Weighing more than you look

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  • Alassonde
    Alassonde Posts: 228 Member
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    I have the opposite issue. I'm 5' 4" and 118 pounds, but I look heavier. I have a TINY frame (My mom says I have bones like a bird) and pretty much no muscle, and carry all my weight on my midsection. So even at only 118 pounds I have a gut and back fat, even though my arms and legs are like matchsticks. I wear a size 4-6 depending on brand. It always surprises me when I see people who look slimmer than me but weigh more....they are likely much healthier! I've just started strength training to try to actually get some muscle.
  • DCarney
    DCarney Posts: 38 Member
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    Same here. I am 5'4" and 132 and people jaw-drop when I tell them what I weigh. Small victories!
  • MartialPanda
    MartialPanda Posts: 919 Member
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    YEA......................this is the freaking worst. Especially because I do martial arts. It's annoying BECAUSE i've had coaches come up to me and be like.......you're about 140/138 right? I'm like naw bro ........more like 148-150 (i'm 5'6''). Then they say oh ok you can fight at 135 right? NO I CAN'T omg. I just give up. I'm a size 6/8 in pants and a size 6 in dresses. Whatever. Don't care i look good.

    I have a butt .........that's how i justify my weight lmao and muscle composition.
  • melvablue
    melvablue Posts: 8 Member
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    Hi. I've wondered a lot about this. I am 5'9" and weigh 279. I wear about a misses 18, especially in dresses. I have broad shoulders, hourglass shape, size 12 shoes, and 38I bra. The only thing different is sometimes with pants, have to go way up in sizes. I have muscular legs and good muscle tone / strength everywhere. In fact, I had brain stem and cerebellar strokes 1.5 Yes ago and part of the reason they couldn't guess at what was going on was because even weakened my grip was 95psi. (they thought the meter was broken. They'd never had a reading like that.) I've never done weightlifting or anything like that, just more general stuff and light weights.

    Now, with relearning to walk and swallow and move my arms, etc, I still have muscle and the therapists don't always believe I'm there for stroke rehab. Of course, I'm 33, so it's not common.

    But I don't get it. Why does it seem I weigh so much more than others of the same size? I certainly desire to rid body of weight-related stress to systems, but only about 10 lbs has been since the strokes. The weight is not a new thing. I've been called out on it a few times, like when a cop said, "What?! You must be lying!" when he looked at my license after a fender bender. He said there was no way I was over 195, though my license said 245 and I actually was 265. (I died a little at first, because I thought he knew the weight was a lie). And my new pilates/physical therapy teacher wouldn't believe me, either. She said she was amazed I was that honest.

    I do not like the assumptions on paper that cause me to be denied certain things or encouraged for certain things. I know it's just the way it is, but weight and health are related, and I still do not really comprehend why a friend and I bought the exact same skirt in the exact same size, she was probably and inch shorter, and yet I weighed 75lbs more than her.

    People say dense bones is a lie and muscle is only so much denser than fat... But what else can it be? How can the same spatial volume weigh more unless the contents are denser?
  • melvablue
    melvablue Posts: 8 Member
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    I for the most part have always....

    It does make me feel bad though because when I talk to my men friends they weight about 10 pounds more than me! So it makes me feel fat!

    <<<<< me on left


    Yes, I agree ;) Imagine my shock the other day when I found out that the gentleman I was speaking with weighs the same as me (I didn't say my weight). He's 6'6" and a decently sturdy guy! What?!?
  • melvablue
    melvablue Posts: 8 Member
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    Yes, my dear. You are not alone. I wear between a size 8 and 10 at 5'7" and 170-175 lbs. That is the size I like to be and have never had any complaints in a bikini at that weight..........so...........weight can be important pertaining to psi on your joints; especially being upwardly mobile creatures. However, mass must be accounted for. Take a 3# lean steak out of the meat counter and set it next to 3# of butter and then write back to me re: what you see. I am continually told about the BMI. However, even my doctor asks me to step on another scale from time to time for accuracy. When I went to a weight management group with weekly weigh ins...I was expected to drop to 134 lbs. UNTIL THEY SAW ME AT 165 LBS I have very large bones and am very muscular; although not as before injuring my back. I have added and lost so many pounds since, it's too difficult to count. Hang in there.

    Wow. Very good points. And good on you for knowing and working forward with YOUR health in mind!
  • MaggieGiamalvo
    MaggieGiamalvo Posts: 397 Member
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    I find this topic humorous... because it is so me! I'm the General Manager of a semi-pro football team and we're gearing up for the season opener in 3 weeks. So, weight-loss is a very common topic amongst the guys and me. Age is another topic. Since I'm the newbie to the team (and the only woman I think a few of them have ever spoken to IRL), they all want to know more about me. Most of them guess me at 35 years old and around 135 pounds. In reality, I'm 5'7", 40 years old, and 161 pounds (and that's after a recent loss of 23 pounds). They're always shocked to hear my real stats... and I love it! I just tend to carry a lot of my weight in my hips, butt, and thighs and I wear my clothes well (they camouflage the weight). Oh, and as I put the weight on, my boobs did get bigger. I'm praying they don't shrink again, as I lose the weight. I didn't mind them being small, to begin with, but now that they're 36Cs, I've kinda grown accustomed to having them. :wink:

    At practice, earlier today, one of the guys told me about his recent 25 pound loss and that he has another 55 or so to go. I told him how proud of him I was and that his current loss is about how much more I have to go. He looked at me and told me I shouldn't because he thought I looked perfect just the way I am. Aww... :blushing: (He's wrong, though. haha...)
  • MaggieGiamalvo
    MaggieGiamalvo Posts: 397 Member
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    I ask this question with the utmost sincerity and no disrespect intended, really...

    What brand of clothing are y'all wearing that's a size 6-10, if you're in the 5'6"-5'9" range and 155-175 pound range? I'm 5'7", 161 pounds and my jeans are a size 14... and they're just getting around to not being too tight. My problem with choosing pants/jeans is that comparatively speaking, my waist is small in proportion to my hips, butt, and thighs. So, if I can find something to fit that area, it's usually super huge around my waist. And, I hate the way hip-hugger pants fall on my frame. I'd really like some suggestions because I'd love to be wearing a size 10 again.
  • LittleMissRainey
    LittleMissRainey Posts: 440 Member
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    Yuuuuup.

    I'm 5'6 and a UK16-18, and when people find out I'm 15stone (210lbs) they're like whaaat? Which, I guess, is their way of complimenting me.
    I tell people that I'm in proportion, it's just that my proportions are bigger :p

    I remember a friend (EX friend lol) who's mother on meeting me said "Oh wow, you look so much slimmer in person than in pictures!".
    No prizes for guessing where ex friend got her charm from... :grumble:
  • stephe1987
    stephe1987 Posts: 406 Member
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    If you want to calculate your frame size, their are charts based on wrist and elbow measurements that can tell you your frame size.

    If you want to know your body fat percentage, there are online calculators based on your body measurements. They aren't as accurate as other methods (e.g. water method) but it's much cheaper to buy a measuring tape than to go in and get that body fat test done.
  • itsadogslife
    itsadogslife Posts: 209
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    I'm 5'3 and I weight 158 lbs.. I wear a 28 waist, and a C34 bra.. I don't look at ALL what I weigh. its ridiculous.
  • mlima14
    mlima14 Posts: 112 Member
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    Those charts that are at the doctor's office are usually way off. When I was younger I had 18% body fat and according to the chart I needed to loose at least another 10 lbs. yeah, right. Don't let those numbers frustrate you just figure what body fat % you want and try to keep yourself healthy. That's what really counts.
  • 87McK87
    87McK87 Posts: 11
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    I get this a lot also at 5'3" and 198. I'm a comfortable size 12 and I have friends at the same weight that are size 16. People usually estimate my weight a good 20-30 pounds less than what it really is. My lowest weight I was at 125 and I was a size 4, but I have large hips and the waist was always too big. I'll take the underestimates for now on my journey to actually losing weight. My GW is 130-140, with good muscular tone.
  • Jenky85
    Jenky85 Posts: 190 Member
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    Even before I weight trained I've been heavier than I looked. Husband has always said my bones must be made of lead! BMI had me at the high end of overweight but I really don't think I look it. I'm not the size I'd like to be but definitely wouldn't class myself as close to obese!

    ETA- 5 foot 6 and 180lb currently
  • prima073
    prima073 Posts: 93 Member
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    Who cares? As long as you are happy with yourself then everyone else can shove it! Right?
  • MyChocolateDiet
    MyChocolateDiet Posts: 22,281 Member
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    your age has something to do with your ideal weight too. for my age your height and weight are considered good.

    you know that it's just that you are more muscular. so don't worry about it.
  • picklesroofus
    picklesroofus Posts: 68 Member
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    Dexa is not for body fat.

    It is for BMD - Z and T scores compared to 30 yo and Age matched peers.