What am I? Fat, chubby, or overweight?

Vegplotter

hollyrayburn wrote: »

What would we "label" you.

Labels are for soup cans dear. Medically, I am :labeled: obese right now. But I am a woman who is a hottie, and is trying to be healthier, and hopefully wear the clothes I like, that don't come in my size.

You are a woman. You are beautiful. You are a person who has the ability to change something you don't like, but should also be happy and blessed with who you are at this very minute.

hollyrayburn wrote: »

I think Holly's rousing words say it all.

Vegplotter

It sounds to me as if you are doing really well. You'll find people like you in the gym. Don't be sad, we are all rooting for you. Don't sit alone in your room, get out and enjoy life's cabaret, whether it's a walk in the park, a trip to the book store or sharing a nice low cal drink with a friend. Above all stay connected.

kgirlhart

You are not fat, chubby or overweight. If I were you in wouldn't worry about your weight. Maybe just start some strength training to build up muscle. That will give you the lean look you want.

Psychgrrl

You're healthy! Which is more than many of us can say! I wish you saw yourself differently, and seeing a licensed therapist can help you with that.

There are lots of ways to build muscle, which may give you the physical results you want. Weight-lifting is a biggie! Yoga can help, too. I do both. Both can help you appreciate what your body is capable of.

Just please remember, you can build all the muscle you want and lose some pounds, but that won't matter until you learn to see yourself differently. And love yourself, just as you are.

CattOfTheGarage

I agree that you need to work on your body image more than your actual body. After all these responses you " still feel fat" - that means your brain is telling you lies. you're not alone in this, it's a very common problem, especially for women. if you can grasp, at this young age, that that is all in your mind, you'll be doing really well and setting yourself on a great track to health.

Why does your brain lie to you? Because the world lies to it . you are surrounded by images of women that have been photoshopped to have narrow waists, long legs, thigh gaps and large breasts that magically support their own weight without sagging.

These images are not real. The thigh gap is a lie - most of us are not capable of it, it is a rare genetic trait. Breasts are soft and don't hold up on their own and cannot be "toned". These images are fake. But unfortunately the feeling they give you is not easy to fight.

That feeling will not go away if you lose 5kg, or 9kg, or any amount of weight. It will only go away through consistently telling yourself that your body is good and beautiful and OK the way it is now. You are at a healthy weight. you do not need to lose any. If you can find something to base your self worth on other than your weight, you'll be winning against the sick world we live in.

You can totally do this. I'm rooting for you.

katiebean

I agree some strength training would really help you. You look a perfectly healthy weight to me and definitely not fat, overweight or chubby! Strength training may also give you some much-needed self confidence and appreciation of your body. I'm 14 pounds or so away from my goal but every non-scale related goal makes me appreciate my body more and more (lifting a heavier weight, getting into a new yoga pose, doing my first pull up). Reaching those goals feels better to me than reaching an arbitrary weight on the scale. Good luck!

arditarose

You don't need a label. I'll just be honest and say you have very little muscle though. If you want to improve your physique, watch your calorie/macro intake (eat around maintenance) and start some resistance training program. If you don't want to go to the gym or lift weights, it can be done with body weight programs such as You Are Your Own Gym and Convict Conditioning (apologies if these have already been mentioned).

Also, you are young! Be happy, enjoy your body, and start working now. You won't regret it.

DaniCanadian

Everyone's given you some great advice, strength training is definitely what'll help you!
My advice is to stop comparing yourself to others. There will always be someone who's more fit, faster, lighter, etc. Start trying to be a better version of yourself. I know it's hard but it saves you stress in the long run. Whenever I have down moments about my body I tell myself 'hey, 2 years ago you couldn't even do a push up or jog longer than 30 sec at a time. Now I can jog a full 3 miles without stopping and do 10 full push ups.' I can obsess with other people being able to do 20 push ups or run 4 miles till I'm blue in the face but I'm a better version of me than I used to be.
Also...forget a thigh gap for Pete's sake. 90% of women don't have one, the picture you see are generally not real. A plus size model demonstrated how she got a thigh gap from camera angle, body position and lighting. I'm a petite structure like you and even if we go underweight our pelvis' are too narrow to have a thigh gap. The models you see with one usually have wide hips.

Seffell

Katlover12 wrote: »

Nachise wrote: »

Muscle does not weigh more than fat. A pound is a pound the world around. Muscle takes up less real estate than fat. Weight training will seriously help you. Gaining muscle will help to increase your metabolism and give you a true sense of empowerment.

Hello Nachise. I didn't know muscle weigh about the same as fat.

It doesn't weigh the same. When weight of things is compared it is assumed that we're talking per unit volume. So muscle weighs more than fat per unit volume. In speech the "per unit volume" is omitted but implied. This is not a matter of opinion. It is a matter of convention.

jgnatca

I think you are a young woman of normal weight. I think 94 pounds is a great weight to be. All you need is some strength training and a self-image boost.

Nachise

Hello Nachise. I didn't know muscle weigh about the same as fat. So it would mean I should change my muscle and fat ratio on my body. Anyone can do weight training even someone small? I wonder if I would be allowed in gym like the YMCA in my area. Everyone looks like an adult and normal average human. I am also scared of people seeing me working out.. I have been exercising in my room with DVDs and videos online.

gebeziseva wrote: »

Katlover12 wrote: »

Nachise wrote: »

Muscle does not weigh more than fat. A pound is a pound the world around. Muscle takes up less real estate than fat. Weight training will seriously help you. Gaining muscle will help to increase your metabolism and give you a true sense of empowerment.

Hello Nachise. I didn't know muscle weigh about the same as fat.

It doesn't weigh the same. When weight of things is compared it is assumed that we're talking per unit volume. So muscle weighs more than fat per unit volume. In speech the "per unit volume" is omitted but implied. This is not a matter of opinion. It is a matter of convention.

gebeziseva, what convention are you speaking of? What mysterious pseudoscience is this? If you put a pound of fat and a pound of muscle on a scale, they would both weigh one pound. There is a considerable difference in volume, ergo, my statement about muscle taking up less real estate, but they weigh exactly the same. No difference. When you talk about a pound of muscle and a pound of fat, there is no volume implication. It is just weight.

When people are losing weight, the ideal objective is to decrease fat mass and increase lean mass. This cannot be done by calorie restriction alone, so in order to reach that objective, you must incorporate exercise. Walking is a great start. Walk at least a half hour a day. If you swim, get your stroke together and swim laps. If your local Y offers aqua aerobics, go for it. Most Ys have a trainer, and you should make an appointment with that trainer to make an assessment of your fitness, and come up with a weight program for you. Everybody has to begin somewhere, and what you will find is that most people who are in the gym are concentrating on what they are doing, and not on you. Trust me on this. If you don't know how to use a certain piece of equipment, ask. Don't try to go too heavy too quickly. I have been on my journey for almost four years, and I am pleased with my results, even though I have about 30 pounds to go. Underneath my 30 pounds of fat is a lean, muscular body. It's showing a little bit more every day.

kshama2001

Katlover12 wrote: »

Pikashel wrote: »

You look like a normal weight to me. I agree you should do strength training (like lifting weights, sit ups, thigh exercises, etc). I'm sure others can give better advice on what kind of strength training you can start with.

Thank you Pikashel for your advice. I can't seem to do sit ups, planks, and push ups on my own very well. I do try though. I like to do squats and lunges.

When you perform planks and pushups you are lifting most of your body's weight, which is a higher amount of weight than what you would use with exercises with weights. That's why planks and pushups are so hard. For planks, try to slowly increase your duration over time. For example, if you can plank for 30 seconds now, next time try 35 seconds. Or whatever, building up slowly over time.

You can modify pushups by doing them against a counter. If you can do 10 today, try 11 in two days.

CattOfTheGarage

gebeziseva wrote: »

muscle weighs more than fat per unit volume... This is not a matter of opinion. It is a matter of convention.

Nachise wrote: »

gebeziseva, what convention are you speaking of? What mysterious pseudoscience is this?

People are arguing at cross purposes her and it's getting distracting. As an engineer with expertise in mass, volume and density, may I put this to bed?

Muscle is more dense than fat. So a cubic foot of muscle weighs more than a cubic foot of fat.

My observation is that this is exactly what people mean when they say "muscle is heavier than fat" or "lead is heavier than water". A pound of lead weighs the same as a pound of water, of course it does. But a *cup* of lead weighs more.

I make this observation as someone who has to teach people about density and flotation. The term "heavier" is routinely used to mean "more dense", especially when talking about substances rather than objects. Rice is heavier than packing peanuts. Gravel is heavier than popcorn. Gold is heavier than cotton candy. These are all statements about density, and in every case, pound of each item weighs the same, but a cup weighs differently.

So you are both right, please stop arguing. Muscle is more dense than fat. So a person with high muscle mass is physically smaller than a person of the same weight who has a higher body fat percentage.

I don't think the statement is useful in any other way, except as a vague reassurance to frustrated dieters. In reality it has little relevance to short term weight gain after exercise, which is usually down to water (which, for the record, is more dense than fat, and a little less dense than muscle).

kshama2001

Katlover12 wrote: »

Nachise wrote: »

Muscle does not weigh more than fat. A pound is a pound the world around. Muscle takes up less real estate than fat. Weight training will seriously help you. Gaining muscle will help to increase your metabolism and give you a true sense of empowerment.

Hello Nachise. I didn't know muscle weigh about the same as fat. So it would mean I should change my muscle and fat ratio on my body. Anyone can do weight training even someone small? I wonder if I would be allowed in gym like the YMCA in my area. Everyone looks like an adult and normal average human. I am also scared of people seeing me working out.. I have been exercising in my room with DVDs and videos online.

Of course the Y allows adults. Are you really 19? They allow people under 18 as well but I'm not familiar with the rules. At the last Y to which I belonged teenagers under age 18 had to take an orientation or something in order to use the weights.

I suggest you join the Y and get a few sessions with a personal trainer. My old Y had a small group class "Women on Weights" that helped me get comfortable with all the weight lifting equipment in my gym and feel comfortable in any gym.

glenelliott5872

Bmi 21. You are normal weight. I have skimmed some of the other posts. If anything try some weight training.

tiptoethruthetulips

Of course the Y allows adults. Are you really 19? They allow people under 18 as well but I'm not familiar with the rules. At the last Y to which I belonged teenagers under age 18 had to take an orientation or something in order to use the weights.

Profile says 20, given Katlover12 says she is 19 I would say she is likely to be under 18

randomtai

tiptoethruthetulips wrote: »

Of course the Y allows adults. Are you really 19? They allow people under 18 as well but I'm not familiar with the rules. At the last Y to which I belonged teenagers under age 18 had to take an orientation or something in order to use the weights.

Profile says 20, given Katlover12 says she is 19 I would say she is likely to be under 18

I would bet my last taco.

cerise_noir

zoeysasha37 wrote: »

You don't look chubby or fat to me. If you want me to be honest, my suggestion would be to begin a strength training program. It will help give you the tighter appearance that I think you are seeking. I would not concentrate on losing weight though. I would eat at maintenance and lift heavy. Google new rules of lifting for women.

I like this suggestion, a lot.

Anyone can weight train. try a program like strongcurves.

frankiesgirlie

I also don't think you look overweight. I do believe that you need to make exercise your first priority over losing weight. When you start to feel stronger it will give you a body confidence that getting "skinny" just can't compare to.
I don't agree that there is necessarily any thing wrong with you,when it comes to your lack of confidence in the look of your body as I remember having those same insecurities at your age. 19 is very young, you still have maturing to do. That will come naturally, especially if you become a regular exerciser.
That insecurity about your body is something women of all ages struggle with at times.
I believe that jumping right into weight training for someone that can't do a plank or push up isn't the right way to go.
I recommend you start with body weight exercises. If you go on YouTube there is a girl about your size with free 30 day challenges you can sign up for. Her name is Betty Rocker. I'm sure if you see her you'll see what people are telling you about gaining muscle, She is small but tight, and makes working out fun.
Once you have built the strength to do basic exercises such as planks, tricep dips, push ups, you can move on to lifting if you want later.
Good luck to you with your goals, but you are already beautiful as you are.

frankiesgirlie

I forgot to add...Betty Rockers 30 day challenges are only 15 minute workouts that as you get stronger you can repeat 2-3 rounds as you get fitter. But she has modifiers for beginners and the 15 minutes is a great start.