Too skinny!

[Isolde]

In college, I was 5'4 and weighed 103-108 Ibs--which, in retrospect, was pretty perfect for my frame, though I felt fat at times (!!) Now, for one and a half years, I have been down to less than 100 Ibs and look almost little-girl skinny. On me, skinny just looks childish; not elegant or lithe. I HATE it. The really annoying thing is that a few pounds make a huge difference in how I look. My face doesn't look as good with no cheeks to balance out my features, I don't fit as well into clothes, and I feel less feminine.

 

I've been trying to eat more for months, tons of carbs and protein, but I find myself unable to gain even a few Ibs. It's like my body just doesn't want to hold onto fat anymore. I have no medical issues that I know of.

 

Anyone relate and have some advice??

[oceangrl]

Do you workout? I'm 5'4 too and I was losing a ton of weight too because my frame is naturally small. I weight about 113 now. In the past, if I gained weight, the weight would go on my face or around my belly and I hated that! I started working out (plyometrics, taebo, yoga) and I've gained weight in the right places (arse, legs) and I eat a lot more now so that I don't lose too many calories and lose more muscle than fat.

[Isolde]

Do you workout? I'm 5'4 too and I was losing a ton of weight too because my frame is naturally small. I weight about 113 now. In the past, if I gained weight, the weight would go on my face or around my belly and I hated that! I started working out (plyometrics, taebo, yoga) and I've gained weight in the right places (arse, legs) and I eat a lot more now so that I don't lose too many calories and lose more muscle than fat.

 

I actually want weight in my face, lol--just not on my tummy, hopefully.

[MN randomguy]

I've been trying to eat more for months, tons of carbs and protein, but I find myself unable to gain even a few Ibs. It's like my body just doesn't want to hold onto fat anymore. I have no medical issues that I know of.

 

Anyone relate and have some advice??

 

 

I'm on the other end of the spectrum. But, don't be afraid of a little fat in your diet. Its calorie dense so you don't have to eat soo much to get the calories you needs. My old roommate switched to whole milk because he couldn't hold onto any weight.

 

Also, what's changed since college? If you were at your ideal weight in college go back to doing what you did in college.

[missdeathwish]

Have you gone to the doctor and checked your thyroid?

[Star Gazer]

Have you gone to the doctor and checked your thyroid?

 

That's what I was going to suggest.

 

Do you find yourself experiencing any of these symptoms?

 

# feeling nervous, irritable or emotional

# tremor (shaking)

# sleeping poorly

# being intolerant of heat and sweating more than usual

# losing weight despite increased appetite

# muscle weakness

# increased heart rate or palpitations

# having infrequent periods or problems getting pregnant

# having more frequent bowel movements or diarrhea

# shortness of breath, especially when exercising

# loss of hair or finer hair than usual

 

??

[You'reasian]

In college, I was 5'4 and weighed 103-108 Ibs--which, in retrospect, was pretty perfect for my frame, though I felt fat at times (!!) Now, for one and a half years, I have been down to less than 100 Ibs and look almost little-girl skinny. On me, skinny just looks childish; not elegant or lithe. I HATE it. The really annoying thing is that a few pounds make a huge difference in how I look. My face doesn't look as good with no cheeks to balance out my features, I don't fit as well into clothes, and I feel less feminine.

 

I've been trying to eat more for months, tons of carbs and protein, but I find myself unable to gain even a few Ibs. It's like my body just doesn't want to hold onto fat anymore. I have no medical issues that I know of.

 

Anyone relate and have some advice??

 

Well, I'd recommend eating larger meals but making sure that you are able to convert the additional calories to healthy muscle mass, rather than fat. You will inadvertantly put a little fat on anyways, but just make sure the weight gain is mostly healthy (muscle).

[porter218]

Isolde..I would suggest going to the gym and doing some light weight lifting along with eating an extra 2 small meal/snacks. Sometimes things like stress can make you loose weight and when you are already small like you were you want to avoid that if possible.

[johan]

I know the barbershops will give you all the hair clippings you want for free. And coffee shops will give you their coffee grounds. Maybe you should get in touch with a liposuction clinic.

[You'reasian]

I know the barbershops will give you all the hair clippings you want for free. And coffee shops will give you their coffee grounds. Maybe you should get in touch with a liposuction clinic.

 

Not to get off topic:

 

Are coffee grounds good for anything?

 

Making coffee is an extraction. Hot water passes through grounded coffee beans, dissolving everything that is water soluble (or semi-soluble) in high temperature water. What you have left is obviously saturated non-water soluble materials that could be dried....

 

I wonder if that would be a useful starting material for anything? Oh who am I kidding. I must be fooling myself....

[Isolde]

That's what I was going to suggest.

 

Do you find yourself experiencing any of these symptoms?

 

# feeling nervous, irritable or emotional

# tremor (shaking)

# sleeping poorly

# being intolerant of heat and sweating more than usual

# losing weight despite increased appetite

# muscle weakness

# increased heart rate or palpitations

# having infrequent periods or problems getting pregnant

# having more frequent bowel movements or diarrhea

# shortness of breath, especially when exercising

# loss of hair or finer hair than usual

 

??

 

I'm pretty sure my thyroid is normal. The only thing in this list I've noticed is that I've been shedding massive amounts of hair in the past few months.