Healthy is Relative: How thin is too thin?

One important point I want to stipulate in this article is that people come in all shapes, heights, frames, and therefore, sizes. So what is a healthy weight? This is really an individual question to be answered individually. It depends on your age, gender, height, frame, activity level, and muscle mass. Many factors are taken into consideration. However, it appears that the media portrays one look as healthy…skinny. Below are some pictures of skinny celebrities and models. Many women find these bodies attractive, sexy, and healthy. Let me say, that in order to be this thin, you cannot possibly be healthy. This is what I would tell my client NOT to want to look like. One example I use quite often to clients is Paris Hilton. At 5’8’’, she should be hovering between 130-140lbs, not the 108-114lbs that she is. Not attractive, and not healthy. Nicole Ricci, is grossly thin in this picture, you can see her ribs. Victoria Beckham is another one, skin and bones, not a picture of health. Look at the next two fashion models; they literally look like they are starving. It reminds me of disturbing pictures of the death camp at Auschwitz. That is not to make light of anything as horrible as the holocaust, but if that is what comes to mind when I look at these photos, there is something seriously wrong here.  They look unhappy, like that are not enjoying life and all it has to offer, and certainly not enjoying wonderful and healthy foods. 

Therefore, if overweight women are looking to these women as an example of what looks good, healthy, sexy, or attractive, then no wonders so many women are unsatisfied with their bodies, or even hate their bodies. Let me make one thing clear. The above pictures are not attractive, not sexy, not healthy, and that is not what you want to strive to look like.

In fairness, I found some images of thin, healthy women to make a comparison.

In the first picture, here is a thin, healthy looking woman, she has muscle definition and her thighs are about twice the size as the women in the first set of pictures. The second picture again, a thin yet healthy looking woman, muscle definition, her arms are probably twice the size as the skinny models above, but certainly not overdone. She has also has natural breasts, unlike Victoria Beckham, who looses every ounce of fat on her body, so she has to get huge breast implants. The third picture is actually a fashion model for Designer John Lewis, who has used ‘normal sized’ women to advertise his collection (much better than the models shown above). Although she does not have the muscle definition of the first two women, she has a thin yet healthy looking body. Therefore, it is not about being skinny, it about looking and feeling healthy.  There last four women look they are enjoying life, eating well, and much happier than their counterparts above.

Melanie Clark Mogavero, CSCS, RYT