Teetering on the brink of Insanity

[SoulDoubt]

So yesterday at work, my boss made a comment about the room we were in.
He said that Its been a long time since he was here (he moved out of town).
He then said "Yeah back then I was as skinny as SoulDoubt (he of course said my real name). Last night i asked my friend if he thought I looked skinny and he said "oh yeah. you're skinny".

Now this got me to thinkin. I dont think I am skinny!!!! I am 5'11" 179 lbs, unfortunately the majority of the last 30 lbs is in my beer gut, so I look quite
oblong.

I WAS going to cut my weight to get rid of my beer gut but now i am thinking if people really think i am skinny, why not bulk up to 200+ first and then cut?

Any ideas and opinions would be greatly appreciated.

[maverick]

Don't let others dictate your goals. Do what YOU want to do.

[Lady C]

Ditto!

I would concentrate on learning to eat right and lifting hard. After 6 months see what you look like and go from there.

The quest for fitness should be a lifetime goal. It is about developing healthy habits that will let you reap the rewards as you age. The best changes are the ones you make slowly because they tend to stay with you year after year.

Only in America, the land of the obese, will people make comments that you are too skinny. Your weight in relation to your height doesn't suggest to me that you could be skinny.

Young guys running around these days with shaved heads and wearing oversized football jerseys thinking they are "buff" or "big-boned" when they are just fat-assed and into serious denial.

Do your own thing. Train hard and let your body naturally go where it is supposed to me. Don't be chasing some mythical weight or image that others may suggest where you should be. Take a tip from a middle-age man: get rid of the booze and eliminate cakes, cookies, candies and sodas. Fuel your body with nutrient-dense food and hydrate it with lots of water. Let the others enjoy being "buff" and "big boned".

[CF-OC_gal]

I know that tactic! It's supposed to be a under-handed compliment to sabotage your self esteem.

When I was 18 I was once told by a total stranger that I would be considered a beauty in Europe. I live in North America thank you very much!

I was also told that I was skinny when catty girls would talk figures, weight and fashion. Guys never thought so.

Put on your message filters and realize that your boss is envious and maybe in a bit of admiration (though he'll never admit it) of your self control in a world of excess.

[SoulDoubt]

Thanks for the comments all, they are appreciated!
I guess in a way the self esteem issue has come up, i think its funny
how some people see you one way and you see yourself another.
I personally think i look fine, with the exception of my beer gut (and yes I am
quitting drinking, just finished a drinking tour at a restaurant which added some serious poundage, but now its over.)

[Maxgain]

The lower fat you have the greater lean mass you ratio you should obtain when bulking

[lyra]

Originally Posted by pierini

Only in America, the land of the obese, will people make comments that you are too skinny. Your weight in relation to your height doesn't suggest to me that you could be skinny.

Young guys running around these days with shaved heads and wearing oversized football jerseys thinking they are "buff" or "big-boned" when they are just fat-assed and into serious denial.

Do your own thing. Train hard and let your body naturally go where it is supposed to me. Don't be chasing some mythical weight or image that others may suggest where you should be. Take a tip from a middle-age man: get rid of the booze and eliminate cakes, cookies, candies and sodas. Fuel your body with nutrient-dense food and hydrate it with lots of water. Let the others enjoy being "buff" and "big boned".

lol! Oh so true about the big guys!

~Nicole

[.V.]

Originally Posted by IronMan

I would concentrate on learning to eat right and lifting hard. After 6 months see what you look like and go from there.

What he said.

Originally Posted by pierini

Young guys running around these days with shaved heads and wearing oversized football jerseys thinking they are "buff" or "big-boned" when they are just fat-assed and into serious denial.

What he said too.

And Brat - from the pics you've shared on the forum - this is North America, I'm in North America, and I for one -- APPROVE.

SoulDoubt, don't sweat what the others think. Do what you feel is right for your body, your health. The fat people who I work with all of whom I used to outweigh by 100 pounds, some even more - they are always making comments like, "you don't have any a$$ left", "you are too skinny", "you eat like a psycho weird person", "you are going to be embarrassed when you someday die with nothing wrong with you - we at least will have health problems".

Well, my answer to them is, "when your fat a$$ is trying to carry my coffin, at least I won't be to heavy for you...if it's me carrying yours - I'll be strong enough to do it without having to use a crane".

Now keep with your nutrition plan, your cardio plan, and your lifting plan. Do what YOU need to do. Then when you are looking right - you can actually enjoy the snide comments because you will know you are physically superior and they are making them from weakness and jealousy...they probably already are.

[SNPiccolo5]

I agree with everthing said here- America's vision has become so skewed and out of proportion, it's ridiculous. Stick to what you want and what you believe, not what other people say.

-Tim

[etothepii]

I went from 197 lbs to 148 in about 8 months. I am only 5'6" tall. I have since gained 4 lbs, and my measurements have increase on my HST workout, but people still say, "you're wasting away" or the call me skinny. My guess is,

A.) they are trying to be polite
B.) my body shape is changing
C.) the skewed perception of thin means now-a-days
D.) some combination of the above.

[killerduck]

etothepii, you really need to change your signature mate. Binary jokes in a fitness forum, what are you thinking? Just kidding, i'm a cgi student so i'm as big of a nerd as they come.

[etothepii]

Originally Posted by killerduck

etothepii, you really need to change your signature mate. Binary jokes in a fitness forum, what are you thinking? Just kidding, i'm a cgi student so i'm as big of a nerd as they come.

I'm not a nerd!!!
.
.
.
And I have an equation to prove it!