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'm 5ft 5 and 11 stone 4lbs, a size 12 and I'm definitely over weight.

I am according to the charts and I can tell I'm carrying a stone too much.

People say I'm not but I think that's because what we now judge as an ideal healthy weight is wrong as we're used to society being fatter so it seems normal.

BMI Range is fairly bollocks for many people

It's really not.

Yes, I think it’s fair to say that your BMI 22 and mine look VERY different, @Fressia123 . I am not inactive either, I run about 30k a week and walk my dogs about 6miles/10km a day. I don’t lift weights though.

a pair of GG breasts probably weigh about 3lbs each.

at 5'3" and with (per clarificatory post) relatively low muscle mass then OP is by my reckoning probably slightly overweight but nothing out of the ordinary by modern standards. very unlikely to be considered 'fat'. maybe 'chubby' or even 'curvy'.

@AnonForFatPost

I find it hard to believe people shorter than me aren’t chubby or outright ‘fat’ at 11st. I’ve just weighed myself and taken this pic ahead of getting on my treadmill. I’m 10st 2lb, just over 5’7”, have 32FF boobs, 25% body fat (I have body fat scales). I am not slim. I am within a healthy BMI but at the top of my BMI allowance I am very chubby indeed. I am apple shaped with long stick legs (excuse the bruises, I have several clumsy dogs).

Your stomach is so flat and you have visible stomach muscles. I’m jealous!

I’m 5ft 4in and let myself drift up to 12 stone after start of lockdown (definitely too large for me). That was BMI 28.

I went on MyFitnessPal and after 10 weeks on 1200 calories/day have lost around 12lbs (BMI now 26.7, which is still ‘overweight’.

I can definitely still pinch an inch in several places, waist is still 34ins, etc, so I’m aiming to lose another 8-9lbs to get to 10st 6lbs (what the NHS chart says would be the top end of the ideal range for me).

In other words, 11st is still too large for me at 5ft 4in!

It is really NOT flat, my shorts are pulled up. I’ve got a tiny csection apron effect, despite having never had a section . There is a line between my obliques and abdominals but I don’t think that counts as visible muscles, I think that’s just the two wobbly fat covered muscles not quite meeting , kind of you to say so though. I’ve never had visible ‘abs’, even pre-kids and BMI 18.5.

I think women generally have to work pretty hard for that due to our naturally higher body fat %. Men do too but women more so. It has to be whittled down to a really low, lean % for muscles to show.

I do think people carry weight differently. I have very small features/small hands etc and I look ridiculous at the moment because of the extra weight I'm carrying. When I lose more weight I'll be back in proportion again, which I'm not at the mo.

Sizes are more generous these days, I think. I’m 5ft 3 and in the 90s was 7-7.5 st and a size 8-10. I’m now 8.5- 9 at and the same size!
At 11st I was a size 12-14. I have a small frame and no boobs.

Try different scales, OP?

@Fressia123
I think you look fab in both your pics and it comes down to personal preference where you feel at your best.

When I was 9st (5'3) I was not dissimilar to freesia (but not as toned!) and I felt too skinny. It just didn't suit me- my face, head and long hair made me look like a lollipop. I've a heart shaped face and strong features and a bit of a pointy chin which was more pronounced and made me look like a witch. I'm much happier having some curves at about 10st (I need to lose about a stone which I'm working on).

I've always found it interesting how sizes differ between different people who are all similar heights and weights

Myself I'm 5 foot between 10 stone 9 and 11stone. (I know I am way over weight) a size 16 with the tiniest wrists ankles and feet in the world. I think it's fascinating

If you have tummy fat then low waisted jeans can be small as legs are slim. Really depends how you carry it and actually that is often more important.

That’s definitely overweight and I can’t see how you can be a size 10. I’m top end of a size 8 and needing a 10 in some tops at 8 stone 7 and 5 foot 5 with a small frame.

The world doesn’t see healthy weights as healthy any more and overweight seems to have become the new norm.

This is me at about 10 stone 12 and 5 foot 4 a couple of years ago. Carrying extra weight for sure but generally people wouldn't believe how much I weighed. Gap size 6 jeans

I’m 5ft 7 and 11 stone and I’m a size 14, I’m trying to lose another stone and tone up as I do carry weight around my middle.

Waffle American or UK size 6 in jeans? I more or less looked that way through all my 20s having a flat stomach really helps!

Gap so American 6, UK 10

BMI isn't totally reliable.
I'm 5.5 and weigh 11.7.
I wear a size 10.
I also run, cycle and swim for about 11 hours a week and my thighs are solid. Slim, tones but heavy!

@WaffleCash you have a beautiful figure in that photo. Doesn't look overweight in the slightest. However if someone told me they were 5ft4 and 10 stone 12 I'd imagine them to be a bit chubby. Just shows how wrong I could be! It's annoying as I'm 5ft8 and look fatter than you when I'm 10 stone 12!

Dress size is meaningless as they vary greatly I can be a 16 in some shops and a 20 in others and dd who is much slimmer and very much at the low end of a healthy bmi has the same experience she's a 6 in some places, 8 in most but occasionally a 10

As pp say it depends on the type of clothing too, leggings will stretch much more than a pair of jeans for example, technically I could fit in size 14 leggings but they wouldn't be flattering or comfortable and I certainly see and know people who wear and claim to be several sizes smaller than they clearly are!

Scales and tape measures (used properly) are far more accurate

This is me I'm 5,4 and a size 12 and I weigh 12 stone lol! And have big boobs!! Need to lose 1 and half stone but I fit into size 12 clothes in all shops plt boohoo newlook next.. 14 is abit to baggy but wearable for tops etc as big boobs.. depends on body.. but I've lost weight from 16 stone 5 lbs so maybe that's why as I was a size 18 then..

I am 5'8" and weight 8 stone 10.
I have a sedentary job but run (competitively), cycle and swim. If I increase my running mileage then I put weight on.

I am very toned with very small boobs.

I wear an 8 in most places.

This is me I'm 5,4 and a size 12 and I weigh 12 stone lol! And have big boobs!! Need to lose 1 and half stone but I fit into size 12 clothes in all shops plt boohoo newlook next.. 14 is abit to baggy but wearable for tops etc as big boobs.. depends on body.. but I've lost weight from 16 stone 5 lbs so maybe that's why as I was a size 18 then

I’m 5ft and weigh around 8st 7 and I wear size 10, I can’t fathom how at only 3 inches taller and nearly 11st OP is same clothes size as me? Admittedly I have no boobs but at my highest post baby weight I was just over 10st and a size 12 was seriously too tight, there’s no way I’d have fitted in a ten and OP is a whole stone bigger than that.