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?!!!

As a society we've lost by sight of what a normal, healthy weight looks like

Ooh! Ooh! Bingo!

I think people tend to think of very very large people when they hear the word obese. You ‘just’ look a little overweight, but are you short? It’s not fair but it is harder to stay in a healthy weight category if you’re a short woman but like your food! My BMI is fine, and I’m quite greedy to be honest, but I’m 5’6’’ (so have maybe a bit more leaway than a friend who’s 5 foot) and I’m aware I need to keep my exercise levels up and alcohol down or I get podgy. I’m sure you can make a change for the better, a stone is definitely doable!

Seriously OP, wether you are obese or not, you are an apple so unfortunately put weight on round the middle.
It won't take too long to drop a few pounds. I'm also carrying some extra timber and am finding just upping the exercise and cutting out snacks (biscuits) is working.

cherry I am just 5 foot and, yes this has actually been my best post ever it has got me so motivated to lose some weight. Should have done it months ago!

You do look obese, but since you know what you need to do next, try not to let that get you down. This is your starting point.

Good luck with the weight loss.

I've been obese for most of the past 20 years and have only now managed to get down to overweight (managed it once last year as well). I think we have a similar figure. Because i carry so much of it around my middle and because modern clothes are so 'forgiving' of big stomachs, it's easy to ignore what you are hauling around. I have had a few nasty shocks buying older clothes on ebay - i am a 16 in primark now, but an M&S 18 from ten years ago won't button up yet.

I have lost over a stone and a half and have another two stone to go. It is doable but not without making significant changes. It is nice feeling better and fitter.

You are a very similar shape to me (and height) lovely slim hips and legs that hide your weight if you dress in a certain way. I am certainly overweight but don't have that roll of back fat...

You can do this!!! Reclaim your clothes from the back of wardrobe

bmi is one measure.
and it's generally a good one.
even the famous rugby player who is all muscle/no fat but has high bmi has increases risk of fatty liver and heart risk

but there are others that should be done in addition (string test, fat measure).

losing weight is hard, but it's for your health!

Is it just me that thinks a medical is a really strange present?!

You've had some great advice on this thread OP; best of luck for the weight loss.

I've gone from BMI 43.8 to BMI 25.9 (so far...) this year.

Losing 7 stone has taught me that the vast majority of people I know are above healthy BMI - either over weight or obese. I used to think that only really large people were "obese" - in fact they were closer to morbidly obese. People I used to think were normal/average weight are over weight.

Basically I was the embodiment of "society has a warped view of what an overweight body looks like".

I am currently a size 10 in all shops. I fit my first size 8 yesterday (Dorothy Perkins jumper - I realise this may be vanity sizing). Yet I am still in the overweight category. I was wearing a size 14 while still in the obese category.

I thought you might be! Not fair when you want the same number of glasses of wine and crisps as someone taller! My mil came up as prediabetic recently and has lost some weight, she is also short and always well dressed, you’d never particularly have looked at her and said she was obese when there are far many more noticeably larger people out there, but she carries weight on her middle.

Try My Fitness Pal for an idea of exercise and calories for someone your height, I’ve found it really useful.

Can I just say that I don't think you look bad OP! An apple and as such it collects around the middle. However you're 'obese' so it's a great excuse to get proactive so well done in advance on losing weight! 💪🏻👍

i'm a similar shape and i really can't see over my boobs. so i see my arms and shoulder area then my shapely calves
but the thick middle and jelly roll at the back are there and clearly a sign of excess over time...i can't even type it obesity.

You look fine but unfortunately, like me, you carry your weight round your middle and - sucks to be us - that's the least healthy fat distribution to have.

You'll be lowering your risk of all sorts of potentially disabling/life limiting nasties if you can shift it.

In that photo you look overweight yes (not judging as am trying to lose a few pounds myself) but not obese no. Maybe you literally just tipped into the obese category by a pound or two. What was your BMI?

Also bear in mind when you got weighed that whatever you've eaten/drunk would be included in that so if you'd just drunk a bottle of water and had lunch beforehand, that would skew your stats....

I am not surprised you are medically obese. I would have guessed you were from the photos.
I think the problem is that so many people are obese now, it looks kinda normal, so people don't realise just how badly overweight they are.

If you are looking for an exercise challenge, I did the Betty Rocker 30 day challenge and loved it (and it's free!). You can do it at home and don't need equipment and BR is really lovely. I really enjoyed it and it made me feel great. Takes about 20 to 25 mins a day.

As an ex medic my contribution is only to say that medically being classed as obese is being much less fat than our general perception of an obese person which is of someone really fat. You're not really fat.

Hopefully that doesn't sound rude. My intention is the opposite.

Obese is such a laden word.
To take it onboard as a label is not a comfortable thing to do.
I'm in a similar position in having had a recent medical where pretty much everything was fine except for my BMI (I knew I was in the obese bracket) and my waist measurement (waist/height ratio?) that statistically means I have a greater chance of suffering future health conditions.

It's not something we can hide from (although I've been doing a pretty good go at trying with a slough of depression hitting me), we just have to face facts and hopefully be motivated to do something about it.

Good luck with shifting some of your weight.

You look heavy but quite curvy so probably carry it quite well, which is why it was such a shock to you. That and the fact that so many people are very obese. I'm a little overweight, at the moment, and often feel tiny compared with everyone around. It's so easy to be lulled into a false sense of security.

yes this has actually been my best post ever it has got me so motivated to lose some weight. Should have done it months ago!

Great attitude! That medical may turn out to have been your best birthday present ever.

This has prompted me to check my BMI ... I knew I'd put on weight over the last couple of years, sure enough 'overweight'. I'm going to find a tape measure presently and check my waist- Hip ratio too en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waist–hip_ratio

I'm also mid 50s, 5'1" ...I restarted the infamous 30 day shred this week, if you're not already doing much exercise I'd recommend trying something like this in addition to modifying your eating, as muscle retention is important and so are weight-bearing exercises.

Good luck!

I mucked up that link but easy enough to find the waist:hip ratios

I’m also obese, none of my consultants are concerned.
One has even said its not the best thing to use for everyone.
I certainly wouldn’t say you’re obese, carrying a little bit of extra around weight around your middle.
Are you happy with yourself op?

Your consultants? So you have health issues?

useroftjis my BMI was 31