"Who's NOT Overweight?"

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  • semirav
    semirav Posts: 6 Member
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    I mean by normal standards I'm a healthy weight but for being a competitive athlete I'm 10 pounds over race weight
  • Verity1111
    Verity1111 Posts: 3,309 Member
    edited October 2017
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    Psychgrrl wrote: »
    So, at a meeting this week, we were all chatting about random stuff and one person brought up her partner was coming onto her insurance because her partner's company's insurance was going to start charging more for smokers (private company). Another one said the same thing, but it was due to health stats like BMI, BP, etc. and they were given notice this would take effect January 1, 2018. Change now or pay more later, I guess.

    The smoking thing didn't phase anyone, but the weight thing did. One of my office mates said, "That's not a fair thing to charge for, I mean, who's NOT overweight?" Myself and one other person raised our hands. Two out of 14 people. I don't perceive anyone being obese, but I really have no idea and don't really think about it. I was obese, lost 100+ pounds and have been in maintenance almost three years.

    It was just an interesting observation for me--even our folks with "active" jobs are probably overweight. Only two our of 14 were a healthy weight.

    I know not everyone works in a office, but with their office mates or stay-at-home-parent folks, is my office an anomaly? Or is it normal?

    Well Im barely in overweight instead of the obese category and I go to college 3 days a week... I feel pretty decent on campus (where as if everyone were thin Id be super uncomfortable being out and about...) because to be honest I'd say 50% maybe even more and I have a skewed perception are overweight. And definitely a large percentage are obese.
  • Verity1111
    Verity1111 Posts: 3,309 Member
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    fjmartini wrote: »
    So a man my height that weighs 175 lbs but eats total garbage, drinks nearly daily, has vitals worse than mine, would be considered in a healthy range and get a better premium. I just did my BMI and I'm at 27.5. That's 2.5 points away from obese.

    You were just told they take into account waist measurement.
  • Verity1111
    Verity1111 Posts: 3,309 Member
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    sarahseeto wrote: »
    Maxematics wrote: »
    Yep, being overweight is the norm. That's why when most people start losing weight, the comments usually turn from compliments to thinly-veiled insults and (sometimes) fake concern. People don't want to take responsibility for their weight and love to blame a multitude of factors. When someone around them achieves weight loss, it is almost like a threat to their own lifestyle.

    Even on MFP, you'll see many people aim for a weight that's just past or slightly below the top of the range for their height on a BMI chart. That's absolutely fine but I notice anyone who is, or wants to be, at the lower half of that range often gets asked why they do or people make excuses how it's just not sustainable and/or they couldn't imagine being that weight because they haven't been since they were a teen, they have curves, they have too much muscle, etc. There is a level of delusion in the world when it comes to what an appropriate weight range should be for a majority of people.

    This is 100% true! Wow! I'm a nurse and despite being surrounded by health professionals, most of them are over weight. I've never been over weight but I did go through a phase of being chubby for a bit. I have now lost 6kgs in 9-6 months and I go to work and people tell me I look too thin or I'm losing weight to fast. They are all really bitter about it! I'm a very fit, active and healthy person and well within my bmi limits Limits. People just get really narky when they see that you can achieve your fitness goals and they are still swallowing down a donut. It's amazing how many people want to watch you fail!

    They hate you even more if you reach your goals AND swallow a donut... ijs (I recommend you not swallow the donut all at once, that would be problematic)
  • sbrown6
    sbrown6 Posts: 334 Member
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    I work in an office - at the state health department no less. I would say out of about 2/3 of the 50 people in my office are overweight. Roughly a quarter are obese. And there are constant potlucks and celebrations that revolve around food.
  • TonyB0588
    TonyB0588 Posts: 9,520 Member
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    Not sure the weight of everyone where I work, but I think we have a good mix. I am not overweight. Doctor told me to lose 10 lbs and I lost 15, so I'm good.
  • rheddmobile
    rheddmobile Posts: 6,840 Member
    edited October 2017
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    eliciaobrien1 wrote: »
    rheddmobile wrote: »
    eliciaobrien1 wrote: »
    rheddmobile wrote: »
    eliciaobrien1 wrote: »
    rheddmobile wrote: »
    For the record, many women are not obese at a size 18. On me that's not obese. I wear between a 12 and a 16 currently (depending on brand) and am three pounds off from healthy BMI, with a waist less than half my height. And I'm not all that tall, only 5'8". Plenty of women are taller and can easily have less than a 25 BMI while wearing a 16.

    You'd have to have some crazy hip bones to not be obese in a size 18. It's circumference not height. I'm sure height plays into sizes but not an 18. That is some woo right there.

    Thanks for calling me a liar. At a size 18 I weighed about 190, which is a 28.9 BMI - that's overweight, not obese. But I'm sure you know my body better than I do, since you seem to know everything.

    And your hips? The inches have to come from somewhere. I wore an 18 and was very very round. Even the leg size would have to be pretty big. I was 230lbs wearing an 18. So something doesn't add up here.

    You never even mentioned you wearing an 18 so no I don't claim to know more about your body. Relax. And a 28.9 BMI is 7 pounds away from obese. I'm not calling you a liar but it just seems VERY unlikely that someone could be not obese (or pretty close I guess) and a size 18.

    It's 17 pounds from obese, not seven. For 5'8", obese starts at 197. At 197 I was wearing a 20.

    I don't measure my hips but they're not especially huge. I have a muscular butt and thighs due to lifting. But I lift very casually and am not a bodybuilder.

    Clothing manufacturers are not consistent enough for this conversation to have much value. I currently weigh 167 - normal weight for my height starts at 164 - and yesterday tried on a Ralph Lauren dress in a 16 which was too small - there was no 18, but if there had been, that would have been my size. Ordinarily right now I wear 12 jeans and a medium shirt, but I also tried on an extra large jacket which was skin tight. Yesterday at Kohl's I tried on clothes from small to 2x which all fit. I suspect there are some 10s which would have fit. So what, exactly, is my size?

    It is 7lbs from obese... you said 190 is a 28.9 BMI, and obese starts at 197. That's 7. I'm not really sure where 17 is coming from? Unless I just can't see something.

    I don't know what to say to you. You can wear a small but you can fit a 2x. Do sizes really vary THAT much? That sounds ridiculous.

    Anyways, obese is bad, healthy is good. I think we can all agree on that.

    Sorry, you're right, I was thinking 180 for some reason. Regardless, there are plenty of women who are taller than 5'8" and heavier than I am at the same body fat percentage.

    And yes, sizes are that ridiculous. I bought an xl sleeveless shirt to wear under sweaters, since it was skin tight - the sweater I bought to wear it under is a medium, and fits loosely enough to wear a shirt under it. Manufacturer of both is the same!
  • whosshe
    whosshe Posts: 597 Member
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    rheddmobile wrote: »
    eliciaobrien1 wrote: »
    rheddmobile wrote: »
    eliciaobrien1 wrote: »
    rheddmobile wrote: »
    eliciaobrien1 wrote: »
    rheddmobile wrote: »
    For the record, many women are not obese at a size 18. On me that's not obese. I wear between a 12 and a 16 currently (depending on brand) and am three pounds off from healthy BMI, with a waist less than half my height. And I'm not all that tall, only 5'8". Plenty of women are taller and can easily have less than a 25 BMI while wearing a 16.

    You'd have to have some crazy hip bones to not be obese in a size 18. It's circumference not height. I'm sure height plays into sizes but not an 18. That is some woo right there.

    Thanks for calling me a liar. At a size 18 I weighed about 190, which is a 28.9 BMI - that's overweight, not obese. But I'm sure you know my body better than I do, since you seem to know everything.

    And your hips? The inches have to come from somewhere. I wore an 18 and was very very round. Even the leg size would have to be pretty big. I was 230lbs wearing an 18. So something doesn't add up here.

    You never even mentioned you wearing an 18 so no I don't claim to know more about your body. Relax. And a 28.9 BMI is 7 pounds away from obese. I'm not calling you a liar but it just seems VERY unlikely that someone could be not obese (or pretty close I guess) and a size 18.

    It's 17 pounds from obese, not seven. For 5'8", obese starts at 197. At 197 I was wearing a 20.

    I don't measure my hips but they're not especially huge. I have a muscular butt and thighs due to lifting. But I lift very casually and am not a bodybuilder.

    Clothing manufacturers are not consistent enough for this conversation to have much value. I currently weigh 167 - normal weight for my height starts at 164 - and yesterday tried on a Ralph Lauren dress in a 16 which was too small - there was no 18, but if there had been, that would have been my size. Ordinarily right now I wear 12 jeans and a medium shirt, but I also tried on an extra large jacket which was skin tight. Yesterday at Kohl's I tried on clothes from small to 2x which all fit. I suspect there are some 10s which would have fit. So what, exactly, is my size?

    It is 7lbs from obese... you said 190 is a 28.9 BMI, and obese starts at 197. That's 7. I'm not really sure where 17 is coming from? Unless I just can't see something.

    I don't know what to say to you. You can wear a small but you can fit a 2x. Do sizes really vary THAT much? That sounds ridiculous.

    Anyways, obese is bad, healthy is good. I think we can all agree on that.

    Sorry, you're right, I was thinking 180 for some reason. Regardless, there are plenty of women who are taller than 5'8" and heavier than I am at the same body fat percentage.

    And yes, sizes are that ridiculous. I bought an xl sleeveless shirt to wear under sweaters, since it was skin tight - the sweater I bought to wear it under is a medium, and fits loosely enough to wear a shirt under it. Manufacturer of both is the same!

    I haven't been shopping yet since losing 65lbs and now I'm scared lol and I thought it was hard to shop for clothes before -_-
  • tomteboda
    tomteboda Posts: 2,171 Member
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    5'9" - all clothing sizes in US standard Misses’ sizes (ASTM D5585 11e1) (2011)

    155 size 8/6 (36"-28"-37")
    165 size 10/8 (37"-29"-38")
    175 size 10/8 (38"-29"-38") <-- overweight line
    185 size 12/10 (39"-30"-39")
    195 size 14/12 (40"-31"-40")
    205 size 16/14 (42"-32"-42") <-- obese line
    225 size 18/16 (44"-34"-44")
    245 size 20/18 (46"-36"-46")
    265 size 22/20 (48"-38"-48")

    Now I have a disagreement with the standard setting a BMI of 25 as "overweight" and 30 as "obese" - I don't believe the statistical evidence of the general US Population based on morbidity/mortality support the cutoffs. But that doesn't mean I don't think that there is a real health hazard associated with excess body fat and excess body weight; I absolutely do. And I think the medical community and public health people are right to raise alarm about it. I just don't like the way they're going about it.

    I can see from my own life how much weight makes doing everything harder. And I see from my mom's life what a profound mess being super morbidly obese can make of your life. Folks, you do NOT want to share the health problems my mom has that were caused by super morbid obesity. You don't want the health problems she had that helped lead to her growing immobility either.. her life would be no walk in the park if she was a normal weight, but WOW! the weight has made everything a lot tougher.
  • Kst76
    Kst76 Posts: 935 Member
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    2 people at same height and weight can look very different and fit different sizes.
  • Sharon_C
    Sharon_C Posts: 2,132 Member
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    jenilla1 wrote: »
    rheddmobile wrote: »
    For the record, many women are not obese at a size 18. On me that's not obese. I wear between a 12 and a 16 currently (depending on brand) and am three pounds off from healthy BMI, with a waist less than half my height. And I'm not all that tall, only 5'8". Plenty of women are taller and can easily have less than a 25 BMI while wearing a 16.

    Many women? Hmmm...maybe a few. I'm 5'7.5" and I would be huge in a size 18. My 5'11" sister would definitely be overweight and probably borderline obese in size 18. My 5'5" sister-in-law is obese in a size 16. But I understand that there are different body types. There are always outliers in all sizes, and I believe you when you say that you can personally wear size 18 and are not obese.

    But most women wearing a size 18 are going to be at least borderline obese, and definitely obese if they are in the average height range. Even at an above-average height, the waist to height ratio in a standard US size 18 is getting a bit risky, unless you are super tall. Not too bad in a 12-16 for the taller ladies, though. :)

    I agree with jenilla. I'm 5'8" and at my biggest (nearly 200 pounds) I wasn't wearing a size 18. For me to be in a size 18 I would have be around 250 and that would be obese for me.

    Again, there are different body types, but a size 18 would definitely put me in the obese category.
  • kingfishersunite
    kingfishersunite Posts: 12 Member
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    I work in an office setting with very active people (runners, cyclists, etc) so I'm probably the fattest person around. I would say that the average person here (even outside of work) is still not overweight, although that seems to be changing. That being said - I don't live in the States so perhaps that's the difference?
  • Bry_Fitness70
    Bry_Fitness70 Posts: 2,480 Member
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    We were trying to get additional funds for our corporate wellness group a few years ago and submitted the following to inform the executives of the regional cultural challenges found in Ohio:

    07ow7ht94io1.png

    My worksite is located in Cuyahoga County, one of the unhealthiest counties within one of the unhealthiest states, and our workforce mirrors the stats of the region (or is possibly worse, due to the sedentary nature of the work). Most wellness initiatives are just met with indifference: the cafeteria sells predominantly greasy/fatty/sodium drenched/breaded/sugary stuff, the smoking area is packed, and the wellness center is mostly empty...

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