Anybody ever been referred to as "big-boned"??? Then lost we

lifeskittles

Hmmm I don't know about the wrist thing.. I have lost quite a bit of weight and I have very broad shoulders...yet I can overlap my thumb over my other finger. I also have very long fingers and tiny wrists....who knows...

All4Tris

I've always been referred to as big-boned.... and it's true. After losing 35+ lbs... I still have a rather large frame... slim but, large.

MrDude_1

while the wrist thing is kinda-sorta right for the average person.. if you're significantly overweight you'll always seem big doing it because of the fat on your arm... also if you do alot of forearm exercises or any job that works your grip strength, it will also seem "big boned".. simply from the additional "build" there.

so dont put alot of stock into it.

Jorra

Great question. Although most people are saying "Big Boned" to be poliet, there is a body type in which one would be big boned.

http://www.muscleandstrength.com/articles/body-types-ectomorph-mesomorph-endomorph.html

All human bodies fit into one of three categories: Ectomorphic, Mesomorphic or Endomorphic.

You're likely endomorphic and regardless of your weight you would likely have a larger frame than say someone of the same weight who is ectomorphic.

If that article had any credible sources besides "I read this in a magazine" I'd be a bit more inclined to consider it. Otherwise, it sounds like a complete crock. There is no physiological explanation provided for these "types."

wijac10

mmm i can touch my pinkie and thumb around my wrist.. now what am i? (actually, they overlap)

ma34113

what if you have rlly big hands (long fingers) lol does it matter or make a difference?

Thomasm198

Great question. Although most people are saying "Big Boned" to be poliet, there is a body type in which one would be big boned.

http://www.muscleandstrength.com/articles/body-types-ectomorph-mesomorph-endomorph.html

All human bodies fit into one of three categories: Ectomorphic, Mesomorphic or Endomorphic.

You're likely endomorphic and regardless of your weight you would likely have a larger frame than say someone of the same weight who is ectomorphic.

I skimmed that article. It doesn't cite any references, it was written by the owner of that website who has "5 years experience in training, nutrition and supplements". It doesn't say anything about him having any qualifications.

It's not exactly a very credible source of information.

ishallnotwant

For reference, i'm a 5 foot 6 female. I was always told I was big boned after I had children, even though I had never been very big before having them. After having baby #5 and hitting about 190 pounds, my highest weight, I decided to start getting the baby weight off...again. (each time I got it off before I got pregnant again before I even hit my goal. lol.) I remember my family telling me "Don't lose too much, you'll look unhealthy". I set my first goal at around 155, it was the weight I would be at a healthy BMI. When I got there I realized I could lose more and still look healthy. I got down to between 140 and 145, and felt great-and everyone told me I looked great-except for my family-they said I was "too small" and that my collarbones were "sticking out". I don't know about the frame size thing, I agree with the poster who said that if you're significantly overweight your wrists are obviously going to be bigger than they would be at a healthy weight. even at my highest weight my fingers overlapped my wrists when measuring that way and at my goal weight I had to order a specially sized ring for my engagement because the store didn't carry my ring size: 3.5. I do think it's possible to have small hands/wrists, and not necessarily be a teeny person, and vice versa.

meerkat70

I am big boned. I have big hands and big feet. (I'm 5 foot 8, with UK size 9, US 11 feet, and my hands are huge). I don't mind about the hands - gives me a good reach for the guitar, and they're a nice elegant shape. Could do without the feet.

When I'm slim, my build is athletic, but with big boobs, - a kind of healthy looking hourglass. This, I believe, is the best of all possible worlds! :-)

Jorra

A quick Google search leads me to this: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/553976/somatotype?anchor=ref73402

The somatotypes were invented by a psychologist who is generally considered to be a "pop-psychologist." The three types were named after the three types of germ layers in a developing fetus. He created these body types to explain psychological, not physiological characteristics.

warpedpunk02

Yes, my whole life. And I think I have finally figured out that is people's way of saying you aren't petite or have a little frame. Even at my lowest weight I was never "petite" due to my body structure.

alyson820

I've been called that, and I think I am. When I circle my fingers around my wrist, they don't touch, and most bracelets are too small for me. I'm 5'11 and broad, but I don't think 'big boned' is an excuse for my weight. I have a large frame, but I also have a large amount of fat on it!

starscapenatasha

I have been told I am big boned...even when I was in shape. They say that if you take your thumb and put it around your wrist then try to touch your thumb to your middle finger it you can touch you are small boned if there is a little gap medium boned and if there is a big gap..big boned...try it. I have about a 1/2 inch to 1 inch gap..but my sister can touch we are the same height and body type but she weighs around 130 to 140 at 5'10 and looks perfect. If I dropped under 150 I would look sick..so my weight should be 150 to 160 hope this helps.

Thanks for the tip! My middle finger and thumb actually overlap. . . that also explains a few things. I'm 5'7" and my goal is 120-125 (the bottom end of a healthy BMI, underweight is 118), and I don't post much about it because whenever others have similar goals they're usually told by people on MFP to reassess their goals. I've been that weight before though, and it honestly looks good on me. Another fun fact, even though I'm 5'7", when I was 20 pounds overweight the highest my ribcage measurement ever was for my bra size was 34. Now I'm a 32; the only thing that sucks about that is that often I have to go to specialty shops to find my bra size. (32D-32DD).

meerkat70

I have been told I am big boned...even when I was in shape. They say that if you take your thumb and put it around your wrist then try to touch your thumb to your middle finger it you can touch you are small boned if there is a little gap medium boned and if there is a big gap..big boned...try it. I have about a 1/2 inch to 1 inch gap..but my sister can touch we are the same height and body type but she weighs around 130 to 140 at 5'10 and looks perfect. If I dropped under 150 I would look sick..so my weight should be 150 to 160 hope this helps.

Thanks for the tip! My middle finger and thumb actually overlap. . . that also explains a few things. I'm 5'7" and my goal is 120-125 (the bottom end of a healthy BMI, underweight is 118), and I don't post much about it because whenever others have similar goals they're usually told by people on MFP to reassess their goals. I've been that weight before though, and it honestly looks good on me. Another fun fact, even though I'm 5'7", when I was 20 pounds overweight the highest my ribcage measurement ever was for my bra size was 34. Now I'm a 32; the only thing that sucks about that is that often I have to go to specialty shops to find my bra size. (32D-32DD).

I don;t think that makes sense (sorry!). If you are 'big boned' you're going to have big hands - so your thumb and middle finger are still going to be big.

SMHZ

I found this on another board....

Place the thumb and middle finger of your right hand around your left wrist. If the finger and thumb just touch you are medium boned, if the finger and thumb over lap you are small boned and if they don't touch but are a half inch or more apart you have big bones. You can look very thin and still be big boned. Lots of super models are big boned, it gives them the longer legs and broader shoulders they need. Examples: Kate Winslet and Sandra Bullock are big boned. Niclole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon are small boned. All thin all beautiful.

But if your wrist is fat, it still would be deceiving.

starscapenatasha

I have been told I am big boned...even when I was in shape. They say that if you take your thumb and put it around your wrist then try to touch your thumb to your middle finger it you can touch you are small boned if there is a little gap medium boned and if there is a big gap..big boned...try it. I have about a 1/2 inch to 1 inch gap..but my sister can touch we are the same height and body type but she weighs around 130 to 140 at 5'10 and looks perfect. If I dropped under 150 I would look sick..so my weight should be 150 to 160 hope this helps.

Thanks for the tip! My middle finger and thumb actually overlap. . . that also explains a few things. I'm 5'7" and my goal is 120-125 (the bottom end of a healthy BMI, underweight is 118), and I don't post much about it because whenever others have similar goals they're usually told by people on MFP to reassess their goals. I've been that weight before though, and it honestly looks good on me. Another fun fact, even though I'm 5'7", when I was 20 pounds overweight the highest my ribcage measurement ever was for my bra size was 34. Now I'm a 32; the only thing that sucks about that is that often I have to go to specialty shops to find my bra size. (32D-32DD).

I don;t think that makes sense (sorry!). If you are 'big boned' you're going to have big hands - so your thumb and middle finger are still going to be big.

Well then, either way, I suppose it's a good thing that my doctor agrees with me.

Quilled

The fingers around the wrist are not a very good measurement of your bone structure size. A better way is the circumference of your wrist and the width of your elbow, though visiting your doctor is likely your best bet. Things like broad shoulders or broad hips does not make you big boned, thats got to do with body shape, apple shapes have wider shoulders, pears have wider hips. So just because you have wide shoulders does not mean you have a large bone structure. It just means your body shape is an apple. You can definitely tell the difference between bone structures when you see them next to each other. My oldest sister is TINY bone structure wise. No matter how much weight she gains her wrists/fingers/ankles are always small in comparison to mine even at my best weight. She is a significant amount overweight right now, her ring finger has a 5 size ring with a spacer on it to make it fit, I can barely fit the 5 on pinky my finger without the spacer and I am only a few pounds away from ideal for my height. Her wrists and arms are smaller than mine as well, even though she is taller than me. She is a pear shape with a small frame. I am an hourglass with a medium bordering on large frame. She is about 3-4 inches taller than me.

You probably are not large boned. Even if you are its not going to be something overly noticeable to anyone else or make you look any bigger weight wise. When you are in shape and trim you will look it no matter how big or little your bones are. In my experience, people with small bone structures have it harder. I have known a few (including my sister). As soon as they put on a handful of pounds you can see it, where as a person with a bigger bone structure can fluctuate a bit more before its obvious.

ShrinkingNinja

I always got referred to as big boned when I was heavier, and honestly I believed it.... But now... 81lbs lighter I know that is not the case. I can wrap my thumb and ring-finger around my wrist and they touch/overlap a bit. That is not a sign of being big boned. I also, have done the circumference of the wrist and elbow. That also points to my not being "big-boned" or at least not as big boned as I would have thought.