So this is what overweight looks like?

[OrangeLavenders]

I'm quite surprised. Checked the scales a few weeks back and I weighed 12 stone. Visited my GP for something else recently who confirmed that yes, I was quite bit over BMI of healthy range.

I've lost 7 pounds in just over 10 days. Nothing ridiculous. Just normal eating with no snacks and counting calories.

I just thought overweight looked a lot bigger than this? Scary how in 2020 we actually have a warped idea of what's a healthy weight and what isn't. I thought I looked perfectly fine but the reith is different.

Anyone else think a lot of us think what we might see as 'fine' is actually an overweight person?

I'm not a self conscious person so feel free to tell me I do in fact look clearly overweight! It doesn't bother me as I'm happily changing things. Although I'm sour about not having many luxuries anymore treat wise

I didn’t know mesomorph was a thing, that describes me I think - I’m quite muscly and large framed, with wide shoulders and thunder thighs.

Still got a big old layer of fat though, which I need to shift. I just happen to carry it better than some.

Whether or not any of us carry it well isn’t really the point. The OP looks very, very attractive and I would be delighted to have her figure, but overweight is about health really. Though I suspect with a healthy diet and lifestyle a little bit of extra weight probably makes no difference.

BMI is a good guide, but only a guide.

I’m well within my healthy BMI range, and because I’m tall I could probably carry an extra stone or two without looking ‘fat’, BUT I’ve got a belly and I know that’s still a risk factor for my health, even at my ‘healthy weight’.

I think you look fantastic! I’m trying to lose weight (nearly two stone off so far, but I needed/need to lose five in total) and would kill for your figure! I think when you are curvy with an in and out shape you can get away with more extra weight than if you have a more straight up and down shape. Height makes a huge difference too.

I wouldn’t be too worried about any supposed extra weight in your case, just focus on living healthily and it will come off in time.

You seem to be carrying most of your weight in your legs & boobs, and possibly bum, which means it's very unlikely you are unhealthily overweight. You're GP should be doing a waist measurement, not relying on the nonsense that is BMI.

I think the BMI is almost certainly correct - I thought it was only ever not if someone had a lot of muscle mass? I do have muscly calves but that's it. I can't get rid of them for some reason, even though I thought you were suppose to lose muscle over time if you don't use it to such an extent to how you got it?

I thought also that being 'big boned' was a myth and doesn't make a difference for your BMI?

winter I think Carter may have made a typo in that second figure

op, I looked at you and thought yeah, that's what I see in the mirror - it's the hips that give it away (currently about a stone over BMI healthy range, 2 stone heavier than in my twenties).

Oh, and that stupid "waist half your height" stuff - given that I'm 5'5", that would make me think that a 32" waist is fine on me. Well, it really isn't.

I don’t think it helps that whenever there’s a piece on obesity or whatever on the news they use the library footage of headless bodies that are morbidly obese. I’m guilty of this myself, it’s easy to think “well I’m nowhere near as big as that so I must be ok”.

Shape plays a big part too. OP you have a lovely figure, very in proportion. Someone who weighed the same but carried it all round their middle might feel more overweight.

I thought it was only ever not if someone had a lot of muscle mass?

No. BMI was designed as a blunt population level view of weight. The weights used to create it were all Swedish men living in the 19th century.

It's been adjusted to include women and other nationalities, but is still inherently flawed as it does not take in consideration fat distribution, muscle mass or skeletal frame size.

Doctors who use it to determine the health of their patients are lazy fuckers.

What's your body fat percentage?

I too am surprised at you being 22 stone at 5'3. Would understand I'd you had a big chest, but you're small there and your legs are slim.

You have a lovely figure. My BMI is just under 24, but I have 'thunder thighs' and a larger tum than I would like - shows that BMI is definitely no indication of a good figure.

You have a fab figure OP! I'm the same height and when my BMI went I to the overweight bracket I completely lost my waist and just looked like a little spherical blob on legs (chunky legs at that - I struggled to zip my boots up).

So in your case as a PP said, it's health rather than aesthetics that are the driver here.

Two things worth thinking about: how much visceral fat are you carrying, and what do you look like side on? The "internal organs are secretly pigs in blankets" visceral fat is the most dangerous, health wise. Also it might be that your tummy sticks out seen from the side. (Don't worry, you don't have to post photos - this is between you and the bedroom mirror in the privacy of your own home).

I eventually lost my excess weight thanks to a very low fat diet due to gallstones. Post op the challenge is not to put it back on now I can eat normally again (turns out the motivational tool I needed was excruciating pain - now that's gone I'm worried my will power may not be up to the job).

The other thing is that although someone on these threads always trots out the "BMI is a poor guide" line. Well, yes, maybe, if you're a professional rugby forward. For 99% of the population it's a pretty damn good guide.

Gosh you've got a lovely body!!

Lovely hourglass figure. Lovely collar bones.

Honestly, I think anything you do from this point should be if you really want to/feel more comfortable with a bit less/want to tone etc.

You're stunning the way you are. Fed up of so much pressure on women to conform to look exactly the same. It'll never happen so we should really embrace how different we all are.

I should have said that I am 5ft 4ins and 9st 12lbs.

Another who'd never have guessed your weight from the picture! I looked at you and thought "probably slightly heavier than me, but not that far off". Turns out I'm an inch taller but 3.5 stone lighter, so I've no idea how to assess anymore! I think a large waist circumference can be far more concerning medically than actual body weight though and yours looks nicely in proportion to the rest of your body, so you're probably fine. If it gives you a push to swap a few bad habits for healthier choices I don't suppose that's a bad thing though

How can you be overweight?

You have a lovely figure, but I wouldn't say you are slim. I'm a dress size 10-12, 5 foot 7 and 11 stone 5. Bang on the top end of healthy BMI. I'd like to lose another stone, but I would like all my clothes to still fit rather than hang off me so might hold off on losing any more.

For 99% of the population it's a pretty damn good guide.

Try more like 50% to 60%.

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2877506/

Bit more on BMI - yes it's a blunt tool, but the error bars are huge

For our height -5'3" - the healthy bracket spans 8 stone to 10 stone, so you really have a lot of leeway. Even at my most sporty (2 hours of rowing a day, stroking my college's first VIII, solid muscle with an underlying body type that just bulks up as soon as you get it in the same room as a set of weights) I still only weighed 9 1/2 stone.

Barring really weird and unusual quirks of physiology, BMI is a pretty good guide and you should at least think seriously about your diet and health if it goes over 25.

BMI is a useful generic guideline but a bit of common sense needs to be employed as well. You have a great figure OP so don't stress too much, so long as you are generally eating well and being active don't stress. Throughout my 20s I was consistantly overweight and borderline obese according to the BMI calcs and I was playing semipro rugby at the time.

PS

Clean up the laundry on the bedroom floor you mucky puppy!

All weight isn't the same. Apart from muscle as already discussed, while I'm sure it's best to be in the advised BMI range, a bit of extra weight on thighs, bum and even the 'tummy roll' aren't necessarily as bad health-wise as the visceral fat associated more with apple shapes/blokes 'beer bellies'. Waist/hip ratios are a good extra measure.

I think it has a lot to do with fat distribution too.
I am the same height and weight as you. 5ft 3 and 12 st.
Don't be offended - what I'm about to say is a positive - your thighs are much larger than mine, I suspect you are carrying a lot of 'BMI' there. That's a good thing overall as carrying weight around your middle is much more dangerous as that fat is surrounding your organs and affecting their efficiency. You're not carrying much around the middle that core and toning exercises will not deal with.
My weight is totally round my middle. I have slim toned arms, my legs are good. My wrist and ankle measurements tell me I have a small frame. I have a massive belly which is caused by being a lazy bastard and eating for three people over many years. The massive belly is topped by huge saggy breasts. There is no excuse. My youngest is 18. I have always had access to exercise. Everyone else in the house is OK BMI-wise.
I will say something else - 20 years ago I was again huge and undertook a big weight loss plan. At that time, my ideal weight ran from 8.5stone up to 10.5stone. On today's NHS BMI calculator, my ideal weight is 7st6 up to 10 stone 1. So the guidance is taking the 'safe' weight ranges down which I trust is because of updated research.
It just means another 6 pound to lose before I am back in the green zone 🙁

Unfortunately yes, you can be overwieght and not "look fat". We have a really warped perception of what overweight is these days, unfortunately.
Good on you for taking responsibility for yourself at an early stage. Being healthy is more important than how you look, in any case.

You look lovely, which is reassuring for me at the minute! I'm 36 weeks pregnant, also 5ft 3 and have just hit 11 stone 9 which to me feels way above what I'm comfortable with as I started at 9 stone 4, but I think without my bump I'd probably look quite similar to you. Personally I don't want to stay this weight after baby is born as I feel it is too heavy for my frame but I'll be happy enough if I look like you whilst I'm trying to lose a few pounds 😊

Sorry but I think this is absolute bollocks. This is where BMI fails - it doesn't take into account the difference in body types. You say you're quite muscular from years of exercise - without that muscle mass, at 12 stone I'd agree you were overweight. However you are not. You are just more muscular than the average person. You have a beautiful figure and do not look unhealthy or overweight.

Great if you want to lose weight or tone up, be more healthy, etc, but BMI has to be taken with a pinch of salt for this reason.