You don't have ''big bones'' or a ''big frame''

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Replies

  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    edited February 2016
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    I am simply reaffirming the OP's initial stance, that we cannot use "frame size" "big boned" etc. as a crutch for our body composition.

    I didn't think the OP's initial stance was "People shouldn't use frame size as a crutch for their lack of weight loss". I can agree with that.

    I thought her stance was "There's no such thing as big frame/small frame", which I disagree with.

    Perhaps she will come back and clarify.

    When, on another thread, I referred a third poster to the wrist/frame size calculator and said I had a large frame, the OP flat out told me:

    You don't have a "large frame".

    and yet, even if you did. We're talking max a few centemeters in length/weight and a few pounds variation.

    To suggest that BMI is therefore worthless, is ridiculous.
  • booksandchocolate12
    booksandchocolate12 Posts: 1,741 Member
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    I am simply reaffirming the OP's initial stance, that we cannot use "frame size" "big boned" etc. as a crutch for our body composition.

    I didn't think the OP's initial stance was "People shouldn't use frame size as a crutch for their lack of weight loss". I can agree with that.

    I thought her stance was "There's no such thing as big frame/small frame", which I disagree with.

    Perhaps she will come back and clarify.

    When, on another thread, I referred a third poster to the wrist/frame size calculator and said I had a large frame, the OP flat out told me:

    You don't have a "large frame".

    Thanks. That's what I thought she meant.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    Larissa_NY wrote: »
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    earlnabby wrote: »
    rainbowbow wrote: »

    I hope this makes sense. I'm not trying to call people out, but not one person on this thread who provided anecdotal evidence to how they are "really" big boned disprove my above statement.

    That is because they are two completely different things. You are talking about what is on the bones, and others are talking about the bones themselves. Those scans don't give actual bone measurements, especially the width of the collarbone, width of the ribcage, width of the pelvis, and length of the long bones of the arms and legs. THESE are what determine if you are big boned or not, not the weight or density of the actual bones.

    My point is that it doesn't MATTER if you are big boned or not. The WEIGHT difference in bones is almost non-existant.

    For people of a relative height, the variation in bone SIZE is minimal even between small vs large "frame".

    Blaming your weight being high on your bones is therefore irrelevant.

    As far as body SHAPE it is not determined by your bones but by soft tissue which is attached to your bones.

    I don't know how else i can say this so that it's clear that body shape and subsequently your total body weight has very little to do with bones.

    Yes, thank you, everyone understands that. The reason you feel like you're talking past everyone is that you're not talking about the thing everyone else on the thread is talking about, which is difference in bone structure (measured in inches) and not difference in body weight (measured in pounds). So it's basically like:

    Everyone else: "I wonder if that end table will fit into this niche."
    You: "Of course it will because it weighs 57 pounds."
    Everyone else: "But... will it fit into the niche?"
    You: "I SAID IT WILL because 57 pounds is not materially different from 60 pounds!"
    Everyone else: "Okay, let me rephrase this. That niche is about two feet across. I wonder if the end table is more or less than two feet across."
    You: "Y U DISAGREE WITH ME!!???!"

    I'm sorry, but you're wrong.

    Re-read what i've said and hopefully that helps.

    Body frame/height/width/etc of bones is not that different for people of a similar height.

    edit: i feel like you and the others who have agreed with your post are not grasping what i'm saying. you cannot be 5 foot tall and 3 feet wide because of your bones. It doesn't work that way.

    My point is that the variation in length and size of bones with people of a relative height is almost negligible. especially when it comes to total body weight (as stated).

    I'm close to the average height of women in the US, yet I cannot wear standard bracelets, and have a hard time finding hats that fit. I buy men's sneakers and boots. Buying women's shoes is a nightmare.
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    Larissa_NY wrote: »
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    earlnabby wrote: »
    rainbowbow wrote: »

    I hope this makes sense. I'm not trying to call people out, but not one person on this thread who provided anecdotal evidence to how they are "really" big boned disprove my above statement.

    That is because they are two completely different things. You are talking about what is on the bones, and others are talking about the bones themselves. Those scans don't give actual bone measurements, especially the width of the collarbone, width of the ribcage, width of the pelvis, and length of the long bones of the arms and legs. THESE are what determine if you are big boned or not, not the weight or density of the actual bones.

    My point is that it doesn't MATTER if you are big boned or not. The WEIGHT difference in bones is almost non-existant.

    For people of a relative height, the variation in bone SIZE is minimal even between small vs large "frame".

    Blaming your weight being high on your bones is therefore irrelevant.

    As far as body SHAPE it is not determined by your bones but by soft tissue which is attached to your bones.

    I don't know how else i can say this so that it's clear that body shape and subsequently your total body weight has very little to do with bones.

    Yes, thank you, everyone understands that. The reason you feel like you're talking past everyone is that you're not talking about the thing everyone else on the thread is talking about, which is difference in bone structure (measured in inches) and not difference in body weight (measured in pounds). So it's basically like:

    Everyone else: "I wonder if that end table will fit into this niche."
    You: "Of course it will because it weighs 57 pounds."
    Everyone else: "But... will it fit into the niche?"
    You: "I SAID IT WILL because 57 pounds is not materially different from 60 pounds!"
    Everyone else: "Okay, let me rephrase this. That niche is about two feet across. I wonder if the end table is more or less than two feet across."
    You: "Y U DISAGREE WITH ME!!???!"

    I'm sorry, but you're wrong.

    Re-read what i've said and hopefully that helps.

    Body frame/height/width/etc of bones is not that different for people of a similar height.

    edit: i feel like you and the others who have agreed with your post are not grasping what i'm saying. you cannot be 5 foot tall and 3 feet wide because of your bones. It doesn't work that way.

    My point is that the variation in length and size of bones with people of a relative height is almost negligible. especially when it comes to total body weight (as stated).

    I'm close to the average height of women in the US, yet I cannot wear standard bracelets, and have a hard time finding hats that fit. I buy men's sneakers and boots. Buying women's shoes is a nightmare.

    Ok.
  • caratayloruk
    caratayloruk Posts: 58 Member
    edited February 2016
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    I am simply reaffirming the OP's initial stance, that we cannot use "frame size" "big boned" etc. as a crutch for our body composition.

    I didn't think the OP's initial stance was "People shouldn't use frame size as a crutch for their lack of weight loss". I can agree with that.

    I thought her stance was "There's no such thing as big frame/small frame", which I disagree with.

    Perhaps she will come back and clarify.

    When, on another thread, I referred a third poster to the wrist/frame size calculator and said I had a large frame, the OP flat out told me:

    You don't have a "large frame".

    and yet, even if you did. We're talking max a few centemeters in length/weight and a few pounds variation.

    To suggest that BMI is therefore worthless, is ridiculous.


    I didn't think many people were saying bmi was worthless just that different frame sizes mean that people of the same height can look their best at different points on it

    On another thread I said that now I am closer to a healthy weight I was looking at probably stopping my weight loss at the top end of the bmi chart as I had a large frame and think if I went to the lower end I'd look unhealthy. I was flat out told 'you don't have a large frame, you just need to lose weight'' nowhere was I saying I still didn't have weight to lose (I have around 10lb to get to the top of the normal range for Bmi) what I and others are saying is that the reason a range exists in bmi is because of things like frame size
  • hev481
    hev481 Posts: 45 Member
    Clearly there is anatomical variation in humans but it isn't usually enough to compensate for someone registering as "obese" or very "overweight" on a BMI scale or any other measure of height/weight ratio--those inaccuracies are more likely related to muscle mass or actually having a lot of excess fat.

    I say this as someone who once thought they had a "big frame." I hit my original goal weight and actually had to set a second, lower GW because my "frame" is a lot smaller than I realized it was. So here we go-- round 2! Time to uncover my best self! Average/small frame and all with no excuses.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    I am simply reaffirming the OP's initial stance, that we cannot use "frame size" "big boned" etc. as a crutch for our body composition.

    I didn't think the OP's initial stance was "People shouldn't use frame size as a crutch for their lack of weight loss". I can agree with that.

    I thought her stance was "There's no such thing as big frame/small frame", which I disagree with.

    Perhaps she will come back and clarify.

    When, on another thread, I referred a third poster to the wrist/frame size calculator and said I had a large frame, the OP flat out told me:

    You don't have a "large frame".

    and yet, even if you did. We're talking max a few centemeters in length/weight and a few pounds variation.

    To suggest that BMI is therefore worthless, is ridiculous.


    I didn't think many people were saying bmi was worthless just that different frame sizes mean that people of the same height can look their best at different points on it

    On another thread I said that now I am closer to a healthy weight I was looking at probably stopping my weight loss at the top end of the bmi chart as I had a large frame and think if I went to the lower end I'd look unhealthy. I was flat out told 'you don't have a large frame, you just need to lose weight'' nowhere was I saying I still didn't have weight to lose (I have around 10lb to get to the top of the normal range for Bmi) what I and others are saying is that the reason a range exists in bmi is because of things like frame size

    My family would totally bring an eating disorder specialist and plans for hospitalization to an intervention for me if I were at the low end of the Normal BMI.
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    edited February 2016
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    I am simply reaffirming the OP's initial stance, that we cannot use "frame size" "big boned" etc. as a crutch for our body composition.

    I didn't think the OP's initial stance was "People shouldn't use frame size as a crutch for their lack of weight loss". I can agree with that.

    I thought her stance was "There's no such thing as big frame/small frame", which I disagree with.

    Perhaps she will come back and clarify.

    When, on another thread, I referred a third poster to the wrist/frame size calculator and said I had a large frame, the OP flat out told me:

    You don't have a "large frame".

    and yet, even if you did. We're talking max a few centemeters in length/weight and a few pounds variation.

    To suggest that BMI is therefore worthless, is ridiculous.


    I didn't think many people were saying bmi was worthless just that different frame sizes mean that people of the same height can look their best at different points on it

    On another thread I said that now I am closer to a healthy weight I was looking at probably stopping my weight loss at the top end of the bmi chart as I had a large frame and think if I went to the lower end I'd look unhealthy. I was flat out told 'you don't have a large frame, you just need to lose weight'' nowhere was I saying I still didn't have weight to lose (I have around 10lb to get to the top of the normal range for Bmi) what I and others are saying is that the reason a range exists in bmi is because of things like frame size

    of course.

    But the above poster said literally BMI is worthless if you have a "large frame".

    As you said, there's a range which accounts for frame size, muscle mass, body fat, etc.. You (i mean people who claim this) aren't a special snowflake who doesn't fit into the BMI chart of body fat % scale simply because you have the belief that your "bones are bigger".

    My point time and time again, is that regardless of whether or not your frame *is* actually bigger (which let's be honest, most people who make this claim, it's not) the variation is not SO large that it makes BMI worthless or irrelevant.
  • JustMissTracy
    JustMissTracy Posts: 6,338 Member
    edited February 2016
    Does that mean the opposite is also not possible? I've always felt, and been told, that I have a very tiny frame, teenie little bone structure (Tiny wrists, tiny ankles, tiny little clavicle, you get the pic;) When I was fat, I had a tiny frame with lots of fat on top of it.
  • caratayloruk
    caratayloruk Posts: 58 Member
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    I am simply reaffirming the OP's initial stance, that we cannot use "frame size" "big boned" etc. as a crutch for our body composition.

    I didn't think the OP's initial stance was "People shouldn't use frame size as a crutch for their lack of weight loss". I can agree with that.

    I thought her stance was "There's no such thing as big frame/small frame", which I disagree with.

    Perhaps she will come back and clarify.

    When, on another thread, I referred a third poster to the wrist/frame size calculator and said I had a large frame, the OP flat out told me:

    You don't have a "large frame".

    and yet, even if you did. We're talking max a few centemeters in length/weight and a few pounds variation.

    To suggest that BMI is therefore worthless, is ridiculous.


    I didn't think many people were saying bmi was worthless just that different frame sizes mean that people of the same height can look their best at different points on it

    On another thread I said that now I am closer to a healthy weight I was looking at probably stopping my weight loss at the top end of the bmi chart as I had a large frame and think if I went to the lower end I'd look unhealthy. I was flat out told 'you don't have a large frame, you just need to lose weight'' nowhere was I saying I still didn't have weight to lose (I have around 10lb to get to the top of the normal range for Bmi) what I and others are saying is that the reason a range exists in bmi is because of things like frame size

    of course.

    But the above poster said literally BMI is worthless if you have a "large frame".

    As you said, there's a range which accounts for frame size, muscle mass, body fat, etc.. You aren't a special snowflake who doesn't fit into the BMI chart of body fat % scale simply because you have the belief that your "bones are bigger".

    My point time and time again, is that regardless of whether or not your frame *is* actually bigger (which let's be honest, most people who make this claim, it's not) the variation is not SO large that it makes BMI worthless or irrelevant.


    Well then we agree. I don't think bmi is worthless for the vast majority (of course athletes etc are outliers) just that the range needs to be applied and this is where frame size comes into it.

    I think most people on this thread are arguing over what they actually agree on its just the wording that is causing such a discussion
  • AmazonMayan
    AmazonMayan Posts: 1,168 Member
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    I am simply reaffirming the OP's initial stance, that we cannot use "frame size" "big boned" etc. as a crutch for our body composition.

    I didn't think the OP's initial stance was "People shouldn't use frame size as a crutch for their lack of weight loss". I can agree with that.

    I thought her stance was "There's no such thing as big frame/small frame", which I disagree with.

    Perhaps she will come back and clarify.

    When, on another thread, I referred a third poster to the wrist/frame size calculator and said I had a large frame, the OP flat out told me:

    You don't have a "large frame".

    and yet, even if you did. We're talking max a few centemeters in length/weight and a few pounds variation.

    To suggest that BMI is therefore worthless, is ridiculous.


    I didn't think many people were saying bmi was worthless just that different frame sizes mean that people of the same height can look their best at different points on it

    On another thread I said that now I am closer to a healthy weight I was looking at probably stopping my weight loss at the top end of the bmi chart as I had a large frame and think if I went to the lower end I'd look unhealthy. I was flat out told 'you don't have a large frame, you just need to lose weight'' nowhere was I saying I still didn't have weight to lose (I have around 10lb to get to the top of the normal range for Bmi) what I and others are saying is that the reason a range exists in bmi is because of things like frame size

    My family would totally bring an eating disorder specialist and plans for hospitalization to an intervention for me if I were at the low end of the Normal BMI.

    +1

    I was slender most of my life so I also know what weight I look healthy at and that I do have a large frame. I have never used it as a reason I got fat - that's a whole other issue.

    As a teenager I had a temporary health issue (not ed) that caused me to drop weight fast and not in a healthy way. I was STILL in the "normal" range for my height and yet I looked so skeletal and gaunt that my school intervened. ( My mom was too busy (insert cussing here) to deal with me needing medical care and was actually angry she had to take me to the base because the school demanded it.... so if anyone wonders why she didnt catch it... ) I fit into a women's size 8 loosely.

    Size 8 and yet skeletal looking. The doctors in the ER dealt with my immediate medical needs then put me on ensure shakes and instructed my mom to feed me high calorie foods because I needed to put weight back on. It was the first time I was referred to as big boned. By a doctor. With a PhD. And I was skinnier than skinny. A family friend referred to me as looking "like death warmed over."
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    I didn't want to have to pull out the dexa scans, but i guess i might as well.

    This woman was 5'4. Her total body weight is 100.3 pounds. She falls into the underweight category of bmi. Total Bone weight: 5.4 pounds. She has a low mineral density. Here's what her skeleton and soft tissue look like.
    419v54n05-90168823fig13.jpg


    This woman is 5'6. her total body weight is 139 pounds. She falls into the normal category of bmi. Total bone weight? 7.8 pounds.
    dexa-fat-scan.jpg


    This woman is also 5'6. Her total body weight is 273 pounds. She falls into the obese category. Total bone weight? 6.65 pounds.
    corescan_clinical_image.jpg


    so, what is the difference in these women? It's the amount of muscle, fat, and soft tissue their body has.

    their skeletons are damn near the same size.

    Please don't confused body shape (which is determined by genetics, and commonly referred to as "apple/pear/banana/etc.") with your bones or "frame". they are not the same.

    THIS:
    bodyshapes1.jpg

    this is a result of where you gain fat. This is also determined by how much muscle mass you have and where you've gained muscle. We all know about the difference between body SHAPE (based on soft tissue).

    This has nothing to do with bones. These women very likely have similar bone structure.

    True to an extent but in that picture, it seems to me that the woman on the left has a smaller bone structure by a long shot... especially if you compare to the one on the right.

  • happykee
    happykee Posts: 31 Member
    bone size can be determined by the wrist. Some are smaller and some are larger boned.
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    Francl27 wrote: »
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    I didn't want to have to pull out the dexa scans, but i guess i might as well.

    This woman was 5'4. Her total body weight is 100.3 pounds. She falls into the underweight category of bmi. Total Bone weight: 5.4 pounds. She has a low mineral density. Here's what her skeleton and soft tissue look like.
    419v54n05-90168823fig13.jpg


    This woman is 5'6. her total body weight is 139 pounds. She falls into the normal category of bmi. Total bone weight? 7.8 pounds.
    dexa-fat-scan.jpg


    This woman is also 5'6. Her total body weight is 273 pounds. She falls into the obese category. Total bone weight? 6.65 pounds.
    corescan_clinical_image.jpg


    so, what is the difference in these women? It's the amount of muscle, fat, and soft tissue their body has.

    their skeletons are damn near the same size.

    Please don't confused body shape (which is determined by genetics, and commonly referred to as "apple/pear/banana/etc.") with your bones or "frame". they are not the same.

    THIS:
    bodyshapes1.jpg

    this is a result of where you gain fat. This is also determined by how much muscle mass you have and where you've gained muscle. We all know about the difference between body SHAPE (based on soft tissue).

    This has nothing to do with bones. These women very likely have similar bone structure.

    True to an extent but in that picture, it seems to me that the woman on the left has a smaller bone structure by a long shot... especially if you compare to the one on the right.

    my point was that they dont. It's the soft tissue that causes variation.

    As you can see by the images in that post, i posted a woman with a "petite" body type and a pear. their bone structure? The same.

    I posted someone who is obese and an apple. bone structure? the same
  • stevencloser
    stevencloser Posts: 8,911 Member
    edited February 2016
    r82r3m1l62a9.jpg

    I wonder what causes differences in height?

    I upscaled them proportionally to be the same height as the tallest girl.

    6xewjIp.gif

    They're not that far off from each other apart from the 4th having noticably broader shoulders and even that is what, 1 inch difference?. The last and the first mostly look different because the last girl has her arms more out to the side because of her waist.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    I am simply reaffirming the OP's initial stance, that we cannot use "frame size" "big boned" etc. as a crutch for our body composition.

    I didn't think the OP's initial stance was "People shouldn't use frame size as a crutch for their lack of weight loss". I can agree with that.

    I thought her stance was "There's no such thing as big frame/small frame", which I disagree with.

    Perhaps she will come back and clarify.

    When, on another thread, I referred a third poster to the wrist/frame size calculator and said I had a large frame, the OP flat out told me:

    You don't have a "large frame".

    and yet, even if you did. We're talking max a few centemeters in length/weight and a few pounds variation.

    To suggest that BMI is therefore worthless, is ridiculous.


    I didn't think many people were saying bmi was worthless just that different frame sizes mean that people of the same height can look their best at different points on it

    On another thread I said that now I am closer to a healthy weight I was looking at probably stopping my weight loss at the top end of the bmi chart as I had a large frame and think if I went to the lower end I'd look unhealthy. I was flat out told 'you don't have a large frame, you just need to lose weight'' nowhere was I saying I still didn't have weight to lose (I have around 10lb to get to the top of the normal range for Bmi) what I and others are saying is that the reason a range exists in bmi is because of things like frame size

    of course.

    But the above poster said literally BMI is worthless if you have a "large frame".

    As you said, there's a range which accounts for frame size, muscle mass, body fat, etc.. You (i mean people who claim this) aren't a special snowflake who doesn't fit into the BMI chart of body fat % scale simply because you have the belief that your "bones are bigger".

    My point time and time again, is that regardless of whether or not your frame *is* actually bigger (which let's be honest, most people who make this claim, it's not) the variation is not SO large that it makes BMI worthless or irrelevant.

    Pfft, first you said I implied the BMI was worthless and then you say "above poster said literally BMI is worthless if you have a "large frame"." In fact, what actually I said was "If you have a large frame like me, don't bother looking at the BMI." The OP of that thread has a 26" waist, wears a size 4, and was fretting that if she gained 6 pounds, she'd have a BMI of 25, which is in Overweight.

    The only time in my life that I got down to a BMI of 24 was after 6 weeks of military boot camp, during which time I underate and overexercised. I stand by my statement that people built like me need not worry about being in Normal BMI. Low Overweight is good enough for me.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,598 Member
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    I am simply reaffirming the OP's initial stance, that we cannot use "frame size" "big boned" etc. as a crutch for our body composition.

    I didn't think the OP's initial stance was "People shouldn't use frame size as a crutch for their lack of weight loss". I can agree with that.

    I thought her stance was "There's no such thing as big frame/small frame", which I disagree with.

    Perhaps she will come back and clarify.

    When, on another thread, I referred a third poster to the wrist/frame size calculator and said I had a large frame, the OP flat out told me:

    You don't have a "large frame".

    and yet, even if you did. We're talking max a few centemeters in length/weight and a few pounds variation.

    To suggest that BMI is therefore worthless, is ridiculous.


    I didn't think many people were saying bmi was worthless just that different frame sizes mean that people of the same height can look their best at different points on it

    On another thread I said that now I am closer to a healthy weight I was looking at probably stopping my weight loss at the top end of the bmi chart as I had a large frame and think if I went to the lower end I'd look unhealthy. I was flat out told 'you don't have a large frame, you just need to lose weight'' nowhere was I saying I still didn't have weight to lose (I have around 10lb to get to the top of the normal range for Bmi) what I and others are saying is that the reason a range exists in bmi is because of things like frame size

    Yes.

    And I further think that the people talking about the weight of the bones not being very different are missing a key point that was mentioned earlier: If, for example, one has a wider pelvis, it takes more "stuff" to enclose it - skin, muscles, etc. That "stuff" represents weight as well - almost certainly more weight than the weight of the bones proper.

    At a healthy weight, that broader pelvis is surrounded by more healthy "stuff", not necessarily more fat. Someone (like me) with a relatively narrower pelvis is going to have a healthy weight lower than someone with a wider pelvis all other things being equal.

    (Yes, more muscular = heavier all other things being equal; "big bones" is a silly excuse to be obese; BMI works as a guideline for people of body types that are close to statistical norms, but there are outliers; etc.)

    I understand why very muscular people (or other true outliers) dismiss the value of the BMI guideline, but in some ways, I think doing so is another excuse/enabler for overweight and obese folks in denial. "Everyone knows BMI doesn't work, because athletes. Big bones, too! So me!"
  • Mouse_Potato
    Mouse_Potato Posts: 1,513 Member
    edited February 2016
    Does that mean the opposite is also not possible? I've always felt, and been told, that I have a very tiny frame, teenie little bone structure (Tiny wrists, tiny ankles, tiny little clavicle, you get the pic;) When I was fat, I had a tiny frame with lots of fat on top of it.

    I was having similar thoughts. I have the opposite problem. The healthy weight range for my height, according to the CDC, is 108-145 pounds. I was at 149 pounds when I broke down crying in a dressing room and decided I *had* to do something about my weight. At 145 pounds I was still considerably overweight. 135? Overweight. 130? Overweight. I'm now at 125 and it would still take me another 5-10 pounds to shed the belly. When I was in my twenties, I weighed about 105. I looked great.

    Since my 5" wrists and size 4 fingers look best at the lower end of the BMI chart, I must assume there are women out there who *wouldn't* be overweight at the upper end. Or even in the middle. Since I am already quite muscular, I assume they must have larger frames than mine (or are incredibly muscular!).

    ETA: I don't know how tall OP is, but I smiled at her "respectable 60 kgs." I'm sure she looks fantastic, but that weight on my tiny frame would be too much! :)
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Does that mean the opposite is also not possible? I've always felt, and been told, that I have a very tiny frame, teenie little bone structure (Tiny wrists, tiny ankles, tiny little clavicle, you get the pic;) When I was fat, I had a tiny frame with lots of fat on top of it.

    I was having similar thoughts. I have the opposite problem. The healthy weight range for my height, according to the CDC, is 108-145 pounds. I was at 149 pounds when I broke down crying in a dressing room and decided I *had* to do something about my weight. At 145 pounds I was still considerably overweight. 135? Overweight. 130? Overweight. I'm now at 125 and it would still take me another 5-10 pounds to shed the belly. When I was in my twenties, I weighed about 105. I looked great.

    Since my 5" wrists and size 4 fingers look best at the lower end of the BMI chart, I must assume there are women out there who *wouldn't* be overweight at the upper end. Or even in the middle. Since I am already quite muscular, I assume they must have larger frames than mine (or are incredibly muscular!).

    ETA: I don't know how tall OP is, but I smiled at her "respectable 60 kgs." I'm sure she looks fantastic, but that weight on my tiny frame would be too much! :)

    Wrist measurement is really not enough to determine someone's frame size though. More 'accurate' tools take elbow size into account too (and possibly other things?).

    Either way, yeah, I've seen women who were my size and 15 pounds heavier who looked fantastic.
  • Wynterbourne
    Wynterbourne Posts: 2,235 Member
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    Larissa_NY wrote: »
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    earlnabby wrote: »
    rainbowbow wrote: »

    I hope this makes sense. I'm not trying to call people out, but not one person on this thread who provided anecdotal evidence to how they are "really" big boned disprove my above statement.

    That is because they are two completely different things. You are talking about what is on the bones, and others are talking about the bones themselves. Those scans don't give actual bone measurements, especially the width of the collarbone, width of the ribcage, width of the pelvis, and length of the long bones of the arms and legs. THESE are what determine if you are big boned or not, not the weight or density of the actual bones.

    My point is that it doesn't MATTER if you are big boned or not. The WEIGHT difference in bones is almost non-existant.

    For people of a relative height, the variation in bone SIZE is minimal even between small vs large "frame".

    Blaming your weight being high on your bones is therefore irrelevant.

    As far as body SHAPE it is not determined by your bones but by soft tissue which is attached to your bones.

    I don't know how else i can say this so that it's clear that body shape and subsequently your total body weight has very little to do with bones.

    Yes, thank you, everyone understands that. The reason you feel like you're talking past everyone is that you're not talking about the thing everyone else on the thread is talking about, which is difference in bone structure (measured in inches) and not difference in body weight (measured in pounds). So it's basically like:

    Everyone else: "I wonder if that end table will fit into this niche."
    You: "Of course it will because it weighs 57 pounds."
    Everyone else: "But... will it fit into the niche?"
    You: "I SAID IT WILL because 57 pounds is not materially different from 60 pounds!"
    Everyone else: "Okay, let me rephrase this. That niche is about two feet across. I wonder if the end table is more or less than two feet across."
    You: "Y U DISAGREE WITH ME!!???!"

    I'm sorry, but you're wrong.

    I agree with Larissa_NY. You are not arguing the same points as most of the other people on here are. I've read and re-read all your posts. I stand by Larissa_NY's description of your side of this discussion. And not just because it made me laugh.
  • Rawr1978
    Rawr1978 Posts: 245 Member
    She could be saying that the "I'm 5'2, 180 and im as skinny as my big-bones frame gets" is a myth.
  • Mouse_Potato
    Mouse_Potato Posts: 1,513 Member
    Francl27 wrote: »
    Does that mean the opposite is also not possible? I've always felt, and been told, that I have a very tiny frame, teenie little bone structure (Tiny wrists, tiny ankles, tiny little clavicle, you get the pic;) When I was fat, I had a tiny frame with lots of fat on top of it.

    I was having similar thoughts. I have the opposite problem. The healthy weight range for my height, according to the CDC, is 108-145 pounds. I was at 149 pounds when I broke down crying in a dressing room and decided I *had* to do something about my weight. At 145 pounds I was still considerably overweight. 135? Overweight. 130? Overweight. I'm now at 125 and it would still take me another 5-10 pounds to shed the belly. When I was in my twenties, I weighed about 105. I looked great.

    Since my 5" wrists and size 4 fingers look best at the lower end of the BMI chart, I must assume there are women out there who *wouldn't* be overweight at the upper end. Or even in the middle. Since I am already quite muscular, I assume they must have larger frames than mine (or are incredibly muscular!).

    ETA: I don't know how tall OP is, but I smiled at her "respectable 60 kgs." I'm sure she looks fantastic, but that weight on my tiny frame would be too much! :)

    Wrist measurement is really not enough to determine someone's frame size though. More 'accurate' tools take elbow size into account too (and possibly other things?).

    Either way, yeah, I've seen women who were my size and 15 pounds heavier who looked fantastic.

    I measured my elbow. 2.125" from bone to bone (assuming I did it correctly). I think most, if not all, calculators would call me small framed. Amusingly, since I started lifting, I also have the broad shoulder issue - shirts in my size are too tight across the shoulders! That's clearly a deltoid issue, though, not frame or bones.
  • ClosetBayesian
    ClosetBayesian Posts: 836 Member
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    Larissa_NY wrote: »
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    earlnabby wrote: »
    rainbowbow wrote: »

    I hope this makes sense. I'm not trying to call people out, but not one person on this thread who provided anecdotal evidence to how they are "really" big boned disprove my above statement.

    That is because they are two completely different things. You are talking about what is on the bones, and others are talking about the bones themselves. Those scans don't give actual bone measurements, especially the width of the collarbone, width of the ribcage, width of the pelvis, and length of the long bones of the arms and legs. THESE are what determine if you are big boned or not, not the weight or density of the actual bones.

    My point is that it doesn't MATTER if you are big boned or not. The WEIGHT difference in bones is almost non-existant.

    For people of a relative height, the variation in bone SIZE is minimal even between small vs large "frame".

    Blaming your weight being high on your bones is therefore irrelevant.

    As far as body SHAPE it is not determined by your bones but by soft tissue which is attached to your bones.

    I don't know how else i can say this so that it's clear that body shape and subsequently your total body weight has very little to do with bones.

    Yes, thank you, everyone understands that. The reason you feel like you're talking past everyone is that you're not talking about the thing everyone else on the thread is talking about, which is difference in bone structure (measured in inches) and not difference in body weight (measured in pounds). So it's basically like:

    Everyone else: "I wonder if that end table will fit into this niche."
    You: "Of course it will because it weighs 57 pounds."
    Everyone else: "But... will it fit into the niche?"
    You: "I SAID IT WILL because 57 pounds is not materially different from 60 pounds!"
    Everyone else: "Okay, let me rephrase this. That niche is about two feet across. I wonder if the end table is more or less than two feet across."
    You: "Y U DISAGREE WITH ME!!???!"

    I'm sorry, but you're wrong.

    Re-read what i've said and hopefully that helps.

    Body frame/height/width/etc of bones is not that different for people of a similar height.

    edit: i feel like you and the others who have agreed with your post are not grasping what i'm saying. you cannot be 5 foot tall and 3 feet wide because of your bones. It doesn't work that way.

    My point is that the variation in length and size of bones with people of a relative height is almost negligible. especially when it comes to total body weight (as stated).

    Please explain how you can be 5 foot tall without your bones playing a fairly crucial role? Bone length is kind of a thing when it comes to height, I thought?
  • cafeaulait7
    cafeaulait7 Posts: 2,459 Member
    I'm at the middle of the good BMI for my height, btw, and I certainly don't think I look too thin. Some women may prefer to not have ribs and shoulder bones showing, so they'd add 10 lbs on me, though. I have no problem with healthy-weight bones, so I don't mind it at all.

    But my point wasn't about how it affects weight. It's much more likely to affect sizing. I've always worn shirts that are at least 2 sizes bigger to accommodate my shoulders.

    And my ribcage is also wide, so hearing of women whose bra band size is much lower than mine always freaks me out, because it shows just how much variability there can be (they sound so tiny!). My ribs are completely visible where the band goes, so expecting that fat has a significant part to play in that (for me) sounds silly. My ribs are 35" at the bra band, so it's not like I'm a freak or something, but there are tons of women on here my height who are significantly more petite, and they wear a much lower band size.

    I'll never wear an extra-small, yet many 5'6" women do. That's the kind of variability I mean. Like the table thing, yeah.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    I'm at the middle of the good BMI for my height, btw, and I certainly don't think I look too thin. Some women may prefer to not have ribs and shoulder bones showing, so they'd add 10 lbs on me, though. I have no problem with healthy-weight bones, so I don't mind it at all.

    But my point wasn't about how it affects weight. It's much more likely to affect sizing. I've always worn shirts that are at least 2 sizes bigger to accommodate my shoulders.

    And my ribcage is also wide, so hearing of women whose bra band size is much lower than mine always freaks me out, because it shows just how much variability there can be (they sound so tiny!). My ribs are completely visible where the band goes, so expecting that fat has a significant part to play in that (for me) sounds silly. My ribs are 35" at the bra band, so it's not like I'm a freak or something, but there are tons of women on here my height who are significantly more petite, and they wear a much lower band size.

    I'll never wear an extra-small, yet many 5'6" women do. That's the kind of variability I mean. Like the table thing, yeah.

    I'm 5'5" and my ribs are 34" at the bra band, so I hear you. I was actually measuring the other day to double check that I was wearing the right size of bra (which I am, yay), and they ask you to measure it loosely there, then tight... it was the same number. Just can't physically tighten it because there's just not much fat left there at all.

    I do fit in XSmall, but it's just some styles at Old Navy, and they're huge on vanity sizing, lol. And considering that my waist is 30.5 inches with *maybe* one inch of fat there (and maybe one inch from the pouch of loose skin over my bellybutton), I'm never fitting in XSmall pants for sure.

    So yeah... I cringe when I hear about the 'there's no such thing as big boned' thing. My wrist say I'm a small frame, by the way... but the elbow test puts me at 'large frame'. Go figure.
  • Rosyone
    Rosyone Posts: 74 Member
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    Larissa_NY wrote: »
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    earlnabby wrote: »
    rainbowbow wrote: »

    I hope this makes sense. I'm not trying to call people out, but not one person on this thread who provided anecdotal evidence to how they are "really" big boned disprove my above statement.

    That is because they are two completely different things. You are talking about what is on the bones, and others are talking about the bones themselves. Those scans don't give actual bone measurements, especially the width of the collarbone, width of the ribcage, width of the pelvis, and length of the long bones of the arms and legs. THESE are what determine if you are big boned or not, not the weight or density of the actual bones.

    My point is that it doesn't MATTER if you are big boned or not. The WEIGHT difference in bones is almost non-existant.

    For people of a relative height, the variation in bone SIZE is minimal even between small vs large "frame".

    Blaming your weight being high on your bones is therefore irrelevant.

    As far as body SHAPE it is not determined by your bones but by soft tissue which is attached to your bones.

    I don't know how else i can say this so that it's clear that body shape and subsequently your total body weight has very little to do with bones.

    Yes, thank you, everyone understands that. The reason you feel like you're talking past everyone is that you're not talking about the thing everyone else on the thread is talking about, which is difference in bone structure (measured in inches) and not difference in body weight (measured in pounds). So it's basically like:

    Everyone else: "I wonder if that end table will fit into this niche."
    You: "Of course it will because it weighs 57 pounds."
    Everyone else: "But... will it fit into the niche?"
    You: "I SAID IT WILL because 57 pounds is not materially different from 60 pounds!"
    Everyone else: "Okay, let me rephrase this. That niche is about two feet across. I wonder if the end table is more or less than two feet across."
    You: "Y U DISAGREE WITH ME!!???!"

    I'm sorry, but you're wrong.

    Re-read what i've said and hopefully that helps.

    Body frame/height/width/etc of bones is not that different for people of a similar height.

    edit: i feel like you and the others who have agreed with your post are not grasping what i'm saying. you cannot be 5 foot tall and 3 feet wide because of your bones. It doesn't work that way.

    My point is that the variation in length and size of bones with people of a relative height is almost negligible. especially when it comes to total body weight (as stated).

    Please explain how you can be 5 foot tall without your bones playing a fairly crucial role? Bone length is kind of a thing when it comes to height, I thought?

    Bone length is a thing when it comes to proportion too, as is the pattern of surplus fat distribution. Even if the difference in shoulder width is negligible, 5 footer with proportionately long and lean legs, a short waist, and an apple type distribution of surplus fat will not be able to carry as much weight as someone of the same height who has a longer torso and an hourglass figure.
  • cafeaulait7
    cafeaulait7 Posts: 2,459 Member
    My wrists and ankles are small, too :) And my arms are monkey long, with long legs. It's at the knees and elbows where I start getting sturdy and stocky. My lower half carries more weight than my top half, so the knee breadth may not be accurate. In studies they do all the breadth calculations using scans, so fat is not a confounder like in real life.

    But the wrists alone aren't the best measure of frame size. There are actually all kinds of combos of bigger and smaller body parts. I should grab that link, because different combos also suggest more or less fat or lean mass proportions. I'll do that today, y'all.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    I have broad shoulders and long legs and arms. I've seen a video of when I was 7 or 8 in a ballet recital... Even tho I was a skinny kid, I looked like a baby elephant next to the other ballerina's. They were skinny petite little things, I was skinny but not petite.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    Francl27 wrote: »
    Does that mean the opposite is also not possible? I've always felt, and been told, that I have a very tiny frame, teenie little bone structure (Tiny wrists, tiny ankles, tiny little clavicle, you get the pic;) When I was fat, I had a tiny frame with lots of fat on top of it.

    I was having similar thoughts. I have the opposite problem. The healthy weight range for my height, according to the CDC, is 108-145 pounds. I was at 149 pounds when I broke down crying in a dressing room and decided I *had* to do something about my weight. At 145 pounds I was still considerably overweight. 135? Overweight. 130? Overweight. I'm now at 125 and it would still take me another 5-10 pounds to shed the belly. When I was in my twenties, I weighed about 105. I looked great.

    Since my 5" wrists and size 4 fingers look best at the lower end of the BMI chart, I must assume there are women out there who *wouldn't* be overweight at the upper end. Or even in the middle. Since I am already quite muscular, I assume they must have larger frames than mine (or are incredibly muscular!).

    ETA: I don't know how tall OP is, but I smiled at her "respectable 60 kgs." I'm sure she looks fantastic, but that weight on my tiny frame would be too much! :)

    Wrist measurement is really not enough to determine someone's frame size though. More 'accurate' tools take elbow size into account too (and possibly other things?).

    Either way, yeah, I've seen women who were my size and 15 pounds heavier who looked fantastic.

    Found a tool that included the elbow measurement:

    http://www.myfooddiary.com/Resources/frame_size_calculator.asp

    Your Results:

    The wrist and elbow methods agree that you have a broad body frame.
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    Larissa_NY wrote: »
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    earlnabby wrote: »
    rainbowbow wrote: »

    I hope this makes sense. I'm not trying to call people out, but not one person on this thread who provided anecdotal evidence to how they are "really" big boned disprove my above statement.

    That is because they are two completely different things. You are talking about what is on the bones, and others are talking about the bones themselves. Those scans don't give actual bone measurements, especially the width of the collarbone, width of the ribcage, width of the pelvis, and length of the long bones of the arms and legs. THESE are what determine if you are big boned or not, not the weight or density of the actual bones.

    My point is that it doesn't MATTER if you are big boned or not. The WEIGHT difference in bones is almost non-existant.

    For people of a relative height, the variation in bone SIZE is minimal even between small vs large "frame".

    Blaming your weight being high on your bones is therefore irrelevant.

    As far as body SHAPE it is not determined by your bones but by soft tissue which is attached to your bones.

    I don't know how else i can say this so that it's clear that body shape and subsequently your total body weight has very little to do with bones.

    Yes, thank you, everyone understands that. The reason you feel like you're talking past everyone is that you're not talking about the thing everyone else on the thread is talking about, which is difference in bone structure (measured in inches) and not difference in body weight (measured in pounds). So it's basically like:

    Everyone else: "I wonder if that end table will fit into this niche."
    You: "Of course it will because it weighs 57 pounds."
    Everyone else: "But... will it fit into the niche?"
    You: "I SAID IT WILL because 57 pounds is not materially different from 60 pounds!"
    Everyone else: "Okay, let me rephrase this. That niche is about two feet across. I wonder if the end table is more or less than two feet across."
    You: "Y U DISAGREE WITH ME!!???!"

    I'm sorry, but you're wrong.

    Re-read what i've said and hopefully that helps.

    Body frame/height/width/etc of bones is not that different for people of a similar height.

    edit: i feel like you and the others who have agreed with your post are not grasping what i'm saying. you cannot be 5 foot tall and 3 feet wide because of your bones. It doesn't work that way.

    My point is that the variation in length and size of bones with people of a relative height is almost negligible. especially when it comes to total body weight (as stated).

    Please explain how you can be 5 foot tall without your bones playing a fairly crucial role? Bone length is kind of a thing when it comes to height, I thought?

    I'm not sure if you just lack reading comprehension or if you're serious...
This discussion has been closed.