Can you “look” a lot lighter than you actually are?
Healthamz
Posts: 2 Member
Wasn’t sure where to post this but I’ve been working out (specifically) for about 2 years now and I get a lot of comments that I look “lighter” than I actually am. To put in context, I am currently 24yrs, 5’3 and 130lbs. I’m still on my fitness journey and have a goal of 122lbs. However, with all the comments I’ve been getting, I might just start maintaining at this weight. Thoughts? 
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Replies
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Sorry, I meant to say “specifically weight lifting”0
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If you're comfortable there and feel healthy, why lose more?15
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Sure, in the general way people are using it, which really means "you look fit for your weight." A lot more goes into how you look than just the number on the scale. Body composition plays a big part of it. 2 women who are 5'3, 130 can look very different depending on how their weight is distributed and the percentage of muscle vs. fat. Because you lift weights consistently, you likely have a better muscle to fat ratio than someone who doesn't lift weights, therefore "looking skinnier".
130 pounds at 5'3 is still plenty skinny. It's a 23 BMI, which is well within the normal BMI range. There is no reason for you to lose more weight except for personal preference. But seeing as you are focused on lifting and probably don't have much body fat, it may not be necessary or beneficial for anything you are trying to accomplish.12 -
I don't tell people my weight so I don't get those kind of comments. I guess I look a bit lighter than I am since I've been the same weight in the past with very different body compositions. I also lift and have run bulk cycles to put on muscle.
If you feel comfortable, maintain. If you want to lose a bit more and achieve more definition/lower bodyfat % you can do that too. This is a personal decision, you look great either way.6 -
People generally are very inaccurate about knowing proper weights and when you should lose vs maintain. They have no idea what they’re talking about. You do what you feel is right for you.7
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You look AMAZING! I am 5'3" also, and weigh around 9 pounds less than you, but you look 1000x better than me. For real. Being fit/muscle weight really makes a big difference.5
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It would be perfectly reasonable to maintain at this weight. You look very healthy and fit.
It would also be fine to lose a few more pounds if you want, perhaps making 130 the top of your maintenance range and something like 125 or 127 the bottom.
We weigh about the same and are the same height. I bet you wear a couple of sizes less than I do!5 -
Scale is just a number. You can maintain for a while and continue with strength training and see what happens. There’s a body builder I know from a fb group who is same height as me but 40 pounds heavier. She’s totally ripped but technically obese if you go by her bmi. She looks amazing imo.4
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My mom looks a lot light lighter than she is.
I'm 5'11, she's 5'4. She weighs 2lbs more than me and we wear the same size clothes. I always joke with her that she must not have known at one point in her life that they did a surgery to put rocks inside her.
Scale is just a number. If you feel good and you look good (and you do), stop concentrating on the scale and keep doing what you are doing. You get to a point in this that the scale doesn't matter. What matters is how you feel.4 -
Our bodies all differ, I am 20lbs heavier than my best friends, they're same height but we have different body compositions - I look just as slim as them. Muscle does account for a lot of that composition though.
The scale is just a number. You look FAB btw
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I'm the one in the middle and 20lbs heavier....
The scale does not tell the whole story.
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No one else knows the number on the scale unless you tell them what it is. It's just a number. If you feel healthy and comfortable, then you have reached your goal even if it isn't the magic number you thought it would be.4
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In high school and college I was 5’4” and a solid yet slim 140, muscle more than anything (sports and working out). It was so fun to see people’s reactions to my weight if and when it came up! And we went to the fair every year, those “guess my weight” guys were pretty funny as well.
That novelty has long since worn off
If you are comfortable where you are at, go for it!6 -
Yes. I don't look like what I weigh, either.
You look terrific. No reason to chase that 122 lbs.9 -
quiksylver296 wrote: »Yes. I don't look like what I weigh, either.
You look terrific. No reason to chase that 122 lbs.
Yes!! And yes they can... body building is just an illusion.1 -
You look great!!! Be happy!! When I was younger - at 5'4" I weighed 136lbs. and it was a perfect weight for me. Looked and felt great in my clothes and naked. LOL. Trying to get down to that weight again - but at 64 years old now, it looks like I'm going to be stuck around 142lbs ....
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I've always been heavier than people thought I looked (other than when I was at my heaviest at which time they might have believed it - but I wasn't willing to discuss it LOL). I'm interested to see where I land on the scale - my goal weight is what I used to weigh pre-desk job, but I've been doing a LOT of focused weight training, and while I was always strong, I was never doing focused lifting. I may end up landing a bit heavier, but hard to say at this point.
If you're happy with how you look and feel, stay where you're at. If you'd like to trim up some more, do so.3 -
I think you look fabulous 💖1
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I think I've always looked a little lighter than I am. Now, probably less so since I'm very wide hipped and tall, people know I'm not <150 lb and I'm lean enough I don't think anyone would guess me >180, either. I'm in the 170 range and look it, IMO.
I know some friends/family truly do NOT believe me when I say that I was a bit over 300 lb at one point, even with lots of photos, because they have the idea in their head of what that would look like and it's bigger than I looked. Weight distribution can be so funny that way and it doesn't really matter anyhow.
OP you look awesome btw.1
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