Is 155 lbs too low for a male (5' 8")?

RawIndian

This morning I finally dipped below 155 lbs. I feel great, wears 32" pants and overall I think I look smart. There is still some more fat around belly which I hope to get rid of very soon.

Now the question - Is 155 lbs too low for a male who is 5' 8" tall?

My plan is to get down to 150 lbs and then start strength training.

CariS001

My DH is 5'11" and 148. He is about 11% body fat. So no, I don't think 155 is too low.

ValGogo

I don't think so....maybe you will look really lean but not too skinny.

jjplato

5'10, 155 lbs:

NextPage

I don't think 155 is too low necessarily but you may want to start working out with weights right away. At that weight with muscle you will look lean and strong rather than just "boyish" or skinny.

sheltrk

Honestly, it's a personal choice. You're fine in terms of being at a healthy weight for your height, assuming you have average musculature. I'm 5'9", and I dipped down below 145 lbs (~10% body fat) and didn't look too skinny. I have a discernable 4-to-6-pack at that weight, and I'm pretty veiny. I'm planning to slowly build up muscle from here though.

JassiBear

My DH is 5'11" and 148. He is about 11% body fat. So no, I don't think 155 is too low.

agree.

MagnumBurrito

No reason to not start lifting now. Get stronger and lose fat.

woofer00

I'm in the same range - 5'6", 147 lbs, ~10% body fat, 30 inch waist. There's no reason to wait on strength training. At the least, it will help you retain what you have if you keep losing weight. The pace of losing weight will change, but you'll be improving your lean muscle mass ratio.

Beautiful_disaster40

My ex was 5'9" and hovered around that weight, he was all lean muscle and definitely wasn't too thin.

kmorgan221

I'm 6' 0" and 203lbs. I was going to continue to lose until 185 or so and then start lifting. I decided to just go for it and start lifting now, I figured there was no reason to wait and every reason to start.

Good luck!

Tedebearduff

This morning I finally dipped below 155 lbs. I feel great, wears 32" pants and overall I think I look smart. There is still some more fat around belly which I hope to get rid of very soon.

Now the question - Is 155 lbs too low for a male who is 5' 8" tall?

My plan is to get down to 150 lbs and then start strength training.

Start training now ... it's about body composition not actual weight... for me at 180lbs I have a smaller waist then you at 155lbs... (size 30) right now I am 213 lbs and I wear a size 34 ... that puts me 63lbs heavier then you and my waist is only 2 inches larger . . .. see how body composition versus a number on a scale is what really matters... actually what really matters is that your happy brother, if you like you **** what anyone else thinks!!!

djeffreys10

I don't get they whole "and then start strength training" thing. Lifting weights while running a calorie deficit helps preserve muscle. If you aren't doing it, you are losing too much muscle mass along with the fat. Which leads to the condition you have currently found yourself, skinny fat. I am 5" 8" as well. I was 152 lbs, 30.4" waist at the end of my first cut last summer and was still a little bit on the skinny fat side with very little ab definition.



Right now I am 160 with just under a 30" waist...and still a little bit skinny fat with very little ab definition (see profile pic).


All that to say this: start weight training yesterday.

_lyndseybrooke_

My husband is 5'9" 156 lbs and isn't too skinny. Why are you waiting to start strength training? Start now!

RawIndian

Thank you for all the responses. Looks like the overall message is to start strength training right away.

I am in the planning stages of this change as with two toddlers adding something new into our daily routine takes planning. Besides I am vegan so I really need to plan my diet and workouts carefully.

Thanks again.

No_Finish_Line

not too lol

no reason not to begin resistance training immediately tho.

Im 5'8" and my profile pics are at about 155

No_Finish_Line

Thank you for all the responses. Looks like the overall message is to start strength training right away.

I am in the planning stages of this change as with two toddlers adding something new into our daily routine takes planning. Besides I am vegan so I really need to plan my diet and workouts carefully.

Thanks again.

good luck with the vegan thing, yes you will have to plan carefully. I shoot for about .75 g of protein per lbs body weight.

maybe there is vegan protein powder?

nxd10

My sons are both over 6', well muscled and healthy. One weights 142, one 153. Do start training.

raindawg

155 isn't too skinny. I'm 5'9" and got down to 160lbs. I felt like I didn't want to get any skinnier than that but was still sitting at close to 20% bf. I lifted moderately while losing weight but wish now I would have lifted heavily. Rather than continuing to cut down to 150lbs or so I decided to kick off a bulk and cut when I hit 160lbs and try to improve bf% that way. I'm up 9 lbs (mid way through my 6th week) and still fit my 32" pants size with room to spare. Last time I was 170lb + I was wearng 34"

Hoping to cut 3% bf or so this go around and if successful will do it again. Like other posters mentioned, start lifting now, and lift heavy.

woofer00

...Like other posters mentioned, start lifting now, and lift heavy.

Lift smart, don't worry about heavy. Jumping straight to heavy is risky. Just swing one toddler in each arm, they'll have fun and you'll get a workout.

jjplato

...Like other posters mentioned, start lifting now, and lift heavy.

Lift smart, don't worry about heavy. Jumping straight to heavy is risky. Just swing one toddler in each arm, they'll have fun and you'll get a workout.

I agree. Get your form right first. Jumping right to "heavy" without learning the proper form is a recipe for a painful injury.

I'm 5'10", 163 lb, 8% bf, 31" waist. You can look lean and very muscular at 155-160 lbs. I lift 3X a week, for about 30 minutes, with cardio on alternating days, and one day off entirely. It doesn't take a lot of work, or hours slaving away at the gym if you do it right, and - very important - get the nutrition right.

Good luck!

endermako

my ex is 5'8 and 140lbs he doesnt look skinny to me

BusyRaeNOTBusty

Thank you for all the responses. Looks like the overall message is to start strength training right away.

I am in the planning stages of this change as with two toddlers adding something new into our daily routine takes planning. Besides I am vegan so I really need to plan my diet and workouts carefully.

Thanks again.

Find a reasonable gym with a daycare. It's awesome. My kids like it too.

joelgriffiths

Bodybuilding.com has really good workouts. My personal favorite is a 5 day split (http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/wotw41.htm - 3rd place routine), but they have routines for every split you can think of. You might want a 3 day split with kids. I would personally save money on day care and buy some duct tape instead.

raindawg

...Like other posters mentioned, start lifting now, and lift heavy.

Lift smart, don't worry about heavy. Jumping straight to heavy is risky. Just swing one toddler in each arm, they'll have fun and you'll get a workout.

I agree. Get your form right first. Jumping right to "heavy" without learning the proper form is a recipe for a painful injury.

I'm 5'10", 163 lb, 8% bf, 31" waist. You can look lean and very muscular at 155-160 lbs. I lift 3X a week, for about 30 minutes, with cardio on alternating days, and one day off entirely. It doesn't take a lot of work, or hours slaving away at the gym if you do it right, and - very important - get the nutrition right.

Good luck!

Yes, what they said. I'd been lifting moderately for five years before going heavy so the transition was easier. Lift safely, but start to lift now to minimize muscle loss as you continue to lose weight.

ironanimal

No, not really. It'd be too low for my own preference, but yeah. It's fine.

rudy336

i think that is a perfect weight. also, i really don't agree with the height weight chart that doctor's use. im 5'5 and 217. the only area that shows my weight is my belly, rest of me is fine and pretty well defined.

mayfrayy

It depends on body type.

I'm 5'9
Currently ~180

At my lowest I weighed 168 ~8%bf size 30/31 pants

I personally wouldnt be able to get lower than that without losing a lot of leg muscle (i got a donkay)

I like being between 170-175

ROBOTFOOD

No way man. You're good.

I'm 6'0 and a lot lighter. My goal is to reach 150+
Recovering from spinal fusion (scoliosis) so It might take a while.

ahamm002

This morning I finally dipped below 155 lbs. I feel great, wears 32" pants and overall I think I look smart. There is still some more fat around belly which I hope to get rid of very soon.

Now the question - Is 155 lbs too low for a male who is 5' 8" tall?

My plan is to get down to 150 lbs and then start strength training.

It's not necessarily too light. But you don't want to diet your way down to that weight without also strength training b/c at this point you're going to be losing a lot of muscle along with the fat.

Linnaea27

This morning I finally dipped below 155 lbs. I feel great, wears 32" pants and overall I think I look smart. There is still some more fat around belly which I hope to get rid of very soon.

Now the question - Is 155 lbs too low for a male who is 5' 8" tall?

My plan is to get down to 150 lbs and then start strength training.

I don't think 155 lbs is too light for someone your height, by any means. My fiance is 6' tall and 145 at the moment, and I think he looks pretty good like that (he's a naturally slim, wiry guy but does have muscles). An ex boyfriend of mine was your height and I think around 135-- he was skinny but also had muscles from a lot of hiking.

Sounds like your goal of 150 is reasonable, to me.