I don't feel that big . . .

I am 5'4" and 188 lbs. That sounds bad, but I don't feel that big. I was about 135 until I was 19 ( I'm 23 now) and I caught mono and jumped up to 175 and have been up and down about 10 pounds ever since then. I'm a size 14, but at 135 I wore a 10 . . . I don't have much of a tummy, I'm very curvy. I just don't feel "severely obese" like this calorie count thing says I am . . . Maybe my husband just needs to take a full body picture of me, because I just don't see it or feel it. I eat pretty healthy and I exercise, and granted I feel like I need to lose some weight. Does anybody else feel that way?

YES!

I feel the same way...I am five four..200 lbs..but I step on the scale. See the number, stand there shocked for a second. Look in the mirror and I swear I don't look that big! my avatar is a picture of me at 200..I just don't see it!

Sara

It's good that you're comfortable in your skin and confident in your appearance.  I was exactly the same a few years ago.  But looking OK and feeling OK is not the same as being healthy.   At 23, let's face it, you can do a lot of unhealthy things to your body and not see any consequences.  Over time, if you remain obese, you're going to start getting health problems.  Once you hit 30 you'll find it a lot more difficult to lose that spare 50lbs and could even find you gain more.  Once you hit 40 you could be on blood pressure medication.  I know it sounds like a long way off...

So take the opportunity and nip it in the bud whilst it's going to be relatively easy to tackle the problem.   Keep eating healthily and doing exercise but start watching the portions now.  

You should not feel "severely obese" because you are not.  What the CC BMI thingy should say is "severely overweight" for your stats, which does sound a little bit better.

Anyway, its good how you feel! I am around the same size as you, and there is no way I feel that big.  I am really happy with how I look and feel now, and would be happy to stay at this weight if it were not so important for my health to keep on losing weight.

Its a wonderful thing that you feel so good about yourself! so many people do not feel that even when their BMI is in the 20-25 range.  I think that more magazines need to have people our size as models because we do look good and more women out there are our size.

Hi amdoc, We both weigh the same & same height. I started cc very recently at 190.5 lbs & am now at 187.5. I had mono back  when I was 19 right after I moved to NYC to go to college. Had to leave school & go home & had mono for 6 months! I gained a little weight then--went up a couple sizes. When I went back to college I lost all of it because I walked everywhere--without trying I was at a size 3/4 (no car!). I gained much of my weight several years later under stress at work & being diagnosed with cancer. That's how I jumped up to the weight I'm at. You are still young & like the other poster mentioned--it's much easier to lose that weight now rather than later.

And kudos for you for feeling good about yourself & having a positive body image. That is awesome! ~Cindy

I'm 5'7" and 180 lbs. I feel it sometimes. I can see the tummy. My Wii Fit calls me OBESE and so does my mom.

I pretty much have it but I feel sooo super skinny sometimes cause of my super slow EDNOS process.

According to the BMI tool

Based upon your current Body Mass Index (BMI) of 32.3, you are currently classed as severely overweight.

A healthy BMI for your gender and age is between 20 and 24 and a reasonable weight loss rate is 0.5-2 pounds a week.

Why not make a simpler goal of getting your BMI below 30, and do it slowly?  Take a whole year if you like.  You can do it by developing good eating and exercise habits that will last you a lifetime, not by dieting.  You'll be healthier for it. 

Use the CC Advice section - it's like having a library in your computer.  You can learn about healthy food choices, portion control and lots more.

I'm 5'7" and my high weight was 160, though usually more like 155. It's really not TOO bad, but for a long time I didn't realise how pudgey I was, I thought I was pretty skinny. I did a few BMI calculators that use different formulas and one of them told me I was slightly overweight and it totally freaked me out. I didn't really realise I needed to loose weight until April of this year. So far I've lost a little over 10 pounds and I'm pretty proud :] I definitely look a lot better than I did.. but still could be better. My thighs are still huge, and I still have a gut. But I'm happy with the progress I've made :]

I know how calorie count checks your BMI. I think it is faulty though. A few years ago I had my BMI professionally read and it wasn't over thirty. My trainer said I have a lot of muscle mass and he predicted that an ideal weight for me would be 138. As far as health concerns go, what is more important than BMI is your lifestyle and waist to hip ratio, which for me is <0.7. I personally think 123 would be way too thin for me. I was not asking for people to give any comments about if they thought I should lose weight. I am not concerned about my health. (shocking) I just don't want to have to live with this stigma anymore: that I overeat all the time, that I don't exercise, I'm depressed, etc. I was unhealthy when I was thin because I smoked and had a mild cause of anorexia. I actually felt fatter at 130 than I do at 188. It is all in how you see yourself and how you carry your weight I guess. I was trying to find people who felt similar to myself. :)

There is only one way to calculate your BMI, which is your weight in kg divided by you height in cm squared, and when I put my stats in on this site I get the same as if I calculate them myself. So either you have put on weight since your BMI was professionally read, or they didn't do it right, or they used their own formula, in which case they should not have called it a BMI.

That being said, the BMI isn't the be all and end all.  It does not take into account your body composition, you could be 130lb with no muscle and a higher body fat percentage.  Muscle weighs more than fat, and it sounds like from you life style that you would have more muscle than fat.  If a body builder put in their stats, it would say that they are obese, which of course would be as far from the truth as could be. I was thinner at 140lb when I was swimming competitively than what I was at 120lb and doing no exercise. 123lb would be to thin for you if you have a lot of muscle.

Anyway, the whole point is that you feel good about yourself, and you should! I understand exactly what you are saying.  Don't let anyone tell you anything different! You are an inspiration because you have a positive attitude, and more people should be like you. Personally, you made me feel better about myself, and confirmed what I was feeling!

Me too! I'm 5'4 and weigh 200lbs! I had breast cancer, and taking the steroids during chemo really helped me pack on the pounds. and now i am a total sugar addict. I look in the mirror and think, i look pretty good, but then i see the weight and go, AAck! I want to lose the weight, but healthy food tastes so gross to me! sigh!

Original Post by rachaels2cool:

Me too! I'm 5'4 and weigh 200lbs! I had breast cancer, and taking the steroids during chemo really helped me pack on the pounds. and now i am a total sugar addict. I look in the mirror and think, i look pretty good, but then i see the weight and go, AAck! I want to lose the weight, but healthy food tastes so gross to me! sigh!

 (Hi Rachael, I was going to send you a note, but see that you are brand-brand new! Not sure if you would get it or see it. Feel free to contact me/email anytime. I hope that all is well from your cancer. To your health! ~Cindy :-)

I am the same way.  I was shocked at 5'2 and 155lbs.  I am a sugar addict too.  I would see other people wearing the same jeans size as me and think that they looked large, but on me, I did not think I looked that bad.   In fact, I have had lots of people tell me that they dont believe me when I told them my weight.   I am down to 140 now and the charts keep telling me I am still over weight, but people keep telling me I look so thin.  I think it is the short thing.  People always think of you as little when you are short.  Oh well 15lbs to go.

well I am 5'3 and 179 and I feel better now that I lost 19lbs but I do feel fat still.I am in a size 18 though so I guess I am just bigger than others my weight it's these huge hips! anyway it's good to feel good about yourself then you won't become obsessive about losing.

So I am 5'9 and way close to 180 and I am 19. I think I am overweight and I can tell by my stomach and its getting flabby and I have love handles. Everyone keeps telling me that I am skinny and dont need to lose weight, but I feel like I need to lose weight. Also my BMI says I am a little over wieght.

Exactly.  I feel the same as you, Britnie.  My dad told me I should start eating, my roommate says I look so thin... but I don't feel like that.  WTF is perception ABOUT????

Props to you amdoc.  You rule!

You know, strangely, I did not feel I was "big" when I was 238 pounds (I'm 5'6.5"), but now that I am 172 pounds I do feel I am.  The psychology around weight loss is so strange...