To be surprised I'm overweight?

[overweightcat]

I don't know why but it's really knocked me for six.
I went on the NHS BMI calculator and found out I'm classed as overweight.

I'm 26 and weigh 74kg at 169cm height. Looking at it writing it down I realise it's quite a big number (weight) and before even going on the calculator I knew I'm carrying some extra weight and wanted to loose some to feel a bit better about myself but didn't realise I'm overweight.

I don't hate my current body, my stomach isn't flat but not huge, I've got some stretch marks and a bit of looser skin from 2 pregnancies, my thighs and arms are a bit bigger but I didn't think it was excessive, I've got a good bum and ok boobs all things considered and I'm curvy(ish).
I'm also quite strong and I know some of it will be muscle but definitely not all I'm not silly enough to think that.

AIBU to be really surprised I'm classed as overweight?

For some reason it's really shocked me and I'm feeling very self conscious since finding out.

crispysausagerolls Snap to this! "Huge weight gain. I just didn’t see it. I lost the weight in 6 months but it was very telling how I looked in the mirror and saw someone in shape, but look back at photos now and cringe at how huge I actually was."

This exact same thing happened to me too. I "didn't think I was that bad" and "just a bit over my old size" etc. I'd put on 4 stone going from 9.5st to 13.5st. In my mind I was still very similar to my old size. Looking at the pics I look every pound of 13.5st but at the time I really didn't think I looked that big.

I didn't mean that you were posting rubbish @PhoneLock I was referring to the PP who suggested that we might be skeletal and requiring a zimmer frame

@NiceLegsShameAboutTheFace

Don't worry, I didn't take that way. I was agreeing with you!

Why would you be surprised when you are using a scientifically proven inaccurate way to measure whether you are overweight?

I am 5ft 6 and 10st 8, I am not classified as overweight by BMI standards, but I definitely have excess weight on my stomach and I am losing my defined jawline. I also feel the squeeze in my usual size 10-12 jeans. I don't think I look awful, but I am definitely borderline and not very happy. A good weight for me is 9st 7lb. I'd aim to lose around 1.5st to be comfortably in the healthy weight category of BMI.

People are obsessed with weight - you can be slim with a 'healthy' BMI but eat crap and drink too much and be a higher risk of many diseases than someone who may be considered overweight by BMI yet eat healthily and not drink too much. Weight is one small factor of your health picture and there are lots of reasons why some people weigh less/more than others. Op you sound like you had a great attitude to your body/weight try to regain that attitude and if you want to fit into healthy BMI then just make some small tweaks to what you eat or how much you exercise.

This thread is really irritating me.

I agree that weight is just one factor making up an overall picture. However, my weight and body fat are critical to what I do, so I monitor both and count what I eat: unfortunately it's what it takes.

There's absolutely no obligation for anyone else to do likewise. We're all different ☺️

I'm 5'9" and 13st11 so most definitely overweight. At the start of lockdown I was 14st8 and cried when I realised how out of control my weight was. I've cut back on portion sizes and snacks, I'm doing a fitness blender workout every morning and making sure I get 10,000 steps every day. 11lbs has come off very easily. I'm initially aiming for 12stone as that puts me just inside the BMI healthy range, but really 11 stone would be better. That would seem too daunting a target for now though!

OP- I had the same eye opening moment that you did.

I was bumbling along post kids, putting a couple of pounds on here and there. Losing a few, putting some back on.............my clothes were tight but they still fit.......had to change my style slightly so I could wear the same size as I was in denial/didn't realise that I'd become overweight.
People around me are bigger than me anyway and one other friend is unhealthily thin so I thought I was ok. Had a few upsetting moments in the changing room and accepted my 'curves'

Then put my weight in the bmi calculator. Erm big shock! Not only was I overweight BMI 25.5, because of my higher risk of diabetes- and I had gestational diabetes- I need to be 23. This is according to the NHS.

It's a shitty feeling but you've done the most important thing - recognising it. Many people will tell you you look fine etc and find you many examples of how you're not overweight. Only you can be the judge of that.

The good news is that when you're ready to tackle it,it's pretty doable. I'm at BMI 24.5 now and on the Affirming April thread with a lovely bunch and we are slowly but surely getting each other through. You don't need anything fancy - I'm losing using mfp and a Fitbit.

It's a crappy realisation but not a disaster.

Hi sorry to revive this thread but wanted to update as some of the advice here was really helpful!

I've lost nearly 4kg since my post last month I'm now at 70.3kg with a BMI of 24.6 did it through a combination of jogging (only 25 mins 2/3 x a week) and a few quick 15-20min HIIT workouts thrown in here and there on the days I wasn't jogging and weekends off.
This past week I've also downloaded MyFitnessPal and started calorie tracking and I'm surprised how my attitude to food has changed. I'm turning down snacks and biscuits or opting to just have 1 rather than 3-4 at a time, I'm more conscious of what I'm eating as I didn't realise how much I snacked through the day.
I save the treats for the weekend and in more reasonable portions.

My weight was at a standstill for weeks even though I could feel my body change and then within the past week or so all of a sudden the scale kept showing less and less I don't know if it's some freaky thing or water retention I read about somewhere.

I'm pretty surprised I managed to shift the initial weight as I had lots of random attempts since having DCs without much success. I'm just within the healthy BMI and I'm going to keep my routine up for as long as I can to see where I can get with it.

Again thanks everyone who gave advice!

We really have lost all perception of what is normal and healthy. When I was 20 in 1980 I was 5ft 6inches and weighted 8 stone as were most of my friends.
People nowadays would be screaming anorexia/eating disorder. No we just moved around a lot and didn’t constantly stuff our faces with snacks and junk food.

Well done OP! That's an amazing achievement. I hope you're feeling much better in yourself as a result

I'm 74.6kg (with shoes and clothes) on my digital scale and I'm 155cm - i have a little way to go on my weight loss journey...........

Great update op

Congratulations OP and thank for the update!! I'm dieting and I'm really grateful for inspiring stories!

Fairyliz - I agree that 'normal weight' is now classed as 'skinny' and overweight = normal, especially in some circles.

You mention the year 1980 - when I look at TV clips from around this time like Top of the Pops, old cop shows, sports programs etc the style is for much more tight fitting tops etc that are quite unforgiving.

Please don’t use BMI it’s iut of date and classes everyone wrong... most Olympic athletes are classed as over weight on it

most Olympic athletes are classed as over weight on it

Trust me: most aren't!

Oh and .... well done, OP. Great to hear

I’m 63k and 158cm. The NHS BMI calculator says I’m over weight with a BMI of 25.2. I think I look great. I’m quite happy with my body, the BMI thing can do one.

@Whatisthisfuckery I think it depends on your build and muscle mass too Do you exercise?

I noticed that my weight wasn't shifting initially but I looked slimmer - I think it's probably down to the fat I carried turning into muscle so even though I weighted the same I did look better before the weight actually came off.

And obviously it depends on how you carry it and what your preference is in the way you look - I carry it all over and when I gain weight first place to show it is my face so I'm never curvy just blobby

I'm 169cm and it would be amazing if I got to 65kg and maybe push it towards the lower 60s as I saw some pictures of me from 9years ago when I weighed about that and I looked fab (of course at the time I thought I was "fat" oh how I wish I was that "fat" again) .

Congratulations OP, you've done really well :)

You have successfully shamed me into putting down that giant bag of Doritos I was snacking on too

I’m the same height and weight OP but I don’t look overweight
I have a big ass and thighs but a very small waist And my stomach is very flat so that makes me look smaller than I am
But I would like to lose about 6lbs

I was exactly those figures and told at my medical I was officially in the bmi overweight category as bmi 27. Was horrified! Lost 2 stone now 9 st 9 feel so much better. Was wake up call I needed. Only took 4 months to lose it