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

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  • jenglish712
    jenglish712 Posts: 497 Member
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    If you ever watch an old live TV show... like the Ed Sullivan that show teenagers from the 1950s in the US, they seem really skinny, almost underweight. Then I think that we just expect everyone to be at least a little overweight now.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
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    lithezebra wrote: »
    I like it when people say I'm too skinny, even though I'm not really too skinny.

    Exactly!! Me too :smile:
  • baschwal
    baschwal Posts: 2 Member
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    I come by height and thinness genetically, but I do try to eat healthy and workout regularly. I've always been within a healthy weight as far as BMI is concerned, but I've heard plenty of the degrading skinny comments, too. Even after most of your friend/family group gets adjusted to your new look, be prepared for some people to still be rude. Like one poster said, people would never made the same comments about fat people, but for some reason once you're thin some people think it's acceptable to comment inappropriately. I'll never forget when I was at a relatively new job and had a somewhat overweight coworker tell me 'jokingly' that my thinness was disgusting. Gee, thanks. That makes me feel great. I think it's a way to try to deal with their own dissatisfaction with themselves.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
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    I don't take someone telling me I'm too skinny as an insult though. It just gets annoying when they continuously say it. Like they have to say it 1000 times to drum it in to me :huh:
  • xmichaelyx
    xmichaelyx Posts: 883 Member
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    I recommend this shirt: make_you_look_fat.jpg
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,943 Member
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    Yes, I've gotten comments about getting too skinny, don't lose anymore, on and on. As you can tell from my profile picture, where I'm trying to move that ball cemented to the front of Target, I am just about right or, as Grandpa used to say, I'm right for my weight and tall for my height.

    I eat anywhere from 1960 to 2300 calories a day, depending on my cardio and I'm doing just fine.
  • dakotababy
    dakotababy Posts: 2,406 Member
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    OMG. You guys wont believe what happened on my shift. Luckily, just prior to going to work tonight - I was reading this thread. Ugh. I am not even at my goal weight and I just received my first "your getting very skinny" comment. I have had a few hours to reflect on it since.

    I can not help but feel defensive about it. It also made me second guess my plan of action at this time, which is what really bothers me the most. Thank god I have MFP and everyone who has commented on this thread, luckily I was able to use some of the suggestions since they were fresh in my mind.

    I really like the idea of only taking an opinion of one who is already fit and in awesome shape. Otherwise, the opinion is invalid. I had a lady who mentioned that we are looking the same weight, and that I am starting to get very skinny, which she was implying "too skinny" after asking her more about her comment. I held my cool, but I did not stand my ground very well. Of course, I went and thought about how she was just compairing the two of us, before she made that comment.

    Anyway - thanks again everyone! :D Obviously I read the comments before work to prepare me for what was to come, without knowing.
  • 4legsRbetterthan2
    4legsRbetterthan2 Posts: 19,590 MFP Moderator
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    Other people already mentioned the "you seem skinnier because you lost weight" idea, and I think thats it. I think a simple "I am at a healthy weight according to BMI or your doctor" reply is good. If they still are not convinced sometimes I think it is helpful to put it in perspective, if you have a friend or family memeber who is about your size and does not mind you using them as an example sometimes its helpful to have a comparison.
  • nanaoftwo0614
    nanaoftwo0614 Posts: 59 Member
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    I would say "Thank you" and then change the subject and throw it back on them. I would say something like have you gotten your hair cut or how is your job going. Most of the time they don't expect you to put the ball back in their court. If I was where I wanted to be with my weight, I would be happy and, I know this is hard to do, but not worry about what others say. Best of luck.
  • Tedebearduff
    Tedebearduff Posts: 1,155 Member
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    arahn777 wrote: »

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

    Yes, it's a complete mind *kitten* really, it made all my "Success" seem meaningless. I did a full blown bulk for a year and put back on 50lbs so people would leave me the *kitten* alone. I then would get comments like "do you still work out?" or "why'd you stop working out?"... this just kind of drove me over the edge and said *kitten* all of you while you sit there and wonder how you can't drop 20 lbs watch me lose the 50lbs I just put on ... and I'm in the process of doing that now lol down 25lbs so exactly half way back to the old me.

    I also get comments again not to go to far with it but now I say, look *kitten* off it's my life mind your own business!

    total lost is 172lbs btw
  • burnsjulia
    burnsjulia Posts: 50 Member
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    I'm 5' 5", 121 and I don't get the too skinny comments probably because I've always been on the thin side.

    Take the high road - just say "I feel really good" and walk away. Those are their issues, not yours.
  • dustyyellowstar
    dustyyellowstar Posts: 15 Member
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    This happened to me recently. I've lost 20lbs and my husband made the comment of "You're not going to be able to lose anymore. It's genetics. You're already skinny enough for your body type, your body naturally isnt going to let you lose more."

    I had to stop for a second and ask myself who gave him the RD in Dietary Nutrition, because as far as I knew he worked on computers, not metabolisms.

    It really upset me and threw me off, but I'm getting back on track now.
  • 1HappyRedhead
    1HappyRedhead Posts: 413 Member
    edited March 2015
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    (On a lighter note....) I can not wait until the day I hear someone say this to me!!! :wink:
  • megkarson
    megkarson Posts: 7 Member
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    PinkyPan1 wrote: »
    My come back now is "have I done something to upset you?" This catches everyone off guard and all of sudden everyone wants to make nice. LOL

    Nice!!! It's a subtle way of letting them know that perhaps their comment was thoughtless and hurtful! I'll remember this one.

  • bb4886
    bb4886 Posts: 118 Member
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    i got it before i put on, i was 140lbs so to me i could have lost more but i had comments constantly about being too thin and going too far.......it think its an insecurity thing on their side
  • Strikingly_Jackie
    Strikingly_Jackie Posts: 21 Member
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    I am 5'4" and 148 (down from 252) still technically overweight and I have heard the anorexic comments too... My goal is 6 lbs off, and i keep hearing people say "I can't believe you are still trying to lose." Anyway, I just wanted to tell you that you are not alone and really it is about how you, we, I feel.

    I do agree with several others that it is crazy that no one felt comfortable to tell me I was morbidly obese, yet they feel justified in telling me I am too thin... SMH people....
  • itsfatum
    itsfatum Posts: 113 Member
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    My bulletproof answer, use it as you wish:

    Them: "You are too skinny!"
    Me (with a smile on my face): "I'm actually on my weight. My six pack just started popping out!"

    Nobody knows how to counter the six pack argument. The mystical aura surrounding it leaves everybody without knowing what else to say. If you have a six pack you must be really *kitten* fit and healthy, right?

    Also, most people who tell you you look too skinny are actually just worried about you wanting to lose more weight. If you tell them you are exactly on your weight (even if you are just about to get there in like 1 pound or 2 of fat) they will be fine with it. They just don't want you to become paranoid about losing weight or become anorexic or something.
  • TracyV125
    TracyV125 Posts: 100 Member
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    I've realized that the people who usually make comments to me are just not happy with themselves. I don't let them get to me. I worked very hard to lose 47 lbs. I simply respond with "I'm in the healthy BMI range and I feel wonderful".
  • Terryb99
    Terryb99 Posts: 23 Member
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    Until I was 30, I was the skinny guy. No hips, no shoulders, chopstick. :) around 5'10" and 135.
    People used to see me eat and tell me that I must have a tape worm or something, get to the doctor. It never really bothered me much. Once I hit 30, that all changed, as the weight started coming, peaking at 210.5 in 2011
    When I hit my low of 155 couple of years ago, that kind of talk started again. "stop losing weight, you are too skinny now" mostly coming from overweight people. I had a professional DEXA body scan, and at 155, I was still 19% body fat! I am a very small frame 5'10", and they recommended down to 145 to get to 10-12% body fat.
    I don't let what people say bother me. I know what I need to do to make ME happy. :)

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