"You're too skinny!" Do others ever make you question your maintenance weight?

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  • zezelryck
    zezelryck Posts: 251 Member
    I get it often, usually by people who knew me when I was at my heaviest. Having lost over 190lb and recently having open heart surgery it really doesn't bother me too much simply because the only people I listen to now are my heart surgeon, my cardiologist and my GP. All three of them have told me in the past 6 months that my weight is perfect and to keep my heart in as best working order as possible maintaining this weight can be crucial :-)

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  • sarahlifts
    sarahlifts Posts: 610 Member
    shell1005 wrote: »
    Now one former co-worker who would always make comments. She was just mean. Right to my face once when I declined a piece of cake because I didn't want to work it into my calories for the day "Well that fine and well and good, but I'll be waiting for you to gain the weight back. You all do." Ugh. I basically wanted to punch her in the face.

    Yes, I did gain some weight back, but never the whole thing. I am no longer at that job, but whenever I gain some weight back I always think of that horrible comment and try to put the breaks on it so she doesn't get the satisfaction. Evil.

    WOW!
    I get the comments at work. "are you still dieting?" "you're gonna blow away" You're so skinny" " I liked you with a little more weight" "when are you going to stop?". BUT NOTHING LIKE THIS!!!!! ABSOLUTELY EVIL INDEED.



  • nicfitnesszone
    nicfitnesszone Posts: 115 Member
    REMARK: You are scrawny! you need more meat!
    ME: I agree! That's why I started lifting! :)
    REMARK: You are going to be blown away!
    ME: Ain't that the truth.. It was windy outside the hot construction workers yelled do you need help Miss?! I said, totally :)
  • agaraffa
    agaraffa Posts: 27 Member
    I doubt you have body dysmorphia, you said you're maintaining so you're not trying to get thinner. I'm 6' tall and started at 317 lbs, I've lost 123 lbs (194 lbs now) and I hear this all the time. I still want to lose another 34 lbs and get down to 160. People tell me that's way too low, but from what I've read and heard from my doctor that would be a healthy weight for me. I just ignore people when they talk about how I've lost too much... 195 lbs isn't exactly skinny! I sometimes think that so many people are overweight or obese these days that most people have a warped sense of what a healthy weight is.
  • ewhip17
    ewhip17 Posts: 515 Member
    agaraffa wrote: »
    I doubt you have body dysmorphia, you said you're maintaining so you're not trying to get thinner. I'm 6' tall and started at 317 lbs, I've lost 123 lbs (194 lbs now) and I hear this all the time. I still want to lose another 34 lbs and get down to 160. People tell me that's way too low, but from what I've read and heard from my doctor that would be a healthy weight for me. I just ignore people when they talk about how I've lost too much... 195 lbs isn't exactly skinny! I sometimes think that so many people are overweight or obese these days that most people have a warped sense of what a healthy weight is.

    We have similar stats and I agree. I often tell people that if they didn't know me and saw me walking down the street they wouldn't say "there's someone who is too skinny...."
  • blossom015
    blossom015 Posts: 27 Member
    kirstinlee wrote: »
    I'm a part of the losing weight club right now, but when I took the weight off the first time and was in maintenance, I got told those things all the time. A lot of it came from my morbidly obese family. I think there's two things at play when people say things like this: people get used to you the way you are and don't like change, and you losing weight makes them realize that they might have a few pounds to lose, too. Not saying this is true in every case, but for me it was normally one of those two.

    I agree. It cause such mixed emotions when it comes from people who are close to you.

  • blossom015
    blossom015 Posts: 27 Member
    REMARK: You are scrawny! you need more meat!
    ME: I agree! That's why I started lifting! :)
    REMARK: You are going to be blown away!
    ME: Ain't that the truth.. It was windy outside the hot construction workers yelled do you need help Miss?! I said, totally :)

    HA! I love this post :D
  • Amunah
    Amunah Posts: 11 Member
    My partner jokingly complained about the 'lack of upholstery' on my boobs and butt... and then by learning more about CICO and watching his own calorie intake, he lost some of his own excess baggage!
  • Gska17
    Gska17 Posts: 752 Member
    At the 20 pound mark the comments began to roll in.

    I've mentioned this in other threads but the comments (especially at work) tend to be less than kind. Some women around the office have really shown their true colors. It's sad, really.
  • AnnaFit4Life
    AnnaFit4Life Posts: 106 Member
    arahn777 wrote: »
    I haven't ever posted before, but appreciate the support that this forum offers and want to get in on it! Lately, I've been in need of support from those who understand the struggles of weight loss and maintenance.

    Since the fall of 2013, I went from 180lbs to 125lbs (female, 5'6") and have been maintaining at 125 (+/- 2lbs) for the past 6 months. As time goes on, I have gotten more and more serious about exercise and specifically running. I really enjoy seeing where my body can take me and it's motivating to break my personal records and times while running.

    In the process, my body fat percentage has dropped to around 18% and while I am happy with the way I look, a lot of people around me keep making comments like "you're too skinny" or "you had better not lose any more weight". It's not just 1 or 2 people either -- it's many of those I am close to and even family members. It really makes me second guess myself and question whether I have some kind of body dysmorphia or eating disorder even though I am within the healthy range for BMI and I eat between 1800-2300 calories/day (depending on how much I work out).

    Has anyone else dealt with this? How do you respond to comments like this?

    I have dealt with this too and it seems that family members are the worse. "you better not lose any more"..."I'm starting to worry about you". That was my mom. Nag, Nag, nag....I got so tired of hearing it and telling her not to worry I'm fine.... I finally said to her "seriously mom, STOP! Are you telling me that it's ok for other women out there to be fit and look and feel great and I CAN"T....Why mom? Because I'm your daughter and you have a problem with it. Well I'm sorry mom but that's YOUR PROBLEM...NOT Mine. Get over it! (Then I walked away and left). That was quite a while ago and she's never EVER mentioned again.

    As for others, funny story but I was at my doctors appointment with my daughter and while they were weighing her I asked if he could weigh me too (I wanted to compare my scale at home). After he weighed me he turned around to my daughter...she was 12 at the time and said...Yep just as I thought..."your mom is perfect....so if anyone gives her a hard time you tell her Dr. X says your mom is PERFECT!" LOL. It works!:) So that could be a quick come back Doctor says I'm perfect.

    It's true they just aren't use to seeing you the way you are now. For me it's been 6 years since I first reached goal and now all I get are compliments. So hang in there. Stay strong, be proud of your Great Success and don't you dare let them get inside your head. You are PERFECT!




  • mom2ava07
    mom2ava07 Posts: 186 Member
    edited June 2015
    I could have written this post. It makes me also question if I have some mental problem such as body dysmorphia.

    I'm 5'5 and went from 167 to 127 and about 20% body fat. In my mind, I don't look that different but considering I went from a size 14 to a 2 or 4, obviously I look drastically different.

    At first it was just family making comments but on a weekly basis some co worker or other aquaintance makes a comment such as "you don't need to lose anymore weight." An older man said to me "if you lose anymore weight I think you will dry up and blow away." I never know how to respond. My step mom straight up asked if I was anorexic last week. I don't get it. I think if they saw me without clothes on they wouldn't feel that way. I just ran while losing weight and did no strength training, so now I'm skinny fat. People think I'm crazy for starting to workout.

    I think it's jealousy from some people who wish they could stick with weight loss.

    I don't know if it's me or them. Probably a little of both but I'm not trying to lose still just be healthy, maintain and tone up.
  • scrittrice
    scrittrice Posts: 345 Member
    Gska17 wrote: »
    At the 20 pound mark the comments began to roll in.

    I've mentioned this in other threads but the comments (especially at work) tend to be less than kind. Some women around the office have really shown their true colors. It's sad, really.

    I work for and by myself at home and have for many years, so maybe I'm just ignorant about workplaces, but I find it SHOCKING that in a work environment anyone would comment at all. It just seems so inappropriate.
  • burnsgene42
    burnsgene42 Posts: 102 Member
    I used to hear it ,especially from my sister who insisted I probably had cancer and was dying and wouldn't tell her.
    I think a lot of people especially from the depression era and just after equate health as rosy cheeked and pudgy. I think they remember what hungry people looked like .
    If it's a loved one I would just reassure them that I'm OK don't worry . Anyone else I would remind them that even if I'm too skinny ,thankfully , I'm not too judgmental . (((;
  • pattyfilo
    pattyfilo Posts: 13 Member
    I get that too and it does something to me mentally that I start gaining weight.
    I wonder how they would feel like if I said OMG you look so fat...
  • BeFitBri2
    BeFitBri2 Posts: 35 Member
    People make comments like this to me a lot. If someone sees me eating healthy or declining a slice of cake, etc. they'll say, "It's not like you're going to get fat. You're already super skinny, it's not going to hurt you." For example, someone saw me eating watermelon the other day and made the comment, "Why do you always eat so healthy? You're already skinny." I simply stated back, "Well, I wouldn't be skinny if I ate junk food all the time." People, for some reason or another, feel like it's okay to make negative comments toward fit (I hate the word skinny) people. Why is it so terrible to poke fun at obese people but totally okay to poke fun at people who are working towards a healthier life? I will never understand. I just continue to do my thing because I know that my eating/exercise habits are what's best for me.
  • BeFitBri2
    BeFitBri2 Posts: 35 Member
    Oh, and the biggest annoyance of mine is when someone says (I get this exact comment all of the time), "You look like you need to eat a cheeseburger." Do I? What is a cheeseburger going to do for me? Other than clog my arteries. People are seriously absolutely completely ignorant. I was actually at a BBQ joint last week and the guy behind the counter said, "You need to eat some beef. You need to put some meat on those bones." I wanted to punch him. I wouldn't walk up to an obese person and say, "You need to eat a salad. You're too fat." I've dealt with it my entire life and it never gets easier or less annoying. I recently saw a magazine cover talking about the worlds biggest model and she weighed like 300-something pounds and people were praising her and basically kneeling at her feet. Why is it okay for people to make comments like, "OMG you are so beautiful just the way you are. Size doesn't matter. Big people are sexy too" and on...and on..but "skinny" people get crap for taking care of themselves?? I needed to get that off my chest. I'm happy to know that I'm not the only one dealing with this.
  • BeFitBri2
    BeFitBri2 Posts: 35 Member
    sun_fish wrote: »
    When people say they are concerned about my health, I want to ask them why they weren't concerned about me when I was obese.

    That's a great point.
  • bbontheb
    bbontheb Posts: 718 Member
    I happened across this thread by accident. I am way overweight at 190 now and about 5'2. I'm a former skinny girl. All my life I heard the same comments. I never did anything on purpose. I moved a lot. I was about 105-115. My weight now is from what I consider disordered thinking and binging, and compulsive eating. Not when I was thin...so it really surprises me that people have the guts to say such things to thin people and not to large people. Like heck, I could have used someone saying hey, do you need help? Do you have ED? Why yes, in fact I think I do. I've hardly gotten any comments being a fat person (no one concerned about my health, diet, weight gain) . It's so strange.
  • BeFitBri2
    BeFitBri2 Posts: 35 Member
    I get similar comments quite often, and I do in fact believe it's hard for people to adjust to change when they have become accustomed to a certain look. I just get tickled every time someone says something about me being too thin because I'm not even at my goal weight yet. Technically, I'm still overweight. Surprisingly to me, I think I hear the comments more from men, which is really strange to me. For example, my male colleague, who I rarely talk to, told me just this morning that I didn't need to lose anymore weight. He told me that men (He apparently knows what every man in the world wants.) like to have something to hold on to, and I was going to be all bones pretty soon. I laughed it off because HE is not my husband, and I know for a fact that my husband is not complaining one bit about my transforming body. :)

    Those comments only motivate me more to reach my goal.

    It's funny how men always like to put in their two cents, isn't it? I would've said, "Oh, I'm sorry but I don't recall asking for you or any other male's opinion but thanks anyways." hahaha I have no males on my mfp friends list anymore. They'd all make negative comments about what I'd do for exercise or what I eat.