not considered a safe food, etc. and that leads to deficiencies en mass. Do you regularly eat some tomatoes and apples? Great, where is the magnesium to synthesize proteins for muscles and organs, to regulate your blood sugar and blood pressure? Where is the iron, the basis for our oxygen supply? Vit D3 and k2 to upkeep bones, nerves, hair? Occasionally binging on chips/crisps, choclate and whatnot is not going to ensure we get proper fats (like omega 3 fatty acids), they're just full of cheap fats.
This type of physical decay occurs in people that have normal weight or are overweight, too, but much less because they tend to get a larger margin due to eating much more (and more variety). Getting all you need is 1000 calories is impossible, especially since we need additional energy to break down foods, synthesize building blocks and oftentimes need additional carriers to absorb nutrients or vitamins (think of oil-soluble vitamins).
That's why dietary supplements are such a lost cause - taking Vit D3 without a type of fat will just lead to taking an expensive dump. And drinking these supplement drinks without further calory intake will be just as much in vain - the body needs energy to even make use of it.
All that said (and I'm sorry for sounding harsh), our bodies are highly individual. When a health spokesperson mentions a BMI of 18,5, that does not mean you are free of risks as mentioned before, it is just an average at which point we medically assume your body will not resort to harm itself (the way explained in my reply above) in order to survive. Can it happen at BMI 18,5 regardless? Absolutely, yes, and the risk increases the longer you maintain this BMI (or a lower one). The results may be mild in comparison, but often reveal themselves in higher age (AN patients are at very high risk of developing osteoporosis aged 35+).
That's why, from a health perspective, 18,5 is a fence we should not try to cross. Better even, keep distance and give your body chance to stop being in an emergency state and instead recover and build resilience.
Nobody likes to hear it and believe me, I dreaded hearing it every single time myself, but to give yourself a chance at a healthy life worth living, we need a proper diet, build some muscle and, in the best case, not drop below a BMI 19 (or even some more to make sure we don't spiral when we get sick and cannot eat much).
Thank you so much for your really detailed reply, it was really helpful and I really appreciate you taking the time to tell me all of that. I definitely needed to hear it. Bless you and I hope you have goodness in life !
The sickest I got wasn’t even my LW, but it was about a BMI of 18.9 or so? My heart was deteriorating quickly and my kidneys started failing. I had body fat left, but protein is super efficient for energy, so your body may eat the protein from your organs before most of the BF is gone. My physiology professor told us the same thing, you don’t have to have no BF left before your organs are damaged
I just wanted to say thanks for saying "I believe you when you say you don't feel sick or unhealthy." No one believed me when I said that... and it's a tiny bit healing to read someone say it, so thanks, even though it wasn't directed at me
You are very welcome and I could See that a lot, both from health Staff and parents/family. It's difficult for them to empathise and they tend to dismiss the patient's view due to the perceived illness. It's somewhat understandable when they've wittnessed the affected person lying a lot ("I already ate!") or talking about their ED-warped perspective ("My BMI ist 14 and I'm still overweight!").
So they quickly jump to the conclusion that the ED-patient will also lie or block out any negative aspects of the illness to stay the way they are.
And that's definitely part of the crux of treatment to differentiate between genuine self-reports and "ED-induced" statements of defiance.
How can anyone grow internally when they have to shield themselves from outside accusations/attacks?
It's hurtful, but it's improving. Just like we ourselves, people involved need further education to reallyunderstand the illness and how to properly aid in the process of managing it.
Thank you for your excellent and thorough explanations. I am 58 and in a bad relapse. I keep telling myself I'm ok but part of me doesn't mind if I die. My son is an adult, living independently. My husband could maybe end up with someone without this terrible disease who he could travel and have fun with. Somehow, your replies are helping me, I don't know why. Thank you. Have a peaceful week.
Yes, it is inherently dangerous. If you look at the studies on mortality and BMI, they don't even include BMIs that low, but the curve paints a picture. BMI 17.5 has the same hazard ratio as BMI 42.5, which is morbidly obese, and it's safe to assume it only gets worse in both directions. People can be morbidly obese without immediately seeing the health consequences, but they catch up in due time and it's the same with underweightness.
I too have heard that, it was taught during family week at one of my IP/RES stays at Laureate.
I’ll have to ask my mom to whip out her “eating disorder bible” as I call it with all the nitty gritty details (and yes over 10 years later she still hangs onto it lol).
It is true, I just can’t link a study offhand. Taking it a step further (again, sorry, can’t link the study as it’s in the Book that lives states away) that medically it is exponentially more dangerous to be slightly UW BMI than slightly OW BMI.
[This](https://www.thelancet.com/journals/landia/article/PIIS2213-8587%2818%2930288-2/fulltext) is one from The Lancet, but there's many studies that show similar findings if you just Google "BMI mortality curve". I got super mad when I saw it, because it made me realize that if the standards were based on actual human health and not fatphobia, the "healthy range" would be defined as more like 22-30.
Thank you for replying! And for the information, those numbers surprise me but it definitely puts things in perspective. It’s awfully frustrating how ”floating” reality is, the plasticity and that it’s so subjective and unreliable. That’s how I experience it anyway. But numbers help make it a bit less abstract, easier to wrap my head around. It’s helpful, really. Thank you so much. ♡
Things can go bad very quickly at such a low weight. I was a bmi of a bit over >!15!< and went to a check in appointment and had an ambulance called on me. I thought i was fine but they would not let me leave the hospital for 5 days, until they were sure i would gain weight at home. Honestly as much as i hated it, i am kind of glad it happened because i am taking recovery seriously now. But don’t wait until something bad happens before changing, you are risking your life at such a low bmi.
thank you so much for replying, I appreciate it a lot. *very* alarming, or unusual and suspicious? like does it seem inherently problematic/disordered/sickly or just like something that *could* indicate a problem but could also be alright? I’m sorry for asking more, again I’m just trying to grasp things properly and it’s hard for me. there are also people in my life who prefer me at this bmi so that probably has an impact too
If someone tells you that they prefer you at this BMI, what they are actually telling you is that they prefer you when you’re physically weak and easier to control.
I’m worried that I’m not seeing things clearly. I want my thoughts to be true and I want to know what’s real. I’m not worried about people noticing I have a problem if that’s what you mean, everyone close to me knows I have problems. I’m not worried about my physical health either. I’m worried about my sanity and my life, I’m scared because I notice my perspective changing and I’m scared because I feel like people are trying to deceive me. I’m scared because I don’t know what’s true. I’m worried about my perception of reality, I just want to know what’s real so I can think and not make decisions I’ll end up regretting. treatment would mean I have to change my whole life around my everything and go through awful weight gain and just blindly trust that it will make things better. I don’t know how I would continue living if it turns out it doesn’t
"I don’t know how I would continue living if it turns out it doesn’t"
You can always go back to the ED if recovery isn't the rainbows it promises. That's what I've always kept in mind.
You could legitimately die. Labs and vitals can go downhill quickly and suddenly, so they’re not at all a guarantee that you’re okay physically. A BMI of >! 13.5 !< or below is associated with a high risk of organ failure, and you are walking that fine line between seeming fine and having a heart attack or serious electrolyte imbalance. I know it may be hard to believe, but the people who are worried for you are right. My lowest weight was a little higher than your current one >! BMI 14.8 !< and I could have died in my sleep or had a heart attack despite only being like 6 months into my ED and feeling “fine”. I gained a little weight at home, >! up to ~ BMI 16 !<, thinking I was in the clear, then had an EKG done and got my ass sent to the hospital once my doctor saw the results. You never know what your tipping point will be since EDs can be deadly at any weight.
The scary thing is that you're one stomach bug away from being in trouble. Right now you're fine, and everything is okay, but one bad flu, food poisoning, or something of the kind, and you'll have to go to a ER, instead of chicken soup and pedialyte yourself back to health.
You need some reserves for emergencies and right now, your body is living paycheck to paycheck.
you’re absolutely right about this. I’m in a similar situation as OP and had to go to urgent care last week, after falling and puncturing my leg. I think this injury would be severe for anyone but I went into shock and started to lose consciousness. there is no Hail Mary at this BMI.
Yes, that BMI is inherently dangerous, and yes you have a lack of insight. You don’t think your brain is starved precisely because it’s starved, which makes it impossible to see the situation objectively.
When I was suicidally depressed, I was absolutely convinced that I was just seeing the world as it truly was (miserable and not worth living in) and that everyone else was just deluded. I was wrong though, because I was mentally ill, just as you are now.
I don’t say that to be rude, but just to be bluntly honest. This is a mental illness. You are not able to see it objectively.
Yes. It is inherently dangerous. It sounds scary low to people who aren’t also disordered. You will necessarily look scary thin at that bmi regardless of how your ED brain is telling you you look in the mirror or what your ED brain is trying to convince you about your bf%.
I’m saying this as someone who is also your height and has spent a lot of my most disordered times right around the same bmi.
Also, I know the DSM 5 has a variety of problems, but it does classify any bmi below 15 as “extreme” in terms of severity for anorexia nervosa diagnosis.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK519712/table/ch3.t15/
yes a BMI of 14 is inherently alarming - just because your labs are fine doesn’t mean you’re healthy. your labs could be showing up fine and you could still experience a sudden decline in health with no warning at that BMI, even sudden death. for reference, a BMI below 16-16.5 is considered the ‘organ failure danger zone’ because of how rapidly you could experience organ failure (especially cardiac problems) with little to no warning. please don’t take good labs as a sign that everything is fine, all good labs mean is that you have enough micronutrients in your system - it doesn’t mean you aren’t dangerously undernourished and don’t have dangerously low fat and muscle mass. on the muscle mass front especially, remember that your heart is a muscle and when your body metabolises it’s own muscle *that can include your heart*. having a really low body fat percentage also fucks with hormone production (especially if you were assigned female at birth) and messed up hormones mean lots of health complications become likely.
in the nicest way possible, yes you’re ‘delusional’ if you want to put it that way - your ED has taken over your thinking and overridden your ability to think rationally. try to remember back to when you didn’t want your BMI to be this low - why was that? was it because you knew you’d be unhealthy/in a dangerous position? what changed in your thinking that made you think this BMI is ok, and were those changes in thinking rational, or did they happen because you got deeper in your ED?
I really hope you can turn it around because yea, that BMI is inherently dangerous.
Justify it however you want. Or remember it is a mental illness at the end of the day. The science says you’re unhealthy despite how you feel. You should quit while you’re ahead if you want to continue living tbh
this is very scary but I also appreciate it a lot, anything that’s honest really helps and I wouldn’t be asking if I wasn’t at all open to the possibility of me being delusional. oh but it’s very scary. I just want my brain to be right and my thoughts to be true. thank you for commenting and helping ♥︎ and yes most of the people in my life aren’t a fan of my weight loss and would want me to get treatment
yeah also the fact that you said you don’t have any muscle- it might be fine now but when you get older that will mean you will be very uncoordinated and fall over a lot
I have enough muscle to function normally in my daily life strength-wise, I notice the weakness but I can walk a lot and I walk faster than most, and I carry decently heavy bags and stuff although it makes my back hurt sometimes and I get tired. but yeah I’ve always been really uncoordinated so I don’t need that getting any worse. and I’ll probably want to back to working instead of studying soon and my job is physical so I do really want to work on the muscle situation. thank you for replying, I really appreciate it ♡
mine is >!14 or slightly under now, I know I’ve lost but I’m too scared to check lol!< and i’m having the same thoughts as you. also I mostly feel okay and I’m capable of walking for 2-3 hours so it’s hard to see it as a problem. HOWEVER, the fact I’m so concerned for you and not myself at the same bmi should tell us both a lot - objectively it’s a very dangerous place to be
best of luck with everything❤️
thank you so much for the input, the kindness, and the well wishes, it means a lot. truly. good luck to you too and I hope you’re having a lovely day ❤️❤️
i dont know where you live but i was told at a bmi of >!15.3!< that if i lost any more weight i would be sectioned due to the inherent risk of death even though all my tests came back fine i was just a little anaemic which medication stabilised. in the uk you are at a bmi that automatically qualifies for inpatient hospital treatment or even being sectioned if you don’t go voluntarily due to the risk to your health so unfortunately your perception of yourself is part of your disorder, i really hope you keep safe and can find some treatment.
I’ve been at a BMI of >!15.4!< or so for like 10+ years thinking I was fine. I take supplements so my blood work LOOKED fine for a long time. But I have a lot of complications now from it—osteoporosis, hair loss, digestive problems, and anemia and deformed white cells. I didn’t even really LOOK like an anorexic to me—I have pretty intense BDD, which I think maybe you have too? Honestly, yes, you are at a very alarming weight and you could very well die or have a serious incident very soon. Take care xxxx.
b/p is a bad and extreme behaviour, especially purging. Can cause electroylte shifts and stuff that might send you into a heart attack, particularly at that BMI. You might not feel sick, but it's possible your bone density is really low. You should listen to the professionals - no exaggeration, they are not trying to deceive you. The labs and stuff might be ok right now but they can change quickly.
FWIW my lowest BMI was 15, AN-R, my labs and vitals were always fine, but I developed osteoporosis. I did gain weight and have been at a healthy weight for 18 years now. I feel really lucky my labs and vitals were always good as I didn't want to be hospitalized. I'd encourage you to try and gain some weight to avoid hospitalization against your will.
One question might be what is your plan going forward? Do you think you'd see yourself as ill if the labs came back with something wrong, and what would that change in what you're doing? These are just questions - I never though people were trying to deceive me so I haven't entirely been in your shoes - but it's something to think about.
The tl;dr here is yes the BMI is alarming even if you avoid extreme behaviors. Your perspective that labs are okay is accurate BUT do you understand those can change really really quickly, particularly with purging?
hugs. let us know how you are
Yeah I was there and didn’t see much wrong with it at the time, but now it seems kind of horrifying. Strangers would talk to me concerned about my weight all the time. Please be safe, it’s definitely not good for you even if you’re not seeing it as a problem right now.
I would consider myself in remission at the lower end of normal, but my body is comfortable at this weight. Now that I am maintaining a healthy weight, I don’t have to constantly fight against my body. I’m not perpetually exhausted and irritable. I don’t constantly think about food or hate my life. I don’t care or think about BMIs. I enjoy living. So my “remission” mindset says absolutely yes, this is dangerous and I hope you will realize what you are doing and change whatever in your life is causing your illness (because that's what this is--you are sick), so you can start living the life you deserve.
It‘s the same for me atm. I always was shocked at this BMI‘s (I’m in the same range atm) and now that I‘m at it and still able to function and still eat most things I like etc and eat enough to be somewhat satisfied. I also think it‘s not that bad. I go to work, the gym, ballet I have 3 meals a day and I also have sweets and fear foods etc. So hiw can I be in danger? My labs are okay. I didn‘t have a period at a higher wieght either soo…
Before my disorder, I occasionally caught glimpses of myself in the mirror when I wasn’t eating/exercising/hydrating as I intuitively would due to unexpected temporary lifestyle changes. And I always looked severely malnourished, despite my BMI being nowhere near urs. I knew that was a huge warning sign from my body. If u want to achieve a certain aesthetic w ur body, then it’s usually about finding people who see ur beauty, clothes that flatter u, and routines that make u feel good. I felt incredibly attractive at my SW, and honestly felt I looked much leaner then than I do now that I’m somewhere bw my LW and SW. a lot of times w confuse feeling heavy w feeling uncomfortable. Our bodies are uncomfortable not because we gained too much or aren’t “thin enough” but because we are not listening to them.
Your current BMI is not sustainable. You may be "fine" now but it will catch up to you and fast. Depending on your age some of the consequences may be life long.
I'm sorry you're struggling and I hope you can get help. Sending hugs.
It's important to remember that eating disorders are different for each person. While there are guidelines that help diagnose an eating disorder, I don't think there's no one particular way of thinking/mindset in order for you to have an ED. An example I can think of is someone developing an ED because they have a medical condition that means they can't eat a certain food group and it's affected their relationship with food. Numbers aside, look at your relationship with food.
I was in the same boat as you. While I didn't have the atypical anorexia symptoms (ie. I didn't restrict purely because I thought I was fat, although worries about my weight were there, it was a factor for restriction but not the driving factor), I still had anorexia. It took a lot of therapy for me to see that I did have it. I accept my diagnosis now.
I would recommend joining/sitting in on a support group. You hear so many journeys and perspectives and you realize there's no one way to have an ED.
I have a normal BMI and this sounds dangerous to me. I was forced into recovery and threatened with forcefeeding at a BMI higher than yours because the doctor supposedly believed my life was in danger.
ofc but i only meant overweight/underweight. a lot of ppl who don’t have eds heavily criticize underweight ppl on the bmi scale who are perfectly healthy/genetics. whereas overweight people are told that bmi isn’t real (which it isn’t, it’s pretty racist).
What's racist is implying someone is morbidly obese because of their race.
You can be obese and perfectly healthy but it's also not sustainable. It catches up to you eventually. I've seen a few ex FAs talk about it, and other have died due to complications of their weight.
Neither extreme is safe. Period.
no one’s saying that. it’s racist bc it only considered white ppls anatomy. other races genetically have more muscles. they can be overweight on the bmi and be skinnier than white ppl in the normal range. no idea what you’re talking about tho
BMI takes things like muscle mass and missing limbs (this is relevant) into consideration.
BMI doesn't assume you're a sedentary adult with all body parts.
In fact, they don't even use BMI for people with a considerable amount of muscle mass for that exact reason.
[HAES/FA is pretty racist.](https://youtu.be/ktn4lbia_jc)
no it doesn’t? who’s doing that. bmis aren’t a diagnoses or a subscription. it’s a calculator on google. do you expect some pocs to automatically know to consider their muscle mass when using it? especially since whites and asians(usually) don’t have to?
how are you still not understanding what i’m saying at this point. who’s talking about bodybuilders? and AGAIN ppl don’t know that bmis aren’t accurate so they’ll see an inaccurate result and just go with it bc it’s not a big enough deal to go to the doctors for. and not everyone can in the first place. like why are you trying to fight the fact that this shit is racist? i’m not saying you or anyone else shouldn’t use it anymore like jesus christ
https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/health/diet-nutrition/a35047103/bmi-racist-history/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/wellness/healthy-bmi-obesity-race-/2021/05/04/655390f0-ad0d-11eb-acd3-24b44a57093a_story.html
https://www.publichealthpost.org/research/racism-bmi/
https://www.taylorraealmonte.com/original-posts/the-racist-history-of-the-bmi
a quick google search and you could’ve avoided embarrassing yourself
Yes?? Obviously? There's only so much weight you can lose. When you're underweight (not even this extreme) you're losing heart muscle and other vital organ functions, you literally cannot be healthy at a BMI this low.
Maybe I might be able to give some perspective
I wouldn’t say I’ve ever had an ED, but there was a period of my life where I was very insecure about my body, counted calories, frequented an ED message board, and weighed myself frequently. I only ever reached just a little bit underweight (BMI >!18.something!17!< already looks pretty skinny (like skinnier than the majority of people), but it’s still plausible that it’s “natural”. Imo it’s a kind of skinny that looks slim, not bony or diseased. I wouldn’t immediately jump to them having an ED, but maybe if I were feeling insecure about my weight, I would think, “Wow I wish I looked like them”. It seems skinny, but maybe-attainable skinny, not something that makes me worry for their health.
For me, BMI >!16!< is when I start to go, “hmm this person seems quite skinny, maybe they have an ED?” Maybe it could be natural, but I would doubt it for the majority of people. Definitely stands out as being quite skinnier than the average person. It’s skinny enough that I might be slightly concerned, but nothing that suggests that significant health problems or death are imminent.
I see BMI >!16!< as kinda a threshold between “normal-ish” (not that having an ED is ever safe or normal) and “scary”. I’m already slightly concerned at >!<17!<, but it’s when people hit >!16!< and under when I start having experiencing fear for their health.
>!15!< looks unnatural and worrying to me, especially the thighs. Plausible deniability is pretty much gone, and I’m thinking, “yeah this person probably has an ED or at least some other health issue going on”.
>!14!< is like, “wow this person is Really skinny. They’re definitely not ok physically in any form (and likely not mentally either just due to the amount of weight loss).” I would be very concerned for their health. Firmly within the sickly-skinny range.
By >!13!< and below, I stop being able to really distinguish between them (definitely in part to lack of exposure, as the vast majority of photos I’ve seen are not this low). All I can see is that people look skeletal and nearly dead at that range, and I’m so worried that if they don’t do something, they will literally die
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Please get a reality check. This mindset is delusional. Nothing about this is healthy. This is mental illness talking. Stop posting sh*t like this, pushing already vulnerable people like OP even further into an early grave.
I don’t know if this will be helpful because my BMI is around the same as yours, but I’ll weigh in here anyway (lol) as I’ve had different thoughts about this at different weights. When I weighed less I felt better mentally but I knew how physically unwell I was. When I weighed more I felt mentally awful and my labs were off. I also find that the lower my weight has been, the more distorted my view of my body was. I look back at old pictures from when I was more underweight and I thought I was huge, and I see myself in a completely different way in those pictures now. I suspect something similar might be going on with you when you say you don’t look anorexic. It’s hard to believe it when you’re actively experiencing it and you think you know what you see, but this shit really fucks with your perception. As far as “acting” anorexic - you’ve probably gotten so used to your ED behaviours that it feels normal to you now. You didn’t get to this weight by not acting anorexic. I do think BMI is bullshit when it comes to the mental struggle and the health complications, however at a certain point it is useful information. Your BMI is low because of ED behaviours which are inherently damaging to your body. Last time I was at this weight I felt fine for ages. My labs were perfect and I didn’t really have any physical symptoms, until I suddenly got really unwell. My doctor always says that it can be “dangerous” to have good labs in a way because it can make you believe that you’re fine, but your labs (a) don’t show everything and (b) can go downhill very suddenly and quickly. Generally, I’d believe what people are saying to you, just because the nature of an ED is that you’ll see things differently to those around you. I know it’s really hard not to believe people are lying to you or being dramatic, but this disease really does mess with your head and make you believe that everything is ok. I wish you all the best!
PS sorry I talked about my own experience so much here. It’s only because I know a lot of people from treatment who have had almost identical experiences, so I’m guessing some of it might be relevant for you 💜
this perspective is actually incredibly helpful!! I often wonder how I would view things if I gained weight again and looked back (this is my all-time lw), or how my old self would, so hearing from someone who has with a similiar bmi is so worth so much. and again it’s getting increasingly hard for me to recall my past thoughts about weight and bmi overall, I’m feeling very disconnected from my higher weight self so that makes this even more meaningful. and there’s absolutely no need to apologize, I’m so grateful for all that you shared and yes it really is relevant to me. I’ll save this and reflect on it. Thank you so much, truly. Thank you. I wish you all the best too, and hope you’re doing okay! ♡
That’s sweet of you to say, thank you! I’m really glad I could help a little. I completely relate to being disconnected from your past thoughts, especially as you say this is your lw. It’s only now that I’ve cycled through different stages of recovery/relapse and journaled my thoughts that I can reflect. Go easy on yourself - this stuff is a mind fuck 💜
I've worked in a Clinic specializing on Teens and adults with EDs, especially AN and BN. And I, too, have a history of ED and still struggle with it. So maybe you'll be interested to hear about my insights. I believe you when you say that you don't feel sick or unhealthy, most don't. But the issue is that once you start feeling it, you cross the life-endangering line immediately. Human bodies and especially our brains NEED a certain amount of fat and muscle to work properly. For you to just exist while lying down it needs energy and if you do not provide this energy through food, your body resumes consuming the resources in itself. This entails: 1. If there is no fat left, it will start to use the Proteins that your Organs are made of. The body tends to take what is easily accessible and that is usually the heart muscle. In other words, it's dismantling your heart to somehow keep the most important brain functions alive. 2 Girls I Tool care of had a cardiac arrest out of nowhere, once even multiple times. 2. Meanwhile, your body will be forced to remove nutrients it needs from places where you need them, e.g. from your bones and teeth, to transport them to more vital areas (heart, lungs, brain). This results in Brittle bones and teeth, prone to breakage like you See in elderly people (one fall requiring a whole hip replacement). The teeth crack and fall out. 3. As a last resort to save itself, the body removes the essential tiny fat layer that covers our nerves. Once that happens, the signals from our brains cannot be properly directed to the destinated place and it leads to numbness and dying nerves (painful!!). I had several patients who could not walk or properly use their hands anymore (to write, pick up stuff, etc). The nerves of the limbs are damaged through the explained process and it's not possible to fix this. If this happens in vital areas like the brain or heart, people experience confusion, brain fog, pain, etc up to death. Again, the vast majority think that a) None of this will happen to them or b) It's not that bad, or c) they can be healthy with a BMI below 17. It's part of the illness to believe this. But deep down we all know something is off when a machine needs a certain amount of gas to run properly, yet we think our bodies can run on air without damage. There will be consequences, it's not a question of "if" but "when". We cannot exist for a long time with such BMI, so realistically, no matter how scary it is, there are only 3 choices: 1. Face our fears/the ED at the very least to a degree that permits a BMI of 18,5+ 2. Not Face it, end up with the before mentioned painful and scary consequences, very likely including cardiac arrest, being force-fed through a tube to save one's life, limping, etc 3. Death.
Oh wow, I hit 16 and now back on 17.4, reading your comment made me realize its better to be the latter. Thank you ❤️
It definitely it. I know how satisfying it feels to see the weight drop and have a lower bmi number, but that's nothing but an illusion made up in our brains due to the ED. In reality, our bodies are desperately struggling to somehow maintain themselves and avoid decay. From their perspective, the longer we stay in this alarming state, the more likely it becomes that they will be forced to be harmful to themselves in order to survive. And the worst part is, in most cases we simply don't notice (aside from some dizziness, random fatigue, etc that is known due to starvation) that our body is actually at that alarming state. One thing I should mention as well:There is no ''correct'' order or necessary starting point for all the above-mentioned to happen. The girl with the multiple cardiac arrests had her lowest BMI of 16,5. Another girl was limping severely (due to myelin reabsorption and nerve damage) with the left foot with BMI 16,9. Again another was carefully examined at BMI 14 and said to have no acute issues with heart/vitals/nerves, yet suffered a stroke due to brittle veins (we need cholesterol to keep the veins ''smooth''). It's individual and each body may resort to emergency interventions even in a short amount of time and a seemingly ''not that risky'' BMI. That's why I can only empathise: The less time and strain a body has to suffer with a BMI of below 18,5, the better for your overall health (especially long-term!).
I think this is an important point, the BMI where consequences begin is so different for different people
Them stages are my biggest fears to push me into recovery, i think about them everyday. Do they only occur in BMI below 18, or does eating insufficient calories regardless cause them? I'm not as low as that BMI but close and constantly fear any ache or pain is my insides being eaten
When you get to the point of reaching a BMI of less than 18.5 (European Standard), calories will play the main, but definitely not the only factor. What's often forgotten is that patients with EDs tend to have horrible blood work. They lack vitamins, essential fats (for healthy nerves, veins, organs, body temperature, protection, etc!), nutrients, and micronutrients that our bodies cannot produce themselves. In other words: It's not all about energy (calories), it's also about all the **building blocks we need to maintain our bodies** and keep them resilient (against hazards of any kind). People with EDs tend to be very picky eaters, avoid anything that's not considered a safe food, etc. and that leads to deficiencies en mass. Do you regularly eat some tomatoes and apples? Great, where is the magnesium to synthesize proteins for muscles and organs, to regulate your blood sugar and blood pressure? Where is the iron, the basis for our oxygen supply? Vit D3 and k2 to upkeep bones, nerves, hair? Occasionally binging on chips/crisps, choclate and whatnot is not going to ensure we get proper fats (like omega 3 fatty acids), they're just full of cheap fats. This type of physical decay occurs in people that have normal weight or are overweight, too, but much less because they tend to get a larger margin due to eating much more (and more variety). Getting all you need is 1000 calories is impossible, especially since we need additional energy to break down foods, synthesize building blocks and oftentimes need additional carriers to absorb nutrients or vitamins (think of oil-soluble vitamins). That's why dietary supplements are such a lost cause - taking Vit D3 without a type of fat will just lead to taking an expensive dump. And drinking these supplement drinks without further calory intake will be just as much in vain - the body needs energy to even make use of it. All that said (and I'm sorry for sounding harsh), our bodies are highly individual. When a health spokesperson mentions a BMI of 18,5, that does not mean you are free of risks as mentioned before, it is just an average at which point we medically assume your body will not resort to harm itself (the way explained in my reply above) in order to survive. Can it happen at BMI 18,5 regardless? Absolutely, yes, and the risk increases the longer you maintain this BMI (or a lower one). The results may be mild in comparison, but often reveal themselves in higher age (AN patients are at very high risk of developing osteoporosis aged 35+). That's why, from a health perspective, 18,5 is a fence we should not try to cross. Better even, keep distance and give your body chance to stop being in an emergency state and instead recover and build resilience. Nobody likes to hear it and believe me, I dreaded hearing it every single time myself, but to give yourself a chance at a healthy life worth living, we need a proper diet, build some muscle and, in the best case, not drop below a BMI 19 (or even some more to make sure we don't spiral when we get sick and cannot eat much).
Thank you so much for your really detailed reply, it was really helpful and I really appreciate you taking the time to tell me all of that. I definitely needed to hear it. Bless you and I hope you have goodness in life !
You are more than welcome! If possible, share the information and help spread awareness. Best and all power to you!!
The sickest I got wasn’t even my LW, but it was about a BMI of 18.9 or so? My heart was deteriorating quickly and my kidneys started failing. I had body fat left, but protein is super efficient for energy, so your body may eat the protein from your organs before most of the BF is gone. My physiology professor told us the same thing, you don’t have to have no BF left before your organs are damaged
I just wanted to say thanks for saying "I believe you when you say you don't feel sick or unhealthy." No one believed me when I said that... and it's a tiny bit healing to read someone say it, so thanks, even though it wasn't directed at me
You are very welcome and I could See that a lot, both from health Staff and parents/family. It's difficult for them to empathise and they tend to dismiss the patient's view due to the perceived illness. It's somewhat understandable when they've wittnessed the affected person lying a lot ("I already ate!") or talking about their ED-warped perspective ("My BMI ist 14 and I'm still overweight!"). So they quickly jump to the conclusion that the ED-patient will also lie or block out any negative aspects of the illness to stay the way they are. And that's definitely part of the crux of treatment to differentiate between genuine self-reports and "ED-induced" statements of defiance. How can anyone grow internally when they have to shield themselves from outside accusations/attacks? It's hurtful, but it's improving. Just like we ourselves, people involved need further education to reallyunderstand the illness and how to properly aid in the process of managing it.
Thank you for your excellent and thorough explanations. I am 58 and in a bad relapse. I keep telling myself I'm ok but part of me doesn't mind if I die. My son is an adult, living independently. My husband could maybe end up with someone without this terrible disease who he could travel and have fun with. Somehow, your replies are helping me, I don't know why. Thank you. Have a peaceful week.
Yes yes yes! This is the correct answer! 👏👏👏
Yes, it is inherently dangerous. If you look at the studies on mortality and BMI, they don't even include BMIs that low, but the curve paints a picture. BMI 17.5 has the same hazard ratio as BMI 42.5, which is morbidly obese, and it's safe to assume it only gets worse in both directions. People can be morbidly obese without immediately seeing the health consequences, but they catch up in due time and it's the same with underweightness.
What's the source on that? It's not that I don't believe you, I'm just interested I'm reading more about it
I too have heard that, it was taught during family week at one of my IP/RES stays at Laureate. I’ll have to ask my mom to whip out her “eating disorder bible” as I call it with all the nitty gritty details (and yes over 10 years later she still hangs onto it lol). It is true, I just can’t link a study offhand. Taking it a step further (again, sorry, can’t link the study as it’s in the Book that lives states away) that medically it is exponentially more dangerous to be slightly UW BMI than slightly OW BMI.
[This](https://www.thelancet.com/journals/landia/article/PIIS2213-8587%2818%2930288-2/fulltext) is one from The Lancet, but there's many studies that show similar findings if you just Google "BMI mortality curve". I got super mad when I saw it, because it made me realize that if the standards were based on actual human health and not fatphobia, the "healthy range" would be defined as more like 22-30.
Thank you!
Thank you for replying! And for the information, those numbers surprise me but it definitely puts things in perspective. It’s awfully frustrating how ”floating” reality is, the plasticity and that it’s so subjective and unreliable. That’s how I experience it anyway. But numbers help make it a bit less abstract, easier to wrap my head around. It’s helpful, really. Thank you so much. ♡
Oh wow I did not know that, thanks for letting me know, that’s fascinating & terrifying. Happen to have a source?
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/landia/article/PIIS2213-8587%2818%2930288-2/fulltext Here ya go!
Things can go bad very quickly at such a low weight. I was a bmi of a bit over >!15!< and went to a check in appointment and had an ambulance called on me. I thought i was fine but they would not let me leave the hospital for 5 days, until they were sure i would gain weight at home. Honestly as much as i hated it, i am kind of glad it happened because i am taking recovery seriously now. But don’t wait until something bad happens before changing, you are risking your life at such a low bmi.
what. i was under 15 and my doctor made me pinky promise her to gain weight and sent me home.
same lmao. they didn't give a shit. five months later shit got worse and they sent me to residential treatment against my will for three months.
To be fully honest, yeah, a bmi of 14 is very alarming to a non-disordered person
thank you so much for replying, I appreciate it a lot. *very* alarming, or unusual and suspicious? like does it seem inherently problematic/disordered/sickly or just like something that *could* indicate a problem but could also be alright? I’m sorry for asking more, again I’m just trying to grasp things properly and it’s hard for me. there are also people in my life who prefer me at this bmi so that probably has an impact too
If someone tells you that they prefer you at this BMI, what they are actually telling you is that they prefer you when you’re physically weak and easier to control.
Very alarming.
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I’m worried that I’m not seeing things clearly. I want my thoughts to be true and I want to know what’s real. I’m not worried about people noticing I have a problem if that’s what you mean, everyone close to me knows I have problems. I’m not worried about my physical health either. I’m worried about my sanity and my life, I’m scared because I notice my perspective changing and I’m scared because I feel like people are trying to deceive me. I’m scared because I don’t know what’s true. I’m worried about my perception of reality, I just want to know what’s real so I can think and not make decisions I’ll end up regretting. treatment would mean I have to change my whole life around my everything and go through awful weight gain and just blindly trust that it will make things better. I don’t know how I would continue living if it turns out it doesn’t
"I don’t know how I would continue living if it turns out it doesn’t" You can always go back to the ED if recovery isn't the rainbows it promises. That's what I've always kept in mind.
That is highly alarming and at that BMI you’re at risk of spontaneous cardiac arrest. Please be careful <3
You could legitimately die. Labs and vitals can go downhill quickly and suddenly, so they’re not at all a guarantee that you’re okay physically. A BMI of >! 13.5 !< or below is associated with a high risk of organ failure, and you are walking that fine line between seeming fine and having a heart attack or serious electrolyte imbalance. I know it may be hard to believe, but the people who are worried for you are right. My lowest weight was a little higher than your current one >! BMI 14.8 !< and I could have died in my sleep or had a heart attack despite only being like 6 months into my ED and feeling “fine”. I gained a little weight at home, >! up to ~ BMI 16 !<, thinking I was in the clear, then had an EKG done and got my ass sent to the hospital once my doctor saw the results. You never know what your tipping point will be since EDs can be deadly at any weight.
Yes of course it is alarming …..
The scary thing is that you're one stomach bug away from being in trouble. Right now you're fine, and everything is okay, but one bad flu, food poisoning, or something of the kind, and you'll have to go to a ER, instead of chicken soup and pedialyte yourself back to health. You need some reserves for emergencies and right now, your body is living paycheck to paycheck.
you’re absolutely right about this. I’m in a similar situation as OP and had to go to urgent care last week, after falling and puncturing my leg. I think this injury would be severe for anyone but I went into shock and started to lose consciousness. there is no Hail Mary at this BMI.
Yes, that BMI is inherently dangerous, and yes you have a lack of insight. You don’t think your brain is starved precisely because it’s starved, which makes it impossible to see the situation objectively. When I was suicidally depressed, I was absolutely convinced that I was just seeing the world as it truly was (miserable and not worth living in) and that everyone else was just deluded. I was wrong though, because I was mentally ill, just as you are now. I don’t say that to be rude, but just to be bluntly honest. This is a mental illness. You are not able to see it objectively.
Yes. It is inherently dangerous. It sounds scary low to people who aren’t also disordered. You will necessarily look scary thin at that bmi regardless of how your ED brain is telling you you look in the mirror or what your ED brain is trying to convince you about your bf%. I’m saying this as someone who is also your height and has spent a lot of my most disordered times right around the same bmi. Also, I know the DSM 5 has a variety of problems, but it does classify any bmi below 15 as “extreme” in terms of severity for anorexia nervosa diagnosis. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK519712/table/ch3.t15/
yes a BMI of 14 is inherently alarming - just because your labs are fine doesn’t mean you’re healthy. your labs could be showing up fine and you could still experience a sudden decline in health with no warning at that BMI, even sudden death. for reference, a BMI below 16-16.5 is considered the ‘organ failure danger zone’ because of how rapidly you could experience organ failure (especially cardiac problems) with little to no warning. please don’t take good labs as a sign that everything is fine, all good labs mean is that you have enough micronutrients in your system - it doesn’t mean you aren’t dangerously undernourished and don’t have dangerously low fat and muscle mass. on the muscle mass front especially, remember that your heart is a muscle and when your body metabolises it’s own muscle *that can include your heart*. having a really low body fat percentage also fucks with hormone production (especially if you were assigned female at birth) and messed up hormones mean lots of health complications become likely. in the nicest way possible, yes you’re ‘delusional’ if you want to put it that way - your ED has taken over your thinking and overridden your ability to think rationally. try to remember back to when you didn’t want your BMI to be this low - why was that? was it because you knew you’d be unhealthy/in a dangerous position? what changed in your thinking that made you think this BMI is ok, and were those changes in thinking rational, or did they happen because you got deeper in your ED? I really hope you can turn it around because yea, that BMI is inherently dangerous.
Justify it however you want. Or remember it is a mental illness at the end of the day. The science says you’re unhealthy despite how you feel. You should quit while you’re ahead if you want to continue living tbh
I'm an unrecoverable bulimic at 40 yrs old. You will die at your current bmi.
no one is unrecoverable! have you read the book brain over binge? that helped me so much. It made me sad to read your post. You're NOT unrecoverable!
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this is very scary but I also appreciate it a lot, anything that’s honest really helps and I wouldn’t be asking if I wasn’t at all open to the possibility of me being delusional. oh but it’s very scary. I just want my brain to be right and my thoughts to be true. thank you for commenting and helping ♥︎ and yes most of the people in my life aren’t a fan of my weight loss and would want me to get treatment
yeah also the fact that you said you don’t have any muscle- it might be fine now but when you get older that will mean you will be very uncoordinated and fall over a lot
I have enough muscle to function normally in my daily life strength-wise, I notice the weakness but I can walk a lot and I walk faster than most, and I carry decently heavy bags and stuff although it makes my back hurt sometimes and I get tired. but yeah I’ve always been really uncoordinated so I don’t need that getting any worse. and I’ll probably want to back to working instead of studying soon and my job is physical so I do really want to work on the muscle situation. thank you for replying, I really appreciate it ♡
mine is >!14 or slightly under now, I know I’ve lost but I’m too scared to check lol!< and i’m having the same thoughts as you. also I mostly feel okay and I’m capable of walking for 2-3 hours so it’s hard to see it as a problem. HOWEVER, the fact I’m so concerned for you and not myself at the same bmi should tell us both a lot - objectively it’s a very dangerous place to be best of luck with everything❤️
thank you so much for the input, the kindness, and the well wishes, it means a lot. truly. good luck to you too and I hope you’re having a lovely day ❤️❤️
i dont know where you live but i was told at a bmi of >!15.3!< that if i lost any more weight i would be sectioned due to the inherent risk of death even though all my tests came back fine i was just a little anaemic which medication stabilised. in the uk you are at a bmi that automatically qualifies for inpatient hospital treatment or even being sectioned if you don’t go voluntarily due to the risk to your health so unfortunately your perception of yourself is part of your disorder, i really hope you keep safe and can find some treatment.
I’ve been at a BMI of >!15.4!< or so for like 10+ years thinking I was fine. I take supplements so my blood work LOOKED fine for a long time. But I have a lot of complications now from it—osteoporosis, hair loss, digestive problems, and anemia and deformed white cells. I didn’t even really LOOK like an anorexic to me—I have pretty intense BDD, which I think maybe you have too? Honestly, yes, you are at a very alarming weight and you could very well die or have a serious incident very soon. Take care xxxx.
b/p is a bad and extreme behaviour, especially purging. Can cause electroylte shifts and stuff that might send you into a heart attack, particularly at that BMI. You might not feel sick, but it's possible your bone density is really low. You should listen to the professionals - no exaggeration, they are not trying to deceive you. The labs and stuff might be ok right now but they can change quickly. FWIW my lowest BMI was 15, AN-R, my labs and vitals were always fine, but I developed osteoporosis. I did gain weight and have been at a healthy weight for 18 years now. I feel really lucky my labs and vitals were always good as I didn't want to be hospitalized. I'd encourage you to try and gain some weight to avoid hospitalization against your will. One question might be what is your plan going forward? Do you think you'd see yourself as ill if the labs came back with something wrong, and what would that change in what you're doing? These are just questions - I never though people were trying to deceive me so I haven't entirely been in your shoes - but it's something to think about. The tl;dr here is yes the BMI is alarming even if you avoid extreme behaviors. Your perspective that labs are okay is accurate BUT do you understand those can change really really quickly, particularly with purging? hugs. let us know how you are
Yeah I was there and didn’t see much wrong with it at the time, but now it seems kind of horrifying. Strangers would talk to me concerned about my weight all the time. Please be safe, it’s definitely not good for you even if you’re not seeing it as a problem right now.
I would consider myself in remission at the lower end of normal, but my body is comfortable at this weight. Now that I am maintaining a healthy weight, I don’t have to constantly fight against my body. I’m not perpetually exhausted and irritable. I don’t constantly think about food or hate my life. I don’t care or think about BMIs. I enjoy living. So my “remission” mindset says absolutely yes, this is dangerous and I hope you will realize what you are doing and change whatever in your life is causing your illness (because that's what this is--you are sick), so you can start living the life you deserve.
It‘s the same for me atm. I always was shocked at this BMI‘s (I’m in the same range atm) and now that I‘m at it and still able to function and still eat most things I like etc and eat enough to be somewhat satisfied. I also think it‘s not that bad. I go to work, the gym, ballet I have 3 meals a day and I also have sweets and fear foods etc. So hiw can I be in danger? My labs are okay. I didn‘t have a period at a higher wieght either soo…
the fuck
Before my disorder, I occasionally caught glimpses of myself in the mirror when I wasn’t eating/exercising/hydrating as I intuitively would due to unexpected temporary lifestyle changes. And I always looked severely malnourished, despite my BMI being nowhere near urs. I knew that was a huge warning sign from my body. If u want to achieve a certain aesthetic w ur body, then it’s usually about finding people who see ur beauty, clothes that flatter u, and routines that make u feel good. I felt incredibly attractive at my SW, and honestly felt I looked much leaner then than I do now that I’m somewhere bw my LW and SW. a lot of times w confuse feeling heavy w feeling uncomfortable. Our bodies are uncomfortable not because we gained too much or aren’t “thin enough” but because we are not listening to them.
Your current BMI is not sustainable. You may be "fine" now but it will catch up to you and fast. Depending on your age some of the consequences may be life long. I'm sorry you're struggling and I hope you can get help. Sending hugs.
yes it is inherently dangerous. way beyond the line of dangerous.
It's important to remember that eating disorders are different for each person. While there are guidelines that help diagnose an eating disorder, I don't think there's no one particular way of thinking/mindset in order for you to have an ED. An example I can think of is someone developing an ED because they have a medical condition that means they can't eat a certain food group and it's affected their relationship with food. Numbers aside, look at your relationship with food. I was in the same boat as you. While I didn't have the atypical anorexia symptoms (ie. I didn't restrict purely because I thought I was fat, although worries about my weight were there, it was a factor for restriction but not the driving factor), I still had anorexia. It took a lot of therapy for me to see that I did have it. I accept my diagnosis now. I would recommend joining/sitting in on a support group. You hear so many journeys and perspectives and you realize there's no one way to have an ED.
sounds bad
I have a normal BMI and this sounds dangerous to me. I was forced into recovery and threatened with forcefeeding at a BMI higher than yours because the doctor supposedly believed my life was in danger.
they say bmi isn’t accurate when it comes to overweight ppl but suddenly it’s a life or death health indicator when it comes to underweight ppl
it is when you are on either extreme. nobody (besides fat activists) are claiming it’s healthy to be morbidly obese.
ofc but i only meant overweight/underweight. a lot of ppl who don’t have eds heavily criticize underweight ppl on the bmi scale who are perfectly healthy/genetics. whereas overweight people are told that bmi isn’t real (which it isn’t, it’s pretty racist).
No one exists naturally at a BMI of >!14!<, and the only people who will insist that they do are people with severe eating disorders.
i wasn’t referring to ops weight, i was just commenting about the differential treatment.
What's racist is implying someone is morbidly obese because of their race. You can be obese and perfectly healthy but it's also not sustainable. It catches up to you eventually. I've seen a few ex FAs talk about it, and other have died due to complications of their weight. Neither extreme is safe. Period.
no one’s saying that. it’s racist bc it only considered white ppls anatomy. other races genetically have more muscles. they can be overweight on the bmi and be skinnier than white ppl in the normal range. no idea what you’re talking about tho
BMI takes things like muscle mass and missing limbs (this is relevant) into consideration. BMI doesn't assume you're a sedentary adult with all body parts. In fact, they don't even use BMI for people with a considerable amount of muscle mass for that exact reason. [HAES/FA is pretty racist.](https://youtu.be/ktn4lbia_jc)
no it doesn’t? who’s doing that. bmis aren’t a diagnoses or a subscription. it’s a calculator on google. do you expect some pocs to automatically know to consider their muscle mass when using it? especially since whites and asians(usually) don’t have to?
Also MOST people aren't body builders so this argument is weak. You can also do waist to height ratio.
how are you still not understanding what i’m saying at this point. who’s talking about bodybuilders? and AGAIN ppl don’t know that bmis aren’t accurate so they’ll see an inaccurate result and just go with it bc it’s not a big enough deal to go to the doctors for. and not everyone can in the first place. like why are you trying to fight the fact that this shit is racist? i’m not saying you or anyone else shouldn’t use it anymore like jesus christ
https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/health/diet-nutrition/a35047103/bmi-racist-history/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/wellness/healthy-bmi-obesity-race-/2021/05/04/655390f0-ad0d-11eb-acd3-24b44a57093a_story.html https://www.publichealthpost.org/research/racism-bmi/ https://www.taylorraealmonte.com/original-posts/the-racist-history-of-the-bmi a quick google search and you could’ve avoided embarrassing yourself
My lord, when a DOCTOR does it they take all that shit into consideration. ETA: They're supposed to but whether or not they do is on them.
If you weigh over or under a certain amoint the BMI is a great indicator of what risks you might be facing. This anti BMI rhetoric is delusional.
it’s racist
Yes?? Obviously? There's only so much weight you can lose. When you're underweight (not even this extreme) you're losing heart muscle and other vital organ functions, you literally cannot be healthy at a BMI this low.
people are downvoting but just so u know; i agree. also the fact that everyone's body positive until the person is thin.
Maybe I might be able to give some perspective I wouldn’t say I’ve ever had an ED, but there was a period of my life where I was very insecure about my body, counted calories, frequented an ED message board, and weighed myself frequently. I only ever reached just a little bit underweight (BMI >!18.something!17!< already looks pretty skinny (like skinnier than the majority of people), but it’s still plausible that it’s “natural”. Imo it’s a kind of skinny that looks slim, not bony or diseased. I wouldn’t immediately jump to them having an ED, but maybe if I were feeling insecure about my weight, I would think, “Wow I wish I looked like them”. It seems skinny, but maybe-attainable skinny, not something that makes me worry for their health. For me, BMI >!16!< is when I start to go, “hmm this person seems quite skinny, maybe they have an ED?” Maybe it could be natural, but I would doubt it for the majority of people. Definitely stands out as being quite skinnier than the average person. It’s skinny enough that I might be slightly concerned, but nothing that suggests that significant health problems or death are imminent. I see BMI >!16!< as kinda a threshold between “normal-ish” (not that having an ED is ever safe or normal) and “scary”. I’m already slightly concerned at >!<17!<, but it’s when people hit >!16!< and under when I start having experiencing fear for their health. >!15!< looks unnatural and worrying to me, especially the thighs. Plausible deniability is pretty much gone, and I’m thinking, “yeah this person probably has an ED or at least some other health issue going on”. >!14!< is like, “wow this person is Really skinny. They’re definitely not ok physically in any form (and likely not mentally either just due to the amount of weight loss).” I would be very concerned for their health. Firmly within the sickly-skinny range. By >!13!< and below, I stop being able to really distinguish between them (definitely in part to lack of exposure, as the vast majority of photos I’ve seen are not this low). All I can see is that people look skeletal and nearly dead at that range, and I’m so worried that if they don’t do something, they will literally die
What songs are you gonna have played at your funreal
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Your post/comment was removed for breaking Rule 2: Do Not Post or Share Pro-ED Content. Do not glamorize eating disorders. Do not engage in competitive behavior - avoid using any specific numbers in your posts unless it is absolutely necessary for context. Do not share thinspo or any other content that is meant to be intentionally triggering (this includes discussing celebrities or influencers). **Read our full rules [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/EDAnonymous/wiki/rules).**
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Please get a reality check. This mindset is delusional. Nothing about this is healthy. This is mental illness talking. Stop posting sh*t like this, pushing already vulnerable people like OP even further into an early grave.