Question about waistline
desmith1982
Posts: 28
What exactly does it mean that I'm 6 foot 3, weigh 305 lbs and still have a 53" waistline? I see people who are much heavier than I am and their waistlines are the same and in some cases smaller than mine. According to all the body fat charts I've seen, I'm technically in worse health than I was when I started my diet at 450 and had a 64" waistline. My target goal is 250 lbs and may move it to 200 lbs if I feel like I can but I'm honestly beginning to be fearful that I could possibly be 250 lbs and still have a 45 inch or higher waistline.
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Replies
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Are you saying your body fat percentage has gone up? If that's the case you may want to try more protein, and less cardio and more walking.
But be proud of your weight loss!0 -
Its only unhealthy fat levels and visceral fat levels that can be too high.
Body types are not involved in these general calculations
I wouldnt be scared of anything at all loosing weight and getting fit or fitter keep going,
there is no such thing as the correct arm or leg length or torso length so why worry!
Be as healthy as you can be and abandon all guides along the way as you change
your lifestyle and health and likely lifespan!0 -
Are you saying your body fat percentage has gone up? If that's the case you may want to try more protein, and less cardio and more walking.
But be proud of your weight loss!
The only exercise I can do is walking and that's a real struggle because of severe hip, back and knee pain. I walk 30 minutes twice a day on a perfectly flat treadmill and usually after 10 minutes I hurt so bad that I'm nearly in tears. Sometimes in the morning I hurt so bad that I nearly have to have my wife get me out of bed.
Yes, according to all the measurements I've found, my body fat has increased from 27% to around 33% despite losing over 145 pounds.0 -
Hi Des, I think it depends on how you are getting your body fat calculated. If you are using electric scales then they pass an electric current through you and calculate the % from the length of time the signal takes to flow through you. I think it travels through fat faster than muscle (or could be vice versa). Bottom line with these is that your fluid levels and other things can throw the results off so don't look at they results in isolation but all your measurement together.
Please note that I am no expert so what I would suggest is that if you are really concerned then a visit to your doctor is in order.
If you are losing weight and are doing so by eating a well balanced diet be very content that you are doing the right thing and think more about how you are feeling in general than what certain measurements are saying (the feel good factor that you are becoming healthier, and feeling healthier, should be one of your priority measurements). you have lost a shed load of weight and should be so, so proud of yourself and know that you are inspiring people like me to do the same.
It may be a case that you are eating into your muscle mass rather than your fat reserves so have a look at your diet and make sure you are eating enough protein. Also there are loads of exercises you can do sitting down so do some research into these (again your doctor may help).
Remain determined and good luck.0 -
Your true body fat can only be assessed by an MRI scan or high tech water tank technology!
Just do your best and stop doing calculations as they are not motivating you.
Measurements are guides for doctors or motivational guides for people on their journey!0 -
Truth is, I hurt far worse today than I ever did at my heaviest. My doctor has told me he's at a total loss to explain this. My knee problems only started after losing my first 50 pounds. Before that, even at well over 400 pounds, I never had any knee problems whatsoever. My doctor has told me he's never once seen someone lose that much weight and be in far worse physical shape than when they started.
I'm using an app called Fitter to get the measurement and I've checked several websites to confirm the numbers and they all match very closely.0 -
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Health care in the southeast is terrible. Honestly he's no different than any other doctor I've come across here in this leper colony.0
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Truth is, I hurt far worse today than I ever did at my heaviest. My doctor has told me he's at a total loss to explain this. My knee problems only started after losing my first 50 pounds. Before that, even at well over 400 pounds, I never had any knee problems whatsoever. My doctor has told me he's never once seen someone lose that much weight and be in far worse physical shape than when they started.
I'm using an app called Fitter to get the measurement and I've checked several websites to confirm the numbers and they all match very closely.
So websites can measure your body fat why cant you investigate what I told you above!
Any thing can cause a knee problem , loosing weight cannot cause knee problems/
Im thinking you must be an internet troll now!0 -
I didn't say directly that weight loss caused my knee problems. It just seems unusual that my knee problems developed after dieting and have only gotten worse as I've lost more and more weight.
For the record, the troll comment is unnecessary and utterly pointless. Nonsense like that is why I don't like to come to this board too often unless I have a concern that I can't elsewhere find an answer for.0 -
After reading this post, I think your knee problems getting worse is because you ARE exercising where as before you probably didn't work out for an hour a day on a treadmill.
Just my two cents.
PS I think your doing an awesome job! 0 -
After reading this post, I think your knee problems getting worse is because you ARE exercising where as before you probably didn't work out for an hour a day on a treadmill.
Just my two cents. PS I think your doing an awesome job!
I've had that suggested before and it does make sense. Only thing is that I could understand that if it started immediately when I started my diet. However, when I first started, my knees didn't hurt. I was 3 months into my diet before my knees began to hurt and like I said, they hurt worse than ever now.
I've also had it suggested that perhaps I had developed fibromyalgia but I don't think that to be the case because I'm not in crippling pain 24/7. If I'm awake, generally I'm in some degree of pain in my back or hips especially but it's not a crippling, debilitating pain unless I'm exercising or for about the first 90 minutes after exercising.0 -
"I've also had it suggested that perhaps I had developed fibromyalgia but I don't think that to be the case because I'm not in crippling pain 24/7."
Fibro does not cause pain 24/7 - people with fibro can go days pain free.
Also, you are using your knees, legs, arms more than what you used to and this may be aggravating your joints. If your doctor is at a loss and cannot offer any helpful suggestions, I suggest finding a new one.
Lastly, once a workout starts to hurt so bad you want to cry - STOP IT!0 -
I wouldn't worry about your body fat looking like it's going up. my scale and measurements put me at 50% bodyfat one day. As a 150lb woman who's been lifting weights for over 20 years, I know it was incorrect. Maybe try spitting up your walks to 10 minutes at a time thougout the day? and I agree with chaoskitty..if you didn't exercise before, that's probably why your knees are bugging you now. Give yourself kudos for coming as far as you have~!
and the waist..it will eventually go down. Unfortunately, we don't lose weight evenly all over our body.0 -
Without getting too personal regarding your health issues...have you considered that you may have fibro or something of the like? Also, you are using your knees, legs, arms more than what you used to and this may be aggravating your joints. If your doctor is at a loss and cannot offer any helpful suggestions, I suggest finding a new one.
Lastly, once a workout starts to hurt so bad you want to cry - STOP IT!
If I did that, I'd get maybe 20 minutes of exercise maximum a day and my metabolism is so bad that if I dropped my exercise to that level, I'd never lose weight.0 -
One other thing, after reading some more..saying it's diet.. What have you changed? Do you maybe have gout? are you eating more red meat? Has your dr tested for that?0
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Without getting too personal regarding your health issues...have you considered that you may have fibro or something of the like? Also, you are using your knees, legs, arms more than what you used to and this may be aggravating your joints. If your doctor is at a loss and cannot offer any helpful suggestions, I suggest finding a new one.
Lastly, once a workout starts to hurt so bad you want to cry - STOP IT!
If I did that, I'd get maybe 20 minutes of exercise maximum a day and my metabolism is so bad that if I dropped my exercise to that level, I'd never lose weight.
If you're eating a healthy diet at 20% below your TDEE, you will lose weight whether you exercise or not. Exercise is awesome, but if you're truly in that much pain you either need to find another way to exercise (ie pool) or manage your weight loss via eating.
ps, I checked out your diary, why not just add the foods you eat to ensure you're eating the right macros?0 -
One other thing, after reading some more..saying it's diet.. What have you changed? Do you maybe have gout? are you eating more red meat? Has your dr tested for that?
I eat chicken at least 3 times a week. Much more fresh and canned(low sugar or sugar free) fruit than ever before. I also only eat 93% lean hamburger. I do splurge maybe once every 4 to 6 weeks however. My biggest change was portion control. My meals now consist of what I previously would've considered a light snack. Most of my weight loss has come through diet changes and portion control because I physically am unable to do a lot of exercising.0 -
If anything you may just have an apple body shape0
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Without getting too personal regarding your health issues...have you considered that you may have fibro or something of the like? Also, you are using your knees, legs, arms more than what you used to and this may be aggravating your joints. If your doctor is at a loss and cannot offer any helpful suggestions, I suggest finding a new one.
Lastly, once a workout starts to hurt so bad you want to cry - STOP IT!
If I did that, I'd get maybe 20 minutes of exercise maximum a day and my metabolism is so bad that if I dropped my exercise to that level, I'd never lose weight.
If you're eating a healthy diet at 20% below your TDEE, you will lose weight whether you exercise or not. Exercise is awesome, but if you're truly in that much pain you either need to find another way to exercise (ie pool) or manage your weight loss via eating.
ps, I checked out your diary, why not just add the foods you eat to ensure you're eating the right macros?
MFP recommends me eating 2080 calories a day. If I eat even as much as 1600 calories a day, even with exercise, I will gain weight.0 -
Without getting too personal regarding your health issues...have you considered that you may have fibro or something of the like? Also, you are using your knees, legs, arms more than what you used to and this may be aggravating your joints. If your doctor is at a loss and cannot offer any helpful suggestions, I suggest finding a new one.
Lastly, once a workout starts to hurt so bad you want to cry - STOP IT!
If I did that, I'd get maybe 20 minutes of exercise maximum a day and my metabolism is so bad that if I dropped my exercise to that level, I'd never lose weight.
Water work outs.
You can do water yoga
Water zumba
A bunch of different work outs in the water.
They even have underwater treadmills.
Try something like that, see if that helps your pain.
Also, i started running when i first started my journey.. and i had no pain, 6 months into my journey i had severe ankle back and shoulder pains.. my body wasnt use to the movements and they became sore. Work through it little by little and it gets better. A year later, no pain.0 -
Without getting too personal regarding your health issues...have you considered that you may have fibro or something of the like? Also, you are using your knees, legs, arms more than what you used to and this may be aggravating your joints. If your doctor is at a loss and cannot offer any helpful suggestions, I suggest finding a new one.
Lastly, once a workout starts to hurt so bad you want to cry - STOP IT!
If I did that, I'd get maybe 20 minutes of exercise maximum a day and my metabolism is so bad that if I dropped my exercise to that level, I'd never lose weight.
Water work outs.
You can do water yoga
Water zumba
A bunch of different work outs in the water.
They even have underwater treadmills.
Try something like that, see if that helps your pain.
Also, i started running when i first started my journey.. and i had no pain, 6 months into my journey i had severe ankle back and shoulder pains.. my body wasnt use to the movements and they became sore. Work through it little by little and it gets better. A year later, no pain.
I can't afford anything like that. I'm unemployed, in school, and my wife barely makes enough to pay our bills and feed us and our cats. The only reason I have a treadmill is because it was my grandma's and she gave it to us because her health has deteriorated to the point that she can't use it any more.0 -
I assume that like women, men lose fat from different places at different rates. Therefore you store more fat on your belly and less elsewhere (legs, arms, etc) than those heavier people you know. You'll lose it there eventually just keep going.
As for the knee problems, you are experience a case of correlation and not causation. At your heaviest, you probably weren't very active and therefore not putting additional strain on your joints. Now that you are at a lower weight, you are more mobile (be it at exercising, or just the fact that you are okay to walk around a bit more). This is putting more strain on your joints than they are used to. At this point, I'd say your better off dealing with knee pain than the health risks of being obese. Find activities that don't leave you in as much pain (swimming is good, and ellipticals instead of treadmills, avoiding the stairmaster).
Good luck and great job so far!0 -
I second the water workouts--they are so much better on your joints, and you actually burn more calories, as there is more resistance. I started out water walking for 20 minutes, and now I water jog for 60-90 minutes almost every day. Look it up in the MFP exercise data base and you will be shocked at what 30 minutes of water jogging will burn.
As to the waist measurement--do you think you might have some loose skin, which takes up inches but is not really fat?
Good luck to you, and I hope they can come up with what is going on soon I commend you for not using the pain as a reason to quit. Hang in there!0 -
Without getting too personal regarding your health issues...have you considered that you may have fibro or something of the like? Also, you are using your knees, legs, arms more than what you used to and this may be aggravating your joints. If your doctor is at a loss and cannot offer any helpful suggestions, I suggest finding a new one.
Lastly, once a workout starts to hurt so bad you want to cry - STOP IT!
If I did that, I'd get maybe 20 minutes of exercise maximum a day and my metabolism is so bad that if I dropped my exercise to that level, I'd never lose weight.
If you're eating a healthy diet at 20% below your TDEE, you will lose weight whether you exercise or not. Exercise is awesome, but if you're truly in that much pain you either need to find another way to exercise (ie pool) or manage your weight loss via eating.
ps, I checked out your diary, why not just add the foods you eat to ensure you're eating the right macros?
MFP recommends me eating 2080 calories a day. If I eat even as much as 1600 calories a day, even with exercise, I will gain weight.
I use scoobys calculator to figure out how much i should eat... google it. It might actually be the food you're eating... log each and every thing, not just a block of quick add cals, you mght be surprised. I'm on a limited budget as well along with going to school, working FT and having 4 dogs but still manage to eat lots of fruit and veg, it's possible0 -
It sounds like your body has been burrning fat AND muscle. This could possibly occur if you aren't eating enough. I also saw that you said you eeat less than recommended by MFP because if you eat what is recommended you gain weight. Well, It's possible that by eating so little you have caused some damage to your metabolism, this can be fixed! But, eating so little is just going to make things worse for you. Your body will catch up and your metabolism will eventually return to normal. You need to eat more, plain and simple.Are you saying your body fat percentage has gone up? If that's the case you may want to try more protein, and less cardio and more walking.
But be proud of your weight loss!
The only exercise I can do is walking and that's a real struggle because of severe hip, back and knee pain. I walk 30 minutes twice a day on a perfectly flat treadmill and usually after 10 minutes I hurt so bad that I'm nearly in tears. Sometimes in the morning I hurt so bad that I nearly have to have my wife get me out of bed.
Yes, according to all the measurements I've found, my body fat has increased from 27% to around 33% despite losing over 145 pounds.0 -
My metabolism is a thyroid issue and is genetic. No doctor will prescribe medication for me because they say "it's not severe enough." Basically, unless you have something along the lines of gigantism or acromegaly, they don't like to do anything for hypothyroidism. At least that's been my experience with 4 different doctors and 2 specialists.0
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If it isn't bad enough for them treat it, it likely isn't effecting your metabolism as much as you think it is.... Especially not enough to be eating as little as you are. It would be helpful if you would enter what foods you are actually eating into your diary, instead of quick calories. Macros do matter, for example if you are eating 1000 calories worth of bread every day, you can't expect your body to be able to build muscle. It is really difficult to tell what is going on here since I don't know what you are eating. What I DO know, is I am a 5'5" female and you eat less than I do.0
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I didn't say directly that weight loss caused my knee problems. It just seems unusual that my knee problems developed after dieting and have only gotten worse as I've lost more and more weight.
For the record, the troll comment is unnecessary and utterly pointless. Nonsense like that is why I don't like to come to this board too often unless I have a concern that I can't elsewhere find an answer for.
My guess is knee problems are from walking more- even if your weight it going down if you went from sitting on the couch at 400 lbs to walking at 300 lbs, your knees are doing more work walking.
Don't let comparing yourself to other's waistlines deter you. Your body is shaped how it is shaped. You are improving your health by lowering your body fat percentage and getting exercise.
If I were you, i'd consider exercise that has a lower impact on the knees since they hurt- like swimming or bicycling. Somehow that your knees don't have to carry the load. As your weight goes down, your knees should be able to handle it better.
You may also want to talk to your doctor about strengthening your knees through a consistent and specially designed lifting program for your knees. Or physical therapy.
Whatever you do, don't give up. You are on the path to better health and you know it.0 -
I'm not sure what it means but if you're a woman, you want to get your waist down below 35 inches, regardless of your current weight and your height. You want to get your body fat to 25 or less in most cases. You should determine what your body fat is. It will only be an estimate but there are a number of ways to do it. I suggest you check out the calculators at fat2fitradio.com and find some of your answers. Those calculators are far better than what they have on this site.0
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