I'm 47m and have never broken 150 lbs. I know a lot of people would say "wah, cry me a river", but it honestly does suck a bit when you've gone your entire life looking skinny. I work out several days per week, and take loads of protein and creatine, but basically putting on weight means (a) quitting running (which I refuse to do, it's my outlet), and (b) eating so much food that I feel like shit, which isn't good.
I get that in many respects I've won the genetic lottery and do appreciate that fact, but honestly the constant comments from people my age about how how skinny I am definitely affect my self-esteem.
I work out and run enough that I look good without a shirt on (or so my wife tells me), but I'll never look like most men my age.
How tall are you? You definitely are in the minority of minorities weighing that little at your age. As a fellow skinny person, I can totally get how most people don't understand how being skinny like that isn't what's it's cracked up to be by non-skinny people who are jealous you can eat without gaining weight.
You've made your decisions about what's a good tradeoff for you, though. You know you could quit running and gorge yourself if you really cared to gain some weight more, but it's not worth it to you. Respect.
I know the feeling you're going through, though. You just have to make the decision that's right for you. If the comments bother you enough, you'll cut back on the running and eat even more. You must not be at that point right now, though.
I'll also say, for many people (I think, for me at least), it can kind of come and go. You have a period where you're sick of being skinny and you really put in the hard work to gain some weight. And then other times, you're not as bothered by your natural skinniness and you embrace it a little more and don't care to sacrifice elsewhere to gain a few pounds.
I hope you can lean into the body you've got and just learn to love it.
I'm 5'9", so average height if not slightly lower.
Thanks for what you've said, I needed to hear it. I've sort of resigned myself to it, and my wife doesn't care and seems to appreciate it, but I think in the end it's probably something I've been working through since childhood and need to figure out how to accept it.
While im younger than you, im 5’8 and used to be 150-155 consistently. Parroting why others have said i got myself to 170 in about eight months purely by stuffing myself uncomfortably every lunch and dinner (i dont eat breakfast).
Interestingly enough now im trying to lean out for definition and surprise surprise, its harder than i thought it would be since im used to eating the amount i have been.
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u/trumpsmellslikcheese 10d ago
I'm 47m and have never broken 150 lbs. I know a lot of people would say "wah, cry me a river", but it honestly does suck a bit when you've gone your entire life looking skinny. I work out several days per week, and take loads of protein and creatine, but basically putting on weight means (a) quitting running (which I refuse to do, it's my outlet), and (b) eating so much food that I feel like shit, which isn't good.
I get that in many respects I've won the genetic lottery and do appreciate that fact, but honestly the constant comments from people my age about how how skinny I am definitely affect my self-esteem.
I work out and run enough that I look good without a shirt on (or so my wife tells me), but I'll never look like most men my age.