Overweight or could it be my boobs?

[Doubleyikes]

At my annual blood pressure check last week I was weighed and measured. I asked the nurse not to tell me my weight (I had anorexia in my teens and although I eat well and can’t imagine ever depriving myself of food again, I feel it’s best for me not to know my weight).

After she had weighed/measured me she said “I wished I weighed what you weigh) but I’ll just tell you that your bmi is one point above the upper limit. She didn’t advise me to lose weight.

Anyhow back to my question - my boobs are really out of proportion to the rest of me. They’re 32 HH. They feel heavy and dense. I’m 5’ and a size 12. I feel like i should be in the right range of BMI to minimise COVID risks (I’m nearly 60 and have had high BP since my 20s). Do I try to lose a bit of weight or put the extra weight down to heaviness of boobs and not bother about it? Could boob size influence BMI ?

I’d be interested to know too. My mums been worried I’m too thin before when I am 5’6 and 10 stone and I’m sure it’s enormous boobs and also I have a big head! I never weigh myself either and think it’s the right weight for me.

Honestly I never listen to BMI. I go on feel and looks. If I start to feel larger and can't fit in clothes etc, it's time to cut back on food a little and exercise more. Until then I carry on as normal. I have no clue what I weight as I also had issues with food as a teen.

Yes definitely. Mine are really heavy and I think they make my overall weight look worse than it is. Have you ever tried weighing them ?

I find exercising to be a nightmare. When I run I have to make sure the sports bra is really tight, and I have taken to wearing sports bras when I want to look good in clothes as they flatten my appearance.

When i lose weight my boobs look even bigger as I never seem to lose weight there.

Do try to lose weight. You will feel better. I am running and swimming regularly and I am 65. It's not as easy as when you are younger but the alternative is negative

Oh and I never weigh myself either. Too depressing

Op have a listen to Dr Mark Porter's podcast titled Fat Boy Slim about BMI on Radio 4

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b064z553

Thanks everyone. I’ve not tried weighing my boobs but wouldn’t be surprised if they’re about 1kg each. I also need an industrial strength sports bra for anything more than a brisk walk. Even a gp once commented that they were very heavy so it’s not just me thinking they are. I go by how my clothes fit as to whether I’m in need of cutting down on carbs . If I’m comfortable and can do everything up easily and without looking as if I’m wearing a smaller persons clothes, then I’m happy. I’m being careful not to put weight on but don’t relish the thought of eating less.

And thanks for the link Artforartsake. I will listen to that tomorrow.

It's very interesting because it explains how BMI is quite an inaccurate meadure in many ways and should be just taken as a rough guide. And of course it doesn't work for women's bodies particularly well.

Very true Art
It was clearly designed with men in mind, most likely white middle class men at that.

How would you weigh your boobs, mine are 32f and the surgeon said they would be 4-7lbs?

If she hadn't told you anything, how would you feel about your health? Sod BMI and sod the scale, and whether it's boobs or not doesn't really matter, these are crude ugly measurements. You could have a low BMI and a massive gut, or a Higher BMI and higher muscle mass and good measurements. I would carry on as I am and ignore that I was every told different.

Anybody who has even been anorexic is better to slightly overweight than at risk of relapsing. Also, once you've been anorexic it's harder to be a healthy weight, your body hoards more. Ignore it, and enjoy your big boobs and healthy outlook

Boobs can be weighty! At a size 12 you're not going to be an unhealthy weight. Yes there are some people who will lie to themselves about their clothes size, but you sound pretty hard on yourself so I doubt this applies to you.

If you're comfy in yourself, go with that.

I went for a health check up with work a few years ago. My BMI was a few points into the overweight part of the scale but the nurse said she wouldn't advise me to lose any weight as she could see my size ten waist and the extra weight was obviously my boobs (34F) 😂. She even asked me if they are real.

You sound on good form. 32HH means your chest is small and it is breast which is a low risk to health. It's visceral fat around your organs which is metabolically a higher health risk.

Female body shapes have more variation than men's which do allow for a healthier distribution of fat above a supposedly "healthy" BMI range. BMI has some value as a guide, but is not the be all and end all on a personal health level or even certain demographics.

I've just decided my high bmi is due to my massive norks 🤣 pretty sure if I lopped them off I'd lose about 2 stone

I actually think it was seriously irresponsible of her to say what she said. You asked not to know your weight, but instead she told you that you were one point overweight? What the FUCK. How is that supposed to help someone with a history of anorexia. Some people are fucking clueless.

It sounds to me like you've learned how to accept your body, and you sound healthy. BMI isn't really a great measure for many reasons anyway, so I'd take it with a pinch of salt.

I agree she shouldn't have commented, but I guess you didn't tell her your reason for not wanting to know?

I have no idea whether boobs can have a significant effect (my boobs probably have a combined weight of 50g so not something I have to worry about 😂) but in your position I wouldn't be looking to lose weight.

I did tell her I didn’t want to know because I had anorexia in the past and it was better that I didn’t know my weight. I was surprised she told me about the BMI but maybe they are required to.

Reading some of these replies I’m going to stay as I am. I really think if my boobs were in proportion to the rest of me I wouldn’t be classed as overweight. Thanks everyone. This has really helped.

I saw a breast reduction surgeon recently for my mega norks and he mentioned removing about a kilo of flesh I think. So maybe 2.5 pounds? Doesn't make much of a difference to overall weight tbh

Also you have to have a healthy BMI to qualify for surgery so clearly the doctors don't think big boobs makes enough of a difference.

In short, they make little difference! Maybe 3kgs tops for both?

Who told you that Titsandknicks? There are many, many people whose BMIs are above the 18-25 range having surgery every day. My own experience anaesthetising people at a large hospital was that the majority of patients had BMIs above 25.

In your context I would not think about this again. You’ve done an amazing job of recovering.

I remember there was a TV show on years ago about women with large boobs and bad back problems.

I only remember because they weighted each tit with a water displacement method...

Anyway my 34f boobs weighed a total of 1.4kgs...

@trixiebelden77 my NHS breast reconstruction surgeon! Told me to get to and maintain a BMI of 25 though will compromise on 27 seeing as I've lost nine stone.