Am I too thin to be considered healthy?

[Anonymous]

I am 19, I weigh 124 pounds (8 stone, 11 pounds) and I am 5'9 tall.
Is this too thin? How much should I weigh?

[aamina]

I don't think you should listen to anyone who is telling you how much YOU should weigh.

Everybody is different. If you look in the mirror and you are not happy with the way you look then start working out and/or eating more to bulk up. Decide if you want more fat or more muscle, and then post another question asking how to gain more weight (so that others can gve you some tips) or how to gain muscle (so that I can give you some tips).

You are still young, and as you age your metabolism will slow down, so be thankful that you are underweight right now. Some people's body's can't handle being over a certain weight, so whatever your body is NATURALLY maintaining might be exactly what your body can handle.

I'm a small-frame girl and I work out so I'm really fit, but if I gain 5lbs - 10lbs (which sounds like nothing) I start having problems like knee pain, some minor respiratory issues, and I feel more fatigue.

Also, I currently weigh 114lbs and I look thin and fit. I also have a friend who is the same height as me and she weighs 120lbs but she is very chubby and large. I'm a size 0 - 2 and she is a size 6 - 8. So you see how our different body types carries weight differently.

Also, muscle weighs 3 times more than fat, which explains why we look so different at relatively the same weight. But again, she was always a chubbier girl (I've known her forever) and she actually looks attractive and cute that way, but when I gained weight a few years ago it looked horrible on me.

[Willow4]

Judging by the BMI calculator you're underweight but some people just super fast metabolisms (lucky them lol) so it doesn't necessarily mean you're unhealthy but depending on how much you eat you could possibly do with gaining a little weight :)

[Willow4]

Oh and it says your ideal weight should be between 8 stone 13 lbs and 12 stone 2 lbs. But that's a generalisation for every 19 year old 5'9 woman. It doesn't take into consideration your metabolism and your diet. Maybe go to the doctor if you're worried? :)

[Asker]

I'm a guy.

[Willow4]

lol sorry I must have accidently put female on the calculator then just wrote for a girl :/

ok...I'll do it again :P

[Willow4]

Well..you're still underweight but do you have a fast metabolism? If you do that explains a lot, if you don't you're just not getting enough in your diet :)

[Asker]

I think it's a bit of both. I never had the biggest appetite because I would get full very quickly and I wasn't that active. However, I would then feel hungry again pretty soon.
I've done more exercise recently and I eat more but I don't think I have gained much weight although I feel hungry a lot so I think I have a fast metabolism.

[Willow4]

Yeah it sounds like a fast metabolism, if you're getting your balance right between amount of exercise and you eat more then I think that's all it can be. Try going to your doctor about it, they might have some tips on how you can boost your weight or foods you can eat that take longer for your body to break down :)

[sovetskii13]

I don't think there's a "correct" amount you should weigh. Based on your BMI (body mass index) you are around the border of healthy and underweight. It doesn't mean this is bad and that you need to quickly gain weight or anything. You are fine.

[AdamThomas]

I'd say you're half a stone underweight. At the lowest you should be 130lbs.

[Slavanna]

Way too thin. I'd say 130-140 is the range you should be aiming for, or maybe even more.

I'm your height and when I was at my lowest (125lbs) I was told my my doctor not to lose a single pound more...

[Asker]

So is it quite dangerous? Would you say that by gaining 10 pounds and putting me in the range that you have suggested I would see a noticeable difference in appearance?

[teasegirl]

Go to a doctor. They will tell you how much you're supposed to weigh, and if you're missing some vitamins in your diet.

[Cleveland]

If you live a healthy lifestyle and this is your weight, then your healthy.

[Anonymous]

You're on the thin side but that doesn't mean you're not healthy