Is there a such thing as big boned?

AproMunro

I do think I have thicker bones and a slightly winder frame than average women. I always appear thinner than what my weight suggests. Also, as a small child I was very very skinny, yet I always had thick wrists and ankles. I also have large feet.

ironanimal

There is some differentiation between individuals in bone length. thickness and density... but bones don't jiggle.

MaryJane_8810002

This thread is like 3 years old. Even I asked this question a few months back...

BinaryPulsar

People have different frame sizes. This is one of the reasons why some people look "skeletal" at a higher weight than other people (there are other reasons as well). A larger frame means there is more space for muscle and fat, and even larger organs. It can be difficult to know what frame size you have if you are overweight. Because frame size is determined more by the size of the rib cage. I actually don't know how tall I am. I always say I am 5'2", but realizing I may be 5'1" (I guess I'll measure today). And my rib cage measurement is 26 inches. There are people my same height, that have the same basic body fat percent, and have a rib cage measurement of 38 or 40. Obviously they weigh more than I do and have more lean body mass.

Edit: Oh, very old thread bumped by the search function.

neandermagnon

large frame size usually refers to having larger shoulders, pelvis and rib cage than is average for your height. It makes you heavier than average for your height, so you'll be healthier at a higher BMI than someone with a medium or small frame. But it only goes so far... someone with a large frame may be healthy at a BMI somewhere between 24 and 30* or thereabouts.... but no-one's healthy at a BMI of 50.

*ETA: someone with a BMI of 30 and a healthy body fat percentage is probably both large framed and athletic, because adding muscle mass through training will also increase your BMI, and this is related to frame size in that larger framed people tend to put on muscle more easily, but it's not exactly the same, as frame size = larger bones, e.g. longer clavicle, wider pelvis, larger ribs, while gaining muscle = getting bigger muscles, which doesn't make your actual skeleton bigger (although your bones may get denser as a result)

Regards how to tell if you're "big boned" or not............ forget frame size altogether and just go by body fat percentage. If you have a large frame, you'll be heavier at the same height and body fat percentage as a smaller framed person. For example if you have 2 women who are the same height, and they both have the same body fat percentage, but one is 30lb heavier, then she has a larger frame. So basically, aim to get your body fat percentage in the healthy range and just let your weight be what it wants to be when you get there. IMO there is *way* too much focus on scale weight and not enough focus on healthy body composition. Body fat percentage is a more reliable measure of that than scale weight.

HeidiMightyRawr

Yes. There is a way to check out how big your frame is somewhere online, based on your wrist size.

However, the words "big boned" are usually brought waaaayyyy out of context and don't usually mean, what some people think it means. It's often used (sadly) as a reason for people having too much fat. It's denial basically. As ironanimal said, bones don't jiggle. It's one reason why I love the mirror as a measure of progress over the scale - you can see for yourself whether you have too much fat or are just "big boned"

BeachIron

The way most people use the phrase, no

ClementineGeorg

Each person is different and some people have wider bones than others (as some have longer bones than others and such they are taller), so they appear larger even if they have the same body fat percentage as others.
You can see this mostly on woman's hip. Some have a wider hip bone, some one smaller. Or on men. Some have really broad shoulders and appear massive, and some have shoulders as wide as a woman and tend to look whimpy (although with proper training they can add muscle to look better).

It's not to be an excuse. You actually have to see the bones to say `they are bigger than average` and some people who give this excuse have too much fat around their bones.

And yes, longer or wider bones do weight more than average, doh. But the weight around them mey weight even more.

ironanimal

Oh god damn necrothread


I hate that.

abbyolurin1

Usually big boned indicates you don't necessarily have much fat but can be broad. Like Callie from Grey's Anatomy below.

BusyRaeNOTBusty

I have broad shoulders, wide hips, big feet, hands, and head. I weigh 160lbs at 5'9", which is at the high end of a healthy BMI and am at a healthy body fat percentage. But I actually have small wrists.

BinaryPulsar

I have broad shoulders, wide hips, big feet, hands, and head. I weigh 160lbs at 5'9", which is at the high end of a healthy BMI and am at a healthy body fat percentage. But I actually have small wrists.

Yeah, it's not true that frame size is determined by the wrist measurement. As mentioned, it is more based on shoulder and rib cage. Although, in my case, my wrists are less than 5 inches (people at least need to measure and not use their fingers).

wilmnoca

Just a figure of speach for someone who is tall and/or broad (usually across the shoulders or hips). Not actual large bones. No more excuses!

Vicxie86

I do think I have thicker bones and a slightly winder frame than average women. I always appear thinner than what my weight suggests. Also, as a small child I was very very skinny, yet I always had thick wrists and ankles. I also have large feet.

This! this is me! I'm 6'2, a size 8 trainers, 9 shoes u.k, feet looks extra wide, almost mannish. People always guessed me to be 4st lighter and 3 sizes smaller than i am. I told them my size but never my weight lol

This deluded me for years into thinking i was alright. I carried the weight well, had a bit of a jelly lower tummy but nothing excessive and turkey wings that i only started being comfy with this year.

I want to lose weight so that i can stop convincing myself that i am happy with the way i am.

Sreneesa

There is such a thing and big boned is someone with a large frame. Usually in a female if she is really tall and broad across the shoulders and such. Small boned is someone that is really tiny in height and across the shoulders and such. Hope this makes sense to you. I am medium or average as it is called. God Bless, brenda

No necessarily true.

My daughter is tall and 5'8, and wears a 0 to 2. She is really tiny and petite as I am 5'10 and if I were ever 110, 112 she is somewhere around there, I wouldn't be alive. And she is 18 yrs old so she is finished growing and just a petite, small framed, young lady,

So height does play a part but within that height people are small, medium, and large frame.

ShellyBell999

Can someone explain to me what big boned means or if it is even real. Because I really need to clear this up so I can stop making excuses for myself. I would love info. Thank youu. =]

Just do that; stop making excuses for yourself and don't worry about bones.

ggxx100

Yes, though the phrase is usually used out of context and far to widely.

My sister has the same bmi as me, though slightly taller. Though we have similar weight to height proportions, she has a medium frame while I have a small frame (wrist test-hers do touch barely while my fingers overlap). Because of this, she's usually a 4 while I wear 0 or 1 juniors. She in no way has more fat, and it's usually her ribcage width that prevents her from wearing a smaller size.

I do think being short has a lot to do with it...though I'm sure there are plenty of small-framed taller women out there.

50_to_lose

Big boned refers to people with an Endomorph body type.

Having wider shoulders and larger legs, wide everything really.

Gains weight easily and develops muscle quickly.

Athletes classed as endomorph (big boned) would be

Front row rugby players, field athletes or strongman/woman.

People make the common mistake that training and diet is a one size fits all plan

but it's not as genetics play a massive role in your shape.

Bone size and density depends on genetics.

Simply put you can have naturally bigger bones in the same way as someone can

be naturally more muscular than others.

snowflake954

Yes big boned exists, and I am. I am 5' 11" and when I weighed 145 I could never find bracelets to fit my wrists. It has nothing to do with fat--it's your bone structure that is bigger than normal. I've seen women my height with slim, slight, bone structure--think models. Thats nothing like mine. It makes you feel manish and you have to work at moving in a femine way, because you don't feel light and elegant. Anyone who says it does't exist doesn't know what they're talking about.

Health_Temple

You are not "big boned" according to your explanation of your ability to touch your middle finger and your thumb together around your wrist and your profile pic you are mesomprphic (medium build) you are easily a good height to weight ratio (can go over or under your bmi). Endomorphic and ectomorphic people are of a smaller frame or larger frame. Usually a "big boned" person is larger on top and easily can put on mass (either fat or muscle) likewise someone of a smaller build can find it very hard to build mass (if they are out of shape these people are known as "skinny-fat." No matter what your build is you should aim to be fit and healthy, you don't have to be a size 5 to look good, what your body composition is and body fat ratio is most important. Don't try to be something your not just be the best you!