No really... I AM big boned..?

purplecharm

Example of 2 people with different size frames. The one on the right has a small frame and the one of the left has a large frame. They are both thin. If each one of them gained 100 lbs, their frames would still remain the same.

elisa123gal

I don't think you can be big boned. it is typically an excuse for being overweight. Just look at the success threads. So many "big boned" before pictures.. and skinny tiny boned "after pictures." It is truly amazing.

Also.. on a weight loss show when a contestant claimed they were big boned..the super fit doctor had each of them x-rayed and guess what? their bones where the same size.

Rawr1978

I'm no doctor, but i would be shocked if i ever came across a skeleton that was a size 12.

Rawr1978

I've heard girls who were a size 16 claim that their (very wide, very padded) hips were "naturally this big. My hips are all bone!"

My hips are a size 12, im medium-boned, and i carry fat on my hips.

sissiluv

I'm no doctor, but i would be shocked if i ever came across a skeleton that was a size 12.

Loxley01 on the previous page is probably a liar then.

honeysprinkles

I think almost anyone can get to a size 10 (if we're talking US sizes), if they want to I mean. If you're happier before that then there's no point to continue just to see a certain number on a tag. However, if you want to be a size 10, you probably can so don't let it be an excuse to keep you from trying.

Measuring your wrist is inaccurate, your wrists have fat on them too that will go away when you lose weight so you're not really measuring the actual bone size. I bought a watch at my heavy weight that didn't fit my wrist, now it's loose...so if I would have measured my wrist for frame size then I'd get a different result then I would now, but obviously my bones are still the same!

sissiluv

Also
http://www.officialweightlossguide.com/body-frame-calculation.php

For those of you who are curious who haven't heard about it, the wrists are not the only place to use in measuring your bone frame size. You can also use the width of the bones in your elbow, which is probably more accurate anyways unless you can't actively feel said bones when your arm is raised and bent.

The wrist method should probably only be used unless you can actively feel the width of your wrist bones through the skin without pushing.

princessrisariri

'Big Boned' is always what my mum called me to make me feel better about my weight, she even took it as far as I need to eat more because I am big boned.
I now see it for the excuse it was.. maybe there is such a thing but using it as an excuse for not being able to lose weight seems like giving up

jessgumkowski88

I used to be one of the people who claimed I was big boned because I felt I had a large rib cage and broader shoulders for a girl. and I hated it! I did the wrist measurement thing and it show that i was "big boned" too!

However after losing weight and getting healthier, my frame is miraculously shrinking :O haha not really I just didn't realize just how much fat was above my ribs and what not. I felt like when I poked them there was fat, but i could feel the bone so I didnt there there could be THAT much fat. Nope, there was. End of story xD

I'm never using that excuse again I won't do wrist measurements, or claim that I'm big boned, or really even state any crap about my frame and bone size, because as long as I feel comfortable and strong, that's all that really matters!

mhcoss

you may be big boned but your also overweight. loose the weight and you will look/feel better.

myfitnessval

there IS a such thing as different types of frames. i am on the larger spectrum. its the same reason why someone with a small frame & my exact height/weight/age looks pudgier than i do because i'm able to "carry" it better with my humongous ribcage (it hides a lot of bellyfat) lol

Natihilator

I also heard somewhere (I have no evidence to support this) that about 10lbs lost is down 1 size in jeans? It is possible. It's just about setting measurable goals and not obsessing about clothing sizes. Buy what fits you, what you feel comfortable in and what looks good.

That really depends on height, body shape and composition. It took me about 30lbs to go down a pant size.

And also for people that are saying not to obsess over clothing sizes; for some of us, it's not so much an obsession as it is about actually having some options when shopping in stores. When you're a size 16, and another customer has bought the one or two size 16's in the pants/dress you want, you are **** outta luck unless you want to venture into the Plus size store, full of ugly patterns and bad cuts. The biggest and/or smallest sizes are the first to go off the rack, so it would be nice to land somewhere in the middle

shorty35565

I'm a physical anthropologist, and there IS such thing as big boned. No bones are the same size. Your ancestry plays a large part it it. It doesn't make a huge difference, but it's not irrelevant either. Now to say its an excuse for 50+ pounds is just crazy. But it can make things like wrists and ankles appear larger. It doesn't effect weight except by the smallest fraction. But a lot of things can change how you appear. Like a girl I went to school with was 5'7, 115 pounds and wore a size 6-8 depending on the brand because her hips were wide. She wasn't big boned, but her hip bones were spread apart farther.

Agreed. Mayb it's about how wide your skeleton is as opposed to actual bone size? I mean, there has to b a reason for frame sizes. Just making guesses here.

KimLovesDon

My wrist measures 7.5 inches. That would make me large framed, however, that being said, I have worn a size 8 in the past and intend to do so again! Also I am 5'8" and currently weigh 223. But not for long!

Mcgrawhaha

Please ignore the numpties here who are saying that variation in frame size is a myth. As SarahMichelle says, bone size itself is variable, and more to the point, the way those bones are put together and the relative proportions are highly variable, and can make a big difference to how your body looks.

Whether or not you will ever be able to wear a size 10 will depend in large part on your frame. I'm a similar height to you, with a larger-than-average frame (probably due to my Scandinavian/Scottish Highlander ancestry), and think it is unlikely, simply because of the depth of my ribcage and width of my pelvic bones, that I will ever be smaller than a small UK size 14, no matter how much weight I lose. That doesn't mean that you won't ever be able to achieve a smaller size, or that you shouldn't aim for whatever size you wish, but try not to get too hung up on it. Your body will look 'right' at one point or other, and how many pounds, or what clothing size that is, will essentially be irrelevant, unless you allow it to be the be-all and end-all.

By the way, as a further point of reference, at 203lbs, UK 16-18, I have a clean jaw-line, visible, defined collar bones, defined tendons in my hands and feet, and no excess flesh on my wrists, ankles and lower arms/legs. My goal-weight is 176lbs, and I'll then re-assess, but I think it's unlikely I'll want to lose much more from my sturdy frame. Strong and toned is my aim.

agreed. im 5 foot10, and built alot larger than alot of my friends. my shoulders are very wide, my hands and feet are huge(size 12 shoe), and my hips are broad. right now, i am currently 190 pounds, and wearing a size 12. the lowest weight i want to be is 160, because at 150, i look like i am sick / in poor health, my face appears sunken in, my bones stick out, and my head apprears too big for my body (when im at 150 pounds). my sister, who is only 1 inch shorter than me, is built very dainty and petite, and looks very cute at 130 pounds, however, her "build" is much different than myself. being "big boned" or "large frame" is in no way an excuse to be fat, but it does explain why many women cannot achieve the lower weights / sizes as manny other women.

Aviva92

I've heard girls who were a size 16 claim that their (very wide, very padded) hips were "naturally this big. My hips are all bone!"

My hips are a size 12, im medium-boned, and i carry fat on my hips.

It is possible to wear a larger size due to having wider hips. Not all hips are exactly the same size bones. I do wear a larger size due to this. Even at my lightest weight of 103 and 5'4" where I was underweight and my hip bones stuck out and my stomach was inverted, I could still wear a size 6. So, you are incorrect.

I believe that big bones can make you wear a larger pants size. I do not really believe that it is an excuse for being fat though. There is a difference.

chellebublz

I have a large frame. I was in good shape before I had kids and weighed 142 or something, if I had been much smaller I would have been too thin. That is at the top of the healthy weight range for my height 5'3. So that's what my goal is. If I get under that great, if not that's okay too. At that time I was a size 8/10 depending on the brand, so it is doable with a large frame.

mgobluetx12

I guess I'm long boned since I'm a female and over 6 feet tall. I have NEVER used the excuse big boned. I was overweight because I ate too much. Now I've lost 57lbs since July and am on my way to being my lowest weight in 20 years. Has nothing to do with bones.

altinker

There definitely is a variation in bone sizes. I am small framed, but I probably look medium-framed because I have wider hips. I have a picture of me standing next to a friend when I was 5'2" and 106 lbs. She is Vietnamese and was 5'2" and 93 lbs. There is a definite difference in our frames. My shoulders are wider than hers. She is really small framed. When I stood next to my sister-in-law, who was 5'2" and looked awesome at 120 lbs, she had a larger frame -- not fat, but her bone structure was larger.

So, people who say there is no variation are just plain wrong. Now, that doesn't mean that being 150 lbs overweight and chalking it up to being big-boned is a good approach. The reality is that all 3 of us were the same height and looked great, but we all looked best at different weights. I can't imagine my Vietnamese girlfriend looking fit and lean at 120 lbs because she was so narrow and tiny. And, my sister-in-law would have looked skeletal had she ever tried to get down to 93 lbs.

Don't be discouraged. Just do your best on your health plan. You can lose weight and become fit. Just tell yourself that you will re-evaluate every 10 or 20 lbs until you get to a healthy weight and fitness level.

funnyface22

I am big boned also. The wrist measurement is a good way to tell. I am 42 yrs old and I am also 5' 8".I am app 120 lbs overweight at the present time,but as a teenager I wore size 10 ,so I know it is possible. I joined this site abt 3 weeks ago and have lost 16 lbs so far. I try to stay under the calorie range each day and have set a goal to workout at gym at least 5 times a week. . If you want to add me as a friend on here- feel free. We can encourage each other. :bigsmile:

losingweightatl

I only researched this to see what my ideal body weight should be. For my height they say 130lbs would be idea (in the middle of normal range)l on most BMI calculators but I have a feeling I would look sickly. My knee bones are huge and I am knock-kneed which runs in my family. Even now at my hefty weight, I can see my wrist bone sticking out and I can't fit most standard women's watches with very little fat on my wrists. I measured my elbow against a chart I found and mine measured close to four inches and the medium size frame was around 2 1/4 inches for my height. Even giving an inch for fat I would still be above the medium size. I would prefer to weigh around 145 or more because I think any less and my bones would be protruding. I will have to re-access once I reach that point of course.

A lot of women and men use big boned as an excuse not to lose weight.

I think of this as perhaps a way for women not to be so obsessed on reaching a certain pants size or a weight but to find something that is right for their body type.

CoderGal

<- is apparently big boned.

thr33martins

I am big boned, by definition, and I am not far from my goal weight. I am 5'5" tall, and when I have been at my goal weight of 148 lbs, I wear a size 6 (some 4s, some 8s...) Right now, 20 pounds over that weight, I am in a size 10.

I weigh more than I look like I weigh. I always thought that was the outcome of being big boned. I am also broad through the ribs and shoulders, and though this remains true when I lose the weight, it is not dramatic enough to force me into bigger sizes.

So for those who are big boned, I believe that YES, you still can reach your goal size, but the number on the scale might be different than what you expect.

jwcanfield

All skeletons not the same size. Compare a broad-shouldered person with one that's more lanky and you'll get the drift. That said, fat on top of a frail form OR a strong broad form is still fat. Muscle and good physical conditioning can make a difference in how one looks and feels - and in how clothes fit. Size - correct fit is far more important than the number. Remember, height enters into the equation of clothes size as well.

Becca_007

interesting read.. not sure if I truly believe there's only one size frame though.

Becca_007

I don't think you can be big boned. it is typically an excuse for being overweight. Just look at the success threads. So many "big boned" before pictures.. and skinny tiny boned "after pictures." It is truly amazing.

Also.. on a weight loss show when a contestant claimed they were big boned..the super fit doctor had each of them x-rayed and guess what? their bones where the same size.

and then there's those ppl that lose weight and have a large frame. Why? Because they are large framed, at any weight. I don't know about ppl using it as an excuse, for some it's true, they drop the weight and they still have broad shoulders etc.

neanderthin

I hear some people have some neanderthal DNA, so it must be true. Those crazy Europeans.

diodelcibo

And so am I...

neandermagnon

I hear some people have some neanderthal DNA, so it must be true. Those crazy Europeans.

that would explain my rib cage and my height/frame size generally lol

The skinfold on my ribs is just 8mm and a 38 bra strap is too tight. However they don't make bras in 40AA :sad: which is what I'd be if I went up to a 40 strap size. And my shoulder circumference is only about 3" less than my husband's who is 5'11" (I'm 5'1") and I have muscle definition in my arms and shoulders when I flex them. It's not fat, it's bones and muscle. According to calipers my body fat percentage is 22. (accumeasure: 22-23%, jackson pollack 4 site: 19-22%, visual: more than 20% less than 25%). That's well within the healthy range, I am not obese or even a little bit overfat.

My lean body mass is in the healthy weight range for my height and I'm a novice at lifting (working on not being a novice though!) my BMI is borderline, i.e. if I put on 3lb I'll be "overweight" according to BMI, yet even if I put on 3lb of pure fat my body fat percentage would still be in the healthy range. (I intend to put on about 5lb of muscle and reduce my body fat percentage a little though). My lean body mass has a BMI of 19.1. All of me has a BMI of 24.6. There are women my height whose entire weight is less than my lean body mass.


but no, a large frame does not exist according to some people.....


Seriously, frame size differences DO exist, and while they don't explain someone being very fat (body fat percentage can tell you that without having to worry about what your frame size is), it DOES have a big effect on what your goal weight should be, and what BMI you are healthy at. Large framed people are healthier at higher BMIs, small framed people are healthier at lower BMIs. For example, my lean body mass is 101lb currently (best estimate), the healthy weight range for my height is 100-132. Is there any possibly way I could weigh 105lb total weight, without starving off about 20lb of lean body mass and damaging my health in the process? No. will doing that shrink my rib cage? No, but it'll probably reduce my bone density and put me at risk of osteoporosis. Seriously, what BMI would I be healthy at? 24 or 19?

Body fat percentage is a lot more reliable than BMI so go by that and forget trying to measure your frame size (wrist, elbow etc measurements correlate with the width of the actual bones, they generally correlate with larger ribs, shoulders, pelvis, etc but not in every individual, because correlation is a general trend, not an absolute value) because your bones are inside you, and fat sits on the outside, so it's easier to measure fat than bones. Body fat percentage is just an estimate, so use more than one method to estimate it. Leigh Peele's website is an excellent source of information on how to estimate body fat percentage.

incognit017

Wow, I had no idea this post would get so many replies! I feel like I set off a maelstrom and walked away... Sorry i haven't been keeping up with this thread!!

So, since my last post I wanted to share that I've lost 20 pounds. I'm now anywhere from 198-200 depending on the time of day, but anyways...still 5'8", 7" wrist circumference, 200lbs, and a size 16 - my clothes are definitely a lot looser, but the 14 is still tight. From my last experience I know that i have to lose another 15-20 pounds to get down to a size 14 comfortably.

Exactly how much weight do I need to lose to hit that size 10? At this rate, another 40-60lbs? Who knows, but I look healthy and I'm comfortable.

The 20lbs i lost went from all over, and I have very little belly right now - if you look at my side profile you'd see a broad, but flattering figure. Essentially I'm now comfortable wearing a tight dress without the spanx. My size 14 jeans will get over my hips, but are impossible to zipper up - my waist, at its smallest point, is 34". The next 15lbs will have to come from my hips/thighs to make these jeans work! Yes, I can still see my pelvic bone, but it doesn't change the fact that my rear is still pretty healthy.

Anyways, as things currently stand my BMI still says obese, and I still need to get a test done to figure out my body fat percentage, but once that's done, assuming its in a healthy range I'll be a happy camper.

It's clear bone structure, frame size, etc. DOES play a role, and in the end I have to be healthy for myself and not to fit some arbitrary schedule.