Why am I so heavy?

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So, you can see my pictures, I'm not overweight in looks or health, only technically like as in BMI, but anyways, i'm 5'7" and weigh 170 lbs, and I've been looking at other people with similar stats as me, and people same height as me, but much lighter (even as low as 145 lbs) are measuring bigger than I am. Now I have big boobs (DD) and broad shoulders and broad back, and I lift, but like it seems quite heavy and it's odd to me that people same height and 25 lbs lighter (that's a LOT of weight) are physically larger than me....is it really muscle? am i just a...dense person?
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Replies

  • perseverance14
    perseverance14 Posts: 1,364 Member
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    Probably muscle.
  • lafilledelarue
    lafilledelarue Posts: 66 Member
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    Don't judge yourself too harshly. Everyone has a different body type, and muscle weighs more than fat. I am also 5'7". I weigh 160 pounds and am right between a size 8 and size 10 jeans. You look perfectly fine to me. Don't stress. Love your body and be thankful for your health. :-)
  • romach79
    romach79 Posts: 277 Member
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    Muscle is heavier than fat, and women carry a little extra fat anyways. I would agree that you are not overweight. How much cardio do you do? Do you eat a lot of refined carbs? I have kind of the same issue - don't look fat, but I know I should weight about 175 instead of 200. My problem is ice cream and cookies!
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
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    More muscle and better bone density. You are a more dense person!

    Don't let the number on the scale bother you. It has advantages- like you can eat more than the lighter people without gaining weight!
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
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    You don't have that much muscle. Your weight sounds about right to me after looking over your pics.
  • holliebevineau
    holliebevineau Posts: 441 Member
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    I am 5'9" and I am heavy about 173. I too have broad shoulders and wear a d cup bra. I don't look over weight to others. Some even ask why I count calories. I don't want to be at the top of my healthy weight range as I am now. I want to be healthy. I don't compare my weight to other girls my height because there are too many things that factor into why we are different. I have been as heavy as 226lbs after giving birth to my 2 year old. So things could always get HEAVIER!! Good luck.
  • alexandriax03
    alexandriax03 Posts: 289 Member
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    Muscle does not weigh more than fat. A pound is a pound is a pound. Where the misunderstanding often comes in is that muscle is much more dense than fat, so that, by volume, it seems to weigh more. That is, a pound of muscle occupies less space than a pound of fat.

    You are probably way more fit than them and overall have a different body shape which is why you have different stats.
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
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    Muscle does not weigh more than fat. A pound is a pound is a pound. Where the misunderstanding often comes in is that muscle is much more dense than fat, so that, by volume, it seems to weigh more. That is, a pound of muscle occupies less space than a pound of fat.

    You are probably way more fit than them and overall have a different body shape which is why you have different stats.

    Muscle weighs more than fat by unit volume. The unit volume we're talking about is a persons body. Two equivalent sized bodies, the one with more muscle weighs more. It's just nonsense to argue otherwise.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    What are your stats? You seem to be a 'normal' weight for your size/BF%.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
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    need more info …

    how many calorie per day …?

    are you in deficit, maintenance, bulk?

    what is your lifting routine like?

    any cardio?
  • HittinMyGoals
    HittinMyGoals Posts: 30 Member
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    Can't trust the BMI test online, the only way to get a true reading is to do the water displacement BMI. I just did a online one for instance and I am obese according to that. Don't worry about it. You look great.
  • ___bella
    ___bella Posts: 22 Member
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    If you don't think you're overweight or unhealthy then don't stress!

    Everybody's different and no one body is exactly the same in proportion or size or weight

    Comparison is the absolute enemy to the human spirit, you're a beautiful girl who has common sense

    Trust your gut, you're fine x x
  • alexandriax03
    alexandriax03 Posts: 289 Member
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    Muscle does not weigh more than fat. A pound is a pound is a pound. Where the misunderstanding often comes in is that muscle is much more dense than fat, so that, by volume, it seems to weigh more. That is, a pound of muscle occupies less space than a pound of fat.

    You are probably way more fit than them and overall have a different body shape which is why you have different stats.

    Muscle weighs more than fat by unit volume. The unit volume we're talking about is a persons body. Two equivalent sized bodies, the one with more muscle weighs more. It's just nonsense to argue otherwise.

    I know that. I said BY VOLUME.
  • HappyStack
    HappyStack Posts: 802 Member
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    Grab yourself some callipers (they're ridiculously cheap) and have someone help you test your body fat percentage.

    http://www.linear-software.com/online.html

    (Use the female bit at the bottom of the page)

    That'll give you a better indicator of your muscularity (although not 100% accurate, it's accurate enough).
  • Fithealthyforlife
    Fithealthyforlife Posts: 866 Member
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    Now I have big boobs (DD) and broad shoulders and broad back, and I lift,
    I'd say you just answered your own question! And judging by your pics, you definitely have muscles in your upper body! Whoever said you look like you don't have much is probably wrong. I mean, women don't have to look ripped to have more muscle than average. It can totally be deceptive sometimes!

    and people same height as me, but much lighter (even as low as 145 lbs) are measuring bigger than I am.
    The women who are measuring bigger may just have a larger bone structure than you in that part of their body (like hips). Or, more muscle and/or fat localized in a certain area.

    We're all different, and we're all a product of our own physiology and our own habits! :smile:
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
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    Muscle does not weigh more than fat. A pound is a pound is a pound. Where the misunderstanding often comes in is that muscle is much more dense than fat, so that, by volume, it seems to weigh more. That is, a pound of muscle occupies less space than a pound of fat.

    You are probably way more fit than them and overall have a different body shape which is why you have different stats.

    Muscle weighs more than fat by unit volume. The unit volume we're talking about is a persons body. Two equivalent sized bodies, the one with more muscle weighs more. It's just nonsense to argue otherwise.

    I know that. I said BY VOLUME.

    Right so why would you go out of your way correct something when you understand what is being said?

    Everybody that says "muscle weighs more than fat" understands that 1lb=1lb.
  • alexandriax03
    alexandriax03 Posts: 289 Member
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    Now I have big boobs (DD) and broad shoulders and broad back, and I lift,

    I'd say you just answered your own question! And judging by your pics, you definitely have muscles in your upper body! Whoever said you look like you don't have much is probably wrong. I mean, women don't have to look ripped to have more muscle than average. It can totally be deceptive sometimes!

    and people same height as me, but much lighter (even as low as 145 lbs) are measuring bigger than I am.
    The women who are measuring bigger may just have a larger bone structure than you in that part of their body (like hips). Or, more muscle and/or fat localized in a certain area.

    We're all different, and we're all a product of our own physiology and our own habits! :smile:

    Agreed.

    The person who said you don't have much muscle is wrong. You definitely have a decent amount of muscle. Your core also looks pretty strong.
  • pweiters99
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    1/21/14, I'm 66, male & want to lose 10 lbs by 2/10/14. I have paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. Navigating between green veggies (vit K) & carbs (potato, rice, pasta, bread, beer) ; red meat, beans, corn, salt, there's not much left to eat. This electrophysiologist gives me this convoluted 7-day meal plan consisting of cabbage, onion & celery soup. This is probably the hardest thing I've ever had to do; I just have to eat something more solid to keep from passing out. I pedal a stationary bike in the AM, which seems to help lose weight, then I have to eat something. Bananas one day, a potato another day, skim milk---ugh! I can't drink milk, so I drink seltzer. (T-J miracle diet). I hate this crap. 7 years ago I had abdominal fistula surgery; couldn't eat solid food for almost 2 months. I was 59 & 180 lbs, then; my weight dropped to 145; I was on total IV drip. As I was gradually reintroduced to solid food, the docs said I'd regain my normal weight. Little did I know I'd regain weight & then some. The problem is I don't eat any different or more that before the surgery.
  • Yanicka1
    Yanicka1 Posts: 4,564 Member
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    I am just a few pounds (1-4 depend on the day) from overweight and a good 15-20 pounds more than other girls my size. Just the way I am made.
  • Fithealthyforlife
    Fithealthyforlife Posts: 866 Member
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    The person who said you don't have much muscle is wrong. You definitely have a decent amount of muscle. Your core also looks pretty strong.

    I think she's right...your core looks very strong in fact. You must do a lot of ab exercises.
    Actually your whole body looks pretty strong. Some people still can't see/believe it if a person isn't "ripped", though.

    The other thing is, my own measurements hardly changed with a 15-20 lbs LBM loss years ago. And after regaining 7 of those lbs in the past few months, I have essentially no difference in most measurements from my starting point! I was always "dense", too.