Everyone is so thin?!

[weeducky]

On holiday at the moment. I swear that a good 80% of the women here with their kids are very very slim with flat stomachs, walking around confidently in low waisted bikinis. I thought the average was a size 14, but I'm not seeing it at all! I'm a 10- bit of a tummy from pregnancies and wouldn't wear a bikini because of stretch marks and honestly I'm feeling quite the chubby one here! Does everyone just diet for holiday or something or am I at some highly unusual resort? It's nowhere particularly fancy, just a standard TUI resort in Europe.

Thin or just healthy weights for their heights?

Whereabouts in Europe.

When I went to Turkey the Turkish people were mostly very slim, I guess it's down to lifestyle.

Where are you too on holiday?

Most of the UK beaches don’t have slim women on them. Normally the average 14/16

Are they actually British?

Self selecting innit, you only have to see the threads on S&B discussing swimwear to see how many women are uncomfortable getting it out. So those who are slimmer with more body confidence are the ones who are more likely to parade around and you’ll notice

Most people I see everywhere are slim, I do wonder how true the average size 14 thing is.

I am a size 10 (8 in some shops) and toned thanks to Pamela Reif and Yoga. I don't do anything specific for holiday, just exercise all year round (I have spinal problems and exercise helps so while I don't always enjoy it, it is a must).

Lots of Scandinavians, Dutch, Germans?

More active lifestyle (many people cycle for transport) and probably lower consumption of fast/processed food and smaller portions.

Lets see how long this thread lasts before it gets pulled due to 'fat shaming' the UK.

Just come back from a Greek island where the majority of tourists were Eastern European- Romanian, Bulgarian etc. They were either v v slim and toned or massive - no in between.

I thought the average was a UK 16? Or has it changed recently.

Certainly where I am (city in northern England) there are a lot of very overweight people. I don't think there has been a mass weight loss across the nation.

Healthy weights, but also flawless. My BMI is 22 and I do a lot of exercise so I am a healthy weight but don't look as good as these women who likely have BMIs of 19ish.

Yeah mostly

We spent 3 weeks island hopping in Greece and most people were as PP says either model-like slim and toned or very overweight - there didn’t seem to be much in between!

I think that poorer people are more likely to be overweight and poorer people are less likely to be able afford a holiday abroad.

Dress size means nothing.
Size 10 is now virtually meaningless.

Actually I'd say a size 10 is slim.

The European lifestyle tends to be quite different to the UK - more active, better diets. You'd be amazed at how shit our lifestyles are and how much of a difference that can make.

Okay, I weigh 9.5 stone and I'm 5'5, is that specific enough?

I've never understood the average dress size thing. They don't mean mode average, but probably median.

Loads of slim people, loads of very big people, those in the middle are "average" by default, but doesn't mean there are more of them. Certainly not on a European beach in the school holidays anyway for a number of factors!

Blimey, calm down. I'm just making the point about UK dress sizing!
Enjoy your holiday ☺️!!

Sorry for being rude, misread your tone

Get yourself to Benidorm. You'll feel much better.

Same in Cornwall. Lots of tourists here and most people are either very slim or very large. Not much in between. I think they're mainly Dutch and British this year.

I'm 5ft and 9.5stone which makes me quite chubby. Size 10-12. I'd say that my size was larger than most.

Vanity sizing is an issue. Next size 10 too tight and Asda George size 10 was 1/3 wider than my body. Absolutely massive.

All my English friends think I’m very slim. When I go overseas to visit my Chinese side of the family I am easily the biggest. I weigh 9.5 stone at 5ft 5 and have since I had the menopause.

What @Maireas means is a size 10 is far bigger than say 25 years ago. I was a size 10 with a 23 inch waist when I was young which is 35 years ago. I’m still a size 10 but my waist is 28. Until serious illness and then menopause hit I was wearing a size 6 sometimes.