Attention all Shorties!!!

getfit618
getfit618 Posts: 41 Member
edited October 3 in Health and Weight Loss
Hey everyone, I have a question for all those who are short! I am only 5 feet tall and currently i don't feel like i LOOK as "obese" as my BMI states. I will be considered obese until 154 and overweight until 127. I haven't been 127 since MIDDLE SCHOOL. does anyone else feel this way? I feel like i just carry weight differently because of my height (or maybe i am just delusional!)


let me know and good luck to everyone today!!!!
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Replies

  • JanLeb
    JanLeb Posts: 297 Member
    Hi!

    I am also only 5' and was not real happy when I found out I am considered obese, overweight absolutely, but obese, really? But I guess if you go by the BMI that is what I am and I figure it is time to face the truth. That being said I have set my goal weight at 128 since that is the top of the range I am given for my height and age. However I will see I how feel when I get closer to that. For me this is about being healthy and if I am feeling good and am healthy at 130 or 135 then I will be happy with that.

    Good luck to you!
  • newarkco05
    newarkco05 Posts: 240
    I agree! I am 5'2... and although I know I am overweight, I do not think I am as overweight as my BMI makes me out to be. I've been in the obese range for awhile now. I lost all the weight years ago and it was hard for me to get into the "healthy weight". By time I got to 130 I was already close to being bones.
  • edonald774
    edonald774 Posts: 92 Member
    I'm with you.
    It sucks being short.
  • PBJunkie
    PBJunkie Posts: 652
    Bodyfat is a better indication whether you are fat or not, BMI is very inaccurate
  • SpeedBump1
    SpeedBump1 Posts: 74 Member
    I feel the same as you do. I am 5'3 and is considered obese. 8 months ago I was considered morbidly obese. I didn't and still don't have excess skin that hang and jiggle so I never thought to be morbid and now obese. I've always been solid built so I never looked what I actually weighed and weigh. I guess I am delusional as well.
  • CarrieBeard
    CarrieBeard Posts: 117 Member
    I think low % body fat and fitness levels are better indicators of "HEALTHY" weight, than BMI is! Just remember... BMI is just a number. It is NOT who we are! It does not represent our VALUE! Keep striving for healthy!
  • buckaroos30
    buckaroos30 Posts: 127 Member
    I know just how you feel I am 5'2" and to get into the normal range I have to be 101-130. I am 48 yrs. old and can't every remember weighing that. probably was in grade school lol. The smalllest I was in my adult life was 150 and I thought I looked great. But by my BMI I would still be OVERWEIGHT so what do we do? I have set 150 as a goal for now. Which means I still have 40 lbs to lose. I will have to see how low I go after I get there if I reset my goal to this BMI number.
  • Legalchica
    Legalchica Posts: 462
    I'm with you. I"m 5 3 and My goal is 140. I suppose I could go lower but that is the top end and most girls my height seem to be shooting for MUCH lower. my BMI says I'm overweight at my current weight but ... I really dont feel that I look THAT bad...
  • swaymyway
    swaymyway Posts: 428 Member
    I'm 5ft too and When I got down to my 'normal' BMI weight people looked at me like I was insane when I told them 'Yay, I'm no longer overweight!!', they all said there's no way you even were overweight, you havn't been for ages already surely!
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    I think it has less to do with height than body shape and where and how you carry weight.

    If you're apple shaped and carry it all in your belly, you're probably going to look bigger at the same weight and height than someone who gains and loses weight more proportionately.

    I'm an hourglass and don't carry all my weight in one concentrated spot, so I appear smaller than I weigh, but I still have jiggly bits (easily camoflaged by the right clothing) that are fat deposits that need to GO!
  • shakybabe
    shakybabe Posts: 1,578 Member
    I'm 5ft 3 and half and currently about 11st 7. I think I'm considered obese or was at 12st 7. I've been told healthy weight range for my height is between 8 and half and 10 and a half stone.

    I'm sure I used to be around 9 to 9 and half when I was healthy before so aiming for that after I've reached 10st first.

    I watched a repeat of 'Supersize V Superskinny' on TV today and they said a woman about 5ft 3 (the lady on it was) should be about 8 and half stone and she was about 6. I personally can't see me getting that low, it will be a miracle if I get to 9 and half! My Wii Fit says I should be 9st 3 and still showing me at top end of overweight category on the bar even though I've lost a stone! :embarassed:
  • hannata86
    hannata86 Posts: 57
    I think it has less to do with height than body shape and where and how you carry weight.

    If you're apple shaped and carry it all in your belly, you're probably going to look bigger at the same weight and height than someone who gains and loses weight more proportionately.

    I'm an hourglass and don't carry all my weight in one concentrated spot, so I appear smaller than I weigh, but I still have jiggly bits (easily camoflaged by the right clothing) that are fat deposits that need to GO!

    Agreed with this lady :) I'm tall and I hold my weight *too* well. Its frustrating when people don't believe you weigh so much and keep telling you to stop losing weight >:(
  • kapeluza
    kapeluza Posts: 3,434 Member
    5'0 here too. Obese also :(
  • SpongeBetty
    SpongeBetty Posts: 13
    I am 5'2. The top of my range according to WW is 135. I have decided to set small goals and make sure I can maintain those goals before going to extreme. My next goal is 160 which I am about 20lbs away from. I think that will help me get rid of my second spare tire under my rib cage.
  • lynn1982
    lynn1982 Posts: 1,439 Member
    I agree with you! I'm 5 feet (actually, just a bit under, but I round up!). I was "obese" when I started on here, but I'm in the "overweight" category. I think I look overweight right now, but the last time I lost a chunk of weight, I got down to 135 and I thought I looked really good. Technically though, that's still considered overweight. So...my goal is 125 and I'll re-evaluate once I get there. However, my "birthday" goal is to be back at 135 by then.
  • amandavictoria80
    amandavictoria80 Posts: 734 Member
    I just have to say, in all honesty, I think I'd give up a limb to be short. Always wanted to be short. I am 5'9.
  • Jackie9950
    Jackie9950 Posts: 374 Member
    I totally agree! 5'2" here and I have never weighed 120, I literally just skipped right over it somewhere in middle school. I have set my big goal weight at 150. I think once we get there, evaluate, and decide whether your comfortable going any lower. I am not looking to be model thin, I am looking to be happy with myself and comfortable in a bathing suit! Good luck!
  • deex18
    deex18 Posts: 113 Member
    screw bmi.... once we are healthy and active and eating right......! im also 5'1..... i dont look at bmi anymore cos it depress me!!!!
  • samantha_runs
    samantha_runs Posts: 38
    I get so frustrated I am 5'3'' and I feel 120 should be my lowest, but my blood sugar doctor (for hypoglycemia) says 115 - 120 is a comfortable range. i looked like bones at 130lbs. I am 139lbs now and I look good and my regular doctor says I am in a healthy weight range. i still have fat I am shredding and I still workout and will continue to do so and eat healthy for the rest of my life, but the target weight range my blood sugar doctor is giving me seems unattainable
  • cwglosin4vaca
    cwglosin4vaca Posts: 63 Member
    This will make you laugh....so I was on the computer calculating my BMI...I entered 5'2' and 155lbs it said im overweight (28.8 just barely in the overweight. 34 pounds ago i was obese I didnt feel obese) so I was al little distraught but I decided to enter 5 foot 6 inches...it dropped my bmi to the normal range! WHo know that Im not really overweight, Im just 4 inches too short lmao!!!!

    Anyway-alot of ppl on here say eat your exercise cals, I cant. I have a bmi scale and it tells me to stay my same weight I need to eat 1503 cals a day, MFP tells me 1500-1600. I wont lose weight even with exercise. I eat between 1000-1200 a day and I have lost weight. granted its not what MVP preaches but it works for me
  • courtclerkkris
    courtclerkkris Posts: 173 Member
    I am 5'1". When I started my journey on 07/25/11 I weighed 154.4. To get an idea of a normal BMI I calculated my range weight. To have a normal BMI my weight range is 98 lbs. (18.5BMI) to 132 lbs. (24.9BMI) So when I started in July I kind of made 128 my goal weight but now that I am only 6.6 pounds from there, I think I will see how I feel when I get there. Might bump it down a few more pounds. I can't imagine even being 98 pounds.....UNFATHOMABLE!!! I think I would look like walking death.
  • sassylilmama
    sassylilmama Posts: 1,493 Member
    I am 5' and even at 196 people did not believe I weighed that much. Now at i35 I am almost in the normal BMI and people are already saying I am too thin. IDK its all really weird. BMI is BS in my opinion being it only takes into account height and weight. But it is still really odd that I carry weight so well for my height. I think thats part of why I got as high in weight as I did. I did not look THAT big so I honestly did not realize how much I weighed.
  • omgzstef
    omgzstef Posts: 157
    Don't worry, it all depends on your body frame!
  • izzyissy
    izzyissy Posts: 48 Member
    I have you all beat. I am only 4'7. I hate it. I don't remember when I was ever in the 120's. Right now I am 150. I can't believe I let myself get this big. And your right, it doesn't look that bad because I have an hour glass figure. I am considered OBESE!!! I had to do my own calculations because MFP said I couldn't lose 1lb a week because they don't recommend I eat under 1200 calories.
    So I worked out my BMI myself. My BMI is 1590, so to lose 1lb a week, you have to eat 500 calories less. So my Calorie intake a day is only 1090. It's very hard so I work out every day to give me at least 300 calories more to eat. (so I eat 1390 a day). Do you guys think this is ok? I just started. Will I lose weight this way??? Anyone else work out there calorie intake and changed MFP???? Thanks
  • liftingbro
    liftingbro Posts: 2,029 Member
    BMI is a terrible measure of fitness in stumpy peoeple.

    For instance, when I wrestled in high school and college I was about 175-185 @ ~11-12% BF and I'm 5'6". I'm short with wide shoulders (52"), I've always had huge legs (27"), and a barrel chest (46"). By those numbers I was obese with having the first couple of abs showing and the others could be seen flexing.

    Since a fit male is around 15% and I was ~11%, and my BMI 29 which is just a little under obese, I think BF% is a better indicator.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    I have you all beat. I am only 4'7. I hate it. I don't remember when I was ever in the 120's. Right now I am 150. I can't believe I let myself get this big. And your right, it doesn't look that bad because I have an hour glass figure. I am considered OBESE!!! I had to do my own calculations because MFP said I couldn't lose 1lb a week because they don't recommend I eat under 1200 calories.
    So I worked out my BMI myself. My BMI is 1590, so to lose 1lb a week, you have to eat 500 calories less. So my Calorie intake a day is only 1090. It's very hard so I work out every day to give me at least 300 calories more to eat. (so I eat 1390 a day). Do you guys think this is ok? I just started. Will I lose weight this way??? Anyone else work out there calorie intake and changed MFP???? Thanks

    There's all sorts of science and stuff about this, but the bottom line is we're all individuals and your experience will be your experience. If it works for you, then it works for you.

    I don't think that it's realistic to say someone 5'10" has the same minimum calorie and nutritional requirements as someone who's 4'7". I'd say, though, that if you're concerned, talk with your doctor and don't go by what people on this site say.
  • LaComadreja14
    LaComadreja14 Posts: 277 Member
    I am 5ft tall. When I had my BMI and Body fat % done for insurance, I weighed 134 with BMI (i dont remember it I think it was 26.something) and body fat % of 33 which makes me clinically overweight. Do I look like it? To me a little bit yes, to everyone around me not at all or not really... buuuut being clinically overweight (IMO) doesnt necessarily mean someone is "fat" persey, just that their weight is unhealthy. Well with all the health issues in my family + having high triglycerides my self (at 23) I think its time to make a change, not necessarily for how I look (though I would like to be less flab and more toned so it'll be a plus) but more for my health
  • liftingbro
    liftingbro Posts: 2,029 Member
    I have you all beat. I am only 4'7. I hate it. I don't remember when I was ever in the 120's. Right now I am 150. I can't believe I let myself get this big. And your right, it doesn't look that bad because I have an hour glass figure. I am considered OBESE!!! I had to do my own calculations because MFP said I couldn't lose 1lb a week because they don't recommend I eat under 1200 calories.
    So I worked out my BMI myself. My BMI is 1590, so to lose 1lb a week, you have to eat 500 calories less. So my Calorie intake a day is only 1090. It's very hard so I work out every day to give me at least 300 calories more to eat. (so I eat 1390 a day). Do you guys think this is ok? I just started. Will I lose weight this way??? Anyone else work out there calorie intake and changed MFP???? Thanks

    I think your calculations are about right, mine comes out to a little over 1600, so ~1100 should be your target.

    You have to understand that MFP has to consider legal issues and for probably 95% of females 1200 should be the bare minimum. However, because you are so much smaller, I think 1000-1100 should be fine.
  • wackynunu
    wackynunu Posts: 103
    I think about it according to clothing size more than weight. If I am wearing a "small" shirt and a size 4 or 6, thats good enough for me. I put my goal smack in the middle of my 5'3" BMI range at 122. I think 135 is a better number for me though.
  • rblair_22
    rblair_22 Posts: 202 Member
    So glad to hear that I'm not the only one with this problem. I am 5ft 1in and the smallest I have ever been was 153, unfortunately, according to the BMI charts my weight should be between 97 and 125 lbs. Seriously? 97 lbs???!!!! Are you kidding me? The problem with BMI is that they do not take your family history or bone structure into account when they give you these numbers. Right now my goal weight is 150 lbs and once I reach that goal I will see how I feel about losing anymore weight. I say screw the BMI charts!!!!
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