People thinking you're sick after weight loss?

24

Replies

  • Jass_mal
    Jass_mal Posts: 68 Member
    I can totally relate to this. Before I got married, I was thin, then marriage came and three girls later, and I got to 150 lbs. I recently went down to 123 lbs and there's one person in particular that really annoys the crap out of me the way she says I look. She makes me feel like I look disgusting now that I'm in shape. My mom told me a couple of weeks ago that from the chest up, it looks like I've been sick for the past three months. But ofcourse, I need to not let these things get to me because I have worked hard to get to where I'm at right now. I'm currently trying to gain some muscle. I have decided to exercise for as long as I live, I'm in the best shape of my life, I eat like crazy but in a healthy way, and that isn't enough for people to be happy for me so I just smile and let it go. All I know is they better get used to it and quick because the new me isn't going anywhere.
  • csuhar
    csuhar Posts: 779 Member
    Sometimes, it's a valid concern- rapid and UNEXPLAINED weight loss can be an indicator of illness. But I think it's likely they assume you're sick because they're ALSO assuming you're not exercising. When we think "people who are physically active", there are many jobs, particularly "desk" jobs, that don't exactly spring to mind.

    It's interesting to see where people's minds go when they don't know about the intervening information between the "before" image and the image currently presented to them.
  • d0gma
    d0gma Posts: 3,966 Member
    Coworker: You've lost a lot of weight! How much have you lost?
    Me: 84 pounds.
    Coworker, with a worried look: Are you ok?
  • Derpina7
    Derpina7 Posts: 552 Member
    As long as your nutrition is adequate, don't worry about what people say. I think it's hard for some people to relate to us once we have started losing weight, and getting healthier and they haven't. I guess they just really don't get it.

    Keep up the good work my friend!

    My words exactly :). As long as you're receiving the right nutrition there's nothing to worry about. I haven't been told I look sick, but I've had some friends say I'm 'starving' myself/look like a twig (I am 5'3" and a cuvy size 4, hah. And I looove my food.), I think it comes down to they haven't yet become more healthy themselves or are a bit uneducated on the topic.
  • Malozing0809
    Malozing0809 Posts: 71 Member
    Yeah I don't know why people do that. My parents say I shouldn't lose anymore weight for fear that I'm becoming anorexic.....They're crazy lol

    I think its just initial shock of seeing something new. They just need some time to get used to the change.
    I second that.
  • smantha32
    smantha32 Posts: 6,990 Member
    I think our society is so used to fatness and obesity and people generally bein unfit and unhealthy that to lose weight and actually be healthier is like there must be something medically wrong with you lol!

    You're damned if you do and damned if you don't. If you're obese you catch crap, and if you lose the weight you catch crap. sheesh.
  • cghiggins518
    cghiggins518 Posts: 48 Member
    i lost the wieght and got these remarks from everyone. it actually made me very pissed off. i then hit the wieghts and put on about 10 pounds. compared my pictures from being 10 pounds lighter and i have to agree i did not look good. putting the weight back on the "healthy" way made me look more "normal"
  • foxro
    foxro Posts: 793 Member
    Same thing..my Dr. even asked if the weight loss was planned
  • shammxo
    shammxo Posts: 1,432 Member
    Nobody has said I looked sick... But my mother frequently tells me that I have the build of a 12 year old boy now.

    That 12 year old boy must have some serious child-bearing hips.
  • MaraDiaz
    MaraDiaz Posts: 4,604 Member
    I think our society is so used to fatness and obesity and people generally bein unfit and unhealthy that to lose weight and actually be healthier is like there must be something medically wrong with you lol!

    This is what I think is part of the issue, too. The other part is horror stories of eating disorders. I do think if you get too thin (marathon runner thin) sometimes you can look a bit haggard in the face, even if you're %100 healthy. This is my personal opinion and very likely it also comes from being raised in an overweight society. I'm used to those plump faces!
  • wrevhn
    wrevhn Posts: 864 Member
    I hear people spreading rumors Alton Brown is an anne. Which are false, he just eats largely vegetarian now. But he is a tad less than healthy looking so rumors are spreading he has an ED.


    It happens. PPl love to spread rumors! Even if you look fine. Just losing it will spread them.
  • SARgirl
    SARgirl Posts: 572 Member
    I had someone recently compliment me on my weight loss and then quickly ask "you're not sick are you?". How sad is it that if you lose weight that people automatically assume you must be sick?
  • Tinynski
    Tinynski Posts: 12 Member
    The worst is the people who tell you 'you dont need to lose any weight...you're thin already' when you know you're not. That really gets to me...who does that benefit?

    I get this every day. I'm not "fat", no. But I have lost the 16kg I had before my first weight-loss, by simply NOT EATING, that was not healthy. I suppose that scares people that have known me for a long time. It really pisses me off that people tell you that "you don't need to lose weight because you already look so good". And all I'm trying to do is learning how to live healthy. I don't want to just look small. I want to be fit and healthy.

    At my school I'm asked about my weight almost every day, because I look pale (slightly anemic, getting extra iron for that now) and I'm "so small" already and I don't eat a HUGE plate of food at lunch. They think I'm anorexic or sick or something... But yes, it really baffles me, why do people assume that something's wrong when it's the opposite.
  • AlexandriaSykes
    AlexandriaSykes Posts: 15 Member
    my mom asked me if i were making myself throw up the other day :/ wtf

    Nice username.
    05d.jpg



    Why this made my day i have no idea ;)
  • belgerian
    belgerian Posts: 1,059 Member
    Same thing with me I was told I looked sick.
  • PDLUCKY
    PDLUCKY Posts: 60 Member
    I was just discussing with the owner of the company I work for that I had weighed in last Saturday at 178 and he said "Are you sure your not malnurished?" I replied well if I am I would be surprised that I could ride my bike 34 miles last Sunday in under 3 hours and I feel great!
  • _mglo_
    _mglo_ Posts: 31 Member
    Yes!

    At my daughter's baptism someone asked me if I was ok, and that I've list too much weight in the face. I'm like, thanks!!
  • drmerc
    drmerc Posts: 2,603 Member
    Same thing..my Dr. even asked if the weight loss was planned

    to be fair that is a very valid question coming from your doctor
  • Angie_1991
    Angie_1991 Posts: 447 Member
    My best friend used to think I would make myself puke after I ate.........
  • AmyP619
    AmyP619 Posts: 1,137 Member
    I think when people start criticizing those who are losing weight perhaps they're jealous? Why else would they make fun of you for dropping a bunch of weight or say nasty comments? Unless they really do think you're looking so unhealthy and should seek help medically. I think people put others down just to make themselves feel better... all there is to it.
  • Juliejustsaying
    Juliejustsaying Posts: 2,332 Member
    yup, I've gotten that...and been accused of using drugs to lose the weight. But I usually just say it is the result of Stress, Tequila and Men. That is far more acceptable than weight training and clean eating.
  • DavidBenge
    DavidBenge Posts: 6 Member
    I have been told by people I look like a holocaust victim, I look emaciated, and look a lot older since I lost my weight. At first it was kinda funny but when you hear that constantly it starts to get old.
  • vypeters
    vypeters Posts: 475 Member
    Reality: generally, most of us who lose a significant amount of weight do dump from a couple of easy places (ask women about losing the first 10 lbs 5 off of each boob). One of those places is our face. By the time we even approach ideal weight our faces really do tend to look a little gaunt.

    The good news is that it does even back out. But to people who are judging our health by our faces (a normal human thing) it can look as if we're ill.

    It's exacerbated if we are wearing clothing that's too loose, which again we tend to do on the way down because we shrink out, then buy new then shrink out again. Loose clothes suggest illness visually.
  • amykff
    amykff Posts: 80 Member
    yup, I've gotten that...and been accused of using drugs to lose the weight. But I usually just say it is the result of Stress, Tequila and Men. That is far more acceptable than weight training and clean eating.

    Tequila and men?? They made me gain the weight haha :laugh:
  • briannadunn
    briannadunn Posts: 841 Member
    Oh ya, I get the, "You shouldn't weigh less than X amount but it is ok for them to weigh less than me." Even if they are taller than I am. I hate that. Also, the you will never be thin because you have a lot of muscle and have big bones, which simply isn't true. I have medium bones, not large and yes I am full of muscle but I also have about 100 pounds of fat also on me.
  • SabrinaLily
    SabrinaLily Posts: 121
    People give ya' a hard time if you're fat, give ya' a hard time if you're skinny. Sometimes you just can't win in this world because people want to find every reason to make themselves feel better by putting others down. It's not cause you worked hard to lose the weight - it must be for something else that they can flaw you for or not give you credit for so they can feel better about their own shortcomings. We can see the same things happening in the tabloids and with celebrities. I'm not where you are yet, I've just started my journey, but if people are gonna talk, I sure as hell prefer them to talk about "that skinny *****" instead of "that fat one". Lol!
  • DebbieMc3
    DebbieMc3 Posts: 289 Member
    I think our society is so used to fatness and obesity and people generally bein unfit and unhealthy that to lose weight and actually be healthier is like there must be something medically wrong with you lol!

    This!
  • S108HAN
    S108HAN Posts: 30 Member
    The healthy BMI range is so big. At 5'7" mine is 9st up to 11st 6lb. So now I'm at 10st 12lb I'm not losing weight because I 'need' to any more I'm doing it because I want to. I suppose some people find it strange that some one would diet when they don't need to but I have felt deprived at all since I started this. They'll get used to it because this is a permanent life style change for me.
  • takumaku
    takumaku Posts: 352 Member
    Yep, I was asked multiple times from family, friends, and coworkers. I felt they were concerned for my health and thanked them for their understanding. I use to carry around a body composition, performed by my doctor, to show people who asked that I was healthy.

    What I believe is society (or group dynamic), in general, has accepted overweight/obese as normal. When someone is outside the norm of the group dynamic, then it is my understanding society feels it is only natural to believe something is "wrong" with that person.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    That happened to me the first time I posted about my weight loss on Facebook.

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