How big to be considered fat?

[Iamhappytobehappy]

On the tails of the many threads on fatness / obesity and how bad it’s perceived I have started to wonder how people see me.

I consider myself big-boned (yes I know but I swear I am!) 5.7 tall and a size 14/16.

I don’t think I look fat. I am not slim or skinny but not fat.

I have been a size 12 and people seemed more attracted to me but I was also 20 years younger so not sure being bigger is the only factor to take into account.

AIBU to feel those threads are not for me or Am I self deluded and everybody pities me and finds me ugly, hopeless and fat because I am over what is a healthy weight for my height?
I am very active and so quite muscly. Eat healthyly but would need to starve to be the same weight of 20 years ago!

Tell me when do you start considering someone fat?

Interesting question, OP.
I consider being fat is when a person has visible wobbly flesh, or perhaps a visible apple shape.I've been everything from a BMI of 18 to one of 37, and I'm at 25 at the minute.
Right now I don't think I'm fat or thin, but that's mainly because I'm pretty fit and have good muscle tone. Even so I've still got too much flab round my waist, though I'm pretty good at hiding it.
One thing I did notice is that when you lose weight it comes off from everywhere - face, neck, shoulders, wrists (I've lost an inch from here), fingers, toes, etc, it's really quite fascinating to see.
And one last word, please don't use words like ugly and hopeless to describe yourself. Would you use those words to describe another overweight person? I'm sure you wouldn't, so please treat yourself with the same respect.

My personal trainer friend defines 'healthy', 'overfat' and 'obese' by body fat percentages. The figures vary by age and sex.

For example, for a woman in her 50s, 29% body fat would be within the healthy range but for a man in his 20s, this would be overfat or even obese (sorry, I don't have the figures in front of me..... but hopefully this gives you the idea)

I'm a size 14/16 and consider myself fat, absolutely. Body shape plays a big part though. Same height as my mum and she is in size 14 clothes and yet is 3 stone (!!) lighter than me. We have entirely different body shapes and but are both overweight.

Isn't it more a matter of aesthetics though? What I consider to be "fat" could be someone else's slim, or just right. I don't think anyone else can decide this for you. If you look fat to yourself, then you're fat.

I know a lot of people disagree with it but I have always gone with BMI.I feel unhealthy, tired and not happy with myself the minute I get above 25 on BMI.
Currently hovering around 10 stone, 5 ft 6. I feel that I am heavier than what I look and I'm very comfortable in a size 10. Whilst I was breastfeeding my body held on to fat and my appetite was ridiculous and by the time I stopped 17 months postpartum I was up near 12 stone and struggling to get into a size 12. I took pictures of myself in my underwear (front, back and side shots) and was completely shocked at how unhealthy I looked, I was completely unaware of the back fat.

I’d agree with EK36 - if you have visible rolls of fat I’d say that counts as being fat. Also agree with others that dress size doesn’t necessarily correlate to much - I have a couple of tall friends who would describe themselves as “sturdy” and are a size 14 - but they aren’t fat, just more broadly built. And yes, we must all carry weight differently: I’m 5’6” and weigh just over 8 stone. I’m slim (and muscular, I work out) but not skinny by any means, so I admit to being baffled when people the same height or shorter than me claim they weigh 4/5/6 stone more than I do but that people tell them they look ill if they lose a few pounds.

Focus on good health, kindness and inner beauty. x

But you can have narrower bones, as in skinny hips, wide hips, narrow shoulders, broad shoulders and still not have fat on them. Those people will weigh more surely?

I'm sorry, OP, but you're might height and I would consider someone who wore size 14/16 fat at our height fat, heading towards obese.

Size 14 can look fat poured into a bodycon dress.

Size 16 flatteringly dressed can look trim.

There’s no hard and fast rule.

I'm sorry, OP, but you're might height and I would consider someone who wore size 14/16 fat at our height fat, heading towards obese.

I would be the size of a house in your eyes at 5 2" and 12/14 then.

Maybe I should shimmy on over to the other thread, OP?

I am 5ft 9.5 inches and I USED to always be a size 12 at 10 stone and below. Funnily enough now I’m 11 stone and I look like a mini Buddha I am STILL a size 12 but even size 8 or 10 in some stores. (I am dealing with it, 9 lbs to go)
I curse vanity sizing. I have hugely overweight people in my family who think they are fine because they fit in a size 14 where’s in reality a decade ago they would have struggled to fit in a 16/18 or even 20/22. They have been fooled into thinking they are a reasonable size thanks to their clothing label. Maybe if the pushers of vanity sizing had to contribute to the nhs costs for the high BP, statins, diabetes (I’m talking my own family before the stick beaters break out) then maybe they would revert back to proper sizing.

www.healthyhubstevenage.co.uk/?p=336

I've crossed the line into fat. One of the reasons I know this is that if I mention trying to lose weight, there's no real comment, whereas previously people would quickly exclaim "but you're not fat!!"

I also know because, well, I am fat. I'm 5ft 7 and 14.5 st. Still not as fat as you'd think for that weight, but definitely fat. Size 14/16.

It's about the rolls. Someone fit and muscular might not look fat even if they are bigger than someone untrained and wobbly.

I was your size and went from 13 to 10 stone
Everyone was shocked and said ‘I never thought you were fat to start with ‘ I just was just curvier / big

Ask your BMI - that’s always a good indicator

I'm an 18 and I'd say a size 18 or a BMI over about 30.

Another thing wrt BMI. It actually is a great measure, most of the time for most people. I can't bloody stand it when someone being 'clever' pops up to discredit it because body builders and elite athletes would be considered unhealthy if their BMI recording was taken into account. Well no shit! Most people are not body builders or elite athletes so put that in your bun and eat it!

BMI allows for a very wide range of frame sizes ; at my height I could weigh 11 and a half stone and still be ok by BMI, but I would look and feel huge.

At my height I could lose nearly 2st and still technically be a healthy weight - but I would look very thin and not healthy. I’m a medium frame, have wide shoulders and hips, large hands and feet.

My BMI is 23 btw.

Electric monkey - no diabetis and very healthy eater. I struggle to be a size 12... I was much unhealthier to keep that weight. Feeling light headed and unwell and cold all the time. Losing hair...

Those are your standards I believe and so it goes....

OP, can I ask how old you are?
You speak of being light headed, is that when you eat less? Because you may be insulin dependant, and borderline diabetic type 2, have you been tested?