Question:
Am I too skinny?
I will be 2 yrs. post-op in Nov. I'm 5'7 and weigh 135 lbs. In the last several month's I've had people tell me, I'm too skinny, I need to eat, I need to gain weight, I even had some jerk that I hadn't seen in a couple of years ask me if I had AIDS! I thought I was looking kind of skinny, but kept telling people it was because I had lost a lot of muscle. My weight came off really fast. I think that was due to a longer recovery period (3 mos.) I had a really bad infection. (A whole other story!) After everyone telling me I was getting too skinny I guess you could say I "fell off the wagon". I've gone back to my bad eating habits. I started drinking Mt.Dew (not diet either) eating chips, fatty foods and even my favorite, Suzy Q's. Sometimes if I eat too much sugar or eat too fast I get nauseated and have had dry heaves maybe three times but have never thrown up. It was the only thing I knew to do to try and put on a little weight. I haven't gained any. I don't know if that's good or bad. I don't take my vitamins because they make me gag and choke. I had had my blood work done with my family doctor and it's fine. My support group moved their meetings to a town that is much farther away, so I don't go to those meetings. I guess I'm just trying to figure out what I should do now and I figured this was the best place to find help. I finally got the nerve to come here and ask for help because my 22 year old neice is having a gastric bypass in a few hours. She decided to have the surgery because of what it has done for me. I want to be a good example for her...I just don't know how to get back on track. Any ideas? Thanks in advance for your help. — [Anonymous] (posted on July 27, 2001)
July 26, 2001
I've been told this too. I'm 5'7 and 143(go figure) I will not do anything
to make my slf gain weight even if I go to 135 , so be it. I continue to
take my protein and vitamins everyday and eat regular food I snack on sugar
free cookies or sugarfree icecream. I have increased my calorie intake but
I will never allow myself to get into the sugar trap.I don't know if I dump
at this stage of the game but I don't want to know either. Sugar was my
biggest down fall. If you feel that your are too thin (and this is only my
personal opinion) I would ear any regular food I wanted a little more
frequently , but I would NEVER over stuff , maybe eating something ever 2-3
hrs but I personally would lay off the sugar. Sugarfree goodies are still
high in calorie, and taste good. Good luck.
— Rose A.
July 26, 2001
Hello, I can't identify but I do know there is an "underweight"
discussion group on www.yahoogroups.com. Do a search using the prefix OSSG
and you can join the email group for people who believe they are
underweight. In my own personal opinion, if you are happy with who you
are, ignore what other people say. Hard, I know, but is the real issue
your weight or what everyone else thinks of you? My surgeon asks that we
all follow up with the psychiatrist to discuss issues surrounding our
surgery. It can't hurt. And if you want to be a good example for your
neice, why not show her that you know when you may need to talk to someone
about what you're feeling. 22 is a hard age to have a lot of changes going
on. Good luck and please feel free to email me if you'd like to talk
further.
— Kimberly L.
July 26, 2001
You need to lose weight, you need to gain weight, what is society trying to
do to you??? ARE YOU HAPPY WITH HOW YOU FEEL AND LOOK?? How dare people
tell you you are too skinny, especially if they know what you've gone
through! I say, forget what everyone else says and focus on you and your
health. I've heard that doctor's can help with weight gain also if you
want to try talking to your PCP. Good luck
— [Anonymous]
July 26, 2001
I want to encourage you and remind you that you do know how to get back on
track-do what you were doing when you lost all that weight! I want to
encourage you to start taking your vitamins again and change the eating
habits. Get rid of the soda,little Debbie's and all. Snackwells make great
cookies! If you need the soda=go diet. You can do this. Not for your niece
or anyone else but for you. You will never be perfect in size to anyone
other than yourself. "you're too fat,you're too skinny" who are
these people other than people.Don't give them the power. Talk with your
PCP/surgeon and see what they say, also, how do you feel? I think that's
what's important here. Anyway, you do have the power and you've done it. I
think you just need a little reminding and support so count me in!
— Linda M.
July 26, 2001
I think the advice given thus far is very good. You need to focus on the
fact that you have accomplished a huge goal. In time I am certain you will
"fill out" as Barb said. If you genuinely feel concern, go to
your doctor and ask him what you could do to put on weight without
reverting back to old habits. I wish I was a post-op so I could advise you
properly, but I do know that it would be self-defeating for you to start
falling back into old behaviors. You have succeeded so beautifully and
don't want that success to be undone because of some (although I am certain
they are well-meaning,) idiotic people. I think you would do well to start
counseling to deal with how you are trying appease people by gaining
weight. It is an intrinsic desire in us all to please people, but we must
also remember that in the end it is what we think of ourselves that
matters, not others.
— Diana M.
July 27, 2001
I am 5'7" and my surgeon told me he didn't want me below 200 for this
very reason. My personal goal is 175. However, I may change it once I
reach it, because I'm pretty close. I don't want to be skinny, per se,
more proportionate and average. Size 12 looks good to me. If you're
healthy and happy and your surgeon concurs, then I'd say you're just fine.
— [Deactivated Member]
July 27, 2001
If you are happy and healthy and your doctor doesn't think you
are too thin, then ignore those people. Some are jealous, some
just aren't comfortable with your new body. Don't let these
comments bother you.
— [Anonymous]
July 27, 2001
I have lost a large ammount of weight in the past, and yes, I was told that
too, even though I was not near my goal weight. I think people are so used
to seeing us this way for such a long period if time, it is just as much a
shock to them as It can be for us. JUst think if somebody has never met you
for the first time, they would NOT know the difference. They would not
think you were too skinny, because they did not see what you looked like
before you lost. GET THE CONFIDENCE BACK UP, AND IF NEEDED, GO TALK TO A
MENTAL HEALTH COUNCLER, OR WHO EVER YOUR COMFORTABLE WITH. Marie Awbrey
— Marie A.
July 27, 2001
I was surprised to read that no one suggested building muscle on your arms
and frame. Strength training is great for women and muscle weighs more than
snack cake fat. I would much rather build up weight by becoming stronger
than returning to a weaker me that lived eating junk. Your new muscles will
require more food to sustain them and you will be able to eat larger
amounts of healthy things. No one will ever know you had surgery, you will
just be strong and healthy. Just My Opinion.
— Danine N.
July 27, 2001
Hi, You made a really big committment to yourself when you chose to have
surgery and you have worked hard to loose all of that weight. You didn't
have surgery to please others but to make yourself a healthier, happier
you. Don't try to please others by gaining weight now. Only you and your
doctor can decide what is right for you. Don't worry about what others
(even family and close friends) say about your weight. Good luck to you.
Julie Miller
— Julie M.
July 27, 2001
You are not too skinny, you are fine. I am 5'7" and was 128 when I
got married (thin but healthy). I've love to get to 135! You probably
need to tone and build up your muscles, but don't add weight from junk
food. People will ALWAYS be there to tell you that you are too skinny - I
don't know why they say that, but they will so just laugh it off.
— Cindy H.
July 27, 2001
I am 16 months post-op and I am 6' tall and weigh 147. I sometimes get the
"you're too skinny" comment, but it is unfailingly from people
who knew me from BEFORE surgery. I know it is a drastic change in my
appearance, you don't go from a 24 to an 8 without someone noticing, but
people who meet me NOW (1) have no clue that I ever weighed 276 pounds and
(2) have never told me that I am too thin. I think in their eyes, I just
look like a normal, everyday person you'd see on the street. So who is it
telling you that you're too thin? What does your BMI say?
— Beth B.
July 27, 2001
I'm worrying about the same thing right now. I'm also 5'6 and i'm 5 months
post-op and weigh 170. I'm afraid that I will loose too much weight. I lost
10 pounds last week and have had no energy. I can't eat anything except
greasy food. I don't dump. To the person that posted this questions please
e-mail me at [email protected].
— Heather C.
July 27, 2001
Sorry that last post should have read that I can eat anything.
— Heather C.
July 28, 2001
Only you can be the judge of whether or not you are too
skinny. Do not allow people negative comments to
affect how you feel about yourself. The one questin that I
would like to ask is..."How do you feel physically?" Also
remeber that it is possible to do more damage by returning
to your past eating habits. Perhaps it is time to work on
your self-esteem, and how you see yourself. This just goes
to show you that no matter what size you are, there are
people out there who will ridicule you no matter what.
Also be sure to check with your Dr. for a professional
opinion on your weight. Be sure if not already, to attend
a support group in your area.
P.S. every morning when your getting dressed
re-affrim to yourself how great and wonderful you are.
— [Anonymous]
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