Big boned/Small boned

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Replies

  • thecrossfitter
    thecrossfitter Posts: 424 Member
    I am "big boned" at 170 I was wearing a size 8 in the past (currently down to 203 and a 14) That is why I don't believe the BMI is reasonable as it does not take into account the frame. I could probably wear a 6 around 150 yet I would still be overweight by those scales.

    I'm 150lbs and wearing a 6 (5' 5" for reference). (Although I do think my BMI says I'm okay? Don't know - don't check anymore!) And I don't mean that I tried on this one pair of 6s this one time from this one store and they sort of fit. I mean I have a couple of 4s, majority 6s, and some 8s as well. (Sizing is a disaster, but that's another story).

    I don't know what I wear in juniors. I have one pair of juniors pants (for a halloween costume... I think they're Miley Cyrus pans hahahaha) and they are a 7. But I'm not sure that ONE pair of pants in junior sizes tells you what I wear in them
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
    I think it's "big framed" vs. "small framed". I have big shoulders, big, wide hips, etc. My bones don't weigh more than any one else's. They don't have a bigger circumference but since my frame is bigger it holds more muscles and more fat.
  • meggonkgonk
    meggonkgonk Posts: 2,066 Member
    I think if you are concerend that you may be too low in weight, it would be best to discuss it with your doctor. To me, even with small bones, that seems like a pretty light weight, but certainly not aneorexic. But by discussing it with your dr. you can not only feel assured yourself that you are making the best decisions for your body, but also be able to assure your mother that by medical standards, you are within healthy limits.
  • fiberartist219
    fiberartist219 Posts: 1,865 Member
    I do think that frame size has a little to do with how much your healthy weight should be, but honestly, larger boned people would probably only weigh 10 or so more lbs than a smaller boned person. The amount of muscle and fat should still be similar. Bones do have weight, but they aren't puffy or chubby in any way.

    I have a small frame, and I've been all the way from borderline underweight to obese at one point or another in my life.

    The BMI charts typically have a range of weight, and I think this already takes into consideration for a variety of frame sizes. I would love to just be in the healthy range, not overweight or underweight.
  • Julesjhj
    Julesjhj Posts: 150 Member
    bump
  • HeidiMightyRawr
    HeidiMightyRawr Posts: 3,343 Member
    I do think that frame and bone size count towards your weight, although not so much as to have a BMI of Very Overweight/Obese and be considered "normal" or healthy. (Provided you have normal amounts of muscle mass)

    I read before that it's more used to determine where on the "healthy" BMI you lie. When I was at my heaviest I was a BMI of around 23 yet I felt horrible. Some people would look great at that. I think I have a small bone structure/frame. My wrists are tiny!

    If you're small boned, you're ideal weight is normally determined as what would give you 18.5-21 (something like that) and for big boned 22-25 approx. Medium would be in the middle somewhere (20-23?)
    There is an online test for this somewhere based on your wrist size (which is where I got the info from)
  • khotch1
    khotch1 Posts: 99 Member
    I say if you feel healthy and eat healthy then you're fine! That sounds about right to me anyway!
  • tmg1323
    tmg1323 Posts: 14 Member
    Wow! These photos blew me away! It's remarkable that the bodies of these 2 women look so similar, yet there is a 30 pound difference. One does not look slimmer or more fit than the other. Clearly there is more to consider than the number on the scale.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,972 Member
    The diameter of the bones will make a small difference, but the structure can make a big difference. Some may have the same circumference in wrist size,but one could have a longer ulna and humerous than the other. This would mean the one with longer bones would have more weight overall because of more mass. Intern, more muscle would cover that mass if the 2 had the same body fat and lean muscle percentage.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • HoLLyZ82
    HoLLyZ82 Posts: 467 Member
    ive never seen a fat skeleton. ha. umm, i agree, there is a difference in FRAME not really in the bones. of course somone who is 6' 5" isnt gonna have the same as someone who is 4'11"
  • terra_angelica
    terra_angelica Posts: 59
    I am 5'4, with 35 inch hips, size 4 ring, and I weigh 140 after having babies. I use to weigh 113 before I had them. 122 is the perfect (healthy) weight for your height and bone structure. Don't let anyone tell you different, they are just jealous.
  • AmandaJoi25
    AmandaJoi25 Posts: 50
    Just had so say (if it hasn't already, didnt read this entire thread). You don't have to be skinny to be anorexic its a disease and its about behavior not weight. I have had friends that were ana and weighed more than me.
  • kimmie5333
    kimmie5333 Posts: 7
    I think frame has a lot to do with it more so than bone size. I have been told this by both my primary care doctor and my ortho doc while he was looking at x-rays of my leg bones. I have a big frame, I wear a size 12 shoe and even when I used to be VERY thin, I still wore a size 9 ring. I have bery broad shoulders and hips as well so there is more "space" on my frame to fill out. I think that it will contribute to a variance in weight and where someone looks good vs too thin or too heavy, but I don't think that using "big boned" is a good excuse for being over weight. (Which is why I am on here to work on my weight!)
  • daryls
    daryls Posts: 260
    Look, my hip bones aren't going to shrink! They are a little wider than other people my weight - I'm about 5 foot 2.75 inches and 115 pounds. I'm a little more "pear" shaped than hour-glass. But, these hips bones are staying the same....

    If you feel good, eat right and take care of yourself physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually (whatever that means for you...) then have no concerns about other people's feelings.....it reflects more on what they think/feel about themselves than you....
  • baisleac
    baisleac Posts: 2,019 Member
    Personal opinion, bone size matters.

    I'm 5'4" and have a 6.75" wrist (big boned).
    My mom is 5'8" and has a 5.25" wrist (small boned).

    I look my best at 145 lbs. She looks her best at 135 lbs.

    Bones are bones people can do the math on that.
  • juliesummers
    juliesummers Posts: 738 Member

    I don't trust wrist guidelines cause my wrists have definitely gotten smaller since I lost weight.


    When they talk about measuring "wrists", that means measuring over the wrist bone (where the ulna protrudes), rather than simply at the smallest part of your forearm. It shouldn't actually change much at all unless you're bone itself is deteriorating.
  • thelovelyLIZ
    thelovelyLIZ Posts: 1,227 Member
    Body type absolutely matters. I weight a little under 130 right now, which is considered a very healthy weight or my height (5'4"), but because I have a small body frame, the weight looks much different on me than someone who has a larger one. My goal right now is 120, but someone else would look very thin at 120.

    There are all sorts of "ideal body weight" calculators that take body type into consideration because it does matter. The size of your bones may not make a huge difference, but it affects how big the rest of your body is too.
  • ashnm88
    ashnm88 Posts: 748
    I also agree that bone size matters.

    I'm 5'3" and have a wrist that's 6.5" which is concerned a large bone frame (bug boned)

    I'm currently 173lbs, and everyone thinks I'm only 150lbs.

    I'm aiming to weigh 140lbs, but that might change.


    http://www.medindia.net/patients/calculators/framesize1.asp
  • flyawaybyebye
    flyawaybyebye Posts: 250
    There are most certainly different bone structures, and your wrist and ring size sounds teeny! I think I have small wrists, mine are at 6 inches!

    If you wanted to weigh 102#, I'd say you were overstretching, but 122 sounds perfectly reasonable at your height, well within the normal range.

    Ditto.
  • sarablueskies
    sarablueskies Posts: 56 Member
    interesting, i had always used to say i'm big boned cause it seemed like our whole family was thick even the smaller members, but i just measured my wrist at 5 3/4" and i don't think that's so big?! i do know i'm very broad shouldered and that won't change no matter how small i get!
  • UpEarly
    UpEarly Posts: 2,555 Member
    I am big-boned. I am also *not* currently overweight and have never blamed being overweight on my bones.

    But the fact is... according to scans my bones are denser and heavier than the average woman. The breadth of my ribcage is larger and more spacious than the average woman of my height (5'9"). My pelvis and shoulders are wider than average, too.

    I hate when people say 'big boned' is some kind of fake excuse for being overweight. :-(
  • JipsyJudy
    JipsyJudy Posts: 268 Member
    The size of your bones/frame DEFINITELY makes a difference in your healthy weight range. Here's the chart.
    http://www.healthchecksystems.com/heightweightchart.htm
  • JipsyJudy
    JipsyJudy Posts: 268 Member
    Scroll down on the page with the chart http://www.healthchecksystems.com/heightweightchart.htm to see how to measure your bone/frame size. It depends on your height.
  • kimmie5333
    kimmie5333 Posts: 7
    My Grandma, bless her heart, always referred to my hips as "breeders hips", so I know exactly what you mean!
  • it_be_asin
    it_be_asin Posts: 562 Member
    Well I'm about 10 years younger, but I have a small frame too and have a similar weight and height. I have been accused of being anorexic. Mostly be people who are insecure that their own weight is a bit higher than what it should be.
  • kenzietea
    kenzietea Posts: 614 Member
    my sister is 5'5" and weighs 160, and is a size 4/6. She's a gymnast and competitive cheerleader. She is definitely large boned. huge wrists, feet, hands. There is definitely a difference in body shapes and no weight is right for every person. Use the mirror and measuring tape as a guide, not the scale =)
  • mudya
    mudya Posts: 128 Member
    Apparently I have a large frame size but to be quite honest I don't pay attention to it. I'm just going to carry on losing weight and once I reach my goal and feel I'm still too big, I'll lose more. I think being big or small boned shouldn't significantly affect how you look in general as oppose to factors such as height.

    Don't pay attention to what they are saying only you know if your weight loss journey should end here or if you need to carry on further.
  • firedragon064
    firedragon064 Posts: 1,082 Member
    Of course if you have a large frame you will look bigger and heavier than a small frame person.
    Usually people are surprise when they know how much I weight since I look smaller than my weight.

    It's same principal with muscle. 2 persons with same weight-the one who has more lean muscle mass would look thinner.
  • keiraev
    keiraev Posts: 695 Member
    To say you are anorexic at 122lb is ridiculous. It is a perfect weigh for your height. I am only slightly shorter than you and weigh the same, but am not even what you would call "skinny". I am not aiming below 119/120 though, as I am a medium build and have more of an hourglass shape and look too scrawny otherwise.
  • Cdcaldwe
    Cdcaldwe Posts: 189 Member
    Family use to tell me it is ok, you are just big boned. Currently I am the size i was in tenth grade of high school, 22 years ago......lol
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