What is "too thin?"

I am 45yr, 6'3", 185lbs, my maintenance weight. I brought myself down from 215lbs since last July (I once weighed 230). My genetic build is thin, carrying most of my weight in my belly, most of which has also disappeared, and I am not particularly muscular.

I am proud of my accomplishment, both in the way I feel about my image, and for health reasons, as I hope this will at least delay the diabetes that runs in my family.

Since my loss, a couple of people have commented that they think I'm too thin. Coming from these people, these are not jealousy comments, but perhaps more "I'm not used to you looking like this." In my early 20's I was in the 160lb range. I was a stick, looking like a giraffe with my long, thin neck and lanky limbs.

So, cutting to the chase, how thin is too thin for someone my my height/age?

Replies

  • durhammfp
    durhammfp Posts: 494 Member
    I think where you are now is a healthy weight, with a BMI of around 23, and if you like that weight and feel comfortable there that should be good enough.

    Here is a BMI chart that you might find handy. A BMI of 18.5 is usually considered the cutoff for underweight.

    https://www.webmd.com/men/weight-loss-bmi
  • J_NY_Z
    J_NY_Z Posts: 2,540 Member
    edited April 2019
    "Too thin" is such a personal preference.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    People have NO IDEA what they're talking about when they say this! What made them an expert in knowing what random people should weigh or look like?
  • rosiorama
    rosiorama Posts: 300 Member
    magpye76 wrote: »
    Im currently experiencing a lot of this myself at the moment. Im 5'4" and now 124lbs, down from 163 at my heaviest. I feel great, but im fed up with people telling me not to lose any more or asking if I'm ill! I have no intention of losing more (officially started maintenance a week ago) but trying to explain that or recomposition is just frustrating.
    Its funny how nobody was rude enough to comment on my ever increasing weight when i was being unhealthy, smoking, drinking and eating junk food, but now I'm at a healthy bmi, eating nutritious food (mostly!) and exercising when i can, it seems everyone feels they have the right to comment!

    Congrats on your weight loss! I think many of us no longer know what normal weight looks like. And maybe there is some “crabs in a bucket” mentaility too? If fat shaming is verboten, why is it okay to call out slim people? I see it a lot on social media, that people are quick to point out how unhealthy skinny people can be - as a response to questioning an overweight person’s health. Really, whose business is it anyway?
  • elisa123gal
    elisa123gal Posts: 4,324 Member
    If you look at the BMI chart..which you should.. you'll see there is a pretty big range from too thin to the top healthy weight right before the "overweight" range takes over.

    I could weigh another 15 or 20 pounds less and still be in my healthy BMI range. Would I look too thin? I think for me.. yes I would look too thin. However.. as long as your weight is within that healthy range... you should not be concerned for your health
  • cloggsy71
    cloggsy71 Posts: 2,208 Member
    'Too thin' is something I will never be...
  • tirowow12385
    tirowow12385 Posts: 697 Member
    When you look at a selfie and you scared yourself
  • AwesomeOpossum74
    AwesomeOpossum74 Posts: 106 Member
    Thanks to all your comments, I feel better!

    And I have a couple of things to look up, e.g. glycogen and ectomorph. I've also been considering more exercise, but I have a back problem right now and am in PT for the next while.

    You guys are awesome!
  • anniigetshealthy
    anniigetshealthy Posts: 4 Member
    I can't speak for other people, but after I lost all of the weight I hit my lowest of about 124 lbs. I didn't feel too great. 130-135 (as someone with a good amount of muscle) is where I feel my best.
  • rosiorama
    rosiorama Posts: 300 Member
    edited April 2019
    If you look at the BMI chart..which you should.. you'll see there is a pretty big range from too thin to the top healthy weight right before the "overweight" range takes over.

    I could weigh another 15 or 20 pounds less and still be in my healthy BMI range. Would I look too thin? I think for me.. yes I would look too thin. However.. as long as your weight is within that healthy range... you should not be concerned for your health

    Yes. I am at the very top of the BMI range for my height, and while I could lose more weight, I am pretty muscular. I feel I would look too thin if I lost 20 pounds. Is this because it has been a long time since I’ve been that thin? Not sure. I want to lose a few pounds to get to my goal weight and then reassess. Maybe lose five at a time, maintaining for a while at each milestone and see where I feel my best ... for reference: I am in my 40s and I know I was at the lower end of the healthy range as a teen. Back then I was skinny with flab - I am so much stronger now!!
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    Depends on muscle mass and BF%, for someone with a lot of muscle, under 210 may be too thin, for someone with very little muscle and low BF% that number may be 170, tough to say
  • Maxxitt
    Maxxitt Posts: 1,281 Member
    You're the same height/weight as my spouse (who has been at that weight probably the last 40 years dammit). I have seen men that height who are long distance runners and are all bone and sinew, may weigh less than that (and certainly folks at that height who weigh a lot more, either with more body fat or more muscle mass or both). I think that it's a good place to settle. People who have known you through your transition may not yet be used to how you look now. Eat for nutrition, work out a bit for fitness, and you're golden. Congratulations on your accomplishment!
  • deputy_randolph
    deputy_randolph Posts: 940 Member
    I'm going to assume you are a man...

    My husband is 40 also 6'3. He looks "too thin" to me at 180. He looks at his best between 200-210 (he lifts, but isn't a super lean or huge 210). He agrees with the weight range. It's really personal preference.