Why am I so heavy?

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24

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  • TomfromNY
    TomfromNY Posts: 100 Member
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    You look very healthy. Don't worry about the number on the scale. If you want to lose a little body fat, I would suggest keep lifting weights, reduce some of the carbs you eat, increase your fat intake and keep the protein the same.
  • devil_in_a_blue_dress
    devil_in_a_blue_dress Posts: 5,214 Member
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    The person who said you don't have much muscle is wrong.

    Is this professional opinion, doctor?

    OP- Are you happy with yourself? Are you healthy?

    If yes, then toss your scale.

    Don't compare yourself to other's -- it's a losing game.
  • krawhitham
    krawhitham Posts: 831 Member
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    I have to agree with you here - I am the same way. I look at stats from women who are my height, and their waist size on average is 3 inches or MORE bigger than mine! When I was thin, years ago, my waist size was similar to people my age who were 20 lbs lighter than me!

    This absolutely means you have muscle mass/bone density that you don't even know you have. It's a GOOD thing. It's healthy and positive! It'll be beneficial for you as you age!
  • karishabussell23
    karishabussell23 Posts: 3 Member
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    I am the same way, and I'm only 5 four, I have extremely late bones and when I had a body fat analysis it said that my bones mustle bad water were 125 pounds which is on the lower end of my bmi, for my height and age but I wear a size ten which I guess is still technically big in today's standards but pretty good for me
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
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    You don't have that much muscle. Your weight sounds about right to me after looking over your pics.

    I have to agree with this. Looking at your pictures with no clothes on and knowing you are 5'7" I would guess you weighed about 170 pounds. You don't look bad, but I'd guess you are around 30% body fat. Nobody ever guessed I weighed 217 pounds when I started losing weight. It becomes more apparent how high body fat is when you start losing fat.
  • SashleyA
    SashleyA Posts: 122 Member
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    I have to agree with you here - I am the same way. I look at stats from women who are my height, and their waist size on average is 3 inches or MORE bigger than mine! When I was thin, years ago, my waist size was similar to people my age who were 20 lbs lighter than me!

    This absolutely means you have muscle mass/bone density that you don't even know you have. It's a GOOD thing. It's healthy and positive! It'll be beneficial for you as you age!

    All of this. I've been in that boat. My best friend and I are the same height and in high school wore the same size clothing (we shared). I was no less than 20lbs heavier than her. A solid mixture of muscle mass and the fact that I have a larger bone structure. It's a great reason to not worry about the scale as much.
  • LiftAllThePizzas
    LiftAllThePizzas Posts: 17,857 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.
    The other 99% of us already understand that it means "by volume." Just like when someone says "gold is more valuable than poop" they are not comparing $1 worth of gold to $1 worth of poop.
  • DebbieLyn63
    DebbieLyn63 Posts: 2,650 Member
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    You look to be more apple-shaped. We tend to carry our weight in the midsection and have smaller hips and thighs, making us look a bit smaller, depending on how we dress. We also tend to have a bit higher muscle mass naturally. I always carried 10-15 lbs more than my sister, who is pear shaped, when we wore the same size. I am 5'6"and 155 is the top of my healthy range, but will probably be the lowest I will be able to get to, now that I am 50 and unable to work out due to injuries/disability.
  • bajoyba
    bajoyba Posts: 1,153 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.
    The other 99% of us already understand that it means "by volume." Just like when someone says "gold is more valuable than poop" they are not comparing $1 worth of gold to $1 worth of poop.

    I am really loving this gold vs. poop scenario. :laugh:
  • determinedbutlazy
    determinedbutlazy Posts: 1,941 Member
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    Gotta say, if OP is happy with how she looks, that's awesome, toss the scale.

    But I also agree, OP's pictures look like she has a bf% of around 30%, I don't see a lot of defined muscle anywhere.

    Also, poster who said "Your core looks strong, you must do lots of ab exercises"... Wat.
  • devil_in_a_blue_dress
    devil_in_a_blue_dress Posts: 5,214 Member
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    I am extremely athletic and have a very physical job, I still have 30% body fat.

    The OP doesn't look bad in ANY way, but it's not muscle. Knowing her height and my own weight, I would have guessed she weighed 165 pounds. In fact, I think she had a thread where she wanted people to guess her weight. If it didn't get nuked, you can see that is my response.
  • ctenan1205
    ctenan1205 Posts: 19
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    Hey, I am the same way!! I am 5'7" and even when I weighed 200lbs. NO ONE guessed that - they all said 170 max. I have always carried my weight very well and looked lighter than I am. I naturally am dense, have bigger bones, and more muscle. When I was 150-160 even people were telling me I was looking pretty shapely and lean. When I got down to 125 I looked sickly thin and was anorexic - yet 125 for many people is a very normal and healthy weight. Just accept that you carry your weight well and pay attention to the measurements! I have people tell me I'm very thin and lean now (Measurements 33"-27"-36", size 4-6 or small) and I'm usually a little over 140. Weight is just a number! You're lucky!
  • DamePiglet
    DamePiglet Posts: 3,730 Member
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    In.
    I see a party starting.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
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    Several others stated that she was probably around 30% body fat as well. She does carry it well, but that's why she's heavy. Around 120 pounds of lean mass and 50 pounds of fat mass. I'm 5'9" and after almost 3 years of lifting my lean mass is around 135 pounds (I weigh 170 pounds right now in the off season, putting my current body fat at about 21%).
    bmi-comparison.gif
  • nikkihk
    nikkihk Posts: 487 Member
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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?

    Honey you are built the same as me.. 5'7 at 170. I tell people I need to workout and lose weight and they laugh and sneer at me like I'm crazy. But I know where the rolls are and I know this is not my ideal pants size. We carry our weight "well" what ever that means. I definitely have bigger bones then a typical female and I could NEVER wear a size 0 or weight less then 135 because I'd look like skeletor (I know this because I was a size 5 at 119 and it wasn't pretty). We all have vastly different body masses and densities... the standard weight allowances aren't made for everyone. Like others have said? Pay attention to your fat percentages not the scale.. trust the measuring tape and your muscle definition. Scales only mess with your head.
  • knra_grl
    knra_grl Posts: 1,568 Member
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    Insurance companies also inclue "frame" in their BMI charts maybe take a peek here:

    http://www.healthchecksystems.com/heightweightchart.htm
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
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    30% is "acceptable" amount of body fat. :huh:


    body-fat-chart.jpg
  • determinedbutlazy
    determinedbutlazy Posts: 1,941 Member
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    30% is "acceptable" amount of body fat. :huh:

    body-fat-chart.jpg

    /thread
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
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    the people that are your height and weigh less have different measurements.

    Seems pretty obvious to me.

    Is this a trick question?
  • devil_in_a_blue_dress
    devil_in_a_blue_dress Posts: 5,214 Member
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    I mean. I'm barely overweight by bmi(might be under by one pound at this point) and I'm still 28-30% body fat. That's just life.

    This. I am 10-13 pounds "overweight". My body fat is around 30%, There is nothing wrong with being over your BMI and with a higher BF% -- it doesn't mean you look bad or don't carry yourself well or whatever. But it also doesn't mean people should pretend that OP looks like she has more muscle definition than she actually appears to have.

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