How skinny is too skinny?

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Replies

  • pollyineedtobeskinny
    pollyineedtobeskinny Posts: 362
    Personally, I wouldn't go too much by your weight, go by body fat % and the way you look. Too skinny, in my opinion is when you can see your hip bones, ribs, collar bones (a lot) and just generally looking fragile and weak… It's never a good sign. Keep healthy and loose weight to what you think you look best at. Like I said, go by body fat % :-)
  • UncleRiotous
    UncleRiotous Posts: 69
    Go by body fat percentage and how you actually look. Body weight in and of itself is not what you should be targeting as a goal.

    This. I'd suggest setting an initial goal for just into ideal (borderline overweight) and then just do it on how you look, what your eyes see. I'm pretty damn thin at the moment but I'm doing mental amounts of cycling, other people I know aren't carrying any extra fat but do more lifting and therefore weigh more than their BMI says they should.

    Weight and BMI are an okay coarse indicator of where you are if you don't exercise much but the more I think about it the more I realise that once you're within about 10lbs then it's pretty subjective and the more you workout the more subjective it gets.
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
    Ask those around you friends etc. Sometimes we have a warped view of our own bodies and what we see in the mirror is not the case.

    Yeah, this is true and also important to keep in mind. It's good to have a lot of information to add to your decision: What you see in the mirror, your measurements, your clothing fit, your weight, your doctor's input, your bodyfat percent, opinion of people you trust. And remember not to set unrealistic expectations on yourself. And when you look in the mirror, do not zero in and focus on specific areas too intently (as if under a magnifying glass). View yourself as a whole person.

    There does come a point when weight loss is no longer a goal, but continuing fitness still is and always will be.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    Just because you set a goal initially doesn't mean you can't change your mind. Lose until you're happy and then stop.
  • BflSaberfan
    BflSaberfan Posts: 1,272
    I'm 5'2 my goal is 125, 120 at the very least. Anything under that I look sick, but that doesn't necessarily mean you will. Get to 115 and see how you feel.
  • JossFit
    JossFit Posts: 588 Member
    I'd say just go by the mirror.

    I feel like when someone is basically there in terms of where they want to be, it's time to throw out the scale. You know what to do to lose weight, so why focus so much on the numbers? It tends to prevent people (especially us women) from really getting the bodies they want because doing so generally means eating more, lifting weights and seeing our scale weight increase.

    Just food for thought...
  • stargazer008
    stargazer008 Posts: 531
    When your bones are very visible.
  • Julettashane
    Julettashane Posts: 723 Member
    set your goal higher like at 115 or something and if you think you could go smalled go for 110 just work your way down then maintain once you get to where you want to be
  • Cr01502
    Cr01502 Posts: 3,614 Member
    When you put your health at risk,
  • patsnyder89
    patsnyder89 Posts: 93
    yea dont look at so much the weight aspect, but more of BF%
  • Sweet_Potato
    Sweet_Potato Posts: 1,119 Member
    I think your body will tell you. I originally had a goal of 105 (I'm 5'2" as well) but found it was impossible to get below 108 without starving myself. Plus it's pretty bad when you go shopping and can't find clothes that are small enough! These days I hover around 110 and that seems like a good place for me.
  • Innerbeauty31
    Innerbeauty31 Posts: 38 Member
    Weird thing - BMI doesn't take into account for our different body types.

    For example - My sister and I are about the same height. Our builds are WAY different though.

    She wears a size 8 jeans at 105lbs.
    I wear a size 8 jeans at 140lbs.

    My BMI suggests I should weigh around 110-115lbs. For me - that'd be a size ZERO!

    And trust me - I would never wanna be a size ZERO!

    So get down to a certain weight, and then work on your body fat index... put on muscle! :) You'll be good.
  • glahlstedt
    glahlstedt Posts: 308 Member
    not sure!~ skinny hasn't been a part of me since i was in my early twenties! i'm hoping to get there though. i am never ever giving up on my weight loss!
  • Barbellerella
    Barbellerella Posts: 1,838 Member
    I am 5-0.. I could never be that light though because I have 105 pounds of LBM...

    You could have your body fat tested and base your goal off of that. But we probably have different goals, skinny is not my goal, strong is.
  • askeates
    askeates Posts: 1,490 Member
    Like everything else, the actual number can be subjective. My BMI weight should be 130-135 for my height/age, however, the last time I was at 130 I did not look healthy, and I didn't feel healthy either (I have a large frame, "manly" sized bones, ugh). Right now my Goal is 160-165, but I know as I get closer I may need to readjust my thoughts. Like a couple of other people I have talked with, I am using dress size as my goal (I have that pretty coctail dress already and that is when I will stop (maybe)).

    Hope this helps. Good luck :smooched:
  • IronPlayground
    IronPlayground Posts: 1,594 Member
    Go by body fat percentage and how you actually look. Body weight in and of itself is not what you should be targeting as a goal.

    ^This! BMI is a poor gauge for an individual. It's only a height to weight ratio.
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