The last few times I've gone to the doctor, I tell them that I've lost 10lbs. I'm now 145lb, which at my height of 6'1" means you can count my ribs. Literally a BMI of 19-20.
Every time I get weighted at the doctor's the MA's and nurses say "woohoo! You go girl!" And I stop and have to tell them Every. Single. Time. That I cant afford to lose weight and that it's a bad thing!
And they look at me like I'm nuts for not wanting to look starved!
For 9 years I was chronically underweight and so unhealthy that I couldn't walk at times. I developed gastroparesis and the only thing that helped make it better was to gain 30 pounds.
I told my new cardiologist that I gained 30 pounds and he looked at me like I was crazy and even clarified that I said GAINED.
I was 120-125lbs, a BMI of 15.8, a literally UNHEALTHY weight. I was inso much pain when eating, so weak, so sick, so cold, and not one medical professional said a thing or even tried to help me gain weight, even when I made it my chief concern.
At 120-125lbs I was constantly complimented, told I could be a model, and was called beautiful. At my peak weight of 155lb, I never get called those things by strangers anymore. On one hand, YAY! On the other hand, wtf is going through people's minds that someone who is fit, skinny, and has a BMI of 20, somehow isn't beautiful anymore just because they don't look gaunt and sick!
I want to gain weight! I want my HEALTHY body celebrated! I don't want to be starving and sick just be tolerated!
