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

MrsSWW

I am female, 5'2" and weigh 147lb, my wrist measures 6.5" and I know before I lost 43lbs it was bigger because my watch is now loose.

No really, you're NOT big boned.

Loxley01

I see that this was started back in '12 but thought I'd add to it anyway.

There are plenty of healthcare professionals that simply reject "big boned". I'd like to believe that the rejection comes from not wanting to encourage people's delusions. "People" being the masses they see every day that ARE deluding themselves when they say "I'm a perfectly healthy weight, I'm just big boned". You, my dear, are NOT one of those people; you actually know what you're talking about! I can relate too!

I'm 6'0 and when I was at 160 lbs you could count my ribs and my hip bones stuck out to the point that there was a gap in the front of my jeans... not healthy and not pretty. And you know what? At that weight I was in a 12... still plus sized! I've since gained WAY too much and doctors love to show me their charts, you know those height/weight BMI charts? My ideal weight is 177 exactly according to the last MD that put one in my face... not going to happen. After talking to a physician that actually looked at me (and my wrists) she said 185 is really more realistic and healthy. Not to mention the more muscle I add, the more it will go up from there (she didn't want to discourage my strength training).

So labled or not, aiming for the healthiest weight for your frame is what's important. Don't get discouraged!

beckers_99

I have to say, looking at the x-ray, it looks as though the one to the left is male and the right is female. My logic is that the hips are smaller on the left side and there are no fat pockets up top (aka boobs) on the left either. I know that I've lost weight before and am working on it now but never lost mine completely.

itsmyvwbeetle

Dont make generalities, almost every one you make can and should be proven false. People's bone densities do differ, people's frame size do differ. I am 5'8", I have an 8" wrist. Yes it may have some fat in there but I also have bigger hands than almost any man I know (I wear an XL men's glove). I wear a size 11 or 12 in shoe (depending on brand). However, I can wear a size 10 if I want too. I dont gauge my success based on clothes size but rather how I look in the mirror. FWIW, I weigh 205 and wear a size 12-14. I will drop to a size 10 at 175 or around there.

There are exceptions to almost every rule. You need to determine if you are the exception or if you are the rule....

Briko3

If people have EXACTLY THE SAME skeletons then how is it possible to identify male from female when fossils are discovered from ancient cultures?

Why are some women to 'narrow' for childbirth if the skeletons are EXACTLY the same? is the fat making their hips closer together?

If all skeletons are the same please explain Osteoporosis and the other skeletal disorders. By this thinking then it would be impossible to have any differences in structure at all.

Here's one from the American Journal of clinical nutrition : http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/75/6/1012.long which discusses frame sizes.

It is utterly ridiculous to say that everyone has the same size of skeleton.

I think the point is that people run around with a gut, saddlebags, etc. and use "big boned" as an excuse. Your skeleton doesn't make you have a gut.

margojr4

<--- has a six inch wrist

weighs 150lbs
21% body fat
5'8" tall

foofoo2010

It is not a myth. I have met people that have a decisively smaller tibia than mine on numerous occasions.

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/imagepages/17182.htm

People vary in ratios of bone lengths, circumferences, etc. My scale estimates bone mass, and that can vary since it can change in density, mostly affected by strength training and age.

http://www.livestrong.com/article/225710-how-to-measure-muscle-bone-mass/


We'll see if I have the code right for links.

In my experience, what this gentleman has said has shown to be true. "Big boned" or "large framed" is relative. One must understand how bones work. Without going into a long description, the more weight your body carries or the more resistance it works against, the denser the bones will become in order to support this. Using that logic, your bones will be thicker the heavier you are. Also using that logic, your bones will be thicker and more dense if you do a lot of resistance training, because the bones have to strengthen themselves to withstand the push/pull of the muscles . Bone's affect on your weight mostly has to do with density. Different factors can, of course, play into the weight of your bones (genetics, weight-bearing exercise, muscle mass, etc.) (http://jcem.endojournals.org/content/80/4/1118.short).

There are then the different shapes that bones can create - this is what gives you pear, hourglass, and boy-ish frames. But even so, examining pelvis sizes and the circumference of rib cages among humans doesn't result in a statistically significant difference in terms of bones - adipose tissue is a different story, though. (Relations between frame size and body composition and bone mineral status Am J Clin Nutr 2002 75: 1012-1016 - http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/75/6/1012.abstract).

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.

kaa02c

I wished people would stop saying this. There is no such thing as "Big Boned"! Everyone's skeletal bones are pretty much the same size! Some may be longer (because of height), but as far circumference and width they are no bigger. People should educate themselves!

purplecharm

I am female, 5'2" and weigh 147lb, my wrist measures 6.5" and I know before I lost 43lbs it was bigger because my watch is now loose.

No really, you're NOT big boned.

My daughter is 10 years old, is 5'10 and weighs 125 lbs. Her wrist measures 6.5 inches. No fat on her wrist.

marienaegele

well there are differences in skelletons. take me and my sister for example were the same height and weight and have the same bodyfat percentage (i have about 0.1% less) and you can see all of my shoulder, hip and rip bones sticking out a little while my sisters are just not. and she is older than i am. she has a really small frame.

findingfab

In this picture (20+ years ago), I weighed in at 126# at 5'8. I wore a size 11/12 on average and had maybe one or two pairs of size 10 shorts. Oddly enough, others on my team who were the same height actually weighed more than I did and wore a smaller size and some weighing less than me wore a larger size.



I think it's important to remember that each person is different and even people who are the same height and weigh exactly the same will sometimes not wear the same size clothing. Whether you believe in the "big bone" theory or not, not every skeleton is created equal.

I wish you well on your way to healthy. Good luck!

seraph0820

I don't know scientifically all there is to know, but I know my wrist is 7.5" around and I am at my ideal weight for me, I am 5'3 and weight 140. I look the exact same as my sister who weighs 110 but her wrist is 6" . I know what I see. Bones matter...not using it as an excuse just saying everyone is different!

stina412

I wished people would stop saying this. There is no such thing as "Big Boned"! Everyone's skeletal bones are pretty much the same size! Some may be longer (because of height), but as far circumference and width they are no bigger. People should educate themselves!

I'm a surgical tech and work 75% of my cases in orthopedic surgery and I'm sorry to tell you, but this is false! If this were the case we would not have to work with 12 different trays of instruments and trials to be prepared for the right size implant we need and you would be very amazed at the different sizes and they vary greatly. For example our femoral head trays have 50 different trial sizes.

Scrimples

There is a big difference to claiming you're overweight BECAUSE you are big boned (which I don't see anyone here doing) and claiming you're overweight AND big boned. People can have wider and larger frames. Frame size will affect what size clothing you can wear. The amount of extra weight it adds to your body, is small and so not the reason for people being classified as overweight/obese. But the OP was asking about clothing sizes.

Exactly this!

You can be big boned/framed when you're fat and small boned/framed and fat. You can be big boned/framed and thin and small boned/framed and thin. All it changes is the size needed for clothing and, of course, you need to account for that in you goal weight. It isn't healthy or wise for someone with a large frame to aim for the same number on the scale as someone with small bones. If they did and reached it they would be accused of being anorexic, sick, and/or underweight. The fact is that a larger frame means more tissues, muscle, skin, etc to cover it and make it work. That adds weight even without extra fatty tissue. Thin or fat you can be large, medium, or small boned/framed. Just because you say you are big boned/framed doesn't mean you are making an excuse for being overweight. It however is something that needs to be taken into account in setting appropriate goals.

Simone_King

I'm five foot one (add a inch for shoes). I started out at a size 18W nearly a 20W. Now, I am a size 18 nearly 16 misses.

It can be done, no matter what your bones are.

jenilla1

You can be big boned (large frame) and NOT be fat. You can be small boned (small frame) and be fat. I think being big boned is not a good excuse to carry excess weight around. Don't worry about your bone size. Just get healthy. :flowerforyou:

Natihilator

I'm 5'8 too, with pretty bony wrists (circumference 6.5'), which according to online calculators means my frame size is just between medium and large. My lowest adult weight was around 172lbs, and I was wearing size 12. I also starved myself to get there, and most likely had a high percentage of body fat for that weight, due to sacrificing muscle mass. Right now I'm around 210 wearing size 14s', so I'm pretty confident that once I reach that weight again this time around, I will be out of the size 12's. Don't forget to take body fat % into account, too.

My ultimate size goal is to fit into size 8 jeans, but I won't torture myself getting there. I'll let the mirror and my body tell me when I'm ready to maintain my physique.

Faulkners407

Your bones can/may be big. I have people telling me that i'm big boned. My response is-I dont have a bone in my belly-where I carry most of my weight. And my thigh bones are seriously hiding within the fat/muscle of my legs. . .




I think you are worried too much about the destination. Maybe you would be super happy/comfortable at a size 12. Just make healthy choices. Work out, eat good, and the rest will happen in time. Too many people put a huge emphasis on an end goal of XXX pounds or size 2.-

You are doing the right thing by being here, making good choices.

Leave the end 'size' a bit flexible.

Superchas

I now have a sternum to support 373 bs and a lump that looks pretty pronounced now down to 212lbs that can not remember was there when i was last this weight in 1980.
So I have been left with one big bone as a reminder to touch when feeling like eating
No physical problems with exercise/breathing etc

JustMyImagiNAYtion

i do not want this to sound rude. i used to think i was big boned. since then ive lost weight and seen a few fitness models post this on facebook.