Just Because I’m Thin Doesn’t Mean I Have an Eating Disorder

September 8, 2010 4:00 pm     Posted in Body, Reality  Christie - NC State University g+ page


By Christie

[We're all about celebrating a positive body image here at CollegeCandy and many of our readers claim the same thing. However we've noticed that while many commentors are quick to jump to the defense of curvy women, they're even quicker to accuse skinny women of having an eating disorder. This is one (skinny) CollegeCandy writer's reaction.]

I always hated the day when we would watch movies involving a girl with an eating disorder in middle school and high school. Suddenly people would be leaning back in their chairs and furrowing their brows at me. I could never escape their concerned glances, the way they watched me eat my salad I had packed that day. Sometimes I’d even hear them whisper to each other about how I was unhealthy. Usually I would react by rolling my eyes and getting the greasiest pizza slice the cafeteria had to offer. This wouldn’t stop them from shaking their heads when I headed to the bathroom after lunch.

In middle school I weighed around seventy pounds so people assumed I had an eating disorder. They didn’t realize I was a year younger than most kids in my grade (I’m a September baby) and hadn’t developed as much as the other girls. They also didn’t consider the fact that I had been doing ballet since I was around four years old every day after school. I didn’t have an eating disorder, I just wasn’t growing yet.

As a freshman in high school, I was a size zero and weighed around ninety eight pounds. I had no hips and no boobs to speak of, so I thought I looked normal. Apparently that still wasn’t enough for people. My classmates didn’t understand that I was suffering from low self-esteem, but not enough to make me starve myself or throw up after eating.

To say I have never had low self-esteem would be a lie; I did struggle with my body. When I finally grew from a size zero to a size five in two years because my body finally developed was hard on me. I was only (and still am) one hundred and fifteen pounds, but that was a difficult adjustment for me. No, I was no longer the small girl, and many girls are smaller than me. So for a few years in high school I no longer had people monitoring my every move in the school cafeteria after videos shown in P.E.

Then I got to college, and when I began to work out both in between classes and at night some of my friends became concerned. They watched me eating smaller meals and there came that look again. I wasn’t starving myself; I was just trying to live a healthier lifestyle. Yes, I admittedly went through a period my senior year in high school where I would skip some meals because I felt fat, but my mother quickly noticed and got me back on the right track. It never developed into an eating disorder, and when I told my friends not to worry – that it was a short-lived (as in two weeks) phase – they just wouldn’t let it go. Finally, after my friends in college spent more and more time around me, they began to realize that I didn’t have an eating disorder just because I’m thin.

A thin woman can be just as healthy as a woman with a little meat on her bones, and just because I’m skinny doesn’t mean I have an eating disorder. I am five foot four. I weigh one hundred and fifteen pounds. I eat more than three times a day and I wear extra small tops. I am very confident with my body image. I never count calories, I eat meat, and I will take a bucket of fried chicken and a large sweet tea over salad and water any day. It would be a lie to say I have never had a problem with my body image – what woman doesn’t? – but I’ve never been anorexic or bulimic.

Just as some women naturally have curves, some are just born thin. Both ends of the spectrum are judged constantly. You are either too skinny or too fat, and in both cases everyone watches you while you eat.  So my question is: what makes a woman “healthy”? What is it going to take for people to stop worrying about you just because of your weight? Without knowing my lifestyle, it isn’t really fair to make an assumption about my health. Just because I’m thin doesn’t mean I’m not healthy, either, because I do eat healthy for the most part, and I work out every week. This is just who I am and I’m sick of being the subject of whispers between girls.

You may not realize it, but sometimes the “skinny” girls feel just as uncomfortable as those women shunned for their curves. Let’s do everyone a favor and stop focusing so much on weight and let everyone, regardless of their size,  just be.

66 Comments on "Just Because I’m Thin Doesn’t Mean I Have an Eating Disorder"

  1. alison says:
    Wed, 8th Sep 201012:19 pm 

    I agree with this article. Whenever I try to cut back on junk foods and eat more healthy, I get dirty looks from my friends and they tell me that I am worrying too much about my weight. I don't know if they are jealous that I'm resisting the cookies or legitimately concerned. I'll even admit that I get super annoyed when I bake cookies with my friend and I eat 10 and she only eats one because she's "full". It's very annoying actually, but I don't say anything because I know she's just trying to be healthy and I'm just jealous. People need to midn their own businesses. If somebody has an eating disorder, look for pale skin and thinning hair because usually weight is not the best indicator.

  2. Lindsay says:
    Wed, 8th Sep 201012:23 pm 

    I could have written this article- this is me to a T. Except the part about gaining sizes; I'm in my second year of college and I'm still 105 lb and a size 0. I can never find pants that fit! I'm just the kind of person that can eat whatever they want and never gain weight. I thought I was too skinny though for a long time and was really self conscious of that.

  3. Jessica says:
    Wed, 8th Sep 201012:41 pm 

    It's nice to see someone write about this. It's so rare to see an article on weight that I can relate to. I'm a 24 year old professional who's 5'8" and 107lbs. The exact size my mom was at the same age. And my dad wasn't that much bigger either. I've been pulled aside at work, at school, on dates, and everywhere to be confronted about my "eating disorder" a problem that has never existed for me. Thank you for showing both sides of the issue.

  4. Kat says:
    Wed, 8th Sep 20101:14 pm 

    This is so true! As someone who is under 5ft and under 90lbs, I often get concerned looks if I don't finish my food or go to the gym more than once a week. I feel like sometimes I have to make a show of eating an extra large (unhealthy) portion or a high-calorie dessert to prove that I just have a high metabolism, not an underlying problem. It makes it especially hard as someone who is naturally very thin to talk with friends who DO have eating disorders. Girl should be respectful of all body sizes unless they actually have a serious reason to suspect a health concern.

  5. Molly says:
    Wed, 8th Sep 201012:47 pm 

    I struggle with this every day as well. I am 5'9" and 110 pounds. I get snarky comments all the time like "eat a cheeseburger" or people calling me "boney" because of how thin I am. No matter what I eat I don't gain weight. And because i'm a vegetarian and eat mostly nuts/fruits/whole grains, people think i'm dieting and trying to lose weight. I have cried multiple times in the past week because of people's rude comments. One girl even admitted she only said it because she was jealous of my willpower against sweets. People need to learn that making fun of someone for being thin is just as bad as making fun of someone for being fat.

  6. Sally says:
    Wed, 8th Sep 20101:09 pm 

    You should go to Singapore – you would be considered "fat" there. As an American who schooled there, I was exceedingly uncomfortable with the 3 categories of girls there seemingly were there – 1) girls with supermodel proportions, 2) "petite" girls and 3) the unfortunate "meaty" girls. I fell into the latter category, as you can guess – even though back in America, I would be full-figured if not perfectly normal. These girls were forced to undergo weight counselling and "fun" physical activity programmes (think inline skating, etc). While I won't deny these activities weren't fun, they certainly unnecessarily differentiated us from our peers.

  7. Lauren says:
    Wed, 8th Sep 20103:39 pm 

    I totally agree! I remember in middle school having all these girls ask me if I had an eating disorder just because we went on a class field trip and I didn't like what was offered for lunch. Come on…

    Thanks for writing this!

    Lrstewart0711.blogspot.com

  8. Lauren says:
    Wed, 8th Sep 20106:47 pm 

    I can totally relate! For as far back as I can remember I have gotten comments on my weight. I remember one time in high school we were having a party in class, and some guy said, "I can't believe you eat cake! Are going to go throw it up in the bathroom?" Never have I had an eating disorder. I actually love to eat… a lot. I wish people would be more sensitive to all different body types.

  9. Lisa says:
    Wed, 8th Sep 20106:10 pm 

    I was exactly like you. In 7th grade I was 70 pounds, and was unable to participate in track because the school nurse thought I was anorexic. Me?! The girl who would be constantly eating chocolate bars!!?? I didn't even start growing until about sophomore year when I grew about 6 inches, and gained about 10 pounds.

  10. Caitlin-University o says:
    Wed, 8th Sep 20108:36 pm 

    I'm in the same boat too! I'm really happy you wrote this. I'm 5'8" and weigh just above 100 lbs and I've always been super thin. In middle school I got teased so much that I couldn't even go into the bathroom after lunch because everyone made fun of me and said I had an eating disorder. I get a lot of greif from my friends now as a junior in college just because I'm thin.

    I remember one time in seventh grade (I weighed about 80 lbs then) I ordered a skirt online and it was a size 0 but it was too big and I went in to exchange it for a 00. The cashier told me to go eat a cheeseburger.

    I love eating, I'm Italian it's practically born in me to eat a lot. I never turn down an opportunity to get food. I know a lot of girls want to have a fast metabolism, but it's really hard getting judged in this aspect too. It's not fun having people look at you and assume you have an eating disorder. And having your doctor question you every time you come in is annoying too.

    We should respect everyone of all shapes and sizes no matter what!

  11. L says:
    Thu, 9th Sep 20102:15 am 

    I actually weigh more than I look. I'm 5'5" (size 0-2), and weigh 115ish, however my body fat percentage is less than 10%, so I'm very lean. Body fat percentages tell more about a person than someone's weight

  12. Angeline says:
    Thu, 9th Sep 20104:57 am 

    Yep -I'm still 43 kilos or 98 pounds as you say in America and 5"4. I've never felt the need to eat less or exercise though -I love food and wouldn't mind having a few extra bulges!

    I'm coming to terms with the fact that my best asset is my delicate physique. When people tell me that I'm skinny, I let it slide because I've got more redeeming features – my empathy, my intellect and most importantly, my passions.

    I've never been the one to turns guys heads as I walk into a room, I've certainly never been complimented on my body – but I can live with that because when people say they feel that they can trust me or that they enjoy spending time with me, that's more important in the long run.

  13. Diana says:
    Thu, 9th Sep 20105:56 am 

    I'm still waiting for the day when it's socially acceptable to walk up to a fat person and say, ''Gosh! Why are you so FAT??'' in the same manner that I frequently get approached by total strangers ''Gosh! Why are you so skinny?? Eat some chicken!'' It is completely rude and it offends me that people seem to think that naturally thin women are some sort of scourge on the self-esteem of the rest of the female population. You know, the 'real' women who are size 10-12+.

  14. molly says:
    Thu, 9th Sep 20102:56 pm 

    Hey, don't mind what people say! I know its hard, but you can just smirk in your head about how you can eat a bucket of wings followed by cake and still look fab!

    I've never in my life been super thin. Never fat, just average. But as someone who LOVES food, (and works out a lot to compensate) I am jealous of you ladies! Eat on!

  15. Rachel says:
    Thu, 9th Sep 20106:23 pm 

    This article is amazing.

    I have been petite my whole life, just like my mom and aunt were. I never really noticed it until I started sixth grade. At 4’8″ and 65 pounds, I was one of the smallest girls in my grade. Most of the others were over five feet, could wear women’s clothing, and had boobs. Even though mentally I was just as mature as these other kids, and more intelligent than the majority of them, no one really took me seriously. I was going to a new school that year, so I didn’t really know anyone. I would try to make friends with all these girls, but they would just brush me off as a ‘child’.

    That summer, I grew four inches. I did gain weight, but not a lot. By the time school started, the girls were no longer amused by my size. I was getting a lot more attention from boys that year, maybe because they had finally gotten to know me, or maybe because I actually looked my age. The girls in my grade were ‘concerned’, though. They began conferring over the issue of my weight. They came up with theories about how I had an eating disorder, pretending that they cared about me in order to veil their jealousy. Even my teachers heard and had started believing them.

    Eighth grade came, and the rumors continued. I started to blow them off, and they started to ease up when word got out that some of my accusers actually DID have eating disorders. I’m now in ninth grade, and I’m 5’4″ but still really thin. I’m constantly asked ‘how I stay so skinny,’ or, more rudely, how often I eat. It’s annoying, but I’ve come to accept it. The worst is when people get really emotional and act as if I’m insulting them by being so skinny. It’s not my fault I’m a size 00 and you’re a 10…

    I hate it when people say that size 10+ is how real women should look. Obviously I’m not a woman yet, but my aunt is a size 2. My mom is a size 6. Are they not real women? Did anyone see the House episode with the woman who has a tumor in her stomach area? I laughed so hard when she said that how she looked was how all women were supposed to look. Let’s be real here: fat people are not healthy. Our society tries so hard to make fat people feel better about themselves that we feel the need to tell anyone who is overweight that they are perfectly normal and better than skinny people. Why are we so obsessed with the underdog? Do people not realize that just as many thin girls are being scarred by the media and society’s expectations as bigger girls? How do they think I feel when I’m told that I look sickly, that I’m supposed to be curvy?

  16. Sia says:
    Fri, 10th Sep 20104:25 am 

    I say this ("Just because I'm thin, doesn't mean I have an eating disorder.") to at least one person a day! Thank you! This is getting ridiculous. I am a college freshman, 17 years old, at 5 ft. 1" and 94lbs. I eat ALL the time, but in small portions, so whoever I'm with at the time thinks I have unhealthy eating habits. No, actually, eating smaller portions more times in a day helps your metabolism speed up, and keeps you fit and energetic. I think every body type, as long as you are healthy and happy, is perfect.

  17. Sia says:
    Fri, 10th Sep 20104:25 am 

    I say this ("Just because I'm thin, doesn't mean I have an eating disorder.") to at least one person a day! Thank you! This is getting ridiculous. I am a college freshman, 17 years old, at 5 ft. 2" and 94lbs. I eat ALL the time, but in small portions, so whoever I'm with at the time thinks I have unhealthy eating habits. No, actually, eating smaller portions more times in a day helps your metabolism speed up, and keeps you fit and energetic. I think every body type, as long as you are healthy and happy, is perfect.

  18. Ryn says:
    Sun, 12th Sep 20105:33 pm 

    Thanks for posting this. People have always seemed to think that it's alright to tease someone for being skinny. Back in middle school I was not only defending myself to other students accusing me of having a disorder but teachers and counselors too! Now I'm not petite , I'm over 6 feet tall, but I have the whole super tall and super thin body type… so despite the fact that I weigh around 135 pounds I still wear extra small and am a size three. People need to understand that calling someone a bean pole, or a stick is just as hurtful as calling them fat.

  19. Lucy says:
    Mon, 13th Sep 20104:03 am 

    I had a close friend who had the same problem, but we all knew she didn't have an eating disorders. Others would make rude comments though.

    I gotta say though..

    I kinda wish I had your guys' problem! Lol! Skinny with an awesome metabolism? Yes, please.

  20. Emma says:
    Mon, 13th Sep 20102:38 pm 

    Thank you so much for posting this! I honestly hate going shopping with my friends because they'll groan and complain when I tell them that I'm a size 1. I'm naturally petite and slender, and it comes with genetics. I don't think I could gain 25 pounds if I tried! I'm not usually accused of having an eating disorder, but I'm so tired of explaining that this is naturally the way I am! I would love to be 5'8 and 140 pounds, but I'm 5'2 and 100. I'm glad that other people feel the same way that I do, and recognize that it's not okay for us to get nasty comments and looks!

  21. Sarah says:
    Tue, 14th Sep 20102:45 pm 

    I totally agree! I'm a college freshman who's 5'9" and weighs 112 pounds. I can eat whatever I want and not gain weight, but I feel like people judge me for being too skinny. It's not liking I'm trying to be skinny!

  22. Lisa says:
    Wed, 15th Sep 20106:19 am 

    Thankfully I've never been pestered by people about always being borderline underweight, but what I've had is the people commenting on how short I am. It drives me NUTS that strangers and classmates used to make teasing or passing comments on how little I am. I'm 5'0 and 98lbs, and at 21 it's FINALLY stopped (execpt for bf adoring how teeny and hugable I am, but that's worship and I'll allow it :p). In fact, when I was about 9 or 10 years old my mother actually TOOK ME TO THE DOCTOR'S for a blood test!!! SHE'S 5'0 TOO!!!!!!! Has the woman never heard of genetics?!

  23. Dominique says:
    Wed, 15th Sep 201010:08 am 

    Oh, thank you so much for this article! I didn't get to 100 pounds until 10th grade, and people (even in my own family) were always asking me why I never eat. I've always eaten "healthy", or healthier than those around me (smaller portions multiple times a day, not a lot of sweets) but never exercise. I wish I could beam this article and all comments into the minds of the idiots who equate thinness with eating disorders! Giving people a show of eating a lot in front of them doesn't help, I used to just say to their face "I'm skinny, so what? I don't starve or puke to get this way so stop HATING!" Now I'm 5 foot 2 and 114 pounds but over the years, people have stopped the moronic comments about my eating habits and have turned to making fun of my height. *sigh*

  24. allie says:
    Wed, 15th Sep 20103:12 pm 

    i have to agree with this, we need to stop judging each others weight. im 5'7 and 300 pounds and a size 24 my mom is 5'4 and 110 and a size 4. all her life she told me she could understand how i felt about being big because people, especially my grandmother, who use to be small too, would tell how ugly and skinny she was and she hated her body. i also have a friend who is soo super beautiful to me that hates her body because she's 5'2 and 100 pounds, she tell me she's jealous of my body because i have big boobs and a nice big butt and she doesnt, that hurts me, because to me shes super gorgous, and i actually wish i was her size. i guess we as women need to love ourselves no matter what!

  25. Katie says:
    Wed, 15th Sep 20104:46 pm 

    Thank you so much for writing this article! This is exactly who I am, and it's nice to know that the skinny girls are being stood up for.

  26. melisa says:
    Thu, 16th Sep 20106:54 am 

    I'm 5'7 and 104 lbs. too skinny? yes! but i can't help it. Even all my closest friends will admit that i eat more than everybody else around them! but i never gain weight. Genetically, my father used to be very thin when he was younger. I hope i can gain about 6-10lbs more, but that is HARD for me no matter how many pasta, steak, or sandwich i ate, gaining weight is a difficult task! That is the one thing that I always desire in my whole life

  27. melisa says:
    Thu, 16th Sep 20106:57 am 

    i came to this site where Alessandra Ambrosio tells what she's been eating for the whole week and oh my Gosh! so many negative comments about her… why people just can accept that there are a lot of naturally skinny girl out there?!

    http://newyork.grubstreet.com/2010/03/supermodel_…

  28. alex says:
    Sun, 19th Sep 20106:11 pm 

    THANK YOU FOR THIS!!!

    I don't think people realize that girls like us struggle with our body image and self esteem as much as girls who are the complete opposite of out body type. I've been criticized for being petite, and i HATE when people say "oh my god you're so SKINNY i'm SO jealous" but really, i don't TRY for this. I've tried work out to try to gain muscle so that i have something more to my body frame than skin and bones, because fat just isn't an option for me! I hate shopping for clothes because strapless anything just fails miserably and finding pants that fit is a nightmare. I could probably have better luck in the little girl's section… I'm not this small by choice, my body just wants me to be skinny. I'm not sick, i don't have an eating disorder or a distorted image of my body, i'm just little! But please don't point it out all the time or ask me if i eat enough.

  29. Brianna says:
    Tue, 21st Sep 20109:08 am 

    Thank you, thank you, thank you! Finally! I can't even begin to express how much an article like this needed to be written. There are so many articles or stories about girls who struggle with obesity, and how no one should judge them because sometimes it's not their choice. Turn the tables though, and if you're skinny you have an eating disorder. For my whole life I have been underweight and overtall, and guess what? That's not my choice. But it's not going to change.

    Just because I'm skinny, doesn't mean I have an eating disorder, is right. Nor does it mean that you need to point out how skinny I am. And I don't want to ever be asked again if I ate lately, because that's just a subtle way of making sure I'm not starving myself. I don't ask you when was the last time you ate, do I?

  30. Star says:
    Tue, 21st Sep 20104:40 pm 

    Definitely agree with you! I absolutely HATE it that people are always trying to shove fatty food down my throat and become completely condescending when I say that I'm trying to replace fast food with healthier choices. I literally see people roll their eyes and say things like "You need to eat more hamburgers."

    That's the problem. "Skinny" chicks don't need more hamburgers and "fat" chicks don't need more salads. What we ALL need is a healthier diet and lifestyle regardless of weight. If you have a medical condition causing you to weigh too much or too little then yes, you might need to work on your weight, but that issue is between you and your doctor. Maybe you think I should cram down cheeseburgers to gain weight, but I'd rather avoid clogging my arteries and dying of a heart attack before I even reach old age.

  31. Samie says:
    Wed, 22nd Sep 201010:44 am 

    I can relate, though I'm not a skinny chick. But my best friend is a size 0 and everyone feels the need to ask me if she's alright and if she's anorexic. I always glare at them and tell them no. She gets comments all the time, and while she has a decent sense of humor about it, she hates it and we often joke about getting plastic surgery where all of my 'extra' fat can go to her. ;)

  32. Jamie says:
    Wed, 22nd Sep 20105:08 pm 

    Great article! I'm a naturally thin girl myself (smaller than you actually) and always have been. No matter how much I eat (and I do eat all the time), I can't seem to gain weight and keep it on. I lose it almost as quickly and my doctors have figured out I'm just not absorbing the nutrients for some reason. I do have a high metabolism and I'm a nervous person too, so I think that's part of it. But, it IS possible to be thin and have curves. I do and so do most of the women in my family.

  33. Jane says:
    Fri, 24th Sep 20104:07 pm 

    Congratulations.

  34. The Other Side of th says:
    Sun, 26th Sep 20104:03 pm 

    Awesome article. I think it was high time for someone to write the other side of the story. I'm not a super skinny chick nor am I big. I'm normal size but, I like it when people have both sides to the story rather than just one. And to be honest, it was getting kind of annoying listening to only the "big" side of things. I love how you girls are so open with sharing your stories and not all of you are demeaning to the bigger people. This article doesn't put down the big people and I like that. It really makes your point shine! Furthermore, I read on one of the comments that being "fat" isn't healthy, and that's absolutely right. Being "fat" is not healthy at all. Being voluptuous, meaning having sexy curves, on the other hand IS healthy. And women of those sizes and the women of tiny sizes (b/c of their body type) are fine as long as they are living a active and healthy lifestyle. And that's what's going to keep your body running in the long run.

  35. Siri says:
    Sun, 3rd Oct 20106:53 am 

    Another thing to point out is that even skinny people can have underlying health problems – hereditary high cholesterol, high blood pressure, etc – that don't get noticed because people assume that thin automatically healthy. Weight is only one factor in a series of others that constitute good health.

  36. Priscilla Garces says:
    Tue, 5th Oct 20109:54 pm 

    I'm in the same boat. I'm barely 5 ft and weigh about 90 pounds if that. I'm tired of everyone accusing of me having medical problems like eating disturbances. as long as I'm healthy it's no ones business. Even my college roommate said I should eat more and eat faster bla bla bla. I wear size 0 or 2sometimes extra small shirts. So I see where you all Stan. My roommate is very close and worries unnecessarily for nothing and so does my family especially my uncle. Darn it's so annoying.

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  38. NIkki says:
    Sun, 10th Oct 20105:24 pm 

    Thank you for this article!!!

    I'm 17 5'0 and 90 lbs. I am very insecure about my figure, particulary because I'm african american and we're expected to have curves. It's very awkward for me because I have a small shape and constantly feel inadequate. I get absolutely frustrated when I read magazines like "Seventeen" where they never EVER discuss the insecurities thin girls have. They are so hypocrtical by saying "Body Peace!Body Peace!" yet saying that there is only definition of a "real girl". It gets very frustating when people feel like they have the right to say "OMG your so skinny!" or ask me if I eat. Thank you for this article.

  39. Laura says:
    Mon, 18th Oct 201012:07 am 

    Thank you!

    Finally, some other people I can relate to! I to, have a high metabolism and feel insecure about it. a few years ago I would get constantly bullied by one girl in particular who always used to say things like: "oh my god gain some weight you walking skeleton", until I finally spoke up one day and she stopped. I hate how these days magazines say things like "skinny is out, real curvy women are in". I'm thin and i'm pretty sure i'm "real". But what those magazine writers don't realise is that putting down one body shape to make another one feel less insecure isn't going to make things better. Thanks for the great article

  40. Ashley says:
    Wed, 27th Oct 20102:24 pm 

    I'm glad someone wrote an article like this, but I have to point out one thing: you all say it's okay to be skinny if it's natural, but it's totally wrong if it's caused by an eating disorder. Well, I'm recovering from anorexia, but I've been petite all my life. Right now, I'm 5'1 and around 90 lbs, which is the most I've ever weighed. During my illness, I got down to 76 lbs from 85, which is very unhealthy and I know that now. However, anorexia is not a choice. I didn't choose to lose 9 lbs and end up going to a dietician and therapist for a year and have my parents not trust me and have my whole life turn upside down. It's a disease, just like cancer, and it's not a choice, it just happens usually because of low self-esteem. So don't cut down us skinny girls who have always been skinny but have also actually suffered an eating disorder. We have feelings too :)

  41. Thin and Pretty says:
    Thu, 25th Nov 20105:07 pm 

    Im being pestered because of being thin and I'm studying martial arts. It is tough and I have to catch my breath sometimes, then people talk and say I have an eating disorder. When one of the others is laying by the side sick and exhausted, it's because 'they gave their all'. There are girls in my group who are built much bigger at the same height and much more muscular and wide and frankly, I think I make them feel fat just by existing. They can't stand me cause I am good at martial arts and they want to make me into a weak person with mental problems for being a raw foodist and wanting to be healthy. This is so annoying because they make other people believe this too and it's not true. I live like an athlete so it's safe to say, to even maintain this active lifestyle I love, I eat tons and tons of food, allbeit healthy food, I don't want that crap nutrient devoid food. Most of what I eat is healthy fat. My blood is fine. I have slightly low blood pressure as is common among very active slim people, but I never get dizzy or feel too weak. I know it's just jealousy and really, this is getting worse to where you can't be thin or people will automatically assume you have an eating disorder. It;s a nice trick for jealous chicks to get to you. Stay strong and don't let it get to you. Use your intelligence and be victorious like I am. They can try to work me out of the group (not happening) but in the end, they will still have to deal with their own body dissatisfaction. The people around me are starting to see this now, that it isn't me with the problems. This is why you gotta stay strong and not doubt yourself like I did… I used to think people cared and were worried, that maybe there was something wrong with me but it isn't so. Don't make them doubt yourself.

  42. Frustrated says:
    Thu, 25th Nov 20105:47 pm 

    It's so annoying, when I tell people I had to rush my dinner cause of time pressure, they give me looks and remarks, but what they do not know is that I eat very well all day long. I wish people knew how much I really eat. I love food. It's just that I work out and stay away from unhealthy junk food. It's really possible to create a high metabolism and I love it, I really do. The only thing is that people won't accept it. I have the kind of body that girls are jealous of and lots of guys want to have sex with me, but I get so many people acting worried or rude. I believe people used to be thinner on avergae and our ideas of what is normal just changed so much. I do believe I am normal and healthy. There is nothing wrong with wanting to be fit and prefering healthy foods over junk. Why should I prove that I can wolf down junk food? I have nothing to prove. I will find people who will look at my personality and not feel threatened because THEY think I look better. It's always the women, I make them feel fat and the guys, they want to 'PROTECT' little girls. All of this isn't love you know.

  43. Model says:
    Thu, 25th Nov 20105:52 pm 

    The truth is, us skinny people make everyone feel fat and they are all jealous of us. This is why we get picked on. Be proud! let them be jealous! Go ahead, steal their boyfriends, wear that size 0 mini skirt. They wish they could.

  44. amy says:
    Tue, 28th Dec 20104:31 am 

    I can relate to this sentiment and social illness. I have been thin my entire life and also misdiagnosed with an eating disorder when I had very serious medical illness that obviously didnt get cured by seeing a eating disorder specialist. I get more flack, hatred…i get bullied, have been banned form opportunities other less competent women around me were getting, I have been physically, socially, emotionally attacked …because I am petite. At the end of the day it always came down to the same thing- women confessing they hated me because i am small. Other women and men just don't even take me seriously or listen no matter how assertive I get. I often feel that if i was a large busty women my life would be easier. So frankly i think all this stuff about thin women having it easy is bunch of shit. I also think you are right on the money – if people want to end negative body image then they need to stop promoting it. If diversity is the point then counter-discrimination is …well evidence that its not really about acceptance or inclusion for those people. Accepting racial, cultural, religious, spiritual, economic, political, gender, sexual diversity and transgressing negative social impacts of stereotypes and human rights abuses requires accepting diverse bodies. Some people are thing, some people are very large…humanity exists on a spectrum. If people think they are helping another person by stereotyping them without proper sociological, scientific, psychological, and interpersonal investigation how are they any different form some slave owner or colonial power who says "its for their own good." That is not about helping a person that is about making a person feel better about their own internalization of negative social ideals. True freedom requires a radical acceptance of diverse bodies. That means soem womena re thin. Get over it and stop hating!

  45. Sydney says:
    Fri, 25th Mar 20112:27 pm 

    Yes, thank you so much! It really is about striving for health. Not only do I know I'm healthy, but I feel a difference in my body.

    I never knew that I was thin (nor thought about weight much) until my friends started saying things, like "you have no stomach" or the word "bony." I was just becoming more active, strengthening myself, and our family was trying to live a healthier eating style. Then there came this time period when it got to me and I wanted to maintain my body weight, because I actually liked the comments. However, it just lead to food obssession. Now I love food (sweets for example!), I cook/bake, and I'm a vegetarian–for the right reasons. I see the doctor about strengthening bone density, and I eat sooo much. HowEVER, my friends/their moms/my aunts still give me "the look."

  46. Joyce says:
    Thu, 19th May 20112:22 pm 

    Hey, I'm 5'8" but I weight 166 pounds. However, since I have a very dense bone mass and very toned muscles, I can still fit in a seven despite all that "weight". I'm extremely self conscious about my body; I'm ok with it, but I also feel weird about it. But unlike you, I was an early bloomer and that made me feel even worse. I've been wearing seven since I'm in sixth grade .

  47. Joyce says:
    Thu, 19th May 20112:26 pm 

    One of the worst things I've heard people saying about me is "how come you weight so much yet you have no gut and your rib cage is totally visible?" Well, I guess I should be "sorry" for having such dense bones. It doesn't help either when I gain more weight my stomach doesn't gain weight along with the rest of my body (when I gain more weight, I get some serious meat on my bones but on my stomach).

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  49. Kelly Spitzer Johnson says:
    Mon, 31st Oct 201111:45 am 

    You sound like my best friend and I. She is about 300 pounds and is 5"4 and I am 5"4 90lbs. We hate it when people judge us. I give dirty looks to those who call her "fatty" and she gives dirties looks to those who say "I need to gain some weight." We both commented on she wishes she could lose weight and I said I wish I could take the way she lost.

  50. Kelly Spitzer Johnson says:
    Mon, 31st Oct 201111:49 am 

    Thanks Molly but don't be jealous. I wish I was average! That way people would make rud comments. Many of them can be down right embarssing.

  51. Kelly Spitzer Johnson says:
    Mon, 31st Oct 201112:03 pm 

    Ha I am part Italian too and would never turn down Pasta! What I notice woman are the worst too.

  52. Kelly Spitzer Johnson says:
    Mon, 31st Oct 201112:06 pm 

    OH I had rummors that I would got throw up in the the bathroom after lunch (when they saw what and how much I ate at lunch it they no longer could call my Anorixic) funny becaus I beat most of them to class after lunch. Now as an adult 32 people still make comments and ask if I have some sort of medical problem. If I am animic yada yada yada. I defend myself but once in a while I would ask "if you saw a really heavy chick would you openly in front of everyone ask if she had a medical problem?"

  53. Kelly Spitzer Johnson says:
    Mon, 31st Oct 201112:08 pm 

    I hated ordering salads (which isn't often) and getting a dirty look from people or the "you sould get *instert fatty food here" instead you could us a few pounds. Seriously that is just as hurtful as somenoe saying "oh eat a salad instead of a burger you could lose a few pounds." It is basically telling someone something is wrong with them. They aren't "normal".

  54. Kelly Spitzer Johnson says:
    Mon, 31st Oct 201112:09 pm 

    I went to the ER once at work because I was dyhdrated and a witch I work with told the Paramedics that I had an eating disorder. Ya that gave all sorts of fun questions!

  55. Kelly Spitzer Johnson says:
    Mon, 31st Oct 201112:11 pm 

    I can't find pants that fit right either. For some reason designers thing skinny girls have no hips. While my legs are a size zero my hips are about a 2. Either I have really bagging legs or cut off the circulation in my hips and stomach.

  56. Kelly Spitzer Johnson says:
    Mon, 31st Oct 201112:13 pm 

    Also the lose of muscle mass. If you see some really thin but have some sort of muscle deffinition they probably don't have a eating disorder. Also if thier face is thinned out is a big one. While I am super skinny my face is full. I am actually starting to get that aweful double chin in my family.

  57. Skinnygirl says:
    Sat, 14th Jan 20129:31 am 

    Thank you so much for this. So many people would tell me I'm skinny–and, really, that's okay because they're just stating a fact–but the way they say it really offends me. It's as if I'm disgusting. It's not my fault I have a high metabolism. I also don't overeat like so many people I know… as a result, I don't gain weight too often. Everyone would always tell me to eat more–why? I wasn't starving myself! I didn't skip meals and I am not a picky eater. This really just is my body. I don't have enough fat. I wish people would get over the fact that just because a person is skinny, they're not healthy!!! :(

  58. Jennie michaels says:
    Sun, 5th Feb 201212:34 pm 

    Honestly, they are fat Jealous hippos. They are angry that men find thin woman sexy and gorgeous and stare at them everywhere they go. They try to deal with this by trying to make thin women feel insecure and do things like stare at them when they eat. Guess what dumpy chubby girls? If I see you staring at me when I eat in public I m going to punch you in the face, so you better be careful and hope you don't meet me. Thin women are usually healthier and more active, sorry that is a fact, despite the exceptions. If you have a problem with it you can kiss my pert little ass!!!

    Leave me the hell alone because I am done with dealing with glares from jealous hippos. I'm not going to change a damn thing, it's ridiculous to put on weight on purpose in most cases, and I'm just fine with my lower risk of joint disease, heart disease, and diabetes, thank you very much. I'm not changing so deal with your own fat self and leave me alone bitches!!!

  59. Janae says:
    Mon, 2nd Apr 201212:50 pm 

    OMG My friend ALWAYS says have an eating disorder, but really I eat a lot! Just because I don't have a muffin top and my food doesn't go to my posterior doesn't mean I have an eating disorder!

  60. Jacquelyn Ekern says:
    Mon, 2nd Apr 20124:03 pm 

    I appreciate your position that thinness does not mean the individual has an eating disorder. There is an unfair trend in the media and world, these days, to become "body police" and falsely accuse people of an eating disorder when it may just be their normal build. Not good!

    However, for those college students who are struggling with disordered eating, and this is both males and females, you may want to consider this informative article about the stresses and pressures of college life that can lead some individuals into disordered eating behaviors @ http://www.eatingdisorderhope.com/article_anorexi…

  61. A-Nikki says:
    Thu, 19th Jul 20127:51 pm 

    Im exactly like that!! I was a september baby too. Im going into eighth grade and wiegh 83 pounds! Im constently told by my friend emily to eat a hamburger! And everytime i jog or do stength workouts she telling me " stop your going to die because u r 2 skinny and u need 2 go upstairs and eat! and that was a quote! She comes to school everyday saying, oh Im so fat, im so fat. And then barrikades me like its my fault! I'm sick of this, by everyone. This artical really speaks for people like me, i just wish we could let people know how we really feel! Thank you so much

  62. Krstya says:
    Fri, 7th Sep 20129:44 pm 

    I'm 16 years old 5'7 and 95 pounds so you can Imagine I'm pretty skinny. People are always saying that I'm anorexic ( and it really hurts my feelings) but I'm not I eat just as much as any of them but the reason I don't gain weight like them is because I'm naturally skinny it's in my genes I'll start gainig weight eventually but when I get older and people don't seem to realize that I just wish people would stop always making comments about my body because there's nothing I can do about it so I wish they would just shut about already. And my friends say the reason boys don't like me is because I'm so skinny and I say that's not fair. Just because I'm skinny doesn't mean I'm anorexic.

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