I'm a size 16 and I think I'm pretty hot

[MermaidApocalypse]

Just to even out the fat shaming on another thread. I'm a size 14-16. I can still fit in jeans I wore in sixth form college, I've always been this way. I have stayed a similar size through physical jobs, sedentary jobs, two pregnancies, breastfeeding, having a personal trainer, driving and sitting at a desk all day. I think that for some of us this is our healthy size.
Despite this I have to acknowledge the science, excess calories minus insufficient exercise does cause weight gain. Saying that my GP isn't worried as I've not gained weight in a short space of time, I've stayed the same for 16 years. I did once get down to a 12 but I had to try so hard, 18 hour fasts, exercise four days a week. I know women who stay at a 12 doing sweet F.A!

The things that I hate hearing are that people who are a size 14 to 18 are unhealthy. My previous job was being the manager of a health food shop. I lifted boxes of dried pulses, nuts, oats all day every day. Twice a week the delivery van used to park two streets down and we would have to carry 40+ boxes back to the shop and up the stairs to the storeroom. Do you know how many skinny people couldn't do that, even once? I can lift 25kg without much effort, if the tits didn't get in the way, I'd make a good weightlifter!

I think the term “woke” applies to this. I bumbled along not weighing myself not thinking about weight ate quite healthily some exercise but lots of bad snacks. Had routine medical was 11 st 6 am 5 6 bmi 27. So firmly overweight. If I’d carried on I would have got gradually bigger as am 45.

Took action 4 months later 2 stone lighter and feel great. Now I’m much more aware of what I and others weigh while before oblivious

@MsTSwift and I have to say at that weight and height many would have agreed that you weren't fat. But the BMI is the kicker. I am a couple
Of inches taller and was a couple
If stone heavier and I too kidded myself until I worked out my BMI was almost 30. Now it's 23 and I don't need to go any lower bc that's healthy. And as a side effect I'm happier and hotter! Although I would never have started a thread saying that. But in response to folk who think they're healthy at a certain weight or size - do the maths! U less that's ALL muscle it's unlikely

The nurse doing the medical was very sweet and said “perhaps it’s muscle” we both knew it wasn’t 😁

My point is that I wasn’t massively overweight but it was accruing gradually I had thought I was fine as my perception of myself was slim. But looking at pictures from last summer I wasn’t slim I was slightly overweight. I’d I had carried on gaining as I was in a few years could have tipped into being fat.

So many women do cardio, cardio HIIT etc., whereas what needs to be done is resistance training to build muscle. Muscles burns more calories, cardio does not build muscle.

Presumably what 'needs' to be done depends on what your aims are. For me exercise is about enjoyment and utility, not purely calorie burning. I also value my cardiovascular health. So I cycle because it has a use - getting from A to B. I muck out, fill and lift haynets, carry water around. All these help keep me strong but there's also an obvious purpose. I try to build exercise into my life in a way that echoes how much more active our lives would have been even 50 years ago.

I run because I enjoy it. It helps me feel really positive about my body and what I can achieve. I don't want to view exercise as just a way to burn calories as if food and my body are my enemies. I want to enjoy my body and what it can do and have the occasional slab of chocolate cake without feeling like I'm sinning in some way.

And that's great because part of what you are doing is weight bearing exercise. But lots of people don't do any of that. For women bone density is really important - to prevent osteoporosis as we age - and weight bearing exercise helps with that too. Lifting weights is the most straightforward was to do this, but using your own bodyweight can work too.

I really enjoy weights work outs and I walk a lot too. My idea of hell is running, partly because I have a knee injury it rapidly aggravates. Walking is an excellent form of cv exercise which most people can do easily and benefit from.

I want to enjoy my body and what it can do and have the occasional slab of chocolate cake without feeling like I'm sinning in some way.

^^this I love what my body can do. Exercise is my escape not torture for over eating

@MsTSwift I had sore knees at the point when I realised. Like an old lady! Now I don't.
OP I'm glad you feel hot and healthy and all that. But honestly I bet you could feel healthier and hotter still.