To ask do you think people always look their best when a healthy weight

Some people put a lot of effort in their appearance and have a great presence, even if they are overweight (shocker) So not always the case. Of course it is healthier to be within the correct bmi. But not essential to look their best.

I get for most of us ‘healthy weight’ is good but what about those of us who are atypical? Eg my beauirful SIL has a skinny face and torso but very large hips and bum. She is technically morbidly obese. If we have a selfie side by side just our faces I’m all cheeks (I’m a size 10) and she looks like she’s a size 8.

I on the others d have a very thin middle. Extreme hourglass. Chunky legs and arms and face. Huge norks. But middle - not an ounce of fat on me after 4 kids. I was rushed to a&e and saw my notes o ce and it said I was ‘moderately overweight’. I was in a gown of course but that is what they thought. I was a BMI of 21 at the time.

my point is ‘healthy weight’ can be deceiving and depending on weight distribution. Surely at a BMI of 21 I shouldn’t have thighs covered in cellulite but I do cos it’s where all my weight goes.

I think I would easily look ten years older as my face would get thin and possibly droopy

How can I be defensive? I’ve been a BMI of 20.6 my entire adult life. What’s to be defensive about?

it’s up to you whether you think better now, no one is taking that away from you. The question was whether “people” look better and I am suggesting most people just look pretty average to others.

I look best a little overweight as my face looks better, less wrinkled

I do. My face is currently a bit chubby and it's much more conventionally attractive with more definition. Good health signalled by a healthy weight is attractive generally.
Oh well.

I can weigh more, still within a healthy BMI but look fat.

I've lost several stone after being obese from being a teenager. Not only do I feel a lot better, I know I look better and my self confidence has sky-rocketed. I no longer hide away in a corner and try to avoid people - I now have the confidence to stand proud, happy to meet new people, etc. People I know have said I have a kind of "glow" about me and that my entire persona has changed with the weight loss.

Some do, not all

I think body composition matters more. I got into weight training a few years back and when I look at people online (celebs) I'm often struck by..okay they are slim but there's no muscle? Eat more god dammit.

Also the plusses of having more muscle is that you can eat more as muscle is more metabolically active. I can vouch for that as I've been bingeing on carbs for months.

Nail on the head there. Skinny and fat aren't good looks. People look best with a bit of meat on the bones, but not rolls of fat.

I've more than halved my BMI to 26. My appearance takes up a lot less mental head space which has improved my self esteem and confidence beyond measure. I think that has reflected in my appearance as I no longer try to shrink away. I don't worry about how I look, as I now look OK in all my clothes. Losing the weight has lessened the load both physically and mentally.

We were built to be and move as a healthy weight so obviously yes.

Not necessarily but I think being healthy is more important.

You are incredibly defensive.

yes, I am unsure why the method of weight loss is relevant though. The reality is I did not look good obese. I simply didn’t. Few do look their best obese.My face was fat. I had jowls. And no one looks at your face alone. Usually a fat face is atop a fat body, matronly bust. Big belly, wobbly thighs. I never once thought wow I look great like this, which doesn’t mean fat people can’t look good. Simply I didn’t. That’s nothing to do with my method of weight loss, I am being honest, I didn’t feel I looked my best obese.

the op asked do people look the best at a healthy weight, and my observation is yes, neither under weight or over weight is optimal, and that people look at the whole person.

I'm 56 and have quite a few lifelong friends from school.

I think the women and men who have remained a healthy weight all their lives, definitely look better than those who've yo-yo'd all their lives.

I think the best thing we can do for ourselves is to strive to keep our weight consistently healthy.

I have been underweight and healthy range throughout my life but I don’t like the feel of too much fat on my body.

Controversial, but from middle ageish, most people look better at just overweight 25/26 BMI.

I’ve been pondering this lately. I’m BMI 23. But my weight goes right on my face so I’m one of those who cannot put on weight otherwise it’s immediately obvious!
I think I buy a lot of clothes because unconsciously I think I will look better if I have xyz outfit. Truth is if I was stone or so lighter everything would look good on me. My figure would be the outfit iykwim! I’ve been wondering lately if being skinny makes making an effort easier cos you can literally wear anything and look good.

also though as I age (51) I get a lot of people saying I look years younger. I reckon some of it is the way I dress (I’m still an eternal 90s teen and now fashionable! lol) and cos I have fat cheeks. I envy those with sculpted jaws and sunken cheekbones. I’ve been a size 6 and never had that though not gonna happen!

Rambling now but just my Friday night narcisstic thoughts about weight.

ps I have a mate my age - natural beauty, size 8, looks like she’s been dragged through a hedge backwards, wears random op shop clothes all the time and doesn’t give a shit, no make up. Always looks bloody gorgeous. Pretty face and borderline underweight. Killer cheekbones though so….

i agree. I don’t think too much fat is a good thing health wise or looks wise.

I think so. I have lost a fair bit of weight over the last couple of years but more so in the last year. This weight loss has been gradual and I have also toned up a lot due to the amount of walking I do. I noticed that my face looks slimmer, my skin looks good and my eyes sparkle. I am not at my ideal weight but definitely look a lot better. Admittedly, I have changed careers and am a million times happier in my new career so that could have had a massive impact too.

You look fabulous and healthy. But in the photo where you are obese you also look sad (which totally fits in with my experience).

Agree. Sometimes people's proportions work best when overweight - mainly women, and I don't mean obese. Fat's an active organ, very important in hormone distribution. Some women look glowing, healthy & vibrant while heavy - and much more average if they slim down.

I shouldn't, but think some personality types look good underweight. There are gracefully delicate, almost floaty people of both sexes, who suit a skinny frame.

Sadly for me, I look best bang in the middle of my BMI range. It's too much hassle to maintain it these days, so I settle for the top end of 'healthy'.

No not really

I look great with my clothes on having lost almost 4 and a half stone. Without clothes, I have loose skin which I don’t love and facially I think I look really gaunt! I like the definition of a melted candle, can really relate to that🫣

I know I’m so much healthier, I go to the gym regularly and I am stronger and fitter than I have ever been. Jeans look great for the first time in so many years, shopping is a pleasure. Just wish my face wasn’t suffering so much! On the other hand, having multiple chins wasn’t great either!