looking too thin

btkkterry

Since losing 30 lbs I have been told by numerous people (mainly coworkers) that I look sickly and too thin. I'm 5 lbs away from my goal weight but the comments make me want to stop, sick is not the look I'm going for. Anyone else have similar issues after losing the weight

jayb0ne

I get that. I found that simply losing weight by diet alone made me look weedy and skinny. I started lifting heavy about a year ago and now I weigh only a little less than when I was at my top weight, but with a more muscular physique, I look trim and healthy.

Try lifting weight to shape your new slim frame, it may help you look healthy trim rather than sickly trim.

proudarmywife06

I've had people tell me that before I gained all this weight but come to find out they were jealous. If you think yourself that you are to skinny, try looking into weight lifting. It helps a ton!

Yogi_Carl

I agree with Jayb0ne - as you get near your target weight (are you sure it's your correct target weight?) you can do some resistance work to shape and contour your physique.

I am a long way off, but I attend a couple of yoga classes per week which includes a lot of torso core body work, pressup type postures (Plank) and many ways to sculpt the body behind the fat before I get there. I am also cycling and I run once a week on the beach nearby and go for a sea swim so I am blessed where I am.

So weights or body resistance exercise - all good for not looking skinny when you hit your target.

All good - go for it. Just a guess - your work colleagues - are they overweight I wonder? Fear? Envy?

CarmenSandiegoInVA

Go by how you feel and look. Do you strength train? If not, that may be your best bet. It will make you bulk a little and get rid of the skinny sickly look if you have it. Maybe post a before and after pic so that we can see what they are talking about. they may just be saying this because they saw your before and after. People at work tell me all the time that I am wasting away and trust me when I tell you I still have 67 pounds to go before I'm in normal BMI.

arcticfox04

Hit the gym and lift some weights or do something like P90X at home.

126siany

Depending on how you lost the weight, you may have lost a good deal of muscle. That will make you look gaunt and a little sickly, but the weight isn't necessarily the issue, the loss of muscle is the issue. As others have said, refocusing your plans to build muscle may resolve the issue.

Awkward30

I like using http://www.cordianet.com/calculator.htm to set a rational goal weight. Google women at different body fat percentages, try to look at a variety, because people don't all look the same, and see what bodyfat percentage you think you want to be. Find your body fat percentage by calipers if you have them, a scale or measuring (try a few calculators and average if you do a circumference based method).

What I like about this is it can tell you what is realistic for you. Plenty of girls my height would think 116 lb is a reasonable goal weight for them, but that is how much lean mass I have, so realistically, I'd have to lose lean mass or go below essential fat stores to get below 130 lb!

As others have said, lean mass is what makes you look "fit" versus "skinny" so if YOU and you alone think you look too skinny, you should try lifting weights and eating at least at maintenance to do a "recomp" (trying to lose fat while gaining muscle)

Jimmytreatingtons

Since losing 30 lbs I have been told by numerous people (mainly coworkers) that I look sickly and too thin. I'm 5 lbs away from my goal weight but the comments make me want to stop, sick is not the look I'm going for. Anyone else have similar issues after losing the weight

Been there lost a lot of weight, but was in the wrong shape so I have come back on here I've dropped a few pounds and i am ready for the weights to try and change the shape of my body! I thing weights are the way to go!

EdgyMcSterious

Some people feel so badly about themselves that they want every person around them to feel badly too. These people are seeing you make positive changes in your life and it makes them feel worse about themselves so they say **** like this to bring you down.

Maybe they don't mean to do but I've had people do this to me. I enjoy running. I've had people say to me, "you're going to hurt your knees with all of that running", or "I only run when I'm being chased", or my favorite "what are you running from?". All of these sound like innocent responses or questions. But in reality, these questions or statements are designed to get me to stop running. Why would a friend want me to stop doing something that I love and makes me feel great? I"m not hurting anyone. The only logical answer is, it somehow makes them feel bad about themselves and guess what, THAT'S NOT MY PROBLEM, it's theirs.

So keep doing what you're doing if it makes you feel good. Don't let someone else impact decisions that you make for yourself. Switch up your routine to incorporate more lifting if you want, but make sure you're doing it for the right reasons. Good Luck!!!

btkkterry

I'm doing the weights I guess just not enough, probably need to do less cardio and more strength training

Voncreepy2

People are asking my husband if he is sick or using drugs...lol. I think when people are used to seeing you look one way for so long and then you change so much outwardly, I wonder if it's just something they have to get used to. I have a ways to go before anyone says I look too thin.....but am looking forward to it!!!

2hobbit1

Look at "starting strength" "stronglifts 5x5" and "the new rules of lifting" All are very good programs.

zoeluiisa

Are they just saying you look too thin or is it more than that? If I called someone "sickly" I would mean that their skin looked sallow, that they had shadows under their eyes, that in general they just didn't have that healthy glow. If that's the case it might be worth looking at your diet and checking you have enough protein and vitamins and so on.

btkkterry

Are they just saying you look too thin or is it more than that? If I called someone "sickly" I would mean that their skin looked sallow, that they had shadows under their eyes, that in general they just didn't have that healthy glow. If that's the case it might be worth looking at your diet and checking you have enough protein and vitamins and so on.

I have a thin build anyway and carry my extra weight in my stomach. When I started at 185 my waist was 29" and now is 26", try finding men's jeans in that size. So the weight comes off places that I don't need, like my arms and legs. I'm only eating fruits and veges and lean protein and haven't any ( junk) for 2 months. I think that most people haven't seen me at this weight.

iluvco3

This was true for me.... When I reached goal, my face was very thin. After about 6 months, it was like things readjusted and I didn't look as thin in the face. I have heard many other people says the same thing.

TheRealParisLove

Although it is hard for an individual to lose weight, it is hard for their friends to see the results and adjust to your new appearance. Maybe you lost a lot of weight in your face, when before you looked a little puffy, now your bone structure is more visible. This happens a lot to people who lose weight, it is happening to my husband, and people think he looks tired or are guessing his age as older than he is.

It may be time to move into a muscle building mode, where you eat and exercise with the goal of putting on more muscle mass. This requires a different approach than weight loss, but will help you fill out in all the right places and lean out the problem areas even more. It will also increase your skin's elasticity so you will appear younger and more healthy.

NWCountryGal

I get that. I found that simply losing weight by diet alone made me look weedy and skinny. I started lifting heavy about a year ago and now I weigh only a little less than when I was at my top weight, but with a more muscular physique, I look trim and healthy.

Try lifting weight to shape your new slim frame, it may help you look healthy trim rather than sickly trim.

^This unless you do lift, I can't tell by your photo but you might have muscles we can't see. I personally don't want to just lose fat, I want to gain muscle and have some firmness and good muscle tone. Like I said, I can't tell from you pic sweetie. denise

NWCountryGal

I see this a lot on before and afters. People are so happy they lost weight but at what price:( This may not be your case at all though. I'm just saying that eating well and building our bodies, not tearing them down all in the pursuit of a smaller number on the scale would not be a place I want to go.

denise:drinker:

Depending on how you lost the weight, you may have lost a good deal of muscle. That will make you look gaunt and a little sickly, but the weight isn't necessarily the issue, the loss of muscle is the issue. As others have said, refocusing your plans to build muscle may resolve the issue.

reneecgc

Since losing 30 lbs I have been told by numerous people (mainly coworkers) that I look sickly and too thin. I'm 5 lbs away from my goal weight but the comments make me want to stop, sick is not the look I'm going for. Anyone else have similar issues after losing the weight

Here is what I posted about a month ago or less.
I continue to get Oh my goodness you are so skinny is your health OK. I am starting to think there is some
under lying health issues. I have a physical next month and I can't wait. I need to be able to tell people for
sure that I have just worked hard and ate right with 100% assurance. Just to note I am losing weight with
out really trying. Well I am eating good nutritional food and exercising
Here is my question is it because I got my body to a point that my metabolism is high
and burning fat naturally? I have good muscle tone and people are always commenting on my muscle tone.

Some Facts: 5'7" around 150-155 depending on the day

I can't wait until my physical.!!!!!!

lilpoindexter

None of the above. Your coworkers are all haters that can't stand to see you actually doing something about being overweight, while they continue to snack on chips and cookies all day, wondering why they need bigger pants every year.

Graelwyn75

Are they just saying you look too thin or is it more than that? If I called someone "sickly" I would mean that their skin looked sallow, that they had shadows under their eyes, that in general they just didn't have that healthy glow. If that's the case it might be worth looking at your diet and checking you have enough protein and vitamins and so on.

I have a thin build anyway and carry my extra weight in my stomach. When I started at 185 my waist was 29" and now is 26", try finding men's jeans in that size. So the weight comes off places that I don't need, like my arms and legs. I'm only eating fruits and veges and lean protein and haven't any ( junk) for 2 months. I think that most people haven't seen me at this weight.

Wow, a 26 inch waist on a guy is pretty small. You must have an unusual build that your waist was only 29 even at 185.
I echo those saying to do more weight training.

Also, why have several women on here automatically assumed this is a post by a female, lol ?

kassiesmall

I would not worry about the number. if people are telling you you look un healthy, then you need to stop!

Indieskys1979

Ive lost 13kg and am now a healthy 65 kg at 170cm.

My co-workers are always telling me I look too skinny. Its not true, they are just concerned that I am overdoing it and its easier to say than, You are looking fat!

But are you not eating carbs at all ? That might be the problem? Im sure its not good to completely cut carbs?

Doesnt it mean ur body is only burning fat? and not glucose for energy?

NWCountryGal

You know what is best for you and if you are doing good nutrition and exercise with some weight training as well just ignore what people say. I don't know your stats, like height and all that but you can figure things out. Have you checked out this link, it's really helped me a lot to know I am eating right for the workouts I'm doing:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

This one is good as well and way easy for me to understand:
http://www.acaloriecounter.com/diet/

I'm doing the weights I guess just not enough, probably need to do less cardio and more strength training

chuckyp

It's likely not you, but them. It may be true that some people say that because they are jealous or "haters", but more likely it's because they are used to seeing the larger you every day and their minds make them think you look too skinny now. Especially when it's very noticable in the face. They just need to get used to it.

I also lost 30 lbs and got the same comments from some friends and family at first. They would tell me not to lose anymore weight, and some actually treated me like I was fragile. Of course many of those people think a healthy man is 265 lbs with a beer gut and chronic mysterious back problems (which must be from playing high school football 20 years ago)
Now that it's been over a year, I don't really get those comments anymore and some of them even treat me more like a role model for their own fitness or weight loss.

I trust that you've done some research and have a good feel for what a healthy weight and build is for you. Just give those other people time to get used to the new you.

btkkterry

Are they just saying you look too thin or is it more than that? If I called someone "sickly" I would mean that their skin looked sallow, that they had shadows under their eyes, that in general they just didn't have that healthy glow. If that's the case it might be worth looking at your diet and checking you have enough protein and vitamins and so on.

I have a thin build anyway and carry my extra weight in my stomach. When I started at 185 my waist was 29" and now is 26", try finding men's jeans in that size. So the weight comes off places that I don't need, like my arms and legs. I'm only eating fruits and veges and lean protein and haven't any ( junk) for 2 months. I think that most people haven't seen me at this weight.

Wow, a 26 inch waist on a guy is pretty small. You must have an unusual build that your waist was only 29 even at 185.
I echo those saying to do more weight training.

Also, why have several women on here automatically assumed this is a post by a female, lol ?

I know, I have a very unusual build, haven't seen anyone else similar to me

lr8812

i get it all too much, but ya know, i'd rather be "too thin" in someone's eyes than be a perfect weight. Many people told me to stop at 160-165 pounds, but i got to 150 and put on 5 lbs anyway, so it was much safer to lose more weight and eventually put some back on. not bad

californiagirl2012

Since losing 30 lbs I have been told by numerous people (mainly coworkers) that I look sickly and too thin. I'm 5 lbs away from my goal weight but the comments make me want to stop, sick is not the look I'm going for. Anyone else have similar issues after losing the weight

I got that at first but it's been a year now and they are all used to it now. Plus I have enough muscle now that they realize I'm not just thin (although I'm still under 12% BF). It take time for people to get used to the new you. It also takes time for YOU to get used to the new you and not feel like an imposter in your own body (especially when you were overweight as long as I was).

Also, forget about what others think and DO WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY. Are you happy with the way your are? If so stick to it as that matters more than what they think. When you are thin, lean, and fit you are swimming against the stream in a society where too much food, lack of exercise, and obesity is the norm. You gotta take charge and decide what you want and FIGHT TO KEEP IT. It is what you want that matters.

shoby68

It also may be that they have not adjusted to your new "look". I lost 50 lbs and people said I was too skinny (5'10" 180 lbs) which I'm not, but after 6 months of staying the same I didn't get the comments.

msstuard

If your body weight is good for your height I would check body fat %. If you are at a good weight with good BF% your good. If your at good weight with a higher BF% you need to work out.