How to tell if you're to skinny?

I started at 210 I am currently 135lbs(120lbs is actually my goal). People tell me im to skinny now at 135lbs but I truly don't see it. Im afraid I may have body dysmorphic disorder. How can you tell if youre really to thin? Or could it be my family/friends just aren't use to seeing me this way ?
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Replies

  • astartig
    astartig Posts: 549 Member
    how tall are you?
  • emdeesea
    emdeesea Posts: 1,823 Member
    Hard to tell not knowing your height.
  • dlionsmane
    dlionsmane Posts: 674 Member
    How tall are you? Have you looked at what a 'healthy' weight is for your height? And if you want to know the internets opinion - you're gonna hafta post photos... just saying.. and oh, Merry Christmas.

    EDT : you posted photos while I was typing.. okay - yeah you look fine where you are. Again though how tall?
  • Sorry. I'm 5'4

    I just posted pics on my page for better clarification

    I was trying to post them in this topic but I don't know how
  • VickyBoo10
    VickyBoo10 Posts: 6 Member
    I think you would be fine at 120, or even now, but I wouldn't go lower than 120 if I were you
  • dlionsmane
    dlionsmane Posts: 674 Member
    Sorry. I'm 5'4

    I just posted pics on my page for better clarification

    I was trying to post them in this topic but I don't know how

    You look more than fine at the weight you are now. However for a 5'4" woman 120 is in the range of healthy.

    And a big congrats on the success of the loss you have already achieved!
  • Thanks for the feedback!
  • Thanks so much for the feedback
  • marioalberto1
    marioalberto1 Posts: 142 Member
    I have the same problem, I still got 10-15 pounds to go and people tell me not to lose any more weight. They say I am too skinny and some say I look sick even thou I have some belly fat still left.
  • It really sucks ESPECIALLY when its your family and friends. I think its because they aren't use to seeing it that it appears that way.
  • From my experience I think your friends/ family may mean well but some people make comments like that based on their own insecurities. Your weight seems perfectly healthy for your height so I wouldn't worry
  • twixlepennie
    twixlepennie Posts: 1,074 Member
    I started at 210 I am currently 135lbs(120lbs is actually my goal). People tell me im to skinny now at 135lbs but I truly don't see it. Im afraid I may have body dysmorphic disorder. How can you tell if youre really to thin? Or could it be my family/friends just aren't use to seeing me this way ?

    If you're in the healthy bmi range than no worries. For comparison I'm 5ft, 6in and my maintenance range is 117.5-121lbs.
    There's threads like this in the maintenance section-people saying 'you're too thin now' are very common for those who have lost weight. Head over there and read some of them for some insight :)
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
    I suppose the first question is, why 120? 135 is a normal healthy weight for your height (as is 120.) Also, you have "Army Strong" on your profile, does that mean you are in, or planning to enlist? If that's the case, I'd probably stop where you are and focus on strength training. Based on your pics there's no need for you to lose any more weight, you look fantastic.
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  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    Brandi,

    Congrats on your weight loss!

    You look just perfect the way you are. I differ with others by saying that 120 just might be too small for you. However, you know your body best.
  • Congrats on your weightloss! I think you should ignore what others say and just reach for your goal. For me, I'm far away from my goal weight but I have family and friends telling me to stop because they think I'm taking it too far. I think it's because I've always been the fat one. I've always had chubby cheeks, big arms, etc etc etc. So when I started to loose weight, my cheekbones started to become more noticeable and my collarbones appeared out of nowhere. I think family and friends react this way because the're just so used to seeing bunch of fat on me. I think it's mainly just shock but don't let their words discourage you or sway you from your goals! Keep on going:)
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,972 Member
    When the wind blows at 5mph and you move, then you're too skinny.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • Ejourneys
    Ejourneys Posts: 1,603 Member
    Congratulations on your weight loss!

    I recommend using your body fat percentage as a guide. I use calipers from
    http://www.accumeasurefitness.com/
    which cost about 20 bucks.

    The site also includes this table:
    chart-lg.jpg

    Back in 2002 my weight went as low as 140; I'm 5'5". I had gotten as low as 18.8% body fat at age 41, which qualifies as "lean." I got a clue that I had gotten too thin (and also that I didn't know how to dress at that weight) when I literally turned blue during a walk in 55-degree weather. My windbreaker was no longer enough. I had never felt so cold in my life. It took 20 minutes of running in place inside a friend's apartment while wearing a quilted flightsuit before my body core heated up again.

    I'd always had weight issues, so "too thin" was hard for me to wrap my head around.

    My body fat percentage is now 27.6%, which is in the middle of the "ideal" range for a woman my age (55). I'm at goal, which for me is 150, and I feel very comfortable at this weight.

    Bottom line: Listen to your body.
  • PrettyPearl88
    PrettyPearl88 Posts: 368 Member
    I'm 5'4" too and am currently bouncing around 130 lbs. 120 lbs is my goal as well. For our height, I believe that as low as about 110 lbs and as high as about 145 lbs is still considered healthy, according to BMI charts. As long as you're within that healthy range, the right weight for you is whatever weight you feel happy, healthy, and fit at. For me, I'm much happier with my body now than when I started a few years ago, but I would still like to be just a little smaller and more fit. So I'm working on strength training and reducing body fat. 120 lbs is my goal, but it's not set in stone; I'm really more concerned about my body fat % instead. I think that 120 lbs would probably be fine for you, but you know your body best. Do what makes you feel happy, healthy, and fit! :smile:
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  • RoadsterGirlie
    RoadsterGirlie Posts: 1,195 Member
    Congrats on your success!!! 135 and even 120 at 5'4" is not in any way too skinny. Americans are accustomed to looking at their overweight selves so perception is skewed.

    At this point, like others suggested, I would concentrate more on body fat percentage. I'm sure you look great at either weight!
  • harleyjax
    harleyjax Posts: 109 Member
    I know exactly how you feel!!! I'm 5'5, down to 127, still feel and think I look fat. It's the pudgy "mommy" belly that bothers me so much!
  • lilbearzmom
    lilbearzmom Posts: 600 Member
    LOL You have my sympathy. I am also 5'4 and 145. People are telling me to stop! I might, I feel pretty good at this weight, but maybe I won't...

    I have lost 155 lbs in total, so it's definitely that their perspective is skewed, not to mention it's already skewed because the majority of other people are overweight.
  • ChrisS30V
    ChrisS30V Posts: 157 Member
    As long as you're at a healthy weight for your height, which it sounds like you are, then don't pay any mind to the "too skinny" comments. Your weight and appearance isn't anybody else's business.
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
    120 is still in the healthy range. But, you look fantastic in your pics! It doesn't look like you have 15 pounds to lose. You don't look too skinny. You look beautiful. But, keep working on your fitness.

    I don't think you have BDD. BDD usually involves intense anxiety to the point that it impairs some aspect of your life because of an imagined flaw (but you don't know that it is imagined and it's very hard to realize that it is). And it is a mental health issue, so it is more than just vanity, but connected to strong emotions (can be caused by childhood trauma that is both emotional and body oriented).
  • laceyfowler
    laceyfowler Posts: 127 Member
    Hi Brandi,

    Congrats - you look great! I think it's smart that you are listening to those around you but not just taking what they say as truth, reality checking it instead. You look great now, but it sounds like 120lb would also be completely healthy for you. As you probably know, there are more ways to judge your health than just by your weight. Are you in the Army, or are you looking at joining? Either way, get your hands on the Army fitness standards... how are you doing at those? To be in the Army, you need to maintain a certain level of physical performance as well as be below a certain weight. If you can be in a "healthy" weight range (there are many charts for this, with varying numbers, but it can give you an idea... generally both your current and your goal weight are considered healthy) and can also meet (or exceed! go for it, girl!) the Army standards for fitness, you have a pretty good shot at being healthy :-)

    My guess is that because you've undergone such a dramatic physical change from your high weight, people are just used to seeing you heavier, and you now are most certainly not heavy! Sometimes it's hard for others to accept our positive changes :-)

    Keep positive, stick to your goals, and keep checking in with your friends on here with your concerns. Also... if you are really having significant body image issues that you feel might be affecting your mental health, do talk to your doctor because BDD can be a serious thing. But... at 5'4", just having the goal of weighing 120lb doesn't point to BDD :-)
  • ktrn0312
    ktrn0312 Posts: 722 Member
    You look great.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    People are idiots. Just do what you want. 120 sounds perfectly acceptable.
    I wouldn't go that far. People seem to have differentvideasvof what too skinny is.
  • 120lb may be too skinny for you - it depends entirely on your body composition. Only you can tell, not your family or friends or these boards. Sometimes though, we do set unrealistic goals. If you are concerned about body dysmorphia it may be worth stepping back and re-evaluating why it is so important to get to 120lb.
    I'd say that my rule is my comfortable weight is one I can maintain without feeling starved/deprived all the time, with enough energy to do my (hard) workouts, and to have normal periods. Of course, if you are a model/entertainer/working in a field where your looks are really important well that's a different story.
    For me, the low end of the healthy weight range at my height (5'9) is simply not achievable without losing a lot of muscle mass that I have worked hard to build. No thanks. I am most comfortable at a BMI 22-23.
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
    I would go by BMI charts. Especially ones that include frame size.