Puzzled why I’m so big at my weight?

[Ranunculi]

I’m 5ft 6ins and my starting weight was 11.5st. My tummy was so big I struggled to bend over and if my DC wanted to sit on my lap I had to move my tummy out of the way. I’m now 10.5st and my tummy is only slightly smaller.

Looking at other people’s weight loss journeys for motivation, many women are my height (or less) and are perfectly slim even though they weigh as much as my starting weight. I’m puzzled how they weigh the same as me, yet they’re slim while I’m big?

OP, if your legs and arms are very tiny then perhaps you have a really small frame and therefore need to be very light to actually not be carrying excess body fat. I think sadly, it is not about what other people weigh, it is what you weigh with your body frame and composition. Well done on your weightloss. Keep going. I bet you will eventually lose more off your tummy. I know I weigh heavy. I am the same size as a friend of mine. We wear the same clothes, same height etc but she weighs 7kg less than me. it is what it is.

I’m 5.10 and 12st ....all on my tummy :( people have asked me when I was due.....threw that dress away!!
When I’ve lost weight on my face ....the tummy stays grhh

I had a “tummy” my entire life until a year ago (I’m 47) even if I was at a healthy BMI. Then they used it to reconstruct my breast, and now I have the flattest stomach ever, which I love, and am very glad I had that spare fat!

Everyone carries weight differently. I’m 5ft 6 and ten stone four - my waist is 27 inches, and I have a flat tummy, but I do have a big arse. At my heaviest ever weight (eleven and a half stone) I still had a flat stomach, but my arse was gigantic.

When you say your tummy is a big roll of fat, can you actually grab it in your hands, so soft and squidgy or is your tummy protruding and hard like a pregnancy tummy ? I weigh a lot more than you but am the same height and I can gather up my tummy because it is squidy fat, the last time I was your weight I couldn't, had a bit of a post pregnancy pouch, that could be flattened with decent jeans, but certainly didn't look six months gone.

OP, if your legs and arms are very tiny then perhaps you have a really small frame and therefore need to be very light to actually not be carrying excess body fat
This may unfortunately be the case. I’ve been on those scales which measure body fat and it’s 34%. My BMI is in the normal range but going by fat percentage I’m obese.

When you say your tummy is a big roll of fat, can you actually grab it in your hands, so soft and squidgy
Yes. It’s a big squishy roll stuck on my front. My thighs and bum carry weight too but they’re not so obviously out of proportion. I’ve been conscious of my tummy my whole life, even at primary school - I wasn’t overweight but I was very self conscious that everyone had a flat stomach except me.

I'm 5'8 and under 9st...still have a big roll of fat (and it is fat!) and v. wobbly inner thighs, but have the overall look of 'slim'. Any heavier and it goes tummy, face, inner thighs and I have the look of a much bigger person, but like you op - stick arms and legs. The weight doesn't distribute evenly at all. Its because I have the frame of a bird with very narrow hips. Really frail tiny. But to stay a weight that suits my frame takes lots of adhearance. My friend is much shorter and much heavier but looks lovely, can wear bikini etc. I'd much rather have a bigger frame and more weight!

The 30 inch waist thing is bullshit if you've had a baby or two. Mine is 36 incches at least and I'm 10st 5, at 5foot 7, BMI normal. I've had blood tests and nothing untoward (was a skin complaint)

We come in all shapes and sizes. Definitely worth trying to shift fat off abdomen though. Fat thighs are better health wise.

The nhs world disagree with you @ClumsyAnnabel

Over 31.5in is unhealthy. Over 34.5in is worse.

www.nhs.uk/common-health-questions/lifestyle/why-is-my-waist-size-important/

You sound exactly like me OP, it sucks!

Do you have small feet, a small head and scrawny wrists?

What's your diet like OP? Do you exercise?

I think BioPrint could work for you. It's a bit spendy though.

I’m exactly the same! I started calorie counting when I was 11st 4, now I’m 10st. Even though I look as if I’ve slimmed down slightly, I’m still a size 14. How can I be a size 14 when I’m 10st and 5ft4?! I do have a v big bust, but even my waist size is ridiculous. It’s very disheartening. I imagine I’ll need to lose another 2 stone to look even remotely ‘slim’.
I do think exercise plays a big part though... I don’t think I have much in the way of muscle so obviously I will look bigger if I’m carrying a lot of weight in fat.

Do you exercise? Doing abdominal exercises may help you tone the muscles around your midriff.

Oh my god I’m having similar! Until my early 30’s I was an 8-10, gradually put on weight, was a 12/14 when got pregnant and by the time I had my second I’d put on several stone.

I’ve since lost all the baby weight and yet my stomach flab does not seem to have reduced at all and is still absolutely rank. It’s not even loose skin, the majority is clearly fat/flab though the shape is sort of a an apron fold which it never was pre kids. Even when I was slim my stomach was quite soft I.e it’s never been washboard flat, but this is ridiculous.

I’ve lost almost 2 stone since having the kids but I don’t seem to look any bloody different and I usually go up a Size for underwear / leggings etc so they come up over the huge roll. It’s seriously depressing and very unmotivating. I was assuming that pregnancy etc can drastically change your body shape, but see you say yours has always protruded op...

The waist thing is also concerning me - despite being only a few pounds off a healthy BMI my waist is still way over the recommended size due to all the flab around the tummy. There’s no way even when I get to healthy BMI it will be in healthy range.

I really don’t know how much bloody weight im going to have to lose to actually look slimmer 😞

All my weight is carried around my middle too and am a fat hourglass. At 5ft 2 and 11st I'm a size 16 but when 10st 2 I was only a 14. 🤷‍♀️

I’m 5’2 and 9stone. I am wearing size 14/16.
I am a skinny limbed and hipped. But I have a 34 inch waist and wear an F cup bra.

My measurements are actually 34/34/34!

I look fat but my BMI is normal. I know I need to loose a stone to be healthy. The size of my stomach and bust is very worrying.

I'm same height as you and carry a lot of weight on my stomach too. I have to maintain between 9 stone and 9 stone 3 to look notably slim.

Build definitely makes a difference. I am your height and am almost a stone and a half heavier (11st 12) and wear a size 12 and my waist is 29 inches. However, I have a lot of muscle on my lower body in particular and have big feet and wrists, whereas you sound like you have quite a petite bone structure. I have quite a bit of body fat too though at around 31% which is just about in the acceptable category. I am working at reducing body fat and I want to lose about another 10 lbs.

@mantlepiece

I’m 5’2 and 9stone. I am wearing size 14/16. I am a skinny limbed and hipped. But I have a 34 inch waist and wear an F cup bra.

My measurements are actually 34/34/34!

I look fat but my BMI is normal. I know I need to loose a stone to be healthy. The size of my stomach and bust is very worrying.

Just shows how clothing size is meaningless for health and fitness. I'm the same height and at 9 stone I would be a size 8-10 on the bottom and 10-12 on top.

At 8.5 stone I'm a consistent size 8 with a little sticky out belly that is the last thing to go.