Take a look at the picture attached. Tell me what you think about the person you see - Too thin? Could lose a few? Just right? Looks sick? Gain some weight? I know I can count on honest opinions from all of you...


Reason - I get a lot of "You should STOP losing weight!" comments from people in town. I haven't lost a pound in nearly two years. I get asked if I'm sick, if I'm anorexic, if I'm eating enough. I normally blow off the comments - but just went to lunch with a good friend whose opinion I trust, and she quizzed me HARD on any current weight loss, my views of food and eating, calories I'm eating, how much I'm working out, etc. The picture attached to the message appeared in the local paper this week, so now everyone's having a fit and thinks I'm sick or something. Maybe I do and just don't see it.

So be honest...first impression?

I think you look great! You have a small face so that might be contributing to the image of being "too thin". But I thnk you look awesome!

You look great, Mindi. If you haven't lost a pound in 2 years, then the issue is with them, not you. You are thin, but you have long, lean, limbs and high cheekbones that could be making people think you are too thin.

you look fabulous! I would love to be at your weight. that is the weight that I felt most comfortable with. 5'8 andn 140 is just right. Good for you!

i think you look good as is! your arms are muscular, you look healthy. Keep healthy and try not to let other's opinions get to you.

i agree with all of the above. it looks like you have a small frame too, small hips, shoulders etc, that could be enhancing their "view" of you as too skinny...

Agreed. You look fabulous. There's also the part where a lot of people's views of "skinny" have been warped as heavier bodies become the norm. As long as you feel good, don't worry about them.

Thanks, y'all! It's been getting to me a LOT recently. I try to block it out normally, but today it's been particularly bad...especially coming from a good friend!!

What does your doctor say?

I tend to think people should carry a little more padding than they need to, so my first reaction (comparing your before to after) that you were quite thin - model thin (which I tend to think of as too thin).

But that's my prejudice, and I'm aware of it. I clicked the thumbnail to get a closer look, and I see that your arms look great, not emaciated or boney.

There are a lot of medical signs of "too thin" and your doctor would recognize them (for example, menstrual cycle stopping, "peach-skin fuzz" hair growth.... I think appearance isn't the best indicator of too thin (or even too fat).

So, I'd recommend a medical opinion over a poll of popular opinion.

I think you look great, personally.

fabulous! Nothing wrong with the picture You simply look awesome, don't let anyone tell you anything else. I bet you feel wonderful, too. You look healthy, I wish I looked like you.

I haven't been to the doctor in a while, Kaplods...probably too long! The last time I went was for an ear infection. I need to go back to get some stuff tested probably. A while back I was told I was "borderline hypoglycemic" and haven't been back since, though I'm having some weird stuff happen. I just keep putting it off...

First of all, you look great.

I don't think that your body is too thin, but, from an artistic perspective, I think you have a lot of elongating features that people unconsciously associate with being thin or, well, being sick -- not that you look sick! But we have associations that come from art and the media that help us identify "illness" and you have a couple of those features.

For example, you have a pretty delicate and thin nose, which elongates your face. Long hair also elongates your face. You have somewhat thin lips, which people unconsciously associate with illness (think of famous paintings of women or famous models, they all have thick lips). The same could be said for, well, your chest -- people have ideals about the female figure and if a girl doesn't have large breasts, she must be anorexic -- definitely not fair.

If you wanted to change your look, you could cut your hair in a way that had more body and volume, as well as layering it so that it doesn't have such a vertical line on the body (which elongates and slims). You could also experiment with different eyeglasses. I think a thicker rim would draw attention away from the lines created by your lips, hair, and nose. Skillfully applied make-up could also soften your features.

So, basically, what I'm saying is that you have a lot of vertical lines going on, which causes people to think you are "too thin." It may not be fair and I don't agree with them, but I definitely can see where they get that idea from. I hope none of what I say offends you! I think you look great!

You look GREAT! Congrats on the hard work. I think people just don't like change. They get used to a idea of "you" and when you change it is hard! Don't listen to them. You look fabulous!