Male adult - ribs showing at maintenance

I've never been male, so I can't necessarily give you truly relevant experience. I can say that at a weight both I and my doctors consider healthy and suitable for me, some of my ribs show on my upper chest, and some of the lower ones are slightly visible on my sides.

The photo below is about the only one I can find that shows the upper chest ribs a little. This was at BMI 19.3 (about 165cm and 52.5 kg) as a female. (Yes, I'm flat-chested because post-mastectomy, and no, that has nothing to do with why the upper ribs show.) You're at a higher BMI (22.3) at 5'9.7" and 154 pounds (translating into different units for other 'muricans ), but men's best weight is typically higher than women's best weight, statistically speaking.

Some women here on MFP thought I looked too thin, maybe unhealthfully thin, at that weight. How much do I care about their opinions when both my doctors and I think otherwise? Not the teensiest, tiniest bit.

What I did was ask all of my doctors how they felt about my weight. (At my age, and as a cancer survivor, I have multiple doctors. ). Their opinion counts, my opinion counts, pretty much nobody else's opinion counts, in my world. I'd consider adding weight if it were muscle, but I'm probably too lazy to add muscle. I'm a little heavier than the photo now (not lots, and part of it by intention), and that's OK, too. Ribs still show.

I have a BMI of 23 and my ribs show as well. I think it just depends on your build.

I have scoliosis. If I walk “as per normal”, I have a round and soft protruding belly.

If I stand up straight and pull my shoulders back, I have a concave belly and my ribcage shows prominently. My six pack peeks out, although it looks like melted wax because of leftover loose skin from weight loss.

I am 23.6 BMI. 25 BMI would be “overweight” for my height.

Yet, you’d look at me and swear no way was I borderline overweight. I wear a small or extra small women’s clothing size.

Different bodies wear weight in different ways.

I’m happy where I am. I’m even happier when I remind myself to stand up straight, lol.

You decide what “look” you like. Don’t let some Influencer or glossy weightlifting magazine or YouTube etc “advice” tell you what you “should” look like.

You are an individual. Get out there and look like one. You know the old saying “plenty of fish in the sea”? Bah humbug. Fish all look alike. Be different. Be you.