To think 7 stone 4-5 is not a healthy weight

[Sienna333]

For an early thirties woman who is 5'3?

BMI gives a very broad range for 'healthy' - 7st6 to 10st1 for someone at 5'3". This accounts for a huge range of body types, so it shouldn't be disregarded.

I think it depends a lot on the person and body frame.

SIL is 5ft 3 and 7 stone 4 and looks really ill, we went swimming together a while back and you could see her ribs, every lump of her spine etc, she gets ill a lot, is anaemic and just looks really ill. I'm also pretty sure she has an eating disorder/some major issues around weight as she talks constantly about it, asking people how much they weigh etc (hence how I know exactly what she weighs). She has quite a large frame though, someone who is naturally petite would probably just look slender.

BMI is a fairly blunt instrument, isn't it? I'd only use it as a very rough guide. I have a low BMI but I eat lots (albeit quite healthily) and do plenty of exercise. I have plenty of energy and I'm strong and fit.

working on the theory BMI = Bloody Made-up Indicator and is particular useless. www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/lose_wt/BMI/bmicalc.htm has 103lb 5'2" in the normal weight range.

So your perfectly generically the right weigh. How do you feel?

I was 7 stone 7 at 5'1 in my early twenties. At that weight, I was a UK size 4 (ie. A size 6 was too big) with a waist measurement of 20" and I was permanently cold and tired.

I had a lot of muscle though, so that might have made my weight heavier and skewed things for comparison reasons.

But I would not say it was a healthy weight at all, ime. I think you can only get away with it if you eat a very nutrient rich but low calorie diet or eat a lot and burn it through exercise.

I've known young women who try to get to such weights through basically not eating anything, and that's when the health problems start.

BMI is a fairly blunt instrument, isn't it?

It is, but this is accounted for in the very broad range for healthy weight at each height. So if you are a pound or 2 below the bottom end, you should at least consider whether or not your diet is health and not just dismiss it because of a naturally small frame.

Likewise if you're a pound or 2 above the top end.

I’ve been underweight my whole life. 5ft 6inches, 7st 6 - 8st. It’s my natural weight, it’s where my weight has reset itself after every baby.

I’m not unhealthy at all. Have never missed a period, broken a bone (usually weak bones are cited on these threads).

And I’m not cold or tired either. Not anemic, I give blood all the time

Joey, I'm about 4 pounds under, apparently. I'm not particularly small-framed; I'm tall and lanky. I feel healthy, and never cold and tired, as another 'underweight' PP described. I have regular and healthy periods.

It doesn't worry me.

I'm 5'3" and have always been between 7 stone and 7 stone 2 since I was about 16 (I'm 33 now). I used to think I was underweight because people never stopped going on about it (e.g "you need to eat more", "do you have an eating disorder?").
However, I eat loads (every few hours so I must have a fast metabolism), the endocrine said my diet was great, so now I couldn't care less if others think it's "unhealthy" - it's my natural weight and all the diets I've tried to put on weight haven't made me gain a pound. This is obviously my natual weight so I don't see how it could be unhealthy.

It's actually more difficult (physically) to put on weight than lose it; you can eat healthy high fat foods (avocado, nuts, etc) but they just fill you up for longer, you don't eat more! And it's physically impossible to keep cramming food in when your stomach is full - you'd just throw it back up!

So to answer your question, yes, I think it's healthy.

sorry where did I get the 5'2" from 5' 4" is 17.7
From
www.health.com/nutrition/underweight-for-height
First off, those height and weight charts you see at your doctor’s office are based on averages from large populations, and they shouldn’t be used to make decisions about a person’s
Dr. Roshini Raj
May 29, 2017

and the main advice there is
The best thing you can do if you think you’re underweight
is see your doctor and work together if required.

I weigh that and I'm that height. I'm very healthy. I lead an active lifestyle and do yoga every day, I eat lots of vegetable, meat, eggs, yogurts plus cakes etc. I drink wine on weekends (tho pregnant right now).
I cannot put more weight in. This is how big I am, my statue is tiny and I come from a long line of women just like this.
Oh and I'm not skinny. My boobs are 30 e and (aside from pregnancy) i have a very toned stomach. My arms and legs are well sculpted from yoga.

It's fine. Why are you judging this woman - because you think she's too thin?

I'm short and looked and felt fantastic at that weight. Below 7 was a problem.

Would love to be there now...

No. It’s not too thin. Are you going to come back OP and enlighten us?

My DD is taller than that and weighs less and while undoubtedly thin I don't think she looks too thin as she has a very narrow frame. Having said that I think her face might be too thin if she was older (she's 18).

I think it depends.
If a person is that height and weight but is active and full of energy, mentally and physically then no problem at all!
If a person at that height and weight has eating issues or restricts, is tired and weak, then it's not healthy.
BMI is not a be all all and end all...neither is how a person looks.

Agree with @SpotAGuillemot. I used to get commented when I'm smaller than size 00. I'm petite, small frame and skinny fat. I do eat a lot and am also active in sports. As long as one eat a balance meal and not overdose on sweets/junk food+drinks one should be fine. Got to keep the sugar spike in check. I'm starting to incorporate weights and hopefully keep my belly bloat which I've had since a child in check.

It's me. I lost a stone in weight now everybody is telling me I look great and it depresses me. I think I look awful and the only reason I am at this weight is because I didn't eat hardly anything for 3 weeks.

I’m 5’3 and weighed 7.5 stone when I got married. Yes, I looked slim, but not unhealthily so at all. I was a size 6-8 and would love to get back to that weight actually!

I'm 5' 3" and weighed that up until the past two years. I now weigh 8 stone. I was at the peak of my health, running 5k or 10k five times a week. I'm 40 now and not in the best of health and don't get to exercise anymore, so quite a lot of muscle loss so I look a lot bigger than the scales might suggest.
If you don't feel healthy though, that's a problem. What is the reason for your weight loss?

I'm 5ft3 and weigh 9 st 10. I look healthy between 9st3 and 10st7 (been up to 11st and looked horrible). If I ever go below 9st I look gaunt but it depends on more than height and weight, if I weighed 7st something I wouldn't look well and probably wouldn't feel it either!

Try www.mybodygallery.com You can enter height, age , weight and even body shape. It then shows many images of real people who match those stats. I find it a better mirror than the real mirror, in the same way as looking at a photo is easier to look objectively.

The weight loss wasn't intentional, I have been ill