BMI of 20 but still a 14?

[BabCNesbitt]

I was pretty unhappy with how much weight I put on towards the end of last year, so I’ve been using MFP to count calories pretty strictly since then. I’ve got from 11 stone to 8’ 8”, but I’ve only gone from a 16 to a 14 (I’m 5’5” and 49yo). How much more will I need to lose to drop another size?!

OK. Like you, I've been quite up and down, in my case by 2 1/2 stone. Doctors disagreed I was overweight even at my peak because I was still below a 25 BMI. For years I've seen MNetters who are six inches shorter and 3 stone heavier than me claim they fit into a 10 when at a taller height and lower weight I wouldn't go below a 16, honestly. But here's the thing: it depends on all sorts of things:

• how tight do you like your clothes? (note this may vary with some times of year -- when it's hot I go looser in clothes)
• what is your shape (ie wider waist, bigger bust, broader shoulders, where does the weight sit?) you may find you're one size on top, one on bottom, you may find some brands work better for your shape, you may adjust some bits. Losing weight may also change your bust size but not your shoulder width or (in my case) your waist by much --
• what brands do you buy? and even within brands -- I still swing from an M & S size 6 to 14, literally this last month. Some of this is top vs bottom half but a lot is just them being very inconsistent in their sizing.
• You can tweak more than you think by having a dry cleaner cut in simple darts, bring up hems, drawing in a waistband on jeans (you can adjust some things more easily than others -- darts, waists, or lengths are easy to adjust at your local dry cleaner, shoulders are a problem, clothing that's lined will be a problem). If you are worth buying clothes, you are worth fitting them this tiny bit to yourself.

Your weight is not about the clothing size. I do think most Brits wear clothes too tight, which is not flattering: you'll look slimmer in slightly looser clothes, just don't go baggy. Brands will have a "standard model" and some will work better for you than others it's them, not you. But also, some the "standard" models might work for your bottom but not your top which is fine until you want a dress, which needs to fit both top and bottom.

In short, as PP have said, no one sees the size inside your clothes (though it does help for you to to keep track by size/brand/item so you know what to try on/buy online next time). What matters is how you feel: do you feel good at this weight? Does it line up with whatever you think is your YOU before (who knows) babies, medication, age, whatever?

Whatever the size in your clothes, you should feel confident in your body. And you should feel good about losing some weight, assuming you're doing this a healthy way.

Are you getting weighed at home? Maybe it’s your scales. Try getting weighed at boots or a gym etc. I’m over two stone heavier than you and can fit in some size 10/12s, sometimes a 14 depending on the shop/fit etc. Sounds very odd.

Are you measuring high hip or widest part i.e bum? I dont know anywhere where a 36 inch hip (widest part) would be a 14, but it probably might if that's a high hip measurement.

Bones are bones, though!

8 stone 8 and a size 14??

I’m 9 st 2 and a size. I’m 5’3 so shorter than you, I’d expect to be a bigger size if anything.

Have your clothes shrunk in the wash maybe? Or is it possible you are bloated - trapped gas won’t add weight but will add volume.

I’ve just measured; hips 95cm which is consistent with size 10 trousers. Waist 78cm which is 10-12.

I’m quite (very?) muscular especially in upper body, so structured tops will be tight across lats and shoulders even possibly a 12. Polo shirts are often too tight around biceps. I have solid quads and hamstrings which don’t affect waist or hip measurement but might affect tight fitting trousers.

Hi this is my experience too, I measure a 16 but if I try a 16 on they fit but are just so tight. I was a 22 but have been losing weight since January, I have an issue with my gallbladder so I do get very bloated after food but when I get up I measure smaller. I'm still in a size 18 and it's really annoying im losing weight eating the right things, exercising best I can because I do get gallbladder attacks so it has to be gentle exercise, but I do understand its really frustrating. I have lost around 29 kilos but only gone down 2 dress sizes.

I think your post kind of proves the point that we all carry weight differently and that build also comes into play. I’m the same height and weight as you and mostly a 12. I can get away with a 10 sometimes on my bottom half but I have big boobs and wide shoulders so I have to drop to about 8.5st to get into a 10.

This does seem odd. I’m 5ft 4 and just under 9 stone and I’m a 8-10 on bottom and a 6-8 on top. A 14 would be far too large on me. If the crotch was the issue, is it length instead of size?

Are you sure it’s not that you just aren’t used to how clothes fit at your new weight? Do you have excess skin or lipodema?

That's a cracking weightless, well done ! I can understand your frustration though.

A couple of suggestions - nothing ground breaking I'm sorry.

Toning will make a huge difference. If you are naturally pear shaped something like cycling will help a lot. Could you get yourself to gym a couple of times a week or find a stationary bike on Ebay so you can cycle [hard] while watching some tv, I find that makes the time go by but I have to stay focussed on putting the effort in. Running strips fat like nothing else but it's not for everyone's knees and feet at 49. I would be crippled.

Is it worth seeing a doctor to rule out anything sinister? Sorry to scare the crap out of you. I was unaware that a distended abdomen can be a sign of ovarian cancer until I saw a post on MN this year.
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/ovarian-cancer/symptoms/

Lastly if you are large of boob, then it's quite likely you will size up for a more flattering fit? A lot of tops have a very high round neckline right now which seem to be all cut for a 34A bust line.

Could you post a photo of you in jeans (just the bottom half so it’s anonymous)

I’m under 5ft, weighing 8 stone exactly and I’m wearing a size 6 and occasionally an 8.

Toning is not just doing cardio to burn fat. Cycling away on a static bike will not help toning or muscle mass - actually it may reduce it further, especially if protein intake is low.

“Toning” is when you increase muscle mass, AND reducing body fat so expose the muscle you’ve gained. If someone has low muscle tone (which I suspect the OP has) then a lot of cardio is not a good use of time in the gym. A static bike might improve the quad muscles but it’s just a calorie burning exercise, and these calories will potentially come from both muscle and fat.

People come up to me in the gym and say “gosh, you are so toned”. What I explain is that to get the toned look you firstly have to build some muscle, then you can reduce the fat to expose it.

I agree that it might be helpful to discuss with a GP, my aunt had cancer of the stomach and didn’t see a doctor about her distended stomach until it was too late. Other less scary but still medical issues for a larger stomach can include fibroids.

Well done on your weight loss! You’ve done a brilliant job, especially whilst battling with depression symptoms. Would it be possible to have a weight/height check/bp check with your nurse maybe and you could bring up the issue then? Are you retaining water? Drinking plenty?

Regarding tone…I’ve lost a lot of weight and have found daily yoga to be my saviour in so many ways - and toning is definitely one of them. It’s brightened me mentally over time, so I then feel more inclined/energetic for other activities such as walks/swimming/bike rides.

That does sound odd. I’m 5’4 with BMI of 28 (so still overweight but gone down from BMI 32). and I am getting back into the size 12s I’d kept. An increasing number of my size 14s are way too big.

I'm 5ft 4 and weigh 9 stone 7 pounds and I'm a size 10-12. My legs are the chunky bit too.

What I would say is m&s varies a lot. Like one pair of 10s will slide off and a pair of 12s feel very very snug.

M&S sizes are unreliable recently. I've got some size 14 chinos from last year which I couldn't get on when I was a size 14, and now fit nicely now that I'm a size 10-12.