How can you determine your body shape if you're overweight?

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windwaker24
windwaker24 Posts: 5 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi,

I'm trying to set a goal weight for myself and I'm having a hard time figuring out my body shape. I did a weight loss simulation on a model, and according to it, for the look I want, my goal weight should be 120 if I'm a pear shape or 130 if I'm an hourglass. The trouble is I have no idea how to figure it out if I'm overweight. I'm currently 5'0 with a medium/large frame and weigh 219 lbs. (my start weight was 236 lbs. :smile: ). According to my current measurements (38DDD - 42 - 50) I should be a pear shape, but my upper body is not small like a pear and my waist has disappeared due to my weight gain (My waist and stomach were the last places I gained my weight.).

I'm trying to set a goal for myself, so I won't get discouraged so easily. For the past couple weeks I have been because I don't know what I'm looking for since I've been overweight my entire life. "Just losing weight" is starting to feel aimless without a goal in mind.


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Replies

  • mangrothian
    mangrothian Posts: 1,351 Member
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    I'm extremely pear shaped, so I've never had any doubts about mine (although it became harder to notice as the weight went on).

    My suggestion would be to give yourself the upper weight limit. Your true body shape will appear in time, and you can always adjust your goals down the track.
  • macgurlnet
    macgurlnet Posts: 1,946 Member
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    mangrothian wrote: »
    I'm extremely pear shaped, so I've never had any doubts about mine (although it became harder to notice as the weight went on).

    My suggestion would be to give yourself the upper weight limit. Your true body shape will appear in time, and you can always adjust your goals down the track.

    I like this advice :)

    Many people will pick a goal weight, reach it, then think "Hmm, now that I'm here, I think lower would be better."

    Some pick a number based on BMI for their height and re-evaluate as they get closer to their goal.

    You might find it beneficial to think about mini-goals - things like getting under 200 lbs, then under 180, and so on.

    You can do this :)

    ~Lyssa
  • windwaker24
    windwaker24 Posts: 5 Member
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    mangrothian wrote: »
    I'm extremely pear shaped, so I've never had any doubts about mine (although it became harder to notice as the weight went on).

    My suggestion would be to give yourself the upper weight limit. Your true body shape will appear in time, and you can always adjust your goals down the track.
    macgurlnet wrote: »
    mangrothian wrote: »
    I'm extremely pear shaped, so I've never had any doubts about mine (although it became harder to notice as the weight went on).

    My suggestion would be to give yourself the upper weight limit. Your true body shape will appear in time, and you can always adjust your goals down the track.

    I like this advice :)

    Many people will pick a goal weight, reach it, then think "Hmm, now that I'm here, I think lower would be better."

    Some pick a number based on BMI for their height and re-evaluate as they get closer to their goal.

    You might find it beneficial to think about mini-goals - things like getting under 200 lbs, then under 180, and so on.

    You can do this :)

    ~Lyssa

    Thank you both. This is some great advice! I'll give it a try!
  • macgurlnet
    macgurlnet Posts: 1,946 Member
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    windwaker24 wrote: »
    mangrothian wrote: »
    I'm extremely pear shaped, so I've never had any doubts about mine (although it became harder to notice as the weight went on).

    My suggestion would be to give yourself the upper weight limit. Your true body shape will appear in time, and you can always adjust your goals down the track.
    macgurlnet wrote: »
    mangrothian wrote: »
    I'm extremely pear shaped, so I've never had any doubts about mine (although it became harder to notice as the weight went on).

    My suggestion would be to give yourself the upper weight limit. Your true body shape will appear in time, and you can always adjust your goals down the track.

    I like this advice :)

    Many people will pick a goal weight, reach it, then think "Hmm, now that I'm here, I think lower would be better."

    Some pick a number based on BMI for their height and re-evaluate as they get closer to their goal.

    You might find it beneficial to think about mini-goals - things like getting under 200 lbs, then under 180, and so on.

    You can do this :)

    ~Lyssa

    Thank you both. This is some great advice! I'll give it a try!

    Some other things to really keep in mind:

    1) Don't necessarily make a bunch of changes all at once. Your primary focus should be on meeting your calorie goal (I shoot for being within 50 calories of it).
    2) Weight loss isn't linear. Don't panic if the scale stops moving. As long as your intake is good, stick with it for 4 weeks before thinking about making changes.
    3) Use more than just the scale weight to track your progress. Get a soft measuring tape and record measurements every 2 weeks or so. Consider taking pictures of yourself, too, wearing the same clothing, every month or so.

    I believe in you :)

    ~Lyssa
  • Kst76
    Kst76 Posts: 935 Member
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    I don't know my shape either. On one of my profile pics I think I look kind of "straight". Not much of a waist.
  • Cortneyrenee04
    Cortneyrenee04 Posts: 1,117 Member
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    Your measurements say you're a pear, like me! As you lose, it may change and that's fine! I agree with the others about setting mini goals along the way. Once you get closer, it will likely change, maybe even more than once.

  • Lizrobin3108
    Lizrobin3108 Posts: 102 Member
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    My goal right now is to get to 199 lbs. I started at 256. My current weight is 209. My ultimate goal is 160 - 165 because I haven't seen myself at that weight.
    Setting small goals helps me because I feel as sense of achievement every few months.
    You could always take pictures so that you can see progress. :)
    I don't think one can really determine what body shape you are until you are at a healthy weight for your height. I may be completely wrong about this. Lol
  • MoiAussi93
    MoiAussi93 Posts: 1,948 Member
    edited May 2015
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    Body shape (apple/pear/hourglass) is not important for setting a goal weight. It's not just shape and height, it's muscle vs fat, it's whether you look better at the higher or lower end of the appropriate range,etc. Besides, your body shape may very well change as you lose.

    For example, I am 5'10". My highest weight was 267. I was CLEARLY an apple at that weight. Almost no waist at all, yet relatively narrow hips. When I was around 200, I tried a bunch of different online calculators...I was definitely NOT an apple. Most said straight/banana or whatever they call that. Now, at 166 I get different answers depending on which site/calculator I use. About 1/3 say hourglass, 1/3 say straight, and 1/3 say inverted triangle.

    When I am at goal? Who knows...could be either hourglass, straight, or inverted triangle.

    When I set goals, my initial goal...which I realized would likely change...was 171. That is the very high end of a healthy BMI.

    But I set small and large intermediate goals...every 5 pounds was a goal. Getting below 250 was an early "big" goal. 225 was the next "big" goal. Then to not be obese, and just be plain overweight based on BMI...that was around 207 (if I recall correctly). Then to be under 200, then to reach a healthy weight based on BMI...that was 171. As I got to be about 180, I lowered my "end" goal to 160. Now, at 166 I am not sure what my final goal is. It could be 160, or it could be a few pounds lighter. It doesn't matter right now, I'll know it when i see it.

    The point is...I really think it helps to not focus too much on the final number and have more short and intermediate goals to keep moving toward.
  • squishycatmew
    squishycatmew Posts: 151 Member
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    When I was heavier, I was pretty hourglass-shaped - my waist wasn't super defined, but it was definitely there, and while I have broad shoulders and a largish chest, my hips were nearly as big around as my bust.

    Then I lost weight and it all came off my hips and butt first. My shoulders will never change. My bust is proportionally slightly smaller than before, but only slightly. Turns out I am actually a triangle (the upside-down, opposite of pear-shaped type). (I also have thick thighs and calves due to proportionally short, muscular legs - SO MANY PANTS that are loose in the waist, almost too tight in the legs. I mean, I knew I had big legs but I thought when I lost weight I'd be able to buy normal boots, maybe. I'm 10 pounds above "normal" for my height and about 25% BF - calves are still too thick for most boot shafts.)
  • segacs
    segacs Posts: 4,599 Member
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    We're people, not fruit.

    Pear/apple/hourglass/etc. can help you figure out what clothing styles might best flatter your body at whatever weight you happen to be at. The waist-to-hip ratio can also help determine whether you're at an elevated risk for certain medical issues.

    Beyond that, though, these shape ideas have no bearing on your goal weight or anything else.

    Just pick a number that's somewhere in a healthy BMI range for your height and frame, and then adopt an attitude of "I'll wait and see when I get there".
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,424 Member
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    segacs wrote: »
    We're people, not fruit.

    Pear/apple/hourglass/etc. can help you figure out what clothing styles might best flatter your body at whatever weight you happen to be at. The waist-to-hip ratio can also help determine whether you're at an elevated risk for certain medical issues.

    Beyond that, though, these shape ideas have no bearing on your goal weight or anything else.

    Just pick a number that's somewhere in a healthy BMI range for your height and frame, and then adopt an attitude of "I'll wait and see when I get there".

    I agree with this.
    I chose the top of the healthy BMI initially and then chose the middle of that range for my goal. I have looked at what a lower health risk waist to hip ratio will be and clothing size charts so I have an idea where I want to land as far as measurements.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
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    segacs wrote: »
    We're people, not fruit.

    Pear/apple/hourglass/etc. can help you figure out what clothing styles might best flatter your body at whatever weight you happen to be at. The waist-to-hip ratio can also help determine whether you're at an elevated risk for certain medical issues.

    Beyond that, though, these shape ideas have no bearing on your goal weight or anything else.

    Just pick a number that's somewhere in a healthy BMI range for your height and frame, and then adopt an attitude of "I'll wait and see when I get there".

    +1

    It's way premature to know what you will want the goal weight to be, and it's going to depend on lots of things, including how you lose and what muscle mass you have and want.

    My tentative goal was 120 because it's below the mid range of my BMI (I am average to slighter in build) and--most important--because I've been that weight before and liked how I looked. I thought I might go lower, but I've also been doing more strength training, so now I'm 125, can wear the clothes I wore at 120 before, and like how I look well enough. I also would like to lose more fat, though. Depending on how that happens, I could see ending up at 115 or 120 or even 130 if I am able to gain some muscle. Not worrying much about it now, even this close to my original goal.
  • tomatoey
    tomatoey Posts: 5,446 Member
    edited May 2015
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    With a starting weight of 178, my initial goal was 150 (I'm 5'7). I didn't want to commit to anything I thought might be unachievable for me, or unrealistic - wasn't sure how it was going to turn out.

    However, the lifestyle I committed to - intense regular exercise and a small deficit - took me past that without even thinking about the scale, and I stabilized at 124 for years.

    (Until injury meant I couldn't work out anymore, which changed the equation. Eating the same amount with no exercise, I got to 145 and stayed there. With some exercise - less intense than I used to be able to do - and eating that same amount, more or less, I'm at 136-8.

    For me, instead of starting with a scale weight goal, the key was doing it kind of backwards - finding a calorie intake level I could live with, and committing to exercise, and the scale was going to look like whatever it was going to look like, it would have to be constrained by those factors. My reason for this is I have never lasted on a "diet" diet for longer than three hours, I hate feeling hungry, I like having energy, and I like working out. My rate of loss was very slow but very sustainable, didn't feel deprived at all.

    My advice, like others', is to just get started in a way that's sustainable for you and see where it takes you!

    Shapes: at this weight and higher, I'm a pear. Nearer the lower end of the normal BMI range, I'm more of a ruler. The extra pounds that calculator allocated for hourglasses, I think, are probably down to boobs.
  • tomatoey
    tomatoey Posts: 5,446 Member
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    Also - congrats on your loss so far!
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
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    I chose my very top BMI as my goal weight

    And on my journey learned we don't have a weight but a weight range

    When I hit my very top BMI I was happy with my body but dropped an extra 5lbs...I now move around 3-5lbs of that slightly lower scale weight (with a BMI of over 24) and continue to train to recomp my body shape...I started off hourglass and remain hourglass but have a more shapely, slim bottom half than I ever thought possible
  • crazyjerseygirl
    crazyjerseygirl Posts: 1,252 Member
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    I can't help with figuring your shape as you loose weight, for all the reasons stated above. If you want to know your current shape I suggest going to www.igigi.com and using their shapestylist tool

    They're a plus clothing site, so it's based off how you look in clothing, not health. I've found it useful though as it takes the jiggly bits into consideration vs some other sites which seem to get a bit confused at higher measurements!

    Well done on your weight loss, keep up the good work!
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,573 Member
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    I'm not sure what shape I am. It doesn't really seem to exist in most shape definitions, though I always thought I was some kind of hourglass with little breasts. Now that I've lost 17kg it's certain I'm not an hourglass, though an inverted triangle doesn't fit either as I'm missing the boobs for that and still have a nice waist. I don't have the hips to go with it anymore and still have wide shoulders (think Princess Charlene of Monaco).

    I'd just ignore a fixed goal and adjust it as you go along, starting from a somewhat higher point. It's very possible somewhere along the way that you think it's enough, or you think your face is getting too haggard. Everything could happen.
  • windwaker24
    windwaker24 Posts: 5 Member
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    An update: I'm definitely going to be a pear shape. I got down to 174 lbs., but I currently at 180 lbs. (dealing with a lot of stress lately and eating a lot of junk). Most of my fat came off my top half (my back, waist, etc.). My cup size stayed the same but I lost a band size (36DDD now, but probably need a 34 pretty soon) and a lot of volume, so now they look deflated and saggy. My lower half didn't change that much. Lost a couple of inches. My thighs lost some fat (inner thighs mostly) but got muscular so they are still big.

    Still don't know how much I need to weight. I was thinking 120lbs. The high tech scale at the gym says I need to be 134 lbs. My trainer thinks I need to be 140lbs. My friend is the same height as me and she's 110 lbs.
  • brb_2013
    brb_2013 Posts: 1,197 Member
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    My advice is to not focus on the end goal right now. Perhaps make one goal of 25 pounds, and see how you feel. Maybe as you go you'll decide on an ultimate goal weight, but even I don't really have one. I honestly have no idea what I would look like at 130lbs! Maybe I wouldn't like it, I do enjoy curves. BMI doesn't have to rule your goal if you just lose until you feel at your best.
  • windwaker24
    windwaker24 Posts: 5 Member
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    brb_2013 wrote: »
    My advice is to not focus on the end goal right now. Perhaps make one goal of 25 pounds, and see how you feel. Maybe as you go you'll decide on an ultimate goal weight, but even I don't really have one. I honestly have no idea what I would look like at 130lbs! Maybe I wouldn't like it, I do enjoy curves. BMI doesn't have to rule your goal if you just lose until you feel at your best.

    Right now, my goal is to get back to 175 lbs. I've always been fat, so that's why I have no idea what I'm supposed to look like. My trainer thinks I'm curvy, so that why she picked 140 lbs. What I want personally is to be healthy and still look chunky (23% body fat, no muscle showing, but tone).

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