To think size 12 is not "heavy"

[CruCru]

I keep seeing comments on here from people who are size 10/12 who think they are heavy. I would never think this is even remotely heavy, just a healthy slim size.

That sounds right though Jemima doesn't it? A size 12 should be 30" so makes sense that at 29" you would fit in 12s in shops that are using the right measurement? And a 10 in a generous sizing shop. I'm a 12 in next and m&s but they are big on me - need an 11 really! And I'm betting you don't have rolls of flab hanging over the top

I'd be curious to see a relaxed (slobbed on couch) sitting down side photo Birds, taken by someone else. Those front self taken arms up photos don't give a good impression. You obviously have a bit of fat from that front photo alone but it's not a good way of showing genuine weight/size. I would be ok with your weight as it's shown (in that I wouldn't be really upset) but getting my arse to the gym sharpish if I'm being honest. I do like to be nice and toned though. Anyway with a BMI of 25 you are normal.

/\ wow.

Birds, you look lovely, not unhealthy at all.

...and that bra is really nice, where is it from?

getting to the gym sharpish???
Purlease.
Birds, you have a smoking hot, gorgeous figure and anyone who can't see that is just very very odd indeed.

OH my days that reads really mean

Birds you are not fat but you have a bit of fat is what I meant (normal)

You have a nice shape in general and do not look overweight. I only meant that I like to look toned and work on muscles, but that is just me and not something I expect of others.

God I'm really sorry if that sounded mean :(

Pretty daft this thread,im not going to comment anymore than to say i used to think i had to be a size 8 to be judged as good looking and now ive learnt that being a size 8 or being a higher number on a clothes label is irrelevant.Are you healthy?Are you happy?Do YOU like how you look?Well if you can say yes,youve got it made.

It's a Panache bra, Melody I think.

I know I could lose a little weight healthily but it's not high on my agenda. My body works for me. The photo was to illustrate two things really

1. You can be in the overweight BMI category without being overweight (imo) and without being an athlete.

2. I'm a size 10 most of the time, I'd have to put on a stone to be a 12 which is back to the original question - size 12 can be heavy. I would be 12 stone at size 12. At 5 foot 4 that is heavy.

I just did my measurements I'm 41-33-38 (boobs,waist,hips). That's I'm wearing a size 12. I don't doubt its a vanity size 12.

I think I have been on MN for too long, but it is always the threads about weight and money which attract the most comments most quickly! Is size 12 big, average or slim? Is £100k a lot, average or too little? I suspect most people are in the middle (or round the middle!) in both categories, and if it's really fine for them then it's probably fine!

I think our perception of normal has been manipulated so much by the media that we can no longer make an unbiased assessment.

In real life people are getting fatter, whereas in the media women are getting ridiculously smaller and that's made even more pronounced by the use of photoshop on already slender models and actresses.

I can't quote it here, but there is a much larger gap in BMI between an average female and say a model than there was in the 60s/70s.

The net result is that a lot of us feel insecure about our bodies. I find it ridiculous from my 12-14 perspective, ok who am I kidding, more 14 than 12, that my gorgeous toned size 8-10 friend says she no longer wears bikinis because of her saggy flesh. Then of course if she is too fat and old for bikinis then what should I be wearing - a burkha ?

A lot of our size also depends on our bones. My mother weighs next to nothing, always has, but used to have to get skirts/trousers in size 14 because of her hip bones. I have inherited those hip bones, but a bigger frame. At my very lowest weight I fitted size 12 ( this is 20 years ago size 12) through smoking 40 and eating half a filled baguette per day.

Bmi is a load of old bollocks. Fact. Stop obsessing about your weight and start getting a life is my advice to a lot of posters on this thread.

I'm only on page 6 but two people have said that a size 6 is underweight. I am a size 6, 5' 3 and have a healthy bmi of 19. I am medically in the healthy weight band for my height and weight.

I think our perception of normal has been manipulated so much by the media that we can no longer make an unbiased assessment.

I think it's being skewed more by what we see around us.

The average women's dress size in the UK is size 16, yet the average height is 5ft 4".

If someone considers themself overweight at a size 12, the chances are a lot of people won't agree because they're comparing that person to so many larger people around them.

Equally, a lot of perfectly fit and healthy size 6/8/10 will be looked upon by some as 'skinny'...again due to the fact the nation is getting much fatter.

Bmi is a made up load of shit!-but yes you can be petite and be a size 6 and look fine. My friend was a 6 but she is tiny-4,11-and she looked quite skinny. She has now put on a wee bit of weight and is a size 8 and looks amazing-still very slim but with a great bum and boobs now!

I'm not so sure that BMI is a made up load of sh*t. It's not meant to be an indicator of physical attractiveness I thought it was more a measure of what is a healthy appropriate weight for each height.

I'm right at the top for my height with a BMI of 25 ( perhaps a smidgen more) and I wouldn't want to be any bigger. Sadly yes because of vanity reasons but also because diabetes runs in our family and I'd rather not have that when I'm older thank you very much.

Worra - you're right of course, what we see around us is getting bigger, and try going to Florida, I felt like a sylph like model over there.

However I think it's that plus the diconnect between what we see on screen and magazines that results in even slim women being unhappy with what they see.

Oh and when I see size 6/8/10s I don't look down on them, I feel envious. I'd love to be super slim, it's never going to happen.

BMI is a very blunt instrument - waist to hip ratio is a far better indicator of what is healthy.

I agree rookie, I don't think it's any one thing...but a few factors that come into play.

Also regarding BMI, I think the best tool we have is our eyes and our honesty.

When my DS2 was measured in yr 6, he had a healthy BMI.

But we could see he had a fat belly. He was the least energetic of my 3 DC as he'd nearly always opt to read a book/play his violin/play Xbox...rather than running around.

We could have breathed a sigh of relief at the letter and watched his belly continue to grow...but we chose to get him out swimming/running around/bike riding etc.

Now he's 14yrs old and slim as a pin.

Exactly Thumb. My bmi is fine my WHR is .92 . I definitely need to lose some weight at size 12.

But Nugget surely if you have major muffin top with size 12 jeans then you're not size 12?

Sparky - if you carry your weight above your waist, and the jeans are low to mid rise, then it's quite possible to still need a size 12 pair of jeans (or 13 in my case) and have a muffin top, and still be overweight and have a horrible waist to hip ratio, as both I and nugget do (mine's worse but that's definitely nothing to be proud of!)

This site gives an idea of what size you are according to measurements.

Friggin your measurements make you a 14/16 according to that site.

I'm a size 12, 5 foot 5 and have a bmi of 23.5. It's about right for me. I'd be terribly pissed off if anyone described me as heavy!

I suppose I am not a size 12 waist Sparky but I couldn't wear a bigger size they would be hanging off the rest of my body. And the size 12 closes it just looks a bit rubbish. And size 12 tops skirts and dresses fit fine. I need tailored trousers!