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.

I’m 79kg and 175cm so also over weight.
I need to lose around 9lbs but it’s taking forever. I came off a medication for migraines as it was making me fat and started going to the gym 5-6 days a week, my jeans are slacker but I’m not losing any actual weight so I’m still considered fat

Don’t go by bmi. It’s out of date and doesn’t take other factors into account. Most Olympic athletes are classed over weight on bmi.

I don’t think BMI is particularly harsh. If OP lost just 3 kg it would bring her back into the healthy weight range! I doubt if she would even look different if she did that.

Also I can fit into size 10-12 in jeans but my bra size is 32HH so my top sizes vary massively.
I’m 21 so hoping I still have time to reverse the damage I’ve done to my health

I'm 5'7" and 11.5 stone and I'm definitely overweight, but that's because I eat too much and don't do any exercise. I also have a broad frame, so really only need to lose about a stone, building muscle and tone as I go. Whoever suggested you need to lose 2-3 stone is a fucking idiot, as they have no idea of your body composition. If I lost 2 stone, I'd look gaunt and unhealthy (been there). If you want to lose weight then, like me, it's about making healthier choices.

I'm 168cm and weigh 58kg.
If you are concerned about your weight, you are the perfect age to do something about it. A lot of my friends let weight creep on throughout our 20s and early 30s and now that we are approaching 40 they just cannot shift it.
I agree that we have all forgotton what a normal weight looks like.
I don't understand how people think it is helpful, when someone had expressed that they are unhappy with their weight to say " no you're fine, the numbers lie, you're normal, no need to lose anything".

I’m the same height as you, give or take a couple of centimetres and weigh 51kg. But I have a little frame. According to the BMI calculator I’m underweight, but I’m not, I’m very active and healthy and my weight suits my size. I’m

Don’t set too much store by the BMI calculator, it’s quite flawed, but if you feel you want to lose some weight, it’ll be easy with a good diet and lots of activity.

Honestly, even at my smallest (I looked anorexic), I had a BMI of 24. My current BMI is 27 and I'm so happy with my body. Don't let BMI worry you.

I would say that’s quite exceptional though. Even at a healthy BMI of 24 or 25 most would be carrying some visible ‘extra weight’ for want of a better phrase. Do you mind if I ask how tall you are and how much you weighed for that to have been the case @rhowton?

@xenia Said to get your waist size down to 80cm- I am the same height and weight as you OP and my waist size is 79cm. Is yours similar?

Don’t go by bmi. It’s out of date and doesn’t take other factors into account. Most Olympic athletes are classed over weight on bmi

Please link to evidence it is out of date.

Please understand 99.9% of the population are not Olympic athletes.

And also please understand that the thing that is wrong with the NHS BMI scale it does not take into account frame size.

My DD is the same height as the OP- around 5 5" and in her early 30s.
She is superfit- gym, HIT, yoga, swimming, bouldering.. and weighs about 8st 7.

I'm 5ft6 and want to be bk at 9.5st I'm. More 10.7 at mo ended to get it of hard tho at sw is closed xx

I think you really have to take your build into consideration. I am 5”8” and currently weigh 12 stone which means I’m overweight. I’ve lost a stone already and plan to lose another stone - however - I already have people saying to me “oh, you’re looking very thin - don’t lose any more weight!” People are shocked when I tell them what I weight and that I’m officially overweight!
I have a big frame. I know people scoff at the phrase “big-boned” but it’s true. I have size 8 feet and large hands. I have big wrists and ankles! My grandma was an Amazonian type build and I take after her. People can be tall but have a petite build with fine bones - willowy/model types. I’m the opposite of that. So while I am going to continue to try and get to the healthy range, I will stop at 11 stone as I know I don’t look good going any lower than that. At 11 stone I’m a size 8-10.
Everybody’s different.

The vast majority of us are not Olympic athletes so that's irrelevant here.

I also don't agree that BMI is harsh with a range of nearly 20kgs at OP's height.

Just measured myself and my waist is 69cm and as I said, I’m overweight.
I think I’ll aim to lose the 9lb I need to plus a little extra and hope to maybe lose 2 stone by Christmas but I’ll have to be so tough on myself.
I ate 2043 calories yesterday and burned my normal (just over 2000) plus around 1000 in HIIT workout, skipping and a brisk walk.
I weight my food and always always overestimate, even weight butter on a bagel etc but it’s not shifting.

I’m going to try and eat more protein but I do think some people really struggle to lose weight.

OP I'm 170cm and weighed around 70kg after pregnancy and I felt too big at that weight. I have a massive sweet tooth and a tendency to overeat if I’m not weighing myself regularly and holding myself accountable, so I started using a meal planning app (Healthy Plan by Ann) and even just a week in that’s made a big difference. So whether it’s MyFitnessPal or WW or whatever there are plenty of ways to work your way towards a healthy weight, just find whatever works for you and fits into your lifestyle - good luck!

The range considered as a healthy BMI is quite wide, so ignore those people saying you should ignore your BMI, you will feel much much better when going back to a healthy weight, it doesn’t look that bad now because you have forgotten what it is like to be lighter.

This study from 2009 found that the range of 22.5 to 25 was associated with lowest mortality

It also says that there is only a real problem being under that BMI range if you smoke..

Both in current cigarette smokers and in lifelong non-smokers, overall mortality was lowest at about 22·5–25 kg/m2, but the excess mortality below this range was both relatively and absolutely much greater in smokers

I'm surprised at all the comments that 5ft 6 and 9.5 stone would look ill/emaciated/skeletal. You would in fact be quite "well covered" unless you are an athlete or body builder (in which case the muscle would mean you still would not look skeletal).

I am that height and just over 9 stone. I am fit and healthy, I do cardio and weights for an hour every day. I still have a belly which rolls when I sit down, love handles that "muffin top" over my jeans and a bit of a jiggle especially on the belly/waist/bum when I move. I'd love to be half a stone lighter (leaner but not skeletal!) But I love food and booze too much. I am not overweight but I wouldn't consider myself "slim" at the moment either.

I think people have got used to everyone carrying more chub and a bit of chub (as opposed to a lot of chub) is now considered "slim" when it really isn't.

Oh BMI...a pound can be the difference between healthy and over weight! Please don’t worry, you’re tall so you will be carrying well and you’re losing anyway.

I suspect most in healthy region would look too thin to me!

I think that this clearly demonstrates how skewed our perception of what a healthy weight looks like.

Remember that BMI is a blunt tool OP and people that carry a lot of muscle are often classed as overweight on the basis of their BMI alone. Many sportspeople, for instance, would be overweight or obese if you just look at their BMI in isolation

This “argument” gets trotted out every time there is a discussion about BMI on MN. In reality most people aren’t muscular. Used visually it would be pretty obvious if someone who presented with a BMI of over 30 was muscular or simply overweight. BMI is a useful tool. Other tools like the waist to height ratio are now considered more helpful – anything over 0.5 means that you need to look at portion size.

I also disagree with the ‘BMI is rubbish’ brigade - usually pushed by those who don’t like what their BMI is telling them

Spot on *Pinkblueberry

Most Olympic athletes are classed over weight on bmi

And most mumsnetters aren’t Olympic athletes MorganKitten

I agree that how the weight is distributed makes a huge difference. Being pear shaped with no boobs people think I am skinny. I am not. I am 5'7" and weight 9st 12 3/4, but the weight is on my hips and thighs

@PhoneLock

"Both in current cigarette smokers and in lifelong non-smokers, overall mortality was lowest at about 22·5–25 kg/m2,"

Well according to nhs bmi my ideal weight is between 8.5 and 11.5 stone. I’m never going to be 8 stone and I haven’t been 11.5 stone since before I had my children - when I was a size 10. So basically I would have been upper normal for my height as a size 10. I’m much bigger now but trying to lose weight. I’m considered obese as a size 18. Bmi is crap.

Has anyone said "We have lost sight of what a healthy weight is" yet..?

Op, honestly, I cba to read the thread because I know it will have a load of bitchy comments about how disgusting overweight people are (has eat less move more come up yet?) but if you are built like me-thick thighs, muscly bum, big boobs, you can be near the top of your BMI and still be perfectly healthy.
Just watch the sugar intake a bit, that's what I do when I get a bit chubby, and you will drop a couple of kilos easily, especially at your age.
Health is about much more than dress size or weight though and as long as your waist measurement stays under 31 inches and you get excercise you're fine. Plenty of people are skinny but have a tiny build, or live on diet coke and fags! Be healthy, be happy.

You sound very similar to what I used to be like. I’m 5’7” and weighed 73kg and was JUST into the overweight category according to BMI. Like you I knew I was probably packing a few extra pounds but was surprised to actually see it in black and white. I used to be quite slim (size 8) but after having DD last year the weight slowly crept on.

That was in January, and since then I’ve lost 5kg. I know weigh 68kg which is still a few kg more than what I weighed before DD and a few more than what I’d like to weigh, but I’m now back into a healthy BMI range and have dropped a dress size. I haven’t done anything extreme, just reduced my calorie intake and aimed to do at least 20 minutes of light exercise a day (although I don’t manage it every day.. ).

You aren’t terribly overweight. It’s still very possible to get into a healthy BMI range relatively quickly. But be kind to yourself! Don’t try and push yourself into doing too much/losing too much too quickly.

@honeylulu I didn't look well covered at 9st 10. My boobs were empty bags of skin, my bones were sticking out. I was exercising a lot (and still do) so could have held some weight in muscle but I did not look healthy and was eating hardly anything.