Do I look too thin now?

I'm no expert, but that "floppy pancake" looks more like extra skin from the weightloss than fat. I am interested what others' opinions on MFP will be.

Congrats on your significant loss, though!!! Over 100lbs is awesome!

I would agree on the extra skin point. 123 lbs is a lot of weight to lose, and I think the reality is, it's going to be a slow road to get your body to transform to what you'd like it to be.

I would recommend spending some time not worrying so much about weight or BF%, but rather focus on fitness accomplishments. In addition to setting new goals for your lifting, maybe try some form of high-intensity cardio like sprinting or jumprope or something. Go all out until you've got nothing left, and then focus on improving your performance next time.

If you keep at it, the increased level of physical performance will ultimately show up in the mirror.

And for the record, you should already be proud of what you've accomplished. Losing 123 lbs is no small thing.

I'm sorta in the same boat. I've lost almost 100lbs and am around 15% body fat now. That pouch is basically some saggy skin filled with fat that is dragging it down. Annoying, isn't it? I'm starting my bulk once I lose 3 more pounds since I have come to the realization that I don't have enough lean body mass to look good once my body fat gets low. A few bulk/cut cycles and I expect to be closer to my desired appearance (and strength, which is one of my primary goals). I think you're in the same boat but a little worse off than me (I'm currently 199lbs at ~15% body fat, I think you probably are quite a bit smaller than me in general which seems to accentuate the problem).

If you decide to keep cutting instead I don't see a problem. 15% body fat is not low or unhealthy for a male. My ultimate goal is 10% and I'm guessing yours is probably in the same ballpark. Healthy body fat range for a male is approximately 8-20%. Point your loved ones to research that indicates this and maybe they'll get off your back. Chances are they just aren't used to seeing you this small and/or they are used to the average person being overweight so someone approaching lean seems unusual.

Long story short, do whichever you feel like, I think either is a valid option at this point. Just remember if you bulk up you're gonna have even more fat to lose to get lean. Cutting further right now to say, 10% means if you start a bulk after you'll be ahead of the game. Regardless, no one can make that decision for you.

From what ive heard, fat, skinny, or inbetween, never wait to weight train. Weight training builds muscle muscle burns energy (calories) so doesnt that mean you are doing two things at once rather than doing one first then the other later? I dont know, but as dedicated as you are, it seems like your determination is so great that you would do GREAT lifting and resistance training sheeesh, what a go getter you are!!!!!

It honestly comes down to your build, preferences and health. My boyfriend it 6ft2~3 and weighs 145lb, but in his cultural and genetic background (Japanese) that's pretty acceptable for someone slim. That being said, your ribs are now visible and it does 'appear' to be loose skin.

I think lots of people need to come to a point where they reasses their goals. A wise phrase I remember is to not train or diet to be aesthetic, but for strength and health. I'm guessing your ideal is something of a lean sportsman? Do they train to look lean? No, they train for their fitness goals and sport, they couldn't give a rats *kitten* about the aesthetics but it comes with it. That's how I have trained with weights in the past, and focusing on increasing weight or reps, perfecting technique etc was a much better focus in the end (I lost weight when I wasn't really trying to as well)!

Anyway, I hope my ramble is somewhat helpful. Just reasses your goals is basically what I'm saying

You look great as you are, you've lost a huge amount of weight and have a little bit of loose skin. Over time it may naturally skrink back once you start lifting weights. I agree with your family you certainly don't need to lose any more weight. Congrats on your phenomenal weight loss :drinker:

P.S - you're not ugly don't refer to yourself as such.

You look great !!! I would be also with those who say you don't need to lose anymore weight !! You don't look too thin either !!

Goodluck on the bulking up and well done on your loss !!! Amazing !!

i agree with it being mainly lose skin - it can take up to a year for skin to regain its elasticity, so i would try not to worry too much about it, it will get better.

When was the last time you had a break from eating at a deficit? You say your strength hasnt really increased a great deal, so why not eat at maintenance for a while and concentrate on your lifting/fitness?

I'd agree with this take a diet break and eat at maintenace for a while, it will do you and your body good to have a short break, maybe a month or so. Plus the strenght gains you will see will be a nice goal to have during that period - soething to help you stop focusing so much on how you look, instead look at what your body can do :bigsmile: Then maybe try a slow bulk and cut to gain some muscle.

Congrats on the losing weight :flowerforyou:

gg

NO! You look great, and you certainly don't look fat either.
Just work on the crunches and core work alongside the cardio and weights.
Problem is as you add definition and lose more body fat, you'll gain a little weight as you increase muscle, so you don't need to worry so much on the weight figure now.
Give your skin time, it'll pull in (just slower than the fat was to lose)

A lot of people in my family are telling me that I've taken things too far and that I need to stop losing weight. My mom is a doctor and even she has been telling me this, she's the one that wanted me to start losing weight in the first place.

I agree with everyone about it most likely being excess skin, with the best bet being continued strength training, gradually added more calories, and time/patience.

I will add another view to this, though--you are eating a tremendously low amount of calories. Your goal is 1500, but I saw several days of netting somewhere around 600. Even with increased protein and strength training, you're reaching a point where you're probably spinning your wheels. As others said, go to maintenance, or even consider a bulk, before you think about dropping further.

Not sure how often you're around your family when you eat, but they may have voiced concern because of your minimal eating + maximum exercising.

To answer your question directly - no you do not look too thin - not at all. I'm not far off you (6'1, 173 lbs)

As everyone above has said, weights will help build muscle (I actually think pressups too will be good for your overall upper body). As for the skin, I don't know. Perhaps give it a few months, see whether it adapts to your new size.

Overall - very well done!

One question - how did you come up with 155 as a target weight? (My approach was to look up tennis players and 400 metre runners that were my height, and use their weight as a benchmark)

Dude, I am/was in the same boat as you, right down to the "stop losing weight, eat a burger, etc." comments and lower abdomen loose skin. My starting weight was around 260 lbs (at 6'2") and I'm currently bouncing around in the 155-160 lb range. Throughout the weight loss, the loose skin on my lower abdomen became more noticeable and I thought that if I kept losing it would eventually go away.

Finally, I got to a point where I concluded that further weight loss probably wouldn't be a good idea, even though the loose skin remained, so I upped my caloric intake and started eating at maintenance. In the 5 months I've been maintaining, my waist size has gone down 1"-1.5" on top of what I lost while in weight loss mode and loose skin in other areas has retracted as well, which has definitely improved my appearance. I also started taking lifting more seriously and that should help even more. Yeah, I've gotten the "too skinny" comments the whole time, but anytime you lose a good chunk of weight, as in your case, it's going to drastically alter how you look and people can take awhile to get used to it. Don't pay any mind to comments from others, because in the end what they say really doesn't matter, it's about how YOU feel.

No, I don't think you look too thin, I think you look fine. Don't get into the mindset of continually losing weight in an effort to chase the "perfect body" or to try to make the loose skin disappear. That's where you can run into problems because it can turn into a "maybe if I lose just 5 more lbs" type of deal where that 5 lbs turns into another 5 and then into another 5 until it gets out of hand (not saying that's what you're doing, but it does happen).

I'm not going to try to sway you one way or the other, but I think you would do great eating at maintenance for a month or two, continuing your exercise regimen and monitoring your body measurements. You may find that more weight loss in unnecessary.