Is 155 lbs too low for a male (5' 8")?

I don't think so....maybe you will look really lean but not too skinny.

I don't think 155 is too low necessarily but you may want to start working out with weights right away. At that weight with muscle you will look lean and strong rather than just "boyish" or skinny.

My DH is 5'11" and 148. He is about 11% body fat. So no, I don't think 155 is too low.

agree.

I'm in the same range - 5'6", 147 lbs, ~10% body fat, 30 inch waist. There's no reason to wait on strength training. At the least, it will help you retain what you have if you keep losing weight. The pace of losing weight will change, but you'll be improving your lean muscle mass ratio.

I'm 6' 0" and 203lbs. I was going to continue to lose until 185 or so and then start lifting. I decided to just go for it and start lifting now, I figured there was no reason to wait and every reason to start.

Good luck!

I don't get they whole "and then start strength training" thing. Lifting weights while running a calorie deficit helps preserve muscle. If you aren't doing it, you are losing too much muscle mass along with the fat. Which leads to the condition you have currently found yourself, skinny fat. I am 5" 8" as well. I was 152 lbs, 30.4" waist at the end of my first cut last summer and was still a little bit on the skinny fat side with very little ab definition.



Right now I am 160 with just under a 30" waist...and still a little bit skinny fat with very little ab definition (see profile pic).


All that to say this: start weight training yesterday.

Thank you for all the responses. Looks like the overall message is to start strength training right away.

I am in the planning stages of this change as with two toddlers adding something new into our daily routine takes planning. Besides I am vegan so I really need to plan my diet and workouts carefully.

Thanks again.

good luck with the vegan thing, yes you will have to plan carefully. I shoot for about .75 g of protein per lbs body weight.

maybe there is vegan protein powder?

155 isn't too skinny. I'm 5'9" and got down to 160lbs. I felt like I didn't want to get any skinnier than that but was still sitting at close to 20% bf. I lifted moderately while losing weight but wish now I would have lifted heavily. Rather than continuing to cut down to 150lbs or so I decided to kick off a bulk and cut when I hit 160lbs and try to improve bf% that way. I'm up 9 lbs (mid way through my 6th week) and still fit my 32" pants size with room to spare. Last time I was 170lb + I was wearng 34"

Hoping to cut 3% bf or so this go around and if successful will do it again. Like other posters mentioned, start lifting now, and lift heavy.

...Like other posters mentioned, start lifting now, and lift heavy.

Lift smart, don't worry about heavy. Jumping straight to heavy is risky. Just swing one toddler in each arm, they'll have fun and you'll get a workout.

I agree. Get your form right first. Jumping right to "heavy" without learning the proper form is a recipe for a painful injury.

I'm 5'10", 163 lb, 8% bf, 31" waist. You can look lean and very muscular at 155-160 lbs. I lift 3X a week, for about 30 minutes, with cardio on alternating days, and one day off entirely. It doesn't take a lot of work, or hours slaving away at the gym if you do it right, and - very important - get the nutrition right.

Good luck!