Weight loss = height gain?

katyjay2014
katyjay2014 Posts: 54 Member
edited December 19 in Health and Weight Loss
Prior to my weight loss, I was always 5'7.5". I wasn't short enough to be 5'7 but was never able to reach that 5'8 plateau. 2 years and 68lb gone later... and I'm 5'8.4" (?) That's a gain of nearly 1 full inch! Is that possible? Has anybody else had the same thing happen to them? It's not a standing taller thing, trust me - I tried to be taller and couldn't do it. I've heard of minimal height gain due to posture and the spinal discs not longer being compressed, but for a full inch... I'm 24 years old so I don't think it's a growing thing either - pretty sure I'm done with that. Is it possible for weight to impact my height THAT much or is something else at work here? Ideas welcome :) TIA!

Replies

  • VintageFeline
    VintageFeline Posts: 6,771 Member
    Do you exercise now? Could be a combination of decompression and better posture from exercise. Some people are taller in the morning than evening too, just from daily pressure on the spine.

    Wish I could gain an inch, preferably on my stumpy legs!
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    That sounds amazing but not totally unbelievable and I'll be watching this thread :)

    (I've had commented I "look taller" after losing weight, but I think that was just that, not real height gain, but then again, I haven't measured myself for years.)
  • tryasimighty
    tryasimighty Posts: 131 Member
    Yes it is possible- I was a little over an inch shorter when I was obese in my 20s! All that weight pulls you down all over! Plus Im sure you are walking taller with the pride of all that weight loss- endless benefits ;-)
  • katyjay2014
    katyjay2014 Posts: 54 Member
    I've also gotten the "you look taller" comments but dismissed them as an illusion because of my weight loss. Now that I think about it, my height gain was never on my radar until I started strength training. Maybe I have a stronger core and it's actually working? :)
  • markrgeary1
    markrgeary1 Posts: 853 Member
    Astronauts get taller after a long time in space.
  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,486 Member
    I grew an inch in my 20's.

    At 14 I was hospitalized for 4 months with a compound fracture of my leg and my height was monitored for a couple of years to make sure my broken leg was ok. 5' all the time.
    At 19 I was measure while pregnant and was 5'
    At 20 I emigrated to Canada from the UK and was officially recorded at 5'.

    During a medical in my 30's I was measured and was 5'1.
    All subsequent measurements have had me at 5'1.

    I wasn't overweight at any of those times, I just grew an inch.

    Cheers, h.
  • MelissaLimeKiwi
    MelissaLimeKiwi Posts: 121 Member
    My husband is 35 and did some physical therapy for his back this fall and he's now an inch taller. He's in the military so he gets measured all the time.
  • NewGemini130
    NewGemini130 Posts: 219 Member
    I grew an inch in my early 20s as well. I was 5'6" all thru high school and college etc...then sometime in my 20s I had a boost and I'm 5'7", have been since- I think but now I want to get my height checked again (I'm in my 40s so hoping I haven't started shrinking yet!!)
  • 30kgin2017
    30kgin2017 Posts: 228 Member
    I think its pretty common to grow or shrink a few cms depending on exercise. From memory its the core/back area that will expend or contract. I'd love to grow an inch, I've lost an inch since highschool and I was a shorty then.

    Ballerina's and gymnasts are often shorter. I remember seeing an article about identical twins. They were same height and weight basically until one gave up gymnastics. I cant remember the age one stopped maybe 12 and the photo was about age 16. The difference in height and obviously weight was astounding.
  • SCoil123
    SCoil123 Posts: 2,111 Member
    I would love to gain the inch back I lost...I went down almost 1" and became flat footed when pregnant
  • JessicaMcB
    JessicaMcB Posts: 1,503 Member
    This tickled me so much that me and my husband measured my height- suddenly my 5'9" measures 5'10" :o . Posture or whatever be damned, this thread just rocked my world ;) lol
  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,626 Member
    id be pissed if i got taller.

    i love being short.

    but ... taller would mean more calories...... LOLOLOL
  • laurasjourney88
    laurasjourney88 Posts: 16 Member
    nooooo I don't want to get taller! I'm already 5ft 8 which I hate!!
  • yayamom3
    yayamom3 Posts: 939 Member
    I don't get any taller when I lose weight, but my pants do get longer!
    @laurasjourney88 why do you hate being 5'8"? I'm that height, and I love it!
  • melto1989
    melto1989 Posts: 140 Member
    I've grown 2cm since I was 18 now 27 ...haven't lost any weight just slowly gained during those years.
  • Tacklewasher
    Tacklewasher Posts: 7,122 Member
    VintageFeline wrote: »
    Do you exercise now? Could be a combination of decompression and better posture from exercise. Some people are taller in the morning than evening too, just from daily pressure on the spine.

    Wish I could gain an inch, preferably on my stumpy legs!

    Wish I could gain an inch, but not there......
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    I actually gained 1 inch when I was at my heaviest. That was a shocker! Now that I'm in maintenance range, I'll ask to be measured at my next Dr visit.
  • Tacklewasher
    Tacklewasher Posts: 7,122 Member
    trigden1991 wrote: »
    Tacklewasher wrote: »
    VintageFeline wrote: »
    Do you exercise now? Could be a combination of decompression and better posture from exercise. Some people are taller in the morning than evening too, just from daily pressure on the spine.

    Wish I could gain an inch, preferably on my stumpy legs!

    Wish I could gain an inch, but not there......

    Strong username to innuendo.

    Honestly, the username is fishing related. The fact that I just drag tackle behind a boat instead of actually catching anything.

    And I don't know what you are talking about on the innuendo.....
  • rainbow198
    rainbow198 Posts: 2,245 Member
    I grew an inch after losing 80 lbs.

    I love it! Legs for days. :smile:

  • williams969
    williams969 Posts: 2,528 Member
    edited January 2017
    Since I was 22, I've been 5'6" exactly, or so I thought. After the birth of my last child (age 33, 7 years ago), I measured 5'6.5" (solidly between 5.6 and 5.7). For curiosity I measured myself today; 5'7". :o I don't know why, late growth spurt? Nah, probably posture improvement.

    FTR, the same Stanley tape measure took all these measurements. It's part of the tool box that was my 18th birthday gift (first grownup gift, lol).
  • Miz_T
    Miz_T Posts: 150 Member
    I grew almost an inch from all the Taekwondo I do. I'm 48, I'm not supposed to grow!
  • apullum
    apullum Posts: 4,838 Member
    Gosh, I wish. I'm 4' 11.75." The 0.75 is important when you're short. I was half an inch taller when I went to the doctor, but it was because I was wearing different shoes :) I don't think losing 90 lb. had anything to do with it.

    I agree with the other folks that I think it's probably a result of better posture. You may unconsciously carry yourself differently now if you have more self-confidence, or you might have developed muscle that helps support good posture.
  • aperfectscale
    aperfectscale Posts: 1 Member
    After losing weight you can not increase your height. But, the efficient workout will help you to increase your height. If you are improving your posture and spinal disc then you will increase by some inches.
This discussion has been closed.

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