How to talk to those who think I have lost enough and am getting too thin

Some people don't know what a healthy weight is. Ignore them and smile.

Can I ask you where you started out? I'm 5'11 and got to 143lbs and NO ONE ever told me I was too thin (and that was a 50lb) loss.

What I'd do. I'd tell them your body is none of their business.

Berkgal33 wrote: »

The post was not compete, I didn't know why. I went back and edited it. Started at 250, and size 20.

I think that's why...you've come a long way and lost 80lbs. That's almost an olympic gymnast!

Congrats. I'm sure people are just use to you being 250lbs and 170 looks thin. Take it as a compliment and move on.

Short answer: Tell them you're done and then do what you want.

Longer version: My mother was telling me I was too thin (after a 65 pound loss) but I wasn't sure I was done yet. I increased my calories a bit and told her, "It's okay, Mom. I've increased my calories. You don't have to worry." And then I proceeded to slowly lose 7 more pounds until I felt I was done. She doesn't see my scale, and her genuine concern was alleviated by believing that I wasn't going to go too far. She has never expressed concern again and has switched to complimenting me.

I've started to get this a lot lately from my coworkers. I started at 242 - size 20 and am down to 160 - size 10 (5'7"). My answer really depends on the person asking. If it's someone I work with often and know fairly well, I'll tell them that I'm still at an overweight BMI and would like to be in the middle of my healthy weight range. If it's someone I don't really know (just enough for small talk, saying hi in the hallway, etc.), I just smile/laugh, nod and ignore them.

As annoying as it is to have people ask me about my weight loss (almost every day at work!), I try to just take it as a compliment. Most people in Western society have no clue what a healthy weight looks like. You know your body and what is healthy for you, and you're under no obligation to answer impertinent questions/comments about your body.

It really is amazing, though, how many people think it is okay to comment on my body now that I've lost weight but who would never have said anything when I actually was unhealthy.

Totally get it...
I'm also getting the 'skinny' comments and 'oh, you shouldn't lose any more weight' - it's bloody annoying.
I'm 5'2", 55 yo and now weigh 130lbs -was 210lbs. My goal is 120-122lbs which is the midpoint!
How do I deal with it... I'm honest with them and say that I'll stop when I reach the healthy weight target for me!
think it's actually other peoples insecurity. And many are right... it's generally the people who never once said to you that you were rather blobby!
Meh... at the end of the day we're each on a personal journey about loving and taking care of ourselves.

When I lost weight, and folks thought it was too much and I should stop (It wasn't ever too much, I landed at 130Lbs at 5'6") I'd say: I see me naked. I see the number on the scale. I got it. Thanks.

I've had that comment from two different elderly women in the past week ("I don't think you should lose any more weight, dear"). They are tiny and I look like an Amazon next to them. I just laughed--I'm not just overweight, I'm still technically obese! It's simply got to be the before/after difference (I'm at -96 lbs) that they are keying on. I just chose to be flattered that someone in the world actually thinks I'm normal looking and move on.

I've found giving them a LOT of details about my diet , goals, and the way I'm making sure I stay healthy will glaze over even the most concerned eyes. They tend to not bring it up again. I pull out my calorie log, show them that I'm eating over 1800 calories a day, every day (sometimes as many as 2400!), point to how I take care to meet my protein and fiber goals while watching sodium intake, and show the weekly summary and the graphs. Then I launch into exactly what my BMI calculation is, and my personal concerns with the measurement given my specific medical conditions (lupus and scoliosis), and why I've set my goals exactly where they are; well above the median weight for my height ( I really make sure I hammer on this point, that my goal weight is about 30 lbs higher than the minimally acceptable weight for my current height).

I assume if they were worried about my health, all of this detail will surely assuage them. And if they were just being rude, I've now wasted at least ten minutes of their time on an EXCEEDINGLY boring topic.