I had a medical today and I was s bit shocked..

[crazydoglady6867]

I know I am fat but during a medical today I was told I was obese, well now I am sad, can I put some pictures on to see if I look obese and ask is BMI really all that?!!!

[RandomMess]

Only time I had a waist was when I slipped to being underweight! Now my tummy muscles are knackered from my boobs down, will always look pregnant unless I get a tummy tuck

[FATEdestiny]

My mum is the same. She has a petite, tiny frame and hovers around the 7-8 stone mark. But she has always had rolls of belt fat.

Nonetheless I am determined to keep going until I get my waist to the magical 31.5 inches. I want to tick all the healthy boxes.

Incidentally, I measured my waist while lying in the bath the other day. You know how all your flesh moves when lying down, what with gravity and whatnot. Well my waist is 32" when lying down (34" stood up). I think that doesn't count really, but it's nice to know I can get there.

[RandomMess]

FATE - sounds like you are an apple, you will be a slim apple but still an apple! Or perhaps a column? Those 9 body shapes still exist even if you're slim.

It just means you'll never have a relatively slim waist.

[FATEdestiny]

I'm losing (a lot of) weight and am changing from an apple shape to a pear shape. But my waist measurement will be no where near what it needs to be when I get to BMI 25.

Currently BMI 25.9 (9lb to go...)
Measurements are 33" 34" 38" (and 63" tall)

I'm not likely to lose 3 inches from my waist in 9lb of weight loss. I read somewhere that a decent estimation is 7lb for 1 inch off the waist. Approximate obviously. But that would suggest I need to be around a stone under BMI 25 to reach that.

I'm happy to carry on losing - I've already lost 7 stone do what's a couple more?! But I definitely won't have a 31.5 inch waist by BMI 25.

Also my hips have been 38" for the last 3 stone of weight loss, so I don't think I'm carrying much fat there. My chest measurement has come down most rapidly (but my cup size has stayed proportionally the same). It's fair to say that all of my excess weight is now being carried around my middle. I don't think I have much more to lose from my hips and chest. But I have two sizable rolls of fat (two!) at my belly.

[CountFosco]

The NHS recommend that regardless of your height or BMI, you should try to lose weight if your waist is:

94cm (37ins) or more for men
80cm (31.5ins) or more for women

In addition it has been suggested that women should have a waist:hip ratio no more than 0.85 and a waist:height ratio of no more than 0.5

When I lost weight last year all those indicators (I've got them all on MFP) were passed at the same weight, which was a BMI of 25 exactly. I am a classic hourglass though, my normal measurement are exactly that of that mythical average 1950s woman: 5'2", 36" 28" 37". I say normal because after a week in Paris I now have slightly larger dimensions, no more pain au chocolat for breakfast for me for a while!

[FATEdestiny]

Sorry, that should say:

"But a healthy weight hourglass or pear shaped woman has a lower chance of still being unhealthy than a healthy weight apple - due to waist measurements."

[FATEdestiny]

MorrisZapp

Firstly the NHS would recommend you get to a healthy BMI, so between 18.5-25. Then once you are healthy according to BMI, then it's advised you look at your waist measurement.

You can have a healthy BMI and still have excess tummy fat – meaning you're still at risk of developing weight related diseases even though your BMI IS healthy.

This is where the apple shape comes in. An overweight or obese person is unhealthy regardless of their shape (with the usual caveats of anorexic or body builders). But a healthy weight hourglass or pear shaped woman has a greater chance of still being unhealthy than a healthy weight apple - due to waist measurements.

The NHS recommend that regardless of your height or BMI, you should try to lose weight if your waist is:

94cm (37ins) or more for men
80cm (31.5ins) or more for women

In addition it has been suggested that women should have a waist:hip ratio no more than 0.85 and a waist:height ratio of no more than 0.5

[FlamingJuno]

It's possible to be of average size and be obese when most of the population is over weight.

[annandale]

Morris, a waist size over a certain amount makes the person involved much higher risk for diabetes, possibly other diseases [too fat to google]. Apples even with a healthy or not far off healthy bmi may easily fall into that category.

[Oly5]

Sorry but yes you are obese and losing weight will benefit your health hugely.
I was also obese and have finally got down to a healthy BMI with slimming world.
I’ve needed to lose almost 3st! It is a shock to find out you’re in the obese category but I think BMI is a decent indicator

[MorrisZapp]

Can I ask a question about this apple business? I'm the opposite of an apple. I have massive tits and a fat arse, and my waist looks small in comparison (although objectively it isn't small).

If I was the same bmi as the OP but my shape not hers, am I less at risk of health problems?

For reference I'm a size 14, weigh just under 11 and a half stone, bmi 29 I think, 34g boobs that weigh half a stone.

[crazydoglady6867]

anyfucker that is a good idea, i will do that.

[AnyFucker]

Hey, why don't you set a date to revisit this thread in 6 months or whatever and post us another picture of your improved shape ?

[MrMeSeeks]

Iamagreyhoundhearmeroar
Yes, i have a rare disorder ( nothing weight related) and a disability ( nothing weight related either) and i have to be weighed regularly to ensure my dosages are correct.

[WickedGoodDoge]

Good luck-you sound as though your head is in the right place which is what makes all the difference for me. My lightbulb moment was when two years ago I had an emergency gall bladder removal. Afterwards the consultant told me it was likely that I would gain weight and I thought, “fuck that!” I’d been weighed in hospital and was horrified when I got home and plugged it into a BMI chart.

My advice would be to take it slow. It took me just under a year to lose just over three stone (though as mentioned before, have gained a stone back which was completely and utterly preventable and I’m now tackling again!).I decided that so long as the scales were moving downwards, I didn’t care how long it would take.

Come join one of the weight loss threads!

[LiquoriceWheel]

Hi OP just want to wish you well.

I had a similar experience to some posters on here. Earlier this year I realised that I was obese and I was shocked that I was in denial about something that should be so obvious. I really thought I was only a 'bit' overweight but it was much more than that, unfortunately.

I've been slowly changing my diet and getting into exercise and I've noticed a big change in just four months. Sorry for cliche but just take it day by day. Don't have moments when you say you'll start 'on monday, next month, etc' just start now. If you feel like you've 'fallen off the wagon' just accept it and move on from that moment (no oh I 'failed' i'll start again next week)

Sorry if the above is obvious and simple but it has helped me stay on track and positive. I'm at the point where I enjoy exercise!!!!!!!!! Honestly NEVER thought I would get to this point. I thought my 'bigness' was permanent. It's not!

[PostNotInHaste]

Well done, agree you sound positive and pragmatic. I found keeping record of measurements helped.for those times when the scales stick but you lose inches.

[Verbena87]

Good luck OP. You sound really positive and pragmatic, I think you’re going to do brilliantly.

[crazydoglady6867]

I am so glad I have done this post, I remember going to the doctors about a year ago and in a letter to the hospital the nurse wrote “this is a lady of average size” I do think as most PP’s have said we are all becoming accustomed to bigger people and accepting of heavier bodies as the norm. But what hope do we have if the NHS are describing an obese Middle Aged lady as average!! I am so motivated this morning and up early to walk a longer way to work as a starter. I don’t think anyone has been rude or horrid and I am going to save those pictures and do them again in 3 months to see how I am getting on. Thanks MNetters for your opinions.

[PostNotInHaste]

I would look at you now and know you were most likely to be medically obese and if I had to take a guess I would have gone for about 3 stone loss to get you to around the top of your healthy BMI range.

But that’s only after spending hours of reading the success stories on My Fitness Pal and seeing people who have lost stacks and then say they have 21lbs to go and thinking where from. Then see the final picture when they are at target and think ah ok, can see it now. As a result I’m more able to judge normal, overweight and obese now. I absolutely wasn’t before though and failed to notice that I had tipped into the morbidly obese category.

I’ve noticed people get very twitchy about the word obese. I’ve always used it as a medical term and used it about myself when I was and a friend of mine would get quite upset and tell me not to say that about myself and that I wasn’t.

Well done for taking it on the chin and cracking on with sorting it.

[fedupandnogin]

I am the same height and shape as you (and age). I know I need to lose a bit of weight. It's much harder at this age but I've started dieting this week. I know I'll feel better about myself and better in my clothes if I lose a bit. It's hard though. I'll join you in this.

[EmmaGrundyForPM]

I had a BMI of 31 so I was obese. I knew I was overweight but hearing a nurse tell.me that I was clinically obese was a shock. However it spurred me into losing weight and my BMI is currently 23.

So Yes, OP I would say those pictures look like you could be obese. But you are taking steps to address that, and hopefully will get to a healthy weight before long

[Somewhereoverthesanddune]

I'm an apple. Obese at the moment (similar to the OP, working on it) but when I was a size 8 (and referred to as 'skinny') I was still an apple and still carried all my weight on stomach and chest - I'm not suddenly going to grow hips by losing weight!

[CountFosco]

When your 5' talk you can be a much smaller dress size than 16 and be obese!!!

I'd hazard a guess that a typical size 12 would do it if picked for an apple shape.

And lets face it, if you are an apple you are overweight. I bet most people would slim down to an hourglass or pear at a healthy weight with a healthy waist:hip ratio.

[delphguelph]

Yes you look a bit heavy tbh

Losing a stone will do you a world of good.

Good luck 🤞