Do you weigh more than you look

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  • SkinnyFatBGone
    SkinnyFatBGone Posts: 59 Member
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    True. I've been a size 9 for 15 years and I've gained like 30 pounds in that time frame. I really just want o be a size 5.
  • hekla90
    hekla90 Posts: 595 Member
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    People underestimate my weight at about 75 lbs ummm no lol. They're probably just being sarcastic though
  • heatherheyns
    heatherheyns Posts: 144 Member
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    Do people underestimate my weight? Yes., But I'd guess it was mostly out of politeness. I also feel like I don't look as heavy as I am, but that is because I don't like my weight. I think it is easy to fool ourselves by doing that. I've always said ad felt that I carried weight well, so it was okay I was obese. Ive leaned to stop lying to myself and stop listening to others lie to me.
  • boomboom70
    boomboom70 Posts: 13 Member
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    Honestly, people are just being polite.

    If I was asked to guess the age or weight of someone (why would you ask by the way?!) I'd go 3 years younger and 15lbs lower!
  • VintageFeline
    VintageFeline Posts: 6,771 Member
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    I am heavy for my size but I have a lot of lean mass (athletic past). And I have had people the same height and 30lbs lighter be a bigger dress size than I am, so in that sense yes people are surprised. But if you don't have that context guessing weights is pointless and meaningless because of the fact lean mass and body shape makes such a difference.
  • RosieRose7673
    RosieRose7673 Posts: 438 Member
    edited June 2016
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    boomboom70 wrote: »
    Honestly, people are just being polite.

    If I was asked to guess the age or weight of someone (why would you ask by the way?!) I'd go 3 years younger and 15lbs lower!

    This! I think the only way you'll get an honest answer is if you ask an 8 year old! Young kids have no filter! Go ask one of them! Lol!
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,134 Member
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    Idk. I never ask people to guess my weight.
  • sunflowerhippi
    sunflowerhippi Posts: 1,086 Member
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    There was a thread on here a few years back where people guess weight by avatar photo. Some people were much better at guessing then other and this is a site full of people who are very interested in body weight. So imagine for the normal person how hard that is.

    Now on that, I love the guess my weight game at arcades because typically they are off by 20lbs or more for me. I wear a size 12/14 little kids for tops, and 11 juniors/8 women for pants at 150lbs.
  • MorganMoreaux
    MorganMoreaux Posts: 691 Member
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    jennifer_417 wrote: »
    I'm gonna guess people underestimate out of politeness... That and people are generally clueless about how certain weights should "look."

    Not necessarily - since I've lost my weight and am down to 113lbs people, including my doctor, say I look like I'm underweight and guess around 100lbs. I think my muscle mass brings the number up so I fall within the healthy range. I don't think they're being polite, and the way some people say it they are outright rude.

    I think that many people have no aptitude at guessing weight, and so they under estimate. I also suspect that as society has grown progressively more over weight we have become desensitized and have forgotten what healthy ranges look like. As I was a teen in the anorexic 90's I have learned that my perceptions are skewed as well, and generally think that some healthy weight ranges look slightly over weight to me because the underweight trend was popular when I was a teen and I have never been able to shake that mindset or aesthetic preference, which is challenging in my own weightloss journey as I still want to get back down to 105lbs, which puts me squarely in the underweight category for my age and height.

    OP you mentioned there is no way you could tell someone your weight - I think that's sad. We really need to move away from being shamed by numbers - 166lbs is nothing to be ashamed of. I think allowing ourselves to feel shame just perpetuates weight judgment in society in general, and I really wish we could all move away from that as its not helpful to anyone.
  • rennickm1986
    rennickm1986 Posts: 70 Member
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    Several things are at play here. Politeness could play a factor. If you ask someone to "c'mon be honest" and guess how much they think you weigh or how old you are, most adults will not be honest and underestimate (especially with a woman) out of politeness to not hurt your feelings.

    As was said, asking people this is asking for an opinion from someone who likely has zero expertise in this area. You might as well build a building and ask a buddy if he thinks it'll stay up. "Hmm, ya it looks good to me?"

    What you are wearing plays a factor. Certain clothing because of shape, patterns, color etc creates the appearance of being thinner or heavier.

    Lastly and most importantly, fat distribution plays a big factor in this. Where do you put on pounds? If you're an apple shape it's going to be very obvious you've put on weight. If you put weight on to your stomach, butt, thighs, arms etc it's less obvious in clothing and can surprise people of how much you weigh. It's just visual cognitive dissonance, like one person has a box under their shirt, which is easy to spot, and another has a weighted vest suit under their clothes, which is more subtle and much more difficult to notice.

  • MonkeyMel21
    MonkeyMel21 Posts: 2,394 Member
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    To others I think I do look like I weigh less than I do. One of the girls at work is 4'11" and about 112 lbs (so 25 lbs less than me). The other day I asked her if she wanted an accessory I had bought that was too small for me. She seriously said that if it was too small for me then it would be too small for her. I told her my waist was about 31-33" and she said, oh, mines about 27". I feel like that probably had more to do with her self image, cause...really?
  • MorganMoreaux
    MorganMoreaux Posts: 691 Member
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    rennickm1986 wrote: »
    Lastly and most importantly, fat distribution plays a big factor in this. Where do you put on pounds? If you're an apple shape it's going to be very obvious you've put on weight. If you put weight on to your stomach, butt, thighs, arms etc it's less obvious in clothing and can surprise people of how much you weigh. It's just visual cognitive dissonance, like one person has a box under their shirt, which is easy to spot, and another has a weighted vest suit under their clothes, which is more subtle and much more difficult to notice.

    Excellent point and so very true. If you're carrying the bulk of your weight in your core or it's pretty evenly distributed people may legitimately not be able to tell. I have a girlfriend whose weight goes straight to her hips so small fluctuations in her weight are obvious where as when I lost 40 pounds few people noticed, and even at that they just thought I changed my wardrobe from baggy to more tailored. At my heaviest i couldn't see my feet past my stomach bit large shirts and layers his that to the public. If people aren't noticing consider yourself fortunate OP ;)
  • SCoil123
    SCoil123 Posts: 2,108 Member
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    Yes. It has to do with body composition I think. I'm muscular with larger bone structure so I carry the weight differently than a small frame person without much muscle would. People are surprised when they hear what I weigh but that's because they make the assumption certain weights look one way without considering all the other factors. I'm 5'7" a size 8-10US and 175lb. My ideal weight range is 145-165lb. Someone else the same height could have a very different range.
  • Shells918
    Shells918 Posts: 1,070 Member
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    I definitely look smaller than my weight. I carry it well, at 5'4" weighing 173 I'm a US size 10 and I just got a pair of 8's zipped up.
    I'm an hourglass with long legs and my weight distribution is pretty even. All the exercise is taking the inches off so when I get to goal (135) I'm hoping to be a 4.
  • ssakcik
    ssakcik Posts: 121 Member
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    I'm 161 lbs and 5"8 and a UK size 14 in jeans and a 12-14 on top. People don't believe me when I tell them...
  • louisepaul16
    louisepaul16 Posts: 261 Member
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    The few people I have actually told how much I weight, they're always pretty surprised. When I started I was 223 (or around 101kg) and no one could believe that. They all said they thought I looked around 80kg, or 175 or so.

    I don't think they wer just being nice as the look of genuine surprise was on their face, especially when I told them I wanted to lose 6 stone, (85lbs/nearly 40kg).
  • carmelmaryjordan
    carmelmaryjordan Posts: 1 Member
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    jemhh wrote: »
    Lounmoun wrote: »
    I don't know. I've never asked people to guess my weight and no one has ever asked me how much I weigh.

    I'm an apple shape. I look more pregnant the more overweight I am. I have had someone ask when I was due. I don't think they were guessing my weight as less than it was. If my fat was more evenly distributed I suppose I wouldn't look as obviously overweight. I'm aiming for a healthy weight and reducing my waist size.

    I have the same body type. There are so many cute tops I admire but don't buy because I know I'd end up being asked the same thing if I wore them.

    ladies, I can 100% relate. I am size 4 in jeans but have a huge gut, I mean huge ! concerned not just for vanity reasons but also for health reasons.
  • GorgeousMa
    GorgeousMa Posts: 34 Member
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    I always hear that, NO!! You can't possibly weigh that much......yeah I can and I do What a great feeling when people say that hahaha Like noooooo Your not THAT FAT as the scale says, im looking right at you! It's all good tho
  • frammis4242
    frammis4242 Posts: 25 Member
    edited June 2016
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    255 and look like i'm 320

    someone told me i look morbidly obese x2 but they might have just been cyberbullying me for hyperbole

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