do I really look 35% bf and 13 stone? pics

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purplehearts87
purplehearts87 Posts: 8
in Health and Weight Loss
Hey all
I've always been slim but noticed my weight creeping up from 9 stone 127lbs. I didn't weigh myself as I still felt slim but going to a gym yesterday I was told I weigh 13 stone (around 180lbs) at 5" 6 and have 35% body fat.
I'm in shock!
I've been told these scales can be inaccurate. I need some brutal honesty here. Do I look like I weigh that much? How high does my bf look?
I wanted to lose a few pounds as I always valued being slim but I'm starting to think I may need to lose more than a couple of pounds to look slim.
So in all honesty guys, do I look fat or OK weight? If you think I do look overweight how much would you say I need to lose to look slim? Thank you
Not sure how to post pics but here's the URL: xxx
http://i61.tinypic.com/2ibcmj5.jpg
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Replies

  • tabicatinthehat
    tabicatinthehat Posts: 329 Member
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    Hey all
    I've always been slim but noticed my weight creeping up from 9 stone 127lbs. I didn't weigh myself as I still felt slim but going to a gym yesterday I was told I weigh 13 stone (around 180lbs) at 5" 6 and have 35% body fat.
    I'm in shock!
    I've been told these scales can be inaccurate. I need some brutal honesty here. Do I look like I weigh that much? How high does my bf look?
    I wanted to lose a few pounds as I always valued being slim but I'm starting to think I may need to lose more than a couple of pounds to look slim.
    So in all honesty guys, do I look fat or OK weight? If you think I do look overweight how much would you say I need to lose to look slim? Thank you
    Not sure how to post pics but here's the URL: xxx
    http://i61.tinypic.com/2ibcmj5.jpg

    Is the "xxx" because of the boob angle?
  • purplehearts87
    purplehearts87 Posts: 8
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    Haha!!! I was too busy looking at my belly to notice the boobage...oops!! They were meant to be kisses but I see ya point...
  • Blueseraphchaos
    Blueseraphchaos Posts: 843 Member
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    It's extremely hard for me to guess a weight based on anything except a full-body picture....unless I'm missing something here....
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    You honestly could easily be 35% BF at that weight and height.

    Cannot tell anything from the pic.
  • purplehearts87
    purplehearts87 Posts: 8
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    I've spent a lot of time avoiding cameras lately so I don't have full body pic.
    My measurements are 38 bust, 34 waist, 44 hips.
    Is that really bad? Online calculators are giving me 35-37%....maybe I have to start accepting I am actually too fat :-( I just can't see how I've let myself get to this. Is 35% really bad? What weight should I aim for?
  • caracrawford1
    caracrawford1 Posts: 657 Member
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    Here's what I think:
    I think that you were confronted with an unpleasant truth, which you are not ready to accept, and perhaps not ready to change. You want perfect strangers to somehow assure you that maybe, just maybe..its not true. You can go ahead and go on a different scale, get a body fat test done, etc. If those numbers aren't much different what do you plan to do? It doesn't really matter what we think, you need to decide for you what you want your reality to be. If its not where you are at currently then do something about it, but as long as you stay in denial, nothing will change.
    ETA: how you look externally is far less important than your health overall. If your body fat is 35% you are carrying too much fat.
  • purplehearts87
    purplehearts87 Posts: 8
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    OK this is painful but here's how I looked at
    19% bf and 123lbs http://i61.tinypic.com/2j678dk.jpg
    So sad to look at this
  • arussell134
    arussell134 Posts: 463 Member
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    You know, it's possible...but I'm not sure? I will say, I have always been slim (about 140ish) and then let a bunch of weight creep on and last year I was told I was carrying 30 pounds of extra fat. I was in absolute disbelief that I was overweight! By spring, I was up to 166 and couldn't fit in my size 12's. Sometimes the truth is difficult to accept, but I know the truth is what I *needed* to hear to get me moving on my journey.

    I guess I'd be less worried right now about the exact % and just get moving in a positive direction. Don't let it discourage you to a point that you stay still. If you are super fixated on that number, perhaps get a second measurement of your BF, such as from a dunk tank.

    GL!!
  • purplehearts87
    purplehearts87 Posts: 8
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    I think you are right.
    Its definitely hard to swallow that I've allowed myself to get this overweight. I do want to do something about it.
    Ive had enough of feeling like this - deep down I knew I had gained a lot of weight but I guess I have to face up to the truth and deal with it. Thank you x
  • purplehearts87
    purplehearts87 Posts: 8
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    You know, it's possible...but I'm not sure? I will say, I have always been slim (about 140ish) and then let a bunch of weight creep on and last year I was told I was carrying 30 pounds of extra fat. I was in absolute disbelief that I was overweight! By spring, I was up to 166 and couldn't fit in my size 12's. Sometimes the truth is difficult to accept, but I know the truth is what I *needed* to hear to get me moving on my journey.

    I guess I'd be less worried right now about the exact % and just get moving in a positive direction. Don't let it discourage you to a point that you stay still. If you are super fixated on that number, perhaps get a second measurement of your BF, such as from a dunk tank.

    GL!!

    I know what you mean. I think I needed to hear and acknowledge the truth too as I did not have the motivation before as I was convinced I was still slim.
    I was told I'm carrying 65lbs of pure fat when I had my bf measured....very hard to swallow but I need to know the truth. Its been a wake up call
    I thought I just had s little bit of podge, nothing that affected my health. But now I think about it, I get out of breath easily, I can't sit on my husband's knees anymore because it hurts him...I even struggle with sex because I can't get into certain positions . I feel dumpy and unhappy and I need to change x
  • purplehearts87
    purplehearts87 Posts: 8
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    Here's what I think:
    I think that you were confronted with an unpleasant truth, which you are not ready to accept, and perhaps not ready to change. You want perfect strangers to somehow assure you that maybe, just maybe..its not true. You can go ahead and go on a different scale, get a body fat test done, etc. If those numbers aren't much different what do you plan to do? It doesn't really matter what we think, you need to decide for you what you want your reality to be. If its not where you are at currently then do something about it, but as long as you stay in denial, nothing will change.
    ETA: how you look externally is far less important than your health overall. If your body fat is 35% you are carrying too much fat.

    So my weight and body fat mean that I'm fat enough for my health to be at risk?
    I agree health is most important issue. I think I need to hear and accept the truth and get myself out of denial about this. I always valued being fit and healthy and I want that back x
  • MireyGal76
    MireyGal76 Posts: 7,334 Member
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    65 pounds of fat? That is a lot of weight to have to carry around. Instead of thinking of it emotionally, is there any way to try and look at it a bit clinically? If you were to pick up a 50lb child and try carrying it around right now... how would you feel?

    I have a 60lb child - and I'll tell you, it's exhausting. So, right now, you are piggybacking a small child. Can you imagine how great you will feel if you can get that monkey off your back? How much more energy you may have? How much more freedom?

    The impact of losing that weight on your joints, muscles, back... it'll be amazing!

    I hope I don't sound insulting, or insensitive... because I am not intending to be that at all. Don't go crazy to lose it all at once, but start making changes... little by little, and work to adjust your life so that you're not so burdened.

    Your thin pic, is really thin - maybe you don't have to get there... but you may want to seriously think about the impact your weight has on you - emotionally, physicially, spiritually, and financially... therein may lie your motivation for change.

    All the best to you, and please keep smiling! I think you'd have a gorgeous smile, if you let it out!
  • crystal2point0
    crystal2point0 Posts: 52 Member
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    From 127 to 180 is not a little bit of weight, 53lbs is a pretty significant weight change. If someone were to lose 50lbs people would be jumping up and down congratulating them because it is significant. I would agree with others that if you were unaware this weight gain had entered the unheathly realm and that you are overweight you might not be ready to face a change to return to a healthier you but I would still strongly encourage it. It is not healthy for our bodies or our organs to carry around this excess weight and fat.

    If you looked at a height/weight chart it would say 180 at 5'6 is obese. It also says normal is 118-148. I think these numbers are a little unreasonable but they do point to an ideal height/weight ratio. The most important thing is for you to be healthy, with that my opinion would be to target about 135-140 and see how you feel.

    Go online and find out what your BMI is and make the decision if you are ready to make some changes.

    This site has the chart and BMI calcution at bottom if you want to use it.

    http://www.rush.edu/health-wellness/quick-guides/what-healthy-weight
  • caracrawford1
    caracrawford1 Posts: 657 Member
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    Here's what I think:
    I think that you were confronted with an unpleasant truth, which you are not ready to accept, and perhaps not ready to change. You want perfect strangers to somehow assure you that maybe, just maybe..its not true. You can go ahead and go on a different scale, get a body fat test done, etc. If those numbers aren't much different what do you plan to do? It doesn't really matter what we think, you need to decide for you what you want your reality to be. If its not where you are at currently then do something about it, but as long as you stay in denial, nothing will change.
    ETA: how you look externally is far less important than your health overall. If your body fat is 35% you are carrying too much fat.

    So my weight and body fat mean that I'm fat enough for my health to be at risk?
    I agree health is most important issue. I think I need to hear and accept the truth and get myself out of denial about this. I always valued being fit and healthy and I want that back x
    Its considered obese, yes. You would want to aim for between 21-24%. 25-31% is merely average(average does not mean fit, anymore than stating that the average woman in the US is overweight), but for fitness the ideal is 21-24% for women. You can visit builtlean.com for these stats.
    Sucks, I know, but better to know what you need to do and where you are at then to keep the blinders on.
  • Lns25
    Lns25 Posts: 130 Member
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    Sometimes the cold hard truth is exactly what we need.
    Sometimes its just the seed that then makes us think about our lifestyle in general :)

    Coming here is a great start, set yourself some mini goals, and get moving.
    I can't tell too much from that pic, apart from that you perhaps carry it all around your tummy, bum and thighs?
    Goodluck!
  • OldSportOldsport
    OldSportOldsport Posts: 275 Member
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    As someone who spent a lot of time assuring herself (and being assured by other people) that 'you don't look it' I'm gonna be straight with you as I kind of wish someone had been with me. You can tell, even from that photo that you're visibly carrying extra weight. It's not a full length photo either which tells me that you know you are as well and that the majority of it is probably centering on your hips/thighs/belly (not an unusual distribution in women).

    The good news is: you've caught it now, not 10 pounds from now or 50 pounds or a 100 pounds. More good news, at your fingertips you have an enviable and helpful resource - MyFitnessPal. If you start now, and set your goal for a respectable 1lb or 2lbs a week, follow advice given, you'll be back to your old self - healthier, slimmer, less at risk for all sorts of weight related conditions and not needing to take photos at odd angles.

    The cool thing as well? Do your research as you work and you'll end up with a knapsack of knowledge at the end, on top of your svelte new self, knowledge about fitness, about food, health, calories and all sorts of things that'll stand you in good stead. Best of luck to you.
  • gracielynn1011
    gracielynn1011 Posts: 726 Member
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    I am 5' 5" and started at 185-190. I was easily 35% bf or possibly more! What you need to remember is that this is your starting point, not your ending point. Log it on a spreadsheet or chart and look at it again in 6 months. Watch the trend as it goes down.
  • blackcloud13
    blackcloud13 Posts: 654 Member
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    Important thing is you've taken the key first step. You know you are not where you want to be; now to fix it! Weight quietly creeping on is pretty common. I was a very thin child, and stayed that way for a while. I always thought of myself as thin. Yet, I slowly went from 62kg as a teenager, to about 80 in my 30s (which was still good) .. and then drifted up to 103kg and well over 30% body fat. All without really noticing it!

    So it happens. And you can fix it too :-)
  • Oishii
    Oishii Posts: 2,675 Member
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    Looking at your photos, I think you have the mixed blessing of a naturally slim face, so you can keep looking in the mirror and seeing the self you're used to.

    I have the opposite, and my double chins let me know really quickly if I need to lose!

    From a health pov, where you carry weight matters too. Google waist to hip ratio.
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
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    I've always been slim but noticed my weight creeping up from 9 stone 127lbs. I didn't weigh myself as I still felt slim but going to a gym yesterday I was told I weigh 13 stone (around 180lbs) at 5" 6 and have 35% body fat.
    I'm in shock!
    I've been told these scales can be inaccurate. I need some brutal honesty here.

    Let's assume you were at a trim 20% body fat at 9 stone. You added 4 stone of fat - that's like a bag of horse feed you're carrying.

    If your lean body mass (none-fat) stayed the same at 7.2 stone you would now be 44.6% body fat.

    Sorry. 35% is credible and likely to be an underestimate.

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