This is a poll, but sort of a serious question as well. Growing up, I was always a small, skinny kid. I was always underweight. Now at 28 I am overweight according to the BMI. While I don’t feel that is a good fit for everyone, my question is really in the opposite direction. I still feel that I am underweight. Not severely mind you, but I wouldn’t mind gaining another 2o lbs of muscle on my arms and legs. It has been brought to my attention recently that I may have some slight skewing of my body image so I’m posting to you dopers for you opinion. Obviously a fitness, or body-building forum wouldn’t be the right place to get a wide, objective cross section of views. For the record, I don’t subscribe to the “you must be totally ripped to be in shape” theory of fitness, and am just fine with soft definition.
SO… HERE
is what I look like as of this morning. (in bike shorts, so use your judgment for SFW-ness)
Well, if you are asking if you are in good shape in terms of health or athletically, I have no idea. I think both are those are more important than the way you look. That being said, you are probably slightly overweight, or more specifically, you have too much fat. I wouldn’t really worry about it unless you are trying to be an underwear model though.
Perhaps I should have been clearer. I’m in fine shape health-wise. I’ve had a physical recently and the doctor had no complaints at all. Good BP, Cholesterol etc. Athletically, I’m happy with myself as well. I’m strong as an ox and have a job that requires a lot of physical activity. (I’m a sculptor instructor and haul clay around all day and chase kids. )
I’m looking more for opinions about general aesthetics and how you perceive my general weight. DO you see “overweight”, “just fine” “skinny” etc. I still consider myself to be on the thin side.
Are you kidding?! He doesn’t look overweight in the slightest.
Acid Lamp, you look absolutely fine, completely average (in a good way).
I think its such a shame the western society is so hung up on appearances. Ive lost a stone and a half in the past month and people have said ooo welldone thats amazing, you look great blah blah, but no its not-i wasnt overweight in the slightest and loosing weight isnt always a good thing. As long as you are healthy and happy that is what matters, not what the size of your arms or legs are.
Thanks for the kind words. See, my problem is that I’m NOT satisfied with myself. What I am trying to determine is whether that dissatisfaction is the product of some minor baggage and body issues, or is an objective evaluation of myself. If it’s the former, than I can take steps to get over that; if the latter than I’ll feel more confident in continuing to gain weight.
msmith537, Nearly everyone I meet compliments me on it and wants to touch my beard to see how it feels. They are always surprised at how soft it is.
You be happy you’re on that side. I worked my ass off to lose weight and all I usually get is awkward questions whether I’ve been ill. I’m not that thin, people! Meanwhile, the only person who has said word one about the effects of weight training is my mother, who thinks my muscles are gross and simultaneously manages to worry that I’m not eating enough. Pop quiz: is it possible to build “gross” muscles while not eating enough?
By my BMI calculation (kg/m^2), you’re at 24 which is at the top end of the healthy range. However, you’re more concerned about body image. I am built much like you, only 3" shorter and 10 lbs lighter, and I was skinny as a kid as well. I was the one in elementary school where everyone would put their thumb and forefinger around my wrist and say “God you’re so skinny!” And, for various reasons, I had a bit of pot belly, despite having little visceral fat. I had free weights I lifted in high school, and have a different set now that I lift infrequently. I have bulked up some, gained and lost body fat, and can easily ride 22 miles on my bike at a time (I just did that an hour ago). Like you, I have struggled with my own body image, and never had a woman drool over me.
Over time, as I’ve gotten into shape and lost fat, I’ve come to accept that I’m not going to be a walking Adonis. I’m never going to look like Michaelanglo’s David, so it isn’t worth trying. I don’t have the bones and my musculature is naturally slender. I don’t have muscular bulges under my shirt, but I can climb several flights of stairs or jog a quarter mile and not lose my breath. I can jerk and press only 100 lbs free weight, but that’s 2/3rds of my body weight, and for my build that’s not bad. I look better than a lot of guys my age (45), and I have the exercise habits to keep what I have now.
Plus, my butt looks great from all of the bicycle-riding.
Ok, so I still look and wish for more, but going for conditioning and getting definition of what I have has helped me be less critical about my habitus and accept the build I inherited from my parents.
And I’m quite sure I saw an attractive nurse check me out from across the street the other day.
BMI is not all that great a guide, IMHO. It doesn’t take into account bone structure or individual body variations (for example, being busty or flat-chested). According to our BMIs, my hubbie’s too fat and I’m too thin. (His BMI is 25.8 and mine is 18.4). I look at us and see two ordinary people well within acceptable weight ranges.
I see that picture as within the spectrum of “normal”.
For “in shape”, I’d ask for a little more muscle, I think. But there is ABSOLUTELY nothing wrong with normal. In fact I envy your stomach. (As a curse of genetics, I am in extremely good shape from the pectorals up and the hips down, but I have a delicious little spare tire, no matter how much I exercise and diet.)
And another vote for BMI being a little silly for anyone who either has a broad bone structure or has done any sort of weight work (you appear to be the former in particular).
I do have a broad frame. My chest measures 42’ which is the same as my father who is 5’10 and 220 lbs. That’s part of the reason that I view myself as underweight. I have a somewhat difficult situation in assessing my genetic potential since I am adopted. According the physical records I have access to, I am probably the largest living member of my family. My birth father was 5’2/120 lbs, my birth mother 5’0/100 lbs respectively. I do not resemble either of them but take after my paternal grandfather who was my height and 190. He was also the only one to have dark hair and more olive toned skin like myself.
You’re not overweight, but I would say you have more fat than you should have and less muscle (just going by the picture, obviously). That being said, it’s only because you asked. I think you look pretty good, though your face and beard combine to make me think you should be wearing a huge fur coat and an ushanka.
