To think that a size 16 is not fat

[roseability]

I mean I would say this, as I am surprisingly enough a size 16.

When I was younger I dieted, starved and fought myself into a size 10-12. I just can't be bothered anymore. My DH seems to like my curves and I feel it is only society that deems I should be thinner.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with a size 10-12 BTW but I think some women are naturally smaller sizes than others

I want to stand up to all this size 0 shit! Why can't we just be the size we are without feeling inadequate.

What do you all think?
How do you feel about your size?
What is your opinion of other's size?

Am I harking on about nothing or should Mnetters stand up and embrace their curves/lumps/bumps

Depends doesn't it?

What's 'fat'? Looking fat or being above your BMI, or what?

I'm almost 6 feet tall and can carry off a size 16 pretty well. I think once I hit an 18, which I did for a while after DS was born, I go officially above my BMI, but still look sort of 'generously curvy' rather than fat. I'd have to be well into a dress size 22 or24 before I'd consider I looked fat at my height, but obviously, I would be officially 'obese' regardless.

16 is fat. Whether it matters is another thing. (It doesn't!!) be happy. But looking at it totally objectively, to be a size 16 someone will be carrying at least a few stone more than they need.

Of course, it's not as fat as size 30+

To answer your questions -
I hate my size (I wish I could lose enough weight to get down to a fat 16!!
Opinion of other people's sizes - mostly I'm jealous.

I don't think I need to lose 'a few stone'. I am 5.10 and weigh 12st. For me I am happy at 11 stone and size 14. Which I will be in the next few months

I used to be a size 8 but am a good size 10, 12 in some shops post baby.

Whilst I do have a better cleavage (still nothing to shout about!) I miss being skinny.

I eat (and always have eaten) anything that I want but I exercise a lot. Post baby (7 months old now) I dont have the time or energy to exercise as much but still try to gym 3 times a week.

I think curvy looks great on other people but I felt better as my size 8 and currently have hardly any clothes to wear!

Oh also I am short, 5 ft 3.

Strangely I am only a stone heavier than pre baby but 2 dress sizes?! How does that work then?

Could I just point out that your BMI calculation should be adjusted - it is based on a medium frame

If you are a small frame it should be -10% and a large should be +10%

calculate your frame here

and your ideal weight and BMI here but adjust by the 10% over or under according to your frame

sorry but a size 16 IS fat.

Frankly, who gives a toss what ANYONE thinks if you are happy in your own skin, That's a big if of course.

I'm not tiny but not fat either. Not much bothered about it TBH. I can walk for miles and charge up several flights of stairs no bother (muscly legs and I live in a 4th floor flat).

Probably a little overweight but I feel healthy really...life is too short obsess about your weight.

Size 16 is fat, sorry but it is.

I am obese,i do a v fast 1 hr walk ,each morning,i cycle every day,do 3x 30 mins yoga a week,i swim reg and walk up big mountains as a hobbie.I always run up tube escalators and never puff.I AM FAT tho.I eat a v healthy diet,and am not greedy by nature. I have just spent the day with my desk bound,no exercise(EVER),crap diet, non walking sister ,who is a size 8-10,and i was horrified at how often we had to have "coffee and snack "breaks, it was pathetic, she has zilch stamina and just cannot move herself,i found myself having to restrain myself from clapping my hands and shouting "chop chop",i have never had to walk so effing slowly ever .How can this be???????

Gosh how dare anyone who is a size 16 be happy with their weight

Know your place Fatties!

I'm a shortarse, around 5ft 1 and used to weigh 12st 7 and i hated it. I saw a photo of me at a wedding and decided enough was enough.

It took ages, a couple of years in fact, cos i have no willpower!, but i've settled at around 8st 10 and am much happier at that. But if i start to creap back up to 9st i get paranoid and get out that photo to remind me that i dont really need to eat that bar of chocolate.

Sorry,meant to say, i take a size 16,on top cos i have huge arms and norks, slim torso/waist(size 10-12) and astoundingly huge arse and thighs,but all solid !!!

Normally I would say yes size 16 is fat but I have to wear size 14 trousers because of my wide hips (its the bones guv) and I don't think anyone would describe me as fat so maybe its hard to generalise like this

In fact I'll try and put a pic on prof so you can see what I mean

I'm 16, almost 6ft and would like to be smaller but only just slightly overweight according to my BMI. I'd like to be a 14 and am aiming for that.

Nothing wrong I think if you are large, want to be slimmer and take steps to achieve that. Been there myself.

Don't get the finger wagging at folk who are happy being 'big' (for want of a better word).

Isn't there something a teeny bit fascistic about folk who go about on 'fat monitor' patrol, tutting and sneering at anyone thry think is too big ?

Terrapin I work with a world famous professor of obesity. The answer is that we are not all made equal. It is easier for some people to lose weight than for others and new research is trying to understand the differences between us.

Our society is obsessed with formulaic superficial beauty and we all need to fight this. One way is to dress well.

I don't think your happiness should depend on your weight (although mine does to a ridiculous extent), but I also don't think you should therefore be content to carry around unhealthy amounts of fat.

Im just under 5' and now weigh 8.2 stone.
currently wear size 8/10 clothes

I have recently lost 17llbs.

Due to my height, I would be substantially overweight if I was a size 16- so to me it is fat.

Well I have been unheathily overweight and didn't like it.

But what I think matters not a jot to anyone else, really.

If someone is very big then..if they are content with it then it's their choice frankly.

People 'should' eat healthily and 'should' do enough exercise to keep healthy. But you (that's a general you not aimed at anybody in particular)can't make them.

Gosh I am a little

I change my mind, it is women that cause these image problems not men

I'm off.....

The post war slimmer women didn't eat junk food. I don't think their average height was too different from now. Today's average height is 5 foot 5. I think a good maximum to work from is 9 stone at that weight if you want to feel size 10 and bendable and look objectively good.

Some people are very tall and very different builds of course but if you're average height then 9 stone or under is a good thing to aim at or keep at.

Post war families had an incredibly balanced diet as they were still on rations, hence hardly any extras

This is why - see first set of pics, at 5ft 4ins, I would not be happy if I was size 16:

I am a size 12 and overweight with a BMI of 26.5 - so only a bit over. I am 5 foot 4. So definitely a size 16 would be too fat for me. And I do tend to put weight on in the unflattering and unhealthy areas such as tummy.