Can anyone else here relate to this?

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Starrynights1107
Starrynights1107 Posts: 70 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I am considered at the very least obese. I feel as if my body is abnormally capable of things that maybe people (myself included) would/have assume(d) it wouldn't be. I am still young but sometimes when I workout I surprise myself. Some things come abnormally easily to me. Has this happened to anyone else?

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  • jbakerak
    jbakerak Posts: 76
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    You probably have a more athletic type body where it just comes easier for you. If it's too easy, you can increase the intensity of the workout and get more of a challenge.
  • Lozze
    Lozze Posts: 1,917 Member
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    Nope, weight doesn't equal fitness. Even at my heaviest I was doing things that people 40kg lighter could do. I still wasn't at MY best level of fitness though. I can run properly now. I can lift really heavy things. It's great!
  • Elizabeth_C34
    Elizabeth_C34 Posts: 6,376 Member
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    Oh my gosh yes! When I started lifting, I realized that I was WAY stronger than I thought I was. I was doing lifts that some smaller women I know took months to get to. I can pickup my 220 lb husband now and carry him around the house. That was a great GREAT feeling.
  • Starrynights1107
    Starrynights1107 Posts: 70 Member
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    @jbakerak hmm maybe that is it. I am fairly proportionate and have always thought of myself as sort of "solid" and/or "stocky". Maybe I'm muscular under my layers :). I'm 5'0 and weigh 233 lbs yet my belly has a bit of definition I've always found odd for someone considered obese. And I HAVE found that I've needed to increase the intensity of my workouts in order to actually wear myself out. Thanks for the suggestion :)

    @Lozze and Elizabeth_C34 Those things are awesome! I also find that I am far more flexible than "expected". I thought that I was the only one. I'm glad I voiced this. I figured this forum was a safe place to do so. Sometimes when you're obese and mention things like this sadly, people think you're deluded or trying to "make yourself feel better" or make excuses for your weight. Thanks for the responses! :)
  • LPS1986
    LPS1986 Posts: 104
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    I am considered at the very least obese. I feel as if my body is abnormally capable of things that maybe people (myself included) would/have assume(d) it wouldn't be. I am still young but sometimes when I workout I surprise myself. Some things come abnormally easily to me. Has this happened to anyone else?

    I started out my journey at 190. I now weigh 149-151 on any given day. I'm still considered overweight. Do not go by your BMI to determine these things. I feel like most people think I am 5-10 pounds lighter. I've determined that I would like to lose 5 more inches around my mid-section and an inch or two more around my thighs. I would be happy. I haven't seen the scale move in 2 months but the inches are going.

    I know this is something that isn't quite on topic but I would encourage you to not refer to yourself as "at the very least obese". Fitness is different from being slender, slim or skinny and everyday that you surprise yourself is a day that you should be proud...
  • Elizabeth_C34
    Elizabeth_C34 Posts: 6,376 Member
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    @Lozze and Elizabeth_C34 Those things are awesome! I also find that I am far more flexible than "expected". I thought that I was the only one. I'm glad I voiced this. I figured this forum was a safe place to do so. Sometimes when you're obese and mention things like this sadly, people think you're deluded or trying to "make yourself feel better" or make excuses for your weight. Thanks for the responses! :)

    I felt like such a badass my first week of lifting. I still feel great when I do it.

    All power to you for pushing yourself. Keep it up, and you'll be doing incredible things before you know it.
  • fayglet
    fayglet Posts: 72 Member
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    Even at my heaviest, I was one of the strongest girls in my group of friends. I had (and still have) crazy biceps and when weight lfiting / hiking / opening tight jar lids etc, I could always go farther.

    Now that I've lost a lot of weight, I am realizing just how big my biceps are (they literally pop) and because I walk 2 hours to work, my legs have defined muscle for the first time too! I'm still very overweight so my stamina isn't perfect, but the core strength is there.

    I'm only a bit older than you, so yes, I can relate!!!
  • Elf_Princess1210
    Elf_Princess1210 Posts: 895 Member
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    Oh me too! When I was 186 at 5'2 I had crazy abdominal definition, bicep, and quad definition. According to the BMI chart I was obese, however I had a 20% body fat. I was able to run 3-4 miles and lift weights better than a lot of the guys in the ROTC class I was in. My pediatrician ( I was 17 at the time) told me that he thought a realistic weight for me based on my fat distribution would be 155-160 lbs.
  • Starrynights1107
    Starrynights1107 Posts: 70 Member
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    @LPS1986 Thanks so much for the encouragement . It's not really that "obese" is what I define myself as, I was mainly using it to help anyone reading my post understand better what I meant about being surprised, etc. but I totally understand where you're coming from and I appreciate it :)

    @Elizabeth_C34 You bet ;) thanks so much!

    @fayglet I've always been pretty strong and flexible, even at my heaviest. I have a feeling we might have similar stories when I start to lose a considerable amount of weight! :) Looking forward to it.
  • Starrynights1107
    Starrynights1107 Posts: 70 Member
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    @Elf_Princess1 That is awesome. I'm glad that you could relate! I've no idea what my body fat% is but I have a suspicion that it is not as high as bmi alone would have some believe. Thanks for sharing!
  • Elizabeth_C34
    Elizabeth_C34 Posts: 6,376 Member
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    @Elf_Princess1 That is awesome. I'm glad that you could relate! I've no idea what my body fat% is but I have a suspicion that it is not as high as bmi alone would have some believe. Thanks for sharing!

    It's worth getting a measurement done. DEXA scan is best if you can afford to do it. I do one every 6 months now, and it's been really cool seeing the progressive changes. Calipers will work also if you go into a gym and have them done. The body fat scales and online calculators are way off, so avoid those.
  • becoming_a_new_me
    becoming_a_new_me Posts: 1,860 Member
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    I am still "obese", but thankfully not "severely morbidly obese" like I used to be. I can outrun my friends...and I mean literally OUT RUN them. The standard of "obese" and "fit" is sadly separate but should be combined. I suffer from a chronic pain condition called fibromyalgia along with many other pain-related issues and I still stomp people years younger than me. Being fit is not co-related to your BMI.
  • Starrynights1107
    Starrynights1107 Posts: 70 Member
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    @Elizabeth_C34 That's really helpful info. I will definitely look into it.

    @iddreams It's definitely not @BMI. I see that now :). You ladies are great.
  • Raina27
    Raina27 Posts: 133
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    I definitely know what yall mean because even at my heaviest and all my life I never really had a big stomach and always had the "lines" for abs...even when I was very close to 400lbs!! I have always been stronger than most even in school... I remember going to the workout room in 6th grade and was able to lift 200lbs!! I have amazing stamina also!! :bigsmile:
  • Starrynights1107
    Starrynights1107 Posts: 70 Member
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    I definitely know what yall mean because even at my heaviest and all my life I never really had a big stomach and always had the "lines" for abs...even when I was very close to 400lbs!! I have always been stronger than most even in school... I remember going to the workout room in 6th grade and was able to lift 200lbs!! I have amazing stamina also!! :bigsmile:

    I know the "lines" you speak of! Same here.
  • taunto
    taunto Posts: 6,420 Member
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    Kinda mixed feelings here. I definitely surprise myself what I'm capable of but I kinda get discouraged when I see others (who've been doign this far longer and are far more fit) do like 10 times better than me.

    But I have learned to use it as motivation and aspire to become like them now :)
  • Lolli1986
    Lolli1986 Posts: 500 Member
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    I also think there is a much bigger advantage to fat than I ever realised. i've been well within athletic body fat % and i've been to the top end of 'acceptable'... i feel that i recover better and gain strength quicker with more fat.

    I did ask someone about this who knows and she gave an explanation, but unfortunately I don't remember it, haha. fail~

    All i know is that the feeling of quick progress is so definite that i've purposely decreased my fat loss rate and changed the goal to a higher % because it is such an obvious advantage compared to maintaining at a highly athletic body fat % for a long time.
  • Candoall
    Candoall Posts: 81 Member
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    I can relate. I am obese yet can out last friends who weigh 100+ lbs less. Abt 1 yr ago, a girlfriend & I. Went walking about the neighborhood. Godbless her heart, because she was trying to be supportive. Well during the walk, she became winded a few times and well, couldn't walk and talk. 5 miles out, she had to take a break. Then I said well let's head back home. She called for a ride!!! I told her we were walking back home and she looked like she saw a ghost! Well, her ride came and I walked home alone. Btw, she weighed abt 135 lbs!!!

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