To feel depressed by this DM article re size 16

[Rachtoteach]

www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2342207/Is-size-16-normal--danger-These-women-Britains-common-dress-size-youd-expect-healthy-battery-medical-tests-came-surprising-worrying-results.html

After 37 years on this planet I have finally developed something I wish more women could have - an acceptance of who I am and the ability of being happy in my own body..... even though - shock, horror - I am 5ft2, size 16, 11 something stone. Anyway, I don't cry in the changing rooms anymore . I exercise 3 x week, eat a balanced-ish diet, don't smoke, blah blah blah.

It just makes me sad and mad that the DM have taken 4 size 16 women who each turn out to have some health issues, and declare (effectively) all us size 16 women a picture of ill-health! On the results of four women?!! And implying, or least leaving the reader with the impression, that any other (smaller sized) women would conversely be in tip-top health - all of them, simply based on their size!

AIBU to think that there must be some healthy size 16 women out there and probably some not so healthy smaller women? If I am BU then I may as well give up now as I know I am unlikely to ever be much smaller than I am now.

Cote D'Azur Walking is a form of exercise in the sense that cleaning the house is a form of exercise - yes, bodily movement is involved, but your heart rate doesn't rise into the required band and stay there for a minimum of 45 minutes

I agree. Walking is something I would do for exercise if I was very unfit, or old, or suffering from a debilitating illness. I would hope that my heart rate wouldn't rise much simply from walking.

I am honestly really shocked at what the average is considered to be on here. It must depend so much on who you meet in day to day life. Running and cycling are so so common to do as exercise now, you don't have to be a competitive athlete, although the occasional competition gives you something to aim at.

I do remember when I started out in competitive sports about 20 years ago though that it was more unusual, but times have changed, women's races are far more competitive, and even at the time, I remember thinking how old-fashioned attitudes to sport and exercise were from some people who found it unusual.

I have to say again I do not find mumsnet particularly representative, its nice, but doesn't cover a representative balance of the population.

Lizzylou Tabata/HIIT/Metafit/Insanity, even Jillian Bloody Michaels get results from shorter bursts of intense cardio

Does that mean interval training? why the hell don't just call it that

Interval training has been around for decades. Most endurance athletes do two or three interval sessions a week, to supplement their long runs.

But do anything for long enough and you will plateau.

I have put my 10 stone 12 photo on my profile. I could afford to lose some weight tbh but I don't believe my current weight is putting me at an additional risk although my BMI would suggest otherwise (I'm 5 foot 4) . I'm not big boned (I have small hands and feet) but I am heavier for my size than most imo. I don't know why that is but it's clear to me from friends/relatives that weight can vary a great deal between people of a similar size.

I have put my 10 stone 12 photo on my profile. I could afford to lose some weight tbh but I don't believe my current weight is putting me at an additional risk although my BMI would suggest otherwise (I'm 5 foot 4) . I'm not big boned (I have small hands and feet) but I am heavier for my size than most imo. I don't know why that is but it's clear to me from friends/relatives that weight can vary a great deal between people of a similar size.

Interval training is much better than 45 minutes of cardio by far!! You do not have to work hard for 45 minutes to get good results with HIIT/ interval training. I do two cardio exercises, both 12 minutes each, alternating one minute at max and then one minute slower followed by heavy weights. This is ideal.

While walking is great it just isn't a big calorie burner at all. Unless you are power walking. But even then, if your diet is poor exercising isn't going to be doing a great deal unless you are constantly exercise, most of us can't outwork a bad diet by exercise.

Everyone should be walking more for the other benefits though.

ILikeBirds - You do not look 10 stone 12, you look similar size to me and I am 9st. What dress size do you wear?

I wear 8 or 10 normally.

ilike - I think you might need new scales.... in a good way!

PrettyKitty1986 Tue 18-Jun-13 10:09:33

Carrying too much body fat is NOT 'healthy' no matter how many apples a day you eat.

For the majority of women, size 16 is overweight or obese. I agree with a pp (Ronda?) in that as a society I believe we have lost sight of what a human being us supposed to look like.

This. Dress sizes are pretty arbitrary as the actual amount of bodyfat will differ, depending on height, muscle mass etc. Bodyfat percentage is much more useful but is not as easy for the masses to understand. Thus specifying a dress size is much simpler.

OP I think you're being a little unreasonable as I think it's generally true that you will be unhealthy if you're size 16 - due to higher than healthy bodyfat. Fitness is not the same as healthy so is a bit of a red herring. Ideally you should be both IMHO.

Nothing wrong with my scales, they weigh exactly the same as the scales at the doctors, and the hospital where I had my pre-op, and my friends house etc.

Lizzylou - It is actually very true. I'm not going to know what you are referring to unless you explain what "short burst" means, but if you mean interval training, that also involves keeping your heart rate within a certain range for a minimum of 45 minutes.

For example, C25K is basic interval training. You run for a while, then walk for a short bit, then start running again. It's been a while since I did it but I remember being astounded that my heart rate wasn't going under 130 bpm even during the walking intervals.

This is a far cry from walking the dog, then stopping to wait for him to do his business etc.

Samu - I would like to know where your information is coming from, to claim that 24 minutes of cardio is "ideal".

Walking will not give your cardio system the type of workout it should be getting. Yes it's good for you and it does burn calories but it's not exercising to the level you should be.

My point earlier was that we are actually conditioned to think a 16 is ok by our society. When I was little it was very unusual to see a really fat person. Now it's common place. There were heavier girls at school yes but they were probably today's 14/16 whereas there are lots of young girls now who are severely obese, size 20 plus.

Bmi is a crap indicator for many reasons. And of course not every size 16 is unhealthy. But there are a lot of posts on this thread which remind me of smoking apologists - it won't happen to me, I'm actually very healthy and a refusal to acknowledge that while it doesn't necessarily mean you will definitely become I'll you are drastically increasing your chances of doing so.

I do HIIT training and I love walking too. I go on epic hikes with DP, sometimes 10 - 15 miles. Occasionally we've done more mileage.

If your walking in an area with steep hills, you definitely get a workout. I went to Cornwall earlier this year and walked 14 miles along the coast path. My god, there were so many steep bits. In fact, it was very much like interval training. My thighs turned to jelly and I am a hardened Jillian Michaels fan.

But Cote, Metafit classes are only 30minutes long (I am going to my first one tonight so have been reading up). You are supposed to burn 500-800 in that 30 minutes (bit at that) and then your body continues to burn calories for 24hrs afterwards.
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Same principle with Tabata/HIIT etc

You don't necessarily have to do the 45minutes, you can get similar/better results in a shorter timescale.

And I think poo pooing walking or anyone doing a 20minute run only etc is a dangerous game to play, we all have to start somewhere! Not everyone wants to be an athlete.

ILikeBirds - I have just taken a photo similar to yours and you look much slimmer than me (I am too embarrassed to upload it). I am not as toned as I would like to be but have a fairly flat tummy. I am a size 10 but maybe a 10-12 rather than 8-10 and am a 30HH boobs. My bones must be made of extra light material!!!

Lessmissabs, because that is what the classes are called

People who don't want to be athletes and just bob down to their local leisure centre/stick on a DVD/look on youtube, that is what they will know of. If semi-rural Lancashire can hold Metafit classes am sure the rest of the country do too.

I'm 5ft2 and size 10/12. If my 12's are starting to feel tight I know I'm overweight - and I look it. Size 14 on my taller friends and they look thin/healthy weight.

I'm afraid I agree with the others who say YABU in that just because size 16 is now considered average/normal, doesn't mean it's good or healthy.

I know we're all supposed to embrace our figures and love ourselves regardless, but I think this can delude people into thinking an unhealthy weight is OK.

CoteDAzur

It comes from my personal trainer. I burn a lot of calories from weight lifting too.

greatist.com/fitness/complete-guide-interval-training-infographic

www.prevention.com/fitness/fitness-tips/high-intensity-interval-training-how-long-should-your-workout-be

www.gbpersonaltraining.com/interval-training-workouts-programs/

www.sparkpeople.com/resource/fitness_articles.asp?id=621

Just a few links.

my dd has friends with babies....teen mums....they all seem to say the same,and expect motherhood to make them and keep them,fat. its sad.

Lizzy - Let us know what you think after your class. I'd be interested to hear it, although I agree with you, it it extremely unlikely that you would burn 500-800 kCal in half an hour. I burn less than 300 kCal while running for 30 minutes. (Of course, calories burned depends on body weight, so someone twice my weight might conceivably burn much more)

I'm not saying "It doesn't count if you exercise for 20 minutes". I am saying that people shouldn't say that they are exercising but their weight isn't shifting before (1) they start exercising for at least 45 minutes per session, and (2) their heart rate stays in a certain bracket (to be determined with a professional in the gym) during this entire time.

Of course, your metabolism is upped by the cardio exercise and you will continue to burn calories at a higher rate for the rest of the day. This is not specific to Metafit.

Samu - Would you please link to just one reputable source that says 24 minutes of cardio is "ideal"?

Of course you burn calories while lifting weights. You also burn calories while talking, eating, etc.

Strange that the Mail has pictures of Kelly Brook their favourite show pony in the same paper and she looks the same as the 4 size 16s but no calling her unhealthy she is curvy and all woman

You could google if you don't like my links.

This is nothing new, Cote. Ask any personal trainer and they will tell you the same.

If you are doing HIIT 24 minutes is fine. You don't have to believe me.