Since going hard with triathlon, I have dropped from a muscular 190lbs (college football weight) to a lean 175 lbs at 6’1. At least a couple of times a month, someone will say to me, "you are too skinny, you need to gain weight." 100 percent of the time this is coming from an overweight person. I always have the same comback pop into my mind and I have to fight it back not to be rude…“well, you are too fat, ever heard of a gym?” What bugs me about the statement is to me, skinny = sickly, when in reality, I am in the best shape of my life and probably in better shape than 995 people out of a 1000 on the street.
Why do people feel this it socially acceptable to tell someone they are too skinny?
Am I the only one who gets this?
I am not at this weight now, but when I was at 6’3 and 175 I got “You’re too skinny” a LOT. From all kinds of people - overweight, ‘normal’, family, etc.
It is probably due to my lack of filter, but I usually answer that statement with a “actually, I am just in shape”. Or if the person is really rude or making fun of my weight, I will fire back with you are too fat, you need to lose some.
That usually does it. 
They are complimenting you. “You’re too skinny, put on some weight” is what I hear in the gym all the time, the person is really saying "Damn, you’re making me look/feel worse because I’m only a little out of shape and you are beyond “in-shape”.
I guess I will take it as a compliment…
I like the response, “not skinny, just in shape”
perfect response…I sometimes say “Im a lean, clean, fightin’ machine”, Ox from Stripes (the movie)
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I just recently had a simular interaction with an old friend. I’m 6 foot 152ish lbs in the race season. My body type will never get me to 170…
This past week I met with an old friend who has gained alot! of weight… he’s 210 5’8’'… He’s 22, and returned from service… he was 160ish when he left, and 2 years later and alot of drinking, and this is him now…
He told me… damn kid… “do you eat?” Yes I &^*&% eat… I eat 3 times the amount he does… but My meals are home cooked while he’s shoving McD’s in his mount and washing it down with crap beer…
He swears he’s in the best shape of his life, and when I called him fat, he claimed the military gave him “man muscle.” I’ve seen the Kona/Seals guys… that’s not “man” muscle…
They are complimenting you. “You’re too skinny, put on some weight” is what I hear in the gym all the time, the person is really saying "Damn, you’re making me look/feel worse because I’m only a little out of shape and you are beyond “in-shape”.
I disagree about the compliment. It’s really just a way to make themselves feel better. If we are indeed “too skinny” then they get to think that they aren’t as overweight as they actually are.
-C
My least favorite is when fat people say: “You are so lucky that you are skinny” or “You don’t have to watch what you eat because you obviously have great metabolism”
To which I reply: “I’m not skinny because of luck or genetics or metabolism. I workout hard two hours a day, and 6+ hours on the weekend. And I eat well. I earn it, and luck has nothing to do with it.”
But I hear you on the skinny comment. I’m 6’2" and my race weight is 160. The only reason we seem so skinny is because everyone else is getting fatter.
Ala one of the Kona feelgood stories
“I am built like a pitbull and the rest of these guys are all greyhounds.” - paraphrased
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How ironic you bring this up. I have it happen to me ALL the time. I’m 6’5, 190lbs. My race weight is 185 lbs… I was a former college football player and was a solid 283 lbs. years ago. Got involved in running, then triathlons and my body has transformed into a much leaner, healthier version of my former playing days. It has been such a transformation that even my former roomates didn’t recognize me at alumni events. It is so funny how people judge me now. I quit drinking, eat a vegan diet and train daily getting up at 3:30 AM. I couldn’t be happier with my new lifestyle, but those who haven’t seen me for awhile think I’m ill and the general population I encounter at work or friends always comment on my weight and tell me tio eat some pizza or have a drink and gain some weight, “you are too skinny”. I just laugh it off and go on with my day and smile because I know that I’m doing what I enjoy and I’m also in the best shape of my life.
tell em their wife/girlfriend thinks you look hot.
What’s wrong with being skinny? Is it possible to be too skinny? Is it possible that you are indeed too skinny yet in good shape? To those people who call me fat, I just say that I’m not in shape.
AAAAAAAAAAAAHahhahaahahhaahah, yes guy!!! Now that is funny, or the standard, “You’re mom thought I was hot”. But beware the “My wife/girlfriend/mother is in a coma” response!
i was 230 lbs 18 months ago and now weigh 195 (11-12% BF). I’m 6’2". Im probably carrying a bit too much upper-body muscle for triathlon, but I’m working on this…Every holiday, a relative will comment to me how skinny I am now and how much better i look. I’ve been asked several times how I lost the weight…and when i get into the details of logging my calories, all the swim/bike/run, etc…their eyes glaze over.
Little do they know that I’m trying to get down to 180 so I can be faster on the run and on the bike.
Ironically, my girlfriend keeps telling me that I’m getting skinnier. Not sure what to do with that one just yet. She’s very supportive of my training, but I’m at a bit of a loss when that one comes up. And that’s at 5’6" and a tad over 135lbs. hmmm.
I gained a ton of weight in my time away from the sport. Currently training agina but I have a lot of work to do to get back to a healthy weight. I’m 6’ and weigh in at 213 right now. Race weight was 165-170, trained most the year at 170-175.
While getting ready for the big race of the year, my training friends and I would know it was tame to go when people started asking if we were feeling ok, or if we were sick. That when we knew we were fit and ready to race!
As for a comeback, you can turn this one around if you’d like. The breaking point for me that sent me back to training again was when my fiance was looking at me as I got into the shower. She then said a few words that are forever burned into my mind.
“You know, the fatter you get, the smaller your penis looks.”
That was it! went for a run that night!
So you can just tell them that by being thin, it makes your unit look bigger.
You still have plenty to go. My race weight is 135 @ 5’9.5". Sitting at 145 right now with some meat on me.
i feel your pain…kinda
in college (as a distance runner): 6’3" 144 lbs
now as a triathlete: 6’3" 155-160
i still get the “you’re too skinny”.
I hate that. “Im fat because its my body type”. Yes, some people have a harder time losing weight than others, however, that is no excuse for sitting on ones ass and then complaining about it. I have a sister who is constantly crying about her large ass and matching belly that she claims she inherited from our mother. is it the pizza and candy that she eats? no, its mom’s fault.