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'm 5'5 and weigh around 12 1/2 stone. I got down to 9 1/2 a couple of years ago and got asked if I had cancer because I looked so ill, yet that, apparently was within my "healthy" range. I could probably do with losing about a stone and a half (when I can be arsed), but I'm happy with how I look and feel at the moment so have no desire to give in to the "oh but you must lose some weight, you'll feel so much better in yourself" shit.

If overweight people are aware they are overweight and are not doing anything about it, then yes, they clearly need a push in the right direction.

Someone else with no clue, who undoubtedly does more harm than good.

So much hypocrisy! I'm all for body positivity but why does that involve putting down women who are slim? I hate the word "skinny" as it brings back memories of being bullied at school, insults, put downs and just has negative connotations. It gets bandied around in quite a nasty way, only recently a woman screwed up her face and said "Ewww you're so skinny" to me. I am an adult woman with a slight build and I felt like I was back in the playground. I am sure other slim women feel like this so maybe remember this as you promote body positivity. It works both ways.

And that's a very tired argument that slim people can be more unhealthy with clogged arteries etc. Get an original opinion that might help.

For sure that people are genetically destined to be a certain weight. When I'm not calorie counting I'm a size 12. I was quite skinny when going through my divorce and whilst I liked the way it felt being skinnier, I felt like I was dying inside. Skinniness was a manifestation of my very bad mental health at the time. My mum and sister are both larger; whilst I take after my dad.

In an average week I eat a fairly healthy balanced diet, and move my body for fun - yoga, running, cartwheels and handstands with my girls at the park My best friend is equally active and eats a varied diet and is skinny and always has been.

We just have to stop judging each other. "My body, my business"

I get it, I'm similar size but can cycle 20 miles a day and I do. Alot of my 'slimmer' friends can't even do that.

Cycling 20 miles is really not hard. A child could manage it. If people are going to use some sort of physical superiority at least use actually impressive feats.

Your right but do it everyday because unfit people cannot. Then do 20 miles in an hour and unfit people cannot.

I think health and physical fitness is what makes someone sexy. I know unfit skinny people, I know unfit fat people. Size isn’t always an indicator, but what is unappealing to me is people with no energy.

It’s recommended that you get 150mins minimum exercise a week, if you’re struggling to achieve that, then I would say that’s more worrying than whatever size you are,

dayswithaY agree.

It seems there's a fine line when being 'body positive' about a certain size that trips over into insulting those of the opposite build.

In terms of attractiveness though it's confidence, surely that helps this. Someone at a size 20 (for example) who is confident and enjoys dressing nicely and basically doesn't have an apologetic vibe about being larger is going to radiate that confidence and yes be good in bed (and not hide their body during sex - what a turn off) and look great! Likewise at any size - attractiveness is a confidence thing.

I think you are massively overestimating the vast majority of the populations abilities when it comes to cycling 20 miles @ChilliCheese123 . I certainly couldn't manage it and neither could my children without frequent stops and getting off to go up hills etc. I have friends who would see 20 miles as a warm up, because they are fit and cycle a lot. I have friends who could do it but feel it the next day. I have friends like myself who would really struggle with a 20 mile bike ride.
As a form of exercise it is the one I am least likely to try given the way they are treated by other road users, it feels like taking your life in your hands every time you go out round here

At a size 14 5’7 I feel fat but I’ve never felt healthier. I’m used to being thin so I see myself as big, to be honest I’ve never felt better, I do a lot of exercise and I eat pretty well. I’ve been a size 10 but I bruised easily and just felt fragile. I wasn’t as happy thin either. Having a little extra flesh means I recover quickly after cold water swimming too, hopefully at least some of my flab is brown fat, that’s the fat that keeps you warm and does what fat is supposed to do.

I would love to be size 10 and feel as good as do at size 14 but it’s impossible. I’m don’t know if I’m overweight or not as I don’t own scales.

There are plenty of things that taste better than skinny feels not for everyone some eat for hunger other's eat for self pleasure.
I was joining to say good on you OP as long as you're happy mobile and feel good about yourself.
It may have been a positive thread now it is bashing slim women.
I know many attractive women of all sizes.

I don't know why size 14-16 is seen as 'fat' or 'chubby'. I am size 16 and am very thin, I am simply tall with broad shoulders and wide hips. Can't wear smaller sizes as they just pull and rip!

Wow so reading just the first page of this thread... apparently slim women are usually unhealthy, lazy, obsessive undereaters who smoke and judge fat women? Also men who fancy “skinny” women are all vain selfish narcs? I’m slim and healthy, I also don’t judge other women for their size or suggest they’re crap in bed, fadddy eaters or vain. What a foul attitude!

I am size 16 and am very thin
If you're very tall. An average woman in the UK is I believe 5'4'' and size 16 on that frame will certainly not be very thin.

@VeniceQueen2004 who's becky? Is it another name to slag off like Karen?

Defending being overweight is the same as defending smoking, drinking or not exercising. ‘Oh I only smoke 3 a day and I’m healthy otherwise’ Right, if you are happy enough with whatever unhealthy aspect of your life, understand and accept the risks then carry on. Size 16 is likely to be overweight unless very tall and there are risks associated with being overweight which is a fact. Nothing to do with being hot. Tess Holiday is hot - she is unlikely to die of old age though. I’m size 16 few months after birth, fit and healthy otherwise but the fact is I’m overweight, my achy knees and stiff ankles are telling me I’m overweight and the extra weight will have to come off.

Height is definitely relevant when it comes to a size 16. Above 5.8 with wider hips it can be the right proportion.

trappedsincesundaymorn I could have written your post myself! I am the same height and weight as you, and I am very happy! I also got down to 9stone 7lbs about 18 months ago. I will never do that again. I've never been more miserable!

You can be a bigger size and be healthy and fit and also skinny and be really unhealthy and unfit.
I'm 5'4 so when I was a size 14 I looked massive even though in reality a size 14 isnt that big..now that I'm a size 10-12 I look a whole lot better, even though I've only gone down a size and a bit.
I have always been fit and healthy though..I work out 5 days a week, the difference was I was eating takeout everyday when I was a size 14.
It also depends on your somotype.. I'm an endomesomlrph, I am an hourglass figure..slightly curvy so i gain fat quickly but also when i work out i gain muscle very very quickly..it means i look quite the same when I'm working out more..jjst swap the bulkiness of the fat for muscle..but I feel much better when its muscle rather than fat.

It doesn't matter what size any one is, you are not defined by your dress size.

You are defined by whether you are a nice person, interests and so much more.

We need to stop judging other women on if you think they are fat or not. You do not need to be deemed attractive by men to be a good person.

I think, unless we are talking about VERY large sizes, it is impossible to judge how "fat", "healthy" or "sexy" etc someone is by simply stating that they are size X. A size 6 might be quite chunky for someone who is unusually petite, and a size 16 might be slim for someone with a larger frame. It depends hugely on the individual.

we all know you can be hot skinny or fat, it's about health

It's about who is making the judgement. "Hotness" is highly subjective.

Your size is sort of irrelevent (for example my 8st grandma wears a size 12 - because shes 85) but if you have a high BMI then no, you are not healthy. Being iverweight puts strain on your joints, your caesiovascular system, your organs. Its your body, you can be what size you want but your not healthy. Skinny doesnt automatically equal healthy, but that doesnt mean that fat does.

Theres a massive range between a BMI of 18 and 25. You can still eat nice food and be a healthy weight.

My BMI is currently 24, I can lift 25kg, cycle 20 miles whatever. No real problems. But i find I am more tired now, I need more breaks when excercising than when my weight was 2 st lower. My BP is higher. Just everything really.