To think I am not overweight?

[orangegerbil]

According to BMI, I am overweight with a reading over 27. I am 5'3 and weigh almost 11 stone. I haven't weighed myself in years so I am a little shocked.

I could do with losing a bit around my tummy, but I am a size 10 so I can't be that bad surely? I do have quite a big chest but that can't be the only reason for my weight.

The NHS uses BMI calculators so I am slightly concerned about it as it must be a trusted way of measuring things. Is it possible to have a high BMI but not be overweight?

I do not understand how you can be in size ten clothes unless you have a tiny frame and are happy for clothes to be extremely snug.

Clothes sizes are not a good way to assess weight and health. Our bone frame varies considerably and people tolerate different tightness in clothes.

BMI is not without its fault but at that weight and only 5ft3 sadly OP you are overweight and ideally would lose at least a stone.

Don’t see this as something to fight and explain away with a size ten dress from Next. It just is what it is. Many of us are carrying too much weight and for middle aged women the belly is often where it sits.

Loads of advice about how to shift a bit so best just to go with it and make a few changes.

I thought waist was supposed to be 32 inches.

Mines 33 so I'm trying to get the last inch off

Those measurements definitely sound overweight.

Im 5'3 11.3st and definatly overweight. I wear size 14 no way could i get in a 10 at this weight. When i wore a 10 i was 9.2st

I'm 5ft 3" and have put a few lbs on over the last two months. I'm 8 st 10 now. I'm shocked you are a size 10 as I have some size 10 shorts that are only a bit too baggy on me.

I think we'd have to see a picture. Do you exercise a lot? Are you particularly toned/have a lot of muscle mass?
I know people carry weight differently and I've seen posters before who had wildly wrong BMI calculations who put them at obese (due to their muscle mass) but in fact they were just very fit and toned and looked nowhere near overweight.

If you look at Natasha Oceane on YouTube she says she weights 10kg more that she did before she started her fitness journey but still wears exactly the same sizes as she just gained muscle.

But saying that I'm 5'5 and recently lost weight but my starting weight was 11st and I was definitely on the bigger side and I didn't look very healthy and did not feel great at all. I wasn't humongous by any stretch but I would say probably a size 14 (yet could be anywhere from 10-14 depending on the shop) .

As others have said muscle, bone density and breast size all add to weight. I’m 5’5 11 stone 4 approx but my body fat % is around 27%. All my clothes are a size 10, pre Covid I trained 5-6 times a week with a combination of weight training and power lifting. Oh and I’m still a 32G.

11 stone at 5’3” is definitely overweight.

Clothing size is weird. I'm 16st (or was at beginning of the month, I've lost some weight!). I have size 16 jeans that are baggy at the waist. I have clothes which say 12 that fit. I thought I was only a bit overweight because of this.

Hi OP I’ve been having similar confusion. I weigh just shy of 12 stone and am 5’5”. I wear a size 12 bottom shopping at places like COS, Arket, stories, Whistles etc and a size 10 top. I like a loose androgynous cut so my clothes are never tight.

I don’t understand how I weigh so much but still relatively small. I have big boobs - 30E which I guess is weighty and I do have a big curvy bum?!

My mum has always described me even as a child as a solid mass so always been heavier on the scales.

Would love to know why!!

I'm 5'2" and at 10st 5lbs I was a size 14 and BMI 26 with a 33 inch waist, so overweight.

I'm 5 foot 3. Weigh 9 st 8lbs and my size 10s are tight

It's unlikely that you are not overweight at that BMI unless you have a big drip feed that you are very muscular.

Sorry OP but yes, you are overweight.

Dress size is not a good indicator. Different styles will allow you a lot of leeway but that doesn’t change the fact.

You don’t need to go on a crash diet, you aren’t obese, just stop buying alcohol or biscuits or ready meals, or whatever is your weakness.
Come and join the rest of us. Add a bit of extra exercise to your routine. It’ll soon come off.
Don’t ignore it. That’s when it gets out of hand.

I'm 5'4 and weigh about 10st 10lb and I'm overweight, bmi is 26.something. I have big boobs as well and am a size 10 in jeans but 12 in pretty much everything else. I could definitely do with losing a stone, definitely around my tummy.

You need to measure your waist that is a far better indicator. But to be honest at your height that weight sounds too high.

Yes, that is overweight unfortunately. It can be a real shock. I found it just crept up on me as I entered my forties. I wasn't eating more or exercising less, but was putting on weight asy body changed. I had to reduce the amount I ate and cut out most of the delicious snacks I love! It's a real kicker but sadly part of ageing that you can't get away with it any more. Try reducing your sugar intake, it will really help.

5ft3 and 11stone sounds a little overweight. I’m 5ft2 and 10 1/2 stone and a size 14. I need to lose about one stone to be just in the healthy BMI range and then I’ll still be a 12/14. I am big boned but have a small waist. Often it’s my shoulders themselves that don’t fit in a top not even fat - I have wide shoulders and wide hips. If I don’t wear something with a waist then I look like a big rectangle - as soon as I wear a fitted waist I look so much better, and slimmer.

Yes 11 stone at 5.3 is overweight, you may not look it as weight is put in all different places but yes it is overweight, im losing weight at the moment and also 5 ft 3 and my goal is 10 stone or less as 10 stone is the top of healthy ideally i would like to be 9 stone

I dont think you can go by clothes sizes really as most shops vary and lots do vanity sizing. Im 5ft 5 and 8 stone 7 and cant always it into every store's size 10 trousers.

I also don't think comparison with others helps either, I'd look overweight at 9 stone so if I was 2 inches shorter and your weight I'm sure I'd look obese. But I'm a small build

I’m 5,5 and weigh 8st 6. My size 8 clothes are tight as I’ve put on half a stone since lockdown.

I'm 5'4" and weigh 10st 9lbs

Definitely NOT a 10 - even taking into account the vanity sizes in Next and M&S!!

I know I'm overweight and am better at below 10st.

Maybe I have BIG BONES?

I don't squeeze myself into clothes.

My waist is 27 inches and I wear a 30GG bra size. I am trying to lose weight around my stomach as I can get very bloated. Just wondered how I can weigh so much - perhaps it is a case of vanity sizing making me think I'm smaller than I am.

I'm the same height as you OP and at 9.5 stones I need to lose a good half stone or so.

It's very unusual to be that weight at your height and also wear clothes that size. Are you a weightlifter, or do a sport that involves a lot of strength training?