Body Frame Size

CarlaNB
CarlaNB Posts: 38
in Motivation and Support
So just because I was curious, and that I like to have as much information about things as I can, I ran across a body frame size calculator, and decided to me sure my wrist.
Turns out, after decades of being called (and believing) that I am a "big-boned" girl, that I actually have a medium frame according to the chart!! I'll admit, it was a bit of an NSV, and that I did adjust my goal weight down.
Anyhoo...I just wanted to ask all you wonderful MFP-ers if you have measured yourself this way, and have you used this to determine an ultimate goal weight?
Have a lovely day...I appreciate your responses in advance!

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/imagepages/17182.htm (link to the body frame page...hope it works!)
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Replies

  • angelicprettyy
    angelicprettyy Posts: 143
    I got small-boned.. which is weird since I thought I had large bones.. My ribs are pretty wide.
  • _Tink_
    _Tink_ Posts: 3,845 Member
    I have a borderline large frame.
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,149 Member
    Depending on how my height is measured (with/out shoes, slouching, etc.), I'm <5'2", so large frame or 5'2", medium frame. My wrist size is 6.25 inches.
  • BarbieAS
    BarbieAS Posts: 1,414 Member
    I actually got medium to large (I'm 5'5.5", and I measured just barely under 6.5" wrist size, so I'm not really solidly in either category) which is odd for me as well. I honestly would have guessed small or on the low end of medium. Despite how overweight I am, my wedding bands are a size 5.25 (and they fit right now) and my bra band size is a 34-36 (depending on the brand, which is just so irritating - we're talking straight inches here, people :explode: :laugh: ). I've got short fingers and average sized feet....the only part of my bone structure that is big/wide at all are my hips/pelvis.
  • _L_A_
    _L_A_ Posts: 170 Member
    I'm small framed according to this which I don't think is true. If you just look at my wrists they're abnormally small and out of proportion! I have BIG hands and long fingers so they look funny on my small wrists, I also have big feet and the distance between my hips bones is not small (woo hopefully better for carrying babies!) so I'm confident that I am actually medium framed, if it weren't for me having a small rib cage I'd say large (other people tell me I have a large frame, even at my current, lowest adult weight) so I'm settling for medium and assume I just have strangely small wrists as I've always known! I have always been told I "carry my weight well" which I think is more difficult on small frames (unless you have a high proportion of muscle, which I didn't) so I really don't think I am small framed
  • tashatashae
    tashatashae Posts: 311 Member
    Large wrist is 6.8 I'm 5'1 large frame that doesn't make me feel better sigh...lol
  • Meerataila
    Meerataila Posts: 1,885 Member
    I'm small boned with almost an inch of wrist to spare. Which is probably one reason why extra weight looks so terrible on me.
  • SquishyLaughter
    SquishyLaughter Posts: 124 Member
    It says I am small boned, my wrist is EXACTLY 6" at 5'2.75". Honestly, I think it is false, I am Medium at best, and really do have abnormally small wrists in relation to my body. Those wrists match my abnormally small hands. Going in contrast to my abnormally large feet and ankles.
  • apparatus195316
    apparatus195316 Posts: 79 Member
    I did not adjust my GW after finding that I am small-framed. (5 ft 5, wrists 6 inches). I guess my CW (132) is 2lbs above the*ideal* maximum for my height and frame, but my first goal is 128 and UGW at the moment is 125, so I feel like those are appropriate.
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,329 Member
    i'm definitely small framed but 20+ years of weight training has given me a pretty good amount of lean body mass.

    According to my last body fat measurement, in order to reach my goal of 20% body fat i'd weigh 145 - 160 pounds which is a good deal above the 117-130 range that's given for most "ideal" weight calculators.

    I'm very interested to see what weight I end up being once I reach goal mainly because I love the idea of being 30 pounds heavier than i look :laugh:
  • sunburntgalaxy
    sunburntgalaxy Posts: 455 Member
    Small boned, which I already knew from another test I did - kind of hoped maybe my bones had gotten bigger but I guess not. That or I am just over tall. Yeah that is it. (5'8", 6" wrist).
  • AllOutof_Bubblegum
    AllOutof_Bubblegum Posts: 3,646 Member
    Small by wrist measurement standards, but I have a pretty big ribcage for my height. So overall, probably medium.
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
    I wouldn't put too much thought into those things. I am most definitely large framed but have small wrists. I have big hips, big shoulders, big rib cage, big hands, feet, head, etc, just small wrists.
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
    Wrist size doesn't determine frame size. It has more to do with rib cage and shoulder measurements.

    But, my wrists measure less than 5".
  • justcat206
    justcat206 Posts: 716 Member
    Agreed. I have very long arms and thin wrists, but I have very wide ribs which makes me look "bigger" than many of my friends who weigh more but have more delicate frames.
  • CarlaNB
    CarlaNB Posts: 38
    Very much enjoying everyones' responses! Thank you!
    I do recall another page that also measured elbow width, along with the wrist.
    I realize that we (me) could drive ourselves crazy with all the ways to measure/test/determine what weight for how tall, for age, for frame...a person almost needs a PHD to decipher it all!
    I think the frame size is accurate-ish for me. I am tall (5'9), but I do have narrow hips, small wrists, ankles and knees. Rib cage is a decent size, but not disproportionate.
  • gary241069
    gary241069 Posts: 255 Member
    Please, Please, Please - Don't over measure.
    The more measurements and calculations you place on yourself
    the more discourage you feel when things don't change.
    Take things one step at a time. Don't try parceling everything together
    when it's not necessary!:frown:
  • KMA907
    KMA907 Posts: 1 Member
    Where can I find that chart with the cool images showing weight loss progress? I can't find it anywhere on MFP.
  • gary241069
    gary241069 Posts: 255 Member
    Small by wrist measurement standards, but I have a pretty big ribcage for my height. So overall, probably medium.

    Small wrist, and big rib cage. My imagination is going wild here!:explode:
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
    I think that having a good idea of your frame size can be helpful for understanding yourself and others, while using this site.
  • jadedone
    jadedone Posts: 2,446 Member
    I actually got medium to large (I'm 5'5.5", and I measured just barely under 6.5" wrist size, so I'm not really solidly in either category) which is odd for me as well. I honestly would have guessed small or on the low end of medium. Despite how overweight I am, my wedding bands are a size 5.25 (and they fit right now) and my bra band size is a 34-36 (depending on the brand, which is just so irritating - we're talking straight inches here, people :explode: :laugh: ). I've got short fingers and average sized feet....the only part of my bone structure that is big/wide at all are my hips/pelvis.

    I get small! My wrist and ankles are really small and the rest of me is now. I am solidly in the small category, but my hands aren't particularly small, but I have skinny fingers! My bra band is 34 now, and I've for loads of weight to lose, so at goal, I am sure my bra band will be 28 or possibly even more annoying!
    i'm definitely small framed but 20+ years of weight training has given me a pretty good amount of lean body mass.

    According to my last body fat measurement, in order to reach my goal of 20% body fat i'd weigh 145 - 160 pounds which is a good deal above the 117-130 range that's given for most "ideal" weight calculators.

    I'm very interested to see what weight I end up being once I reach goal mainly because I love the idea of being 30 pounds heavier than i look :laugh:

    Mesha is my unofficial semi-body twin! I've got a goal of 22-23% body fat, and based on my lean mass guestimates, this puts me at a weight of 160 or so. But 117-130 is not really happening since my lean body mass is basically 120-128 anyway, so um, no.

    So frame size helps, but it doesn't really consider muscle mass, which makes a huge difference.
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,740 Member
    I am small boned but tall. I have only come to realize this in the past year, beforehand I always thought I was big boned. Nope.
  • Jess__I__Can
    Jess__I__Can Posts: 307 Member
    I don't know how accurate this could be. I dont have a tape measure with me BUT I used to be able to wrap my thumb and middle finger around and they would touch -- when I was thin. Now I'm fat and they dont touch. So there is obviously some fat around my wrist, which means... this can change and therefore can't be right IMO.
  • jadedone
    jadedone Posts: 2,446 Member
    I don't know how accurate this could be. I dont have a tape measure with me BUT I used to be able to wrap my thumb and middle finger around and they would touch -- when I was thin. Now I'm fat and they dont touch. So there is obviously some fat around my wrist, which means... this can change and therefore can't be right IMO.

    It depends on how your body works too. I have the wrists of a skinny girl. :P. Mine have never changed.
  • bunbunzee44
    bunbunzee44 Posts: 592 Member
    my wrists and ankles are so so thin. but I wouldn't call my hips thin. I would be small framed according to all these frame calculators, but I don't feel like that with my hips. Also my chest measurement is surprisingly big.
  • Iwishyouwell
    Iwishyouwell Posts: 1,888 Member
    Yep. I learned about the importance of frame size the first time I lost weight in my late teens. I grew up a fat boy and just assumed for years that I was "big boned". When I got down to a good size for a "big boned", larger framed guy I was surprised at how much fat I still had left. That's when I discovered that I'm actually a medium framed guy, more akin to my dad when he was a young man. Back then I just thought that there was no way my "big boned" self could get that low. I was wrong.
  • crikey_katie
    crikey_katie Posts: 136 Member
    According to that I would be small framed with 6" wrists and 5'6 I don't think that's very accurate because I am built larger I would say as far as rib cage and other areas show.
  • yourpalsoap
    yourpalsoap Posts: 88
    I got small-framed (5.5 inch wrist @ 5'4") and I thought I would probably be small-medium.
  • dammitjanet0161
    dammitjanet0161 Posts: 319 Member
    I didn't use the calculator but I have broad shoulders, massive rib cage and chunky wrists and ankles. It is what it is.

    OP, I'm curious as to why you class having a smaller frame than you thought as a NSV?
  • MarziPanda95
    MarziPanda95 Posts: 1,326 Member
    Big boned, as I thought :c my shoulders are really broad which makes me worry that I won't be able to lose all the weight I want - or even that I won't ever be able to fit into that particular dress because the problem is it doesn't zip up the back properly and idk if this is because of back fat or because of my big boobs or wide shoulders... we'll see once I've lost more, I suppose ^-^

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