Looking less than what you weigh?

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Replies

  • Bekah7482
    Bekah7482 Posts: 247 Member
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    Bekah7482 wrote: »
    nataliecg926 wrote: »
    I guess I'm just daunted by how far my journey is when previously I didn't think I had this far to go, although I mostly just want to get under 200 and go from there

    Dont make goals based solely on the number on the scale. Stick with your goal of 200 and re-evaluate when you get there. I am more focused on getting to a certain size then I am a certain weight. The scale is not good at gauging how big you are. Remember Dwayne Johnson is obese based on the scale.

    I don't think OP has quite as much muscle as dwayne Johnson...

    True, but the point still stands that the scale can be a liar. Going solely based on the scale and BMI chart doesnt not necessarily indicate your health. Being a little heavier because of muscle mass and weight distribution isnt a bad thing. Point is, dont focus on only the number.
  • sammyliftsandeats
    sammyliftsandeats Posts: 2,421 Member
    I have been told I look a lot smaller than what I weigh but it would definitely depend on height and overall body composition too.

    There ARE people who can weigh more and look smaller due to low bodyfat and a large amount of muscle. It would also depend on what type of clothing you are wearing at the moment. If you are wearing a flattering outfit that diverts attention from certain areas, you can definitely look smaller than what you weigh.
  • firead
    firead Posts: 56 Member
    From the pic you posted, I would have guessed you weighed less, because I feel like I looked a lot heavier at the same weight, with 5 inches more height. But this might be because my perception is skewed as well.
  • __TMac__
    __TMac__ Posts: 1,665 Member
    nataliecg926 wrote: »
    I guess I'm just daunted by how far my journey is when previously I didn't think I had this far to go, although I mostly just want to get under 200 and go from there

    This is very common. I've felt the same way. As I lose, my perception of what's possible changes. Initially I just wanted to hit 200. Then I thought 185 would be ok. Now I'm thinking maybe 170. It doesn't seem so impossible anymore.

    I find it's most helpful to set goals in this format: "I will [do something specific] until I reach [a measurable target], and then we'll see what comes next." Set a goal for now that you feel is achievable, and when you reach it, re-assess.
  • GreenMage180
    GreenMage180 Posts: 7 Member
    Clothing size can really matter also. If you have clothes that fit that are different day after day.. use that as a guide as well.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,876 Member
    nataliecg926 wrote: »
    I guess I'm just daunted by how far my journey is when previously I didn't think I had this far to go, although I mostly just want to get under 200 and go from there

    A couple of things in this regard...

    For one, don't make the scale your singular focus. Losing weight and getting to a healthy weight/BF% is great, but there is so much more to your health and general well being. Put your focus on your health...improving your nutrition...upping your fitness, etc. It's a process and a big part of it is learning. It is very helpful to establish goals that are outside of simply losing weight and the number on the scale.

    As scale goals go, the big picture can be daunting...so make it a smaller picture. Also, something I always told myself was, "the time is going to pass either way...what do I want to do with that time?" I took my scale goals in chunks...200 was my first...190 was my second...180 was my third and that's when I went to maintenance.
  • crzycatlady1
    crzycatlady1 Posts: 1,930 Member
    jemhh wrote: »
    The prevalence of obesity has warped many of our views on what is a healthy weight vs overweight vs obese. Most people are also terrible at judging size. We tell people to weigh their peanut butter. A person is a lot bigger than 2T of peanut butter. The variation between what we think people weigh and what they actually weigh is bound to be off by quite a lot, numbers-wise.

    Yep this.
  • SierraFatToSkinny
    SierraFatToSkinny Posts: 463 Member
    I wear my weight well.

    z2igrsg60cjy.jpeg

    280's vs. 260's.
  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
    All the overweight people I know think I weigh about 25 pounds less than I really do. They think I wear a size 2 or 4, when I really wear an 8. That's a pretty big difference. And they think I'm scrawny and skinny. Compared to a lot of my peers I guess I am, but I personally wouldn't consider a size 8 scrawny...

    I also find that a lot of obese and overweight people seem to underestimate how much they weigh. They know they are carrying excess weight, but they don't seem to realize how much. For example, some obese family members and friends who think they are just a little overweight. And overweight ones who think they're high-normal.
  • Sharon_C
    Sharon_C Posts: 2,132 Member
    edited March 2017
    GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »
    size102b wrote: »

    I will be honest. You look your weight there. It's not an insult, you wear it well, but we all have distorted images of what such a number is supposed to look like when your picture is the reality.

    I believe I'm a good bit older than you and I can remember how tiny people used to be when I was a little kid.

    We have, as a society, embraced a larger norm.

    Just watch old game shows on TV and look how much thinner people were 30-40 years ago.
  • AllOutof_Bubblegum
    AllOutof_Bubblegum Posts: 3,646 Member
    I'm naturally muscular and built very compactly, so I definitely don't look like I weigh what I do. I gauge my progress more by measurements, clothing size and the occasional BodBod scan than by my weight. Because according to every health website, I'm a good 10-15 lbs over what my "ideal" weight for my height should be.
  • tomteboda
    tomteboda Posts: 2,171 Member
    nataliecg926 wrote: »
    Does anyone else feel like they look less than what they weigh? I know people say weight is just a number and doesn't have to mean "all that" but I weighed myself recently and I am 274 lbs at 5'5 and I don't feel like I weigh THAT much. I thought I was 250 lbs and someone said that I looked like I weighed less and turns out I actually weigh MORE. I tell people my goal is to lose 125 pounds and they look at me like I'm crazy..anybody else experience this?

    A LOT of people lie about their weight. It makes getting a good handle on reality difficult, both for ourselves and in relation to other people. Can you really say you know what 250 vs 274 looks like, on yourself or other people?

    I wouldn't tell folks what my weight loss goal was. It was hard enough for me to get my head around the amount I wanted to lose, needed to lose, I couldn't really expect others to comprehend it. I know my parents tried very hard to talk me out of such an ambitious goal (my initial goal was 90 lbs loss, I started at 270).

    Now that I'm down 110 lbs I'm perfectly happy to tell people honestly that I lost that much weight; and they still have a very hard time getting their heads around it.

    Best wishes on your weight loss!
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,897 Member
    nataliecg926 wrote: »
    Does anyone else feel like they look less than what they weigh? I know people say weight is just a number and doesn't have to mean "all that" but I weighed myself recently and I am 274 lbs at 5'5 and I don't feel like I weigh THAT much. I thought I was 250 lbs and someone said that I looked like I weighed less and turns out I actually weigh MORE. I tell people my goal is to lose 125 pounds and they look at me like I'm crazy..anybody else experience this?

    What’s your frame size? http://www.myfooddiary.com/Resources/frame_size_calculator.asp

    I have a large frame and the only time I've had a BMI as low as 24 was after 6 weeks of undereating and overexercising during boot camp.

    My goal is to get back into my skinny jeans from when I was a full time yoga teacher, which will have me at a Low Overweight BMI, and I'm ok with that.
  • Sassafras106
    Sassafras106 Posts: 73 Member
    I actually think I look like I weigh 20-30 lbs more than I actually do...
  • deputy_randolph
    deputy_randolph Posts: 940 Member
    I have heard: "You weigh THAT much?!" my whole life. I have been every size from a 2-20. People have always underestimated my weight no matter my size. I'm short and have always had a "skinny face." I think this is part of why my weight has always been deceptive. I also store most of my fat on my butt and thighs, which is a little easier to conceal with the right jeans.

    Currently, I'm at 137lbs and just ditched the size 6 jeans for 4s...thanks to heavy deadlifts.
  • SCoil123
    SCoil123 Posts: 2,108 Member
    I've had people tell me I look like I weigh less but I think their perception is off. It is usually overweight people making the comment. In my profile I am 184 and 164, and I still have more weight to lose.
  • bbell1985
    bbell1985 Posts: 4,572 Member
    Yeah...I think I do. I'm 5'4" and weigh about 143 in my profile pic. I'm flexing but still. I don't really know what it looks like I weigh but I know women who weigh this much and look a bit different.

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