Was 5'5" and 122lbs really too fat?

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CodenameMary
CodenameMary Posts: 2
in Health and Weight Loss
Back when I was 17 I was the fat kid in class. I was 5'5" and 122lbs. Granted, all my (female) classmates weighed about 90-100 lbs at varying heights.

But I could accept being the big girl in class. The problem was, when I went to clothing stores (I was a US size 4-6 depending on the day and the store) and people would tell me all the time that I should lose some weight to look better in clothes. Every time I looked in the mirror when trying on clothes, all I saw was the fat girl. Eventually I dreaded clothes shopping and barely did it. When I got my hair done in salons, I've had the person tell me, ,'your hair is beautiful.. But you lose shed some pounds to look better'

2 years later I've gained almost 30 pounds and I've lost about 10 of that before joining my fitness pal. But as I scroll through the forums and think back on when I was younger and I think... Was I really that fat? Did I really deserve the 10 comments a day about needing to lose weight to look better? I even look back at my pictures and see a relatively thin girl.

Do you people think that I deserved the treatment I had gotten? Do you think that I should have lost a little more weight back then?

Thanks very much, I appreciate your replies (:

Replies

  • carolemorden9
    carolemorden9 Posts: 284 Member
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    I think people were being very mean to you in saying that. I'm also 5'5", and when I was in high school, I weighed in the 170s. Nobody called me fat, even though I knew I was. I had my close friends and had a pretty good time in high school for the most part.

    I hope you are able to get to a place were you are healthy and happy. Best of luck to you!
  • kelag297
    kelag297 Posts: 103 Member
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    Wow. I can't believe people actually told you that you needed to lose weight. They are absolutely crazy. 122 pounds is actually a low weight for someone that is 5'5. And a size 4-6 is skinny too. My goal is to fit into a size 6! So to answer your question, no you absolutely did not deserve the treatment you got and no you did not need to lose more weight. Whoever told you that crap was out of their minds lol.
  • wilsoje74
    wilsoje74 Posts: 1,720 Member
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    Where did you grow up where that was considered fat? I was probably similar to that size (actually am now) and was never called fat, nor do I consider myself fat now.
  • CodenameMary
    CodenameMary Posts: 2
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    I grew up in Asia. Standards for beauty here there were all about being very thin. I was honestly considered overweight and fat. And people would say that I was a very large girl. People are mean, yeah but now it's sort of ingrained in my mind that I need to be at most 110pounds to 'fit in'
  • CarlaRG
    CarlaRG Posts: 264
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    No! You were NOT fat...I'm 5'5" also and was told the same things...mostly from my older brothers...I was between 105-115 during high school and 125 before I had my last child and I thought I was huge. However, I wasn't fit...I was slim but had no definition at all. You do not need to lose weight. Tone and strengthen!!! If you check BMI charts you will see that you are in a good place weight wise....under 149 is the top of the "normal" range...
  • Athena53
    Athena53 Posts: 717 Member
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    Wow. I'm 5'7" and at my thinnest (age 22) I weighed 120. I'm at 129 now and thrilled.

    122 lbs. at your height is fine.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,401 MFP Moderator
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    Where you fat? No. Did you probably lack enough muscle to give you good definition? Possible. At 122 you were low in weight which means low lean body mass. The more lbm you have the leaner you will be at a higher weight. Since people are mean kn high school and you arent finished growing, I wouldnt set your goals to that standard. instead I would concentrate on a moderate deficit, and a mix between weight training and a little cardio.
  • angiep098
    angiep098 Posts: 33
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    No, I don't think so at all. I'm 5'5" and weigh 122lbs EXACTLY and people don't consider me fat at all (nor do I)...
    I'm focusing now on gaining more muscle, reducing my body fat and just getting fit/healthy.

    EDIT: I just saw your post saying that you grew up in Asia. I spent 4 years of my youth in Asia too, and yes, the standards for beauty are pretty crazy. I AM considered bigger in Asia, most females my age are thinner than I am, but honestly? I don't really care. I feel fit and healthy and I'm sure I can probably out-run and kill most of these women in a lifting contest
  • fleetzz
    fleetzz Posts: 962 Member
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    I love your comment

    EDIT: I just saw your post saying that you grew up in Asia. I spent 4 years of my youth in Asia too, and yes, the standards for beauty are pretty crazy. I AM considered bigger in Asia, most females my age are thinner than I am, but honestly? I don't really care. I feel fit and healthy and I'm sure I can probably out-run and kill most of these women in a lifting contest
  • Kittyvicious1
    Kittyvicious1 Posts: 190 Member
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    Regardless of where you grew up, Asia, Russia, the U.S., there has always been a steriotypic woman women are suppose to look like. I think we are pass that. We women need to learn and think what is actually healthy and fit is for ourselves, regardless what peers , family, and strangers say. Most importantly starting with our young daughters and sons.

    No, I do not think 122 at any height is overweight or fat.
  • alisonlynn1976
    alisonlynn1976 Posts: 929 Member
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    I thought I was fat in high school, but in retrospect, I really wasn't (5'6", and around 120 pounds and size 6). I think this experience is pretty common, sadly. I didn't realize what a great body I had when I had a great body!
  • PippiNe
    PippiNe Posts: 283 Member
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    Holy cow! No way were you fat at 5'5" and 122 lbs! I'm 5'4" and that's about where I've set my goal. I won't be a stick when I get there, but I do expect my body will be lean and have shed most of the fat that I want gone. I'd say you were perfect then, so if your goal is to get back there, go for it!!
  • gettingmeback2013
    gettingmeback2013 Posts: 112 Member
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    Were you growing up in a very affluent, snobbish neighborhood and school? It shouldn't be, but it seems to be more accepted in those areas. 5'5" and 120 is NOWHERE near fat. A size 4-6 is NOWHERE near fat. I'm 5'2" and feel good at 140. Poor thing, you didn't deserve all of that at all.
  • flitabout
    flitabout Posts: 200 Member
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    Can I slap the people who told you that???? I would kill to weigh 122lbs right now and I am 2 inches shorter than you!!!!! You are not fat. You were not fat. My mother was 5'7" and weighed 109lbs and she looked like walking death! When she started body building and gained weight all in mucsle she looked fabulous! That and it was great seeing her beat men arm wrestling!
  • lcfairbairn74
    lcfairbairn74 Posts: 412 Member
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    I grew up in Asia. Standards for beauty here there were all about being very thin. I was honestly considered overweight and fat. And people would say that I was a very large girl. People are mean, yeah but now it's sort of ingrained in my mind that I need to be at most 110pounds to 'fit in'

    I also grew up in Asia. At 6 foot and 140 pounds I was considered fat. Of course, I wasn't, I just looked big compared to everyone else because of my height, meaning my build was obviously larger than someone who was 5 foot 1! You know that you weren't fat at all. Try and get rid of those ideas and move forward. How I wish I was a 'fat' 140 pounder now!!
  • TheFitHooker
    TheFitHooker Posts: 3,358 Member
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    WOW!!! I'm 5'1.5 and 119 lbs and I am very happy with myself. That's some jacked up crap right there.
  • ShaeLovelyy
    ShaeLovelyy Posts: 55
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    My roommate is from China and shes 5 feet tall and 90 pounds. Im 5 foot 11 and 168 pounds. Surpassed my goal weight already and am very happy with my weight! The standards there are different which is def why you were considered heavy. My roommate always wants me to come to China one day with her. She says everyone will want to take pictures with me. Although im much bigger than her she doesn't consider me fat. She says if i were to go to China i'd be considered strong. Maybe thats how you should think of yourself! Screw the standards! Youre strong! Screw the numbers on the scale also. You need to go by how you feel and shake the negativity you received as a child.
  • smantha32
    smantha32 Posts: 6,990 Member
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    size 4-6 isn't fat. At all. Size 8 isn't even fat.
  • EmilyEmpowered
    EmilyEmpowered Posts: 650 Member
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    I seroiusly can't believe that you would get such horrible treatment being 5'5" and 122 pounds. Makes me wonder how I really look at 5'4' and 137 pounds. I get comments daily about how good I look and I wear a size 4. But I also remember in high school being about 120, size 0, roughly same height, and a couple people in particular made me feel so badly about my weight, I hated leaving the house. I now realize that is because I was "skinny fat:"- thin, but not active AT ALL and still looked "chubby" in my bathing suit.

    I wouldnt worry about what people say, especially from high school! size 4-6 is not fat by any means, I know this even though I struggle with it looking in the mirror. At 5 foot tall, sure 90-100 pounds is normal, but at 5'5, that is way too skinny and underweight. I dont know exact BMI's for 5'5", but at 5'4" my lowest acceptable weight would be 109 pounds, anything less is underweight. I think you add something like 5-10 pounds for every inch you are taller?

    In any case, YOU ARE NOT FAT AND IGNORE THOSE PEOPLE! Focus on getting HEALTHY, NOT losing weight :flowerforyou:

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