To just not FEEL that overweight??

[TheHouseOnBellSt]

I'm one stone overweight. That's quite a lot...but I look in the mirror and think "I don't look fat!"

But I must be!

I'm a size 14 on the bottom and a 12 on top..5.7 and 13 stones.

I'm 5'7 like you OP and currently weigh 11 stone 11lbs, and feel fairly chunky. Currently doing Slimming World (bleurgh) and aiming to lose another half stone, then think I'll stop....I know I'll never be really skinny and at my age would probably look dreadful if I was.
I also can leave the house not feeling too bad until I see myself in photos!

I'm the same height as you and at 13 stone I looked o/w, size 16 bottom abs 14 top. I've lost a stone and look much better, size 14 bottom,mostly. But I'd look better with another stone off.

It's the way I carry my weight, all round my tummy. You are probably more evenly distributed...

I had recently crept up to a size 14 (again) and didn't feel particularly fat...but I've lost 7kg over the last couple of months and now I look at myself and think yeah actually I was pretty fat, and still am. My BMI is still outside the normal range, and at a size 14 it was over 29.

Even at a size 10 my BMI was 22, I've always been heavy on the scales for what i actually look like, ifyswim.

Who says you are one stone overweight? Are you going by what the recommended maximum healthy weight would be for someone your height?

I'm about the same weight as you OP but I'm only 5ft4 and apparently I'm at least 2/3 stone overweight! I honestly think if I lost that much I'd be too small though, I'm a size 14, sometimes 16. I do want to be smaller but not by much. If I was a size 12 all over I'd be very happy but the bmi things keep telling me I'm massively fat and I just don't see it. I'm a bit fat but I'm not a whale.

At 5'5 I'd be 3 stone overweight at 13 stone. I'm 11 st, down from 12st4, and need to lose another one. I did't realise I felt overweight until I lost some and felt better.

Daryl the NHS calculator says it....I do a moderate amount of excersise...cycling around 6 miles per day sometimes more. According to the calculator I should eat around 1600 cals per day....I'm sure I don't hit that most days!

I think my weight is quite evenly distributed to be honest..

I will do as someone suggested and take a pic of myself with no head...in undies. [shiver]

I'm 5ft 7", 11st 6lbs and roughly a size 14 on bottom, and a 12/14 on top (shop sizes are so wildly different though, as we all know).

I'm joining the rest of you in the reverse body dysmorphia camp as think I look ok, then look at photos or the NHS bmi calculator and sigh (I'm still just about in the overweight category I think).

The BUPA BMI calculator suggests a weight of 11 st 4 to hit the healthy range - so a bit more than a stone overweight I'm afraid.

If your weight is well distributed then you might not feel overweight - I was the same at 5'6" and 12 st 5. Now that I'm 10 st 2 I can see just how much extra weight I was carrying - those old stretchy size 14 jeans were doing me no favours.

Slink how can I weigh so much more than you but be the same size! We're even the same height! I don't shop in posh shops.

Maybe my head is really fat? Or my hands?

NHS caulculator says I have to lose another 5lb to get out of 'overweight'. So 10st 9 at 5'5.

Haha! I don't know OP, but I was nearer 13st this time last year (I have a now 18mo, so some was baby weight) and was a definite size 16. Most of my clothes are from supermarkets/New Look/Peacocks etc so def not posh either! We must have lead in our bones

I have a large-ish frame, both parents were big, and in my entire adult life have never been smaller than a size 12, and know I never will be (not want to be).

I would however love to do some regular exercise and tone up. I think that can make the world of difference with appearance, esp as most of my weight is around my middle.

I don't want to be less than a 12 either...not at my age anyway. I always lose weight from my face and bust first....so I'd look bad and bony I have a small frame I think.

Some people are lucky enough to hold weight well.
I'm not one of them.
I'm 5ft 3 and before my baby I was 9st, I got gestational diabetes that wasn't found untill very late on, I have lost a stone abs a bit through breatsfeeding alone abs now ny baby is 7 months I've joined ww, I'm still eating heaps as they allow more points for breastfeeding mums but last week I lost 3lb.
I currently weigh 12 st 10 and I'm a 16 just, I am huge.

Different people carry their weight differently and look different at different weights. What matters is how you feel, and for health reasons rely on waist-to-hip ratio rather than BMI as it's proven to have bigger implications for health outcomes.

Myself? I'm 5'5'', 11st 9 and a size 10. Go figure.

Star what are you eating daily? I don't eat much I don't think....but maybe it's skewed? My idea of what not much is I mean.

I'm like you op, I'm classed as overweight but look ok. I'm 5ft 6 and don't currently own scales but guess I'm about 11.5 stones. I'm size 14 trousers but can fit size 12 tops and dresses. I told a friend how much i weighed and she said "You don't look overweight. You must carry it evenly" which i think i do. I looked at my best 6 years ago - dh has a photo of me in a bikini when my bmi was 24 and i was a size 12 all over. I remember the stats because I'd been diagnosed with pcos and had been exercising and starving myself to get into my wedding dress and give myself the best chance of falling pregnant (which i did, one year later). I pretty much have to run 25k per week and about 1500 calories to even begin losing weight.

For reference....a typical day for me is as follows

Get up and eat a banana...ride 2 miles to school and 2 back.

Get home and have 2 poached eggs with granary bread and a little butter OR a bowl of weetabix.

Lunch...don't tend to do it...eat apples or bananas 2 probably

Dinner..curry with coconut milk and vegetables....or something like oast chicken with roast potatoes....or pasta bake with veg and cheese....just normal meals.

Snack....not always but might have small bar of Twirl or small pack of crisps....probably have about 5 teas/coffees with skimmed milk and 2 sugars. About 3 cans of coke per week.

No alcohol.

About 2 or 3 weeks ago I was eating more choc and crisps....large bars and bags....have cut them and only have the small ones about once or twice per week.

How can I improve further?

5ft5 and look overweight if I creep over 10 stone. Never been bigger than a size 12 but look pretty awful as a 12. Everyone carries weight differently. I have a small frame so any weight I carry is flab.

I missed a bit of my activity off!! I also ride the 4 miles to and from school at pick up and often add anothr 2 with shopping in town....I ride fast and hard when DC aren't with me too.

Cutting/reducing sugar and carbs is how you'd lose some weight. Easier said than done.

Poppy does what I eat sound too much sugar & carbs then?

I have over the past 2 weeks stopped biscuits completely though I only ever had a couple a week....bread I've had once a week...on the weekend and then only one sandwich and the toast about 2-3 times.

I don't have any cakes....no ice cream...

depends how much muscle.

I am the same height and recently touched 12 stone which is a bit tubby. 11.5 is right for me, 11 (probably 'dream on') is slim for me.

ideal weight for our height covers a range of over 2 stone.

The tea habit is About 300 calories a day.
Banana 95/100 calories.
Two poaches eggs and slice of bread 250/275.
Evening meal can vary so widely based on portion.

Sorry, I realise this thread wasn't intended as a weightloss thing. One thing I would say is that quite often the guidelines for calories seems to have a pretty high baseline for everyone, where not everyone in burns the calories they are consuming.