Is there a such thing as big boned?

I have broad shoulders, wide hips, big feet, hands, and head. I weigh 160lbs at 5'9", which is at the high end of a healthy BMI and am at a healthy body fat percentage. But I actually have small wrists.

Yeah, it's not true that frame size is determined by the wrist measurement. As mentioned, it is more based on shoulder and rib cage. Although, in my case, my wrists are less than 5 inches (people at least need to measure and not use their fingers).

I do think I have thicker bones and a slightly winder frame than average women. I always appear thinner than what my weight suggests. Also, as a small child I was very very skinny, yet I always had thick wrists and ankles. I also have large feet.

This! this is me! I'm 6'2, a size 8 trainers, 9 shoes u.k, feet looks extra wide, almost mannish. People always guessed me to be 4st lighter and 3 sizes smaller than i am. I told them my size but never my weight lol

This deluded me for years into thinking i was alright. I carried the weight well, had a bit of a jelly lower tummy but nothing excessive and turkey wings that i only started being comfy with this year.

I want to lose weight so that i can stop convincing myself that i am happy with the way i am.

Can someone explain to me what big boned means or if it is even real. Because I really need to clear this up so I can stop making excuses for myself. I would love info. Thank youu. =]

Just do that; stop making excuses for yourself and don't worry about bones.

Big boned refers to people with an Endomorph body type.

Having wider shoulders and larger legs, wide everything really.

Gains weight easily and develops muscle quickly.

Athletes classed as endomorph (big boned) would be

Front row rugby players, field athletes or strongman/woman.

People make the common mistake that training and diet is a one size fits all plan

but it's not as genetics play a massive role in your shape.

Bone size and density depends on genetics.

Simply put you can have naturally bigger bones in the same way as someone can

be naturally more muscular than others.

You are not "big boned" according to your explanation of your ability to touch your middle finger and your thumb together around your wrist and your profile pic you are mesomprphic (medium build) you are easily a good height to weight ratio (can go over or under your bmi). Endomorphic and ectomorphic people are of a smaller frame or larger frame. Usually a "big boned" person is larger on top and easily can put on mass (either fat or muscle) likewise someone of a smaller build can find it very hard to build mass (if they are out of shape these people are known as "skinny-fat." No matter what your build is you should aim to be fit and healthy, you don't have to be a size 5 to look good, what your body composition is and body fat ratio is most important. Don't try to be something your not just be the best you!

Big boned refers to people with an Endomorph body type.

Having wider shoulders and larger legs, wide everything really.

Gains weight easily and develops muscle quickly.

Athletes classed as endomorph (big boned) would be

Front row rugby players, field athletes or strongman/woman.

People make the common mistake that training and diet is a one size fits all plan

but it's not as genetics play a massive role in your shape.

Bone size and density depends on genetics.

Simply put you can have naturally bigger bones in the same way as someone can

be naturally more muscular than others.

people still believe in somatypes? i thought that went out with the belief that eating fat is what causes people to be fat.

by the way i was an all east prop, was very close to being selected to the women's national rugby team (had to drop out because of an injury). i'm "small boned" in that i have a small ribcage, small wrists and ankles but i would also cause the scrum to wheel since I was WAY stronger than the other prop who was much bigger than me weight wise and "bone" wise

strength has nothing to do with size.

I was also a prop at 5'9" and 160lbs. We had some really tall ladies on the team so I got pushed to front row because I was too slow to flank or 9.

Big boned refers to people with an Endomorph body type.

Having wider shoulders and larger legs, wide everything really.

Gains weight easily and develops muscle quickly.

Athletes classed as endomorph (big boned) would be

Front row rugby players, field athletes or strongman/woman.

People make the common mistake that training and diet is a one size fits all plan

but it's not as genetics play a massive role in your shape.

Bone size and density depends on genetics.

Simply put you can have naturally bigger bones in the same way as someone can

be naturally more muscular than others.

people still believe in somatypes? i thought that went out with the belief that eating fat is what causes people to be fat.

by the way i was an all east prop, was very close to being selected to the women's national rugby team (had to drop out because of an injury). i'm "small boned" in that i have a small ribcage, small wrists and ankles but i would also cause the scrum to wheel since I was WAY stronger than the other prop who was much bigger than me weight wise and "bone" wise

strength has nothing to do with size.

I'm not really sure why you started your post with sarcasm.
I did not state in my post about size and strength being related as you can be strong without being big, male ballet dancers are very strong but you won't see them lifting atlas stones for fun, so I suppose size does come into it.
The post I made was a general interpretation of being big boned and yes people still believe in somatypes, why would they not?
Gauging someone's body type is the quickest way to assemble an exercise program to suit their individual needs.

My doctor told me I'm small boned and need to watch out for osteoporosis due to thin bones. I've also always been a healthy weight. I use MFP to maintain or to stay on track when I travel.

Is it possible to be small boned and large framed? Because I seriously think this could be the case with me.

My wrists, ankles, hands, and feet are all very small (I'd call 'em delicate even!) and were that way even when I was way heavier. I wore a smaller bracelet, watch, anklet, than my average sized friends even at 300 lb! And a 6 ring is the largest I've even worn (currently 4.5). But I am somewhat tall at 5'8" and even with weight loss my shoulders and hips are much wider than average and even though I seriously have little to no "back fat" left my back is quite broad.

My dad is the same way. He was 6'4" when he was younger and a BIG man, and he is still big although he has lost weight for health and is no longer overweight or obese. Even though he has large hands/feet his wrists, ankles, neck, are rather small.

This is very confusing! hehe

The last time I proved this one.....I got in A LOT of trouble from MFP.....smh...

Wow that visual really shows me how important it is to reduce the stress put on joints from too much weight. .

Yes it is real. Some people have bigger bones than others, in this sense wider bones. It can make them have a more wider build naturally. However, this isn't to say it is an excuse to be overweight, if a person is big boned they don't necessarily have to be obese or anything. Look at Rebecca Adlington, she is big boned but since she is a swimmer has an athletic body at the same time.

I don't believe in the 'big-boned' theory. I think some folks have greater bone density which is not the same a 'bigger bones.'

Many of the above responses make great sense but I'd like to add; have you ever seen a "fat" skeleton?

:noway:

Well, according to that chart I'm "big-boned". I do have a larger frame in many ways--my rib cage is large, I have broad shoulders, a fairly large head, larger hands/feet, but my wrists are small. If you put me next to my sister, I look massive, even though I'm only 1" taller. My shoulders are a good 3" wider, if not more. However, I'm also at the low end of weight for the medium frame for my height. I guess it's nice because if you are big-boned, you can hold a little more weight at your height and still be lean.