How do you define skinny?

Willows333

Hey guys, out of interest, how would you classify someone as skinny? A certain BMI? A certain body fat %? Which numbers in particular? In a girl, I mean. And based on body parts, is someone skinny when their stomach's flat? When they can wrap their fingers around their upper arm?
Juuuuuuuuust wondering.

Also, I don't mean unhealthily skinny... but like, I don't just mean "slim" either. Definitely skinny without being sickly skinny.

terracotti

?
you know a girl is skinny just by looking at her. they look thin.

Willows333

Please elaborate?

What does looking thin entail... Visible bones? Visible lines of muscles?

GauchoMark

to me, calling someone "skinny" is not a compliment, just like calling them "fat".

Definition:
skinny [ˈskɪnɪ]
adj -nier, -niest
1. lacking in flesh; thin
2. consisting of or resembling skin
skinniness n

I probably am oversensitive to it, but when someone looks at me and says something about me being so skinny, it really annoys me! In my mind, skinny is someone that is under to low-average weight with little to no muscle tone - not athletic at all.

like this guy:

zyxst

If I can see your ribs without you stretching out or sucking in your belly, that's skinny to me.

BarackMeLikeAHurricane

You can tell just by looking, but if you want some tangible numbers I'd say BMI of <18, BF% of <18%, visible collar bones, hip bones, spine, ribs, and gap between thighs. The last part has more to do with body composition, but those are a few examples.

Shamrock_me

I'm skinny!!! I don't think so but I was called "Skinny *kitten*" this weekend by my MOM and "Skinny Minnie" by a co-worker yesterday.

I don't want to be skinny - I want to be strong!! I'm working on it but I still have too much jiggle in my wiggle. I flash my bicepts at people who call me skinny... that ain't skinny.. that's MEAT baybee! (rotf) No Potatoes!!!

Skinny is a salad eating person with smaller shins than a paper towel roll tube. I've seen them on the trail and I don't ever want to be one.... they make the stick people on the backs of minivans look a healthy weight!!

pullipgirl

my ribs stick out but I'm not skinny I just carry weight differently, skinny to me is a derogatory word for a slender person with little muscle mass

Erienneb

When your elbows/knees are the largest part of your arm/leg respectively. When you have no body strength whatsoever. I feel like skinny is a negative term. At least in my mind I always equate it with someone so thin they are unhealthy. Or at least look unhealthy.

surromom2010

less body fat than muscle, I don't need your muscle definition to show all the time but if you flex then there should be something there. That's skinny to me.

Thin on the otherhand makes me immediately think of someone who just naturally has little fat on them, and I generally don't picture any muscles at all, like someone who is anorexic, thin people in my mind is equal to weak people.

TLDR: Skinny = healthy thin=weak

RunHardBeStrong

to me, calling someone "skinny" is not a compliment, just like calling them "fat".

Definition:
skinny [ˈskɪnɪ]
adj -nier, -niest
1. lacking in flesh; thin
2. consisting of or resembling skin
skinniness n

I probably am oversensitive to it, but when someone looks at me and says something about me being so skinny, it really annoys me! In my mind, skinny is someone that is under to low-average weight with little to no muscle tone - not athletic at all.

like this guy:

I completely agree with this. This is what I envision when I hear skinny. It's not a compliment. To me, healthy/fit is a compliment!

schondell

Skinny is when someone looks much thinner compared to everyone else. Like a size 0 or 2.

AnvilHead

...skinny to me is a derogatory word for a slender person with little muscle mass

^ This. I wouldn't consider being called "skinny" a compliment in any way.

MinnieInMaine

I don't really go by clothing size or body fat % or BMI - if I look at someone and they're slim, then they're slim. A slender physique and no obvious fat rolls I guess would be the biggest indication.

It's also my feeling that strong/fit/healthy is much better than skinny but skinny seems to be the most popular word to use and basically means the same thing in most people's minds. My user name even came from a friend of mine, who happens to be big into fitness and knows I am to, calling me "Min" which is short for Skinny Minnie! In my case it has a lot to do with where I came from as well. Most people who've known me for years still get a bit of a shock when they see my new shape.

FitBeto

This was originally my motivation. No homo but the dudes hot.

Ge0rgiana

When she looks like she needs a sammich.

IpuffyheartHeelsinthegym

Skinny is when someone looks much thinner compared to everyone else. Like a size 0 or 2.

That's quite the generalization. Skinny is an ugly word. An athletic person can wear a size 2 and not be skinny.... I was "skinny-fat" wearing a size 6, but lost body FAT and gained weight and am now wearing a size 2. Now, instead of skinny, I'm fit.

kelly_e_montana

To me, it always makes me think of someone who looks like they would break easily and are not very healthy. I always imagine someone at a low weight for their height who does not necessarily look healthy or fit.

willwillywilson

Easy. If someone says, "I'd like to lose 5lbs" then that means they're skinny. They may not know it, but they are.

kelly_e_montana

Easy. If someone says, "I'd like to lose 5lbs" then that means they're skinny. They may not know it, but they are.

Ha! Totally!

Illona88

Bones sticking out, barely any muscle, looking ill.

christy_frank

I would NEVER want to be able to wrap my fingers around my upper arm. That would be disgusting!!!!
I 'feel' skinny when my stomach is flat and I don't have a lot of wiggle. I would prefer to be called 'Fit' though.

stef_monster

I'm of two minds- lots of people think they're complimenting someone when they call them 'skinny'. I'm guilty of this occasionally. It's all in the tone of voice and context, to me. If they say, "Oh my gosh you're so skinny! You look great!" I take it as a compliment and move on with my life. If they say, "Wow, you're looking really skinny- are you feeling okay?" Or, "Have you been eating enough?" Then it would bother me.

As for what makes a person skinny in my opinion, it's a person who has a low weight for their height and low muscle mass. Visible bones or defined muscles don't always make a person look 'skinny'. It's really all about proportion and distribution of body weight. The word skinny always makes me think of wispy, malnourished-looking people who seem sickly all the time. Slim, slender, fit, toned, in shape, athletic, healthy- all those are words I'd much rather hear, and seem much more polite.

jesswait

I would not go by visible bones, because my hip bones, lower ribs and collarbone still jut out and I am overweight (just how I'm built.) I think it's more in the upper arms, when you can see skin tightly clinging to bones instead of bicep or flab, that or the infamous 'thigh gap.' I would never call someone who was at a healthy body weight but worked out a lot 'skinny.' I reserve that word for women (and by women I mean adults over 19) who attempt to keep their body weight low enough they have the same body shape as little girls or pre-pubecent teens. Since someone mentioned vampire diaries, Nina Dobrev is a good example of someone who is thin but not skinny.


Google the term 'thinspo' for reference.

HealthyBodySickMind

I am skinny, lean, thin, however you'd like to say it. No one in their right mind would call me fat. I don't consider it a negative term and have never heard it used as such outside of fitness circles. I would never have thought to feel insulted at being called skinny before spending too much time on the forums here.

There are many 'tip offs' to skinny, things that I would look at and say, wow that person is skinny. Visible outlines of both muscle and bone are probably the biggest thing, indicating low body fat.

kooltray87

Well with all the constraints you gave I'd say skinny is defined by body fat. Too much body fat and you look chubby, too little you look sickly. So in between you should look great (skinny)

BrianaC07

I define skinny to be in the healthy BMI category. And, if you are there, of course you'll look fit and healthy as well

kooltray87

When she looks like she needs a sammich.

Literally laughed out loud on this one!

gingerveg

Hey just because some people only have 5lbs to lose (raises hands) doesn't mean they should be marginalized.

This came up in another thread. I don't think it is usually meant as a derogatory remark at all. Maybe it is in some areas and not in others, or is it just here on MFP? I've been called skinny my whole life and I'm not (as some of you described) super thin with bones sticking out, or in any way unhealthy. I've always have good muscle tone (especially in my legs). Like any word skinny can be used as an insult but it is all contextual. So if someone says "eeew she's disgustingly skinny!" well then, we know that is an insult but if someone says "you are skinny" it may or may not be insulting. I definitely get "small" more than skinny but I think that is because I'm shortish (5'4"). Then there are the naturally skinny people out there who may actually have bones sticking out (I have a few friends like this including a former roommate who ate constantly). No matter what/how much they eat some people just have trouble gaining weight (because of height, fast metabolism, thyroid issue etc). Their natural ectomorphic state make them appear very thin. <----this is not me, but I wish people would stop making skinny an insult.

BinaryPulsar

I have learned since joining mfp that skinny is used as an insult to a person's health, fitness, muscle and abilities.

I get called slim, slender, thin, healthy, svelte, fit, athletic, strong, small, petite, tiny, little, dancer body, even curvy. You'd be surprised how muscular a small person can actually be. Some people are just small when they are healthy and fit (a natural result of being an athlete or dancer). Generalizations are stupid. People can be pretty dumb. People that feel the need to insult other people's bodies should try channeling that into improving their own physical abilities.

rose313

To me I think it's someone who doesn't have a lot of curves or visible fat on them. I want to be skinny, I just don't want to be flat as a board. A skinny waist with boobs and a butt is great!