169 lbs fat for a 5'8 female??

I have lost 17lbs since starting on here and am feeling a lot better in myself and can see the difference.

Looking through at the various people on here though I have come to wonder whether 169lbs is actually still fat as a lot of people are that weight when they start to loose.

Maybe i'm just having an off day? Am trying to get to 160ish lbs and to a uk size 12.

Is this still quite big?

only you can judge that.  i'm also 5'8" and 167 (my highest) was very heavy for me.  but everyone is different.

Congratulations on losing the weight!

Anyway, if you have a lot of muscle, you'll be smaller at ~160 than if you have more fat, so that will make a difference.  Also, being "too big" is often a personal preference, so if you're happy and healthy at your weight you shouldn't feel pressured to lose more.

My mom is ~165 and 5'8" and doesn't look fat at all, and I know it's not because of muscle mass because she never works out!

A lot of that depends upon your bone structure. My sister and I are both 5'9" btu I have a small bone structure and she has a medium bone structure. For me, 169 is heavy. For her, 165 is her idea weight.

The easy way to do determine bone structure is to wrap your thumb and forefinger around your wrist. If they overlap, you have a small bone structure, if they meet - medium and if they do not - large.

I need to be at a size 8 to look as good as my sister does at a size 12.

Do you know your frame size? weight also varies a lot from person to person, two ppl the same height, same weight can look really different!

Thanks for the replies!

I think I have a medium bone structure then, didnt realise that would have an impact on weight but makes sense.

I wanted to loose weight to get a healthy BMI and in a few lbs i will be. I am already enjoying feeling slimmer so am looking forward to loosing the few more lbs.

Do you think it is different for each person then? I guess need to try and forget about other people as we are all different, it is difficult though. Thanks again everyone.

It's completely dependant upon you. If you're medium-bone structure, you're going to be larger than someone with a small structure. Muscle also plays a huge factor. For me, I'm 5'2 and 133 pounds (started at 150) and I don't see myself getting lower than 125. For many people my height, 100-110 is a much more comfortable weight, but I could never see myself at that size.

Don't judge based on other people's goal weights. If you're exercising and eating right, you're going to be healthy, and the scale becomes irrelevant.

Also look at how you feel, how your clothes fit and how you look in them. The scale is just one factor.

I'm a medium bone structure and am 5 foot 8. I started off at 162lbs and for me, that was where I start to look a bit tubby. I've never been much heavier, but thats when I start to feel fat.

But like everyone says, it varies.

Original Post by pgeorgian:

only you can judge that.  i'm also 5'8" and 167 (my highest) was very heavy for me.  but everyone is different.

I agree with that completely.

Also, you sound quite... okay, this isn't going to come out right but 'dense'? Like the weight you do have is condensed in a way, so you are quite small??

I am 20lbs lighter than you, and I wear the same clothes size.  That's probably a better way of putting it.  And I don't think anyone that wears a UK12 is fat.

She said that she was trying to get to a UK12, not that she was a UK12.

And I hope that's not big because I'm 5'7 and 177lb. I consider myself fat because it's me, but if I was looking at someone else who had the same body as me, I wouldn't consider that person to be fat (because we're more critical of ourselves than we are of others). I hope that made sense.

^^^^ Oops, so she does, sorry!!

Well still, from your pics I would guess you were a UK14 at the largest, which is the same size as my Momma, and what I wore at 150, so I still think you have a very condensed amount of weight...

i'm 5'8" and 151.  people are starting to tell me how skinny i am, but my stomach is still pretty big!  i guess it depends on where your weight is on you too.  i need to lose more to get rid of this gut  :(

i'm wearing size 7 jeans now though!  :D  i lost my butt...

I'm also 5'8" and I started out at 175 and now I am down to 155, I want to get down to 145 but people are telling me i'm getting too skinny but whatev, its my decision.  My jeans size varies between a 12 and 10, hoping to get down to the single digit of 8!

cassie, you're where i was a year and a half ago.  i got into my size 8s last summer at about 145.  i've been hovering in the 140-142 range for months now, and actually fit into a generous 6 a couple of weeks ago (didn't buy them - i didn't like the style). 

i've just upped my exercise by a tonne (got a very active dog from the spca who needs a couple of hours of hiking/walking a day) and i'm going to put in a real concerted effort to get to 135.  if it doesn't happen by my 40th birthday at the end of may, i think i'll give in and decide that my body wants to be 140.  i can live with 140.

edited to add that--yes--i lose weight at a snail's pace.  27 pounds, 26 months.  i don't care - it works, and it's sustainable.

I got down to 163 and was told I looked "gaunt" in my face. I have an ulcer and gastritits, so that might be the reasoning behind this. At any rate, I have had gastric bypass surgery and it has been ruling the weight loss issues. It is o hard for us to jusge our sizes objectively isn't it...and very confusing. I know i was fat at 340. I still wanted to get smaller at 190...but I gained up to 179 doing better from the ulcers and was exercising. I was getting more energy as well, finally! Previously, I was smaller, but very tired. Now, I too am wondering is my belly too big? Am I at a good sixe? Should I keep attempting this? I lost 6lbs. in Feb. and been maintaining ever since! I have been really working out much hrder as well, but I must be doing whatevr to maintain. My body likes where it is but I want to go from 173 to 164 and possibbly down to 158. Your BMI should be an indicator as well. When it says I am healthy and my energy level is up...and I look a little firmer in my gut, I will feel right! If you feel great, or eating fairly decently...but still want to lose some -go for it...if not..maintain. Don't get so caught up with what everybody else is doing. I have and I am trying to "stop the insantity" do it the right way...etc. BUt I want to look and feel good too! Ann, P.S. Hang in there, I like our stats are similar ...but age is different. We can learn from each other!

Hey, I'm 5'8", and currently 184...it's a bit high for me, but I know once I pass under 175, I usually am at a really good weight for myself. My goal weight right now is 155.....but that will be VERY light for me. I guess you just have to decide what YOU like and what you feel comfortable with. If you feel good at 169, then stay there!

I think it also depends on how it looks by your frame size. I have a larger frame, so I could NEVER get down to even 145 w/o looking sickly.

Depends on your age and how fast you burn calories.

Well lucy: it looks like theres alot of us 5'8" woman, i too want to lose weight, i started at 197lbs and my goal for this medium frame is 140 i use to be 128 which was perfect, i was very athletic in my young lots of school sports etc...but now at 52, have a back disability so am retired from the working world, as well long walking or standing bother me, but i can bike so i do alot of that my goal is 140lbs, i think when u remember what weight you looked good at you'll know what u have to do and how much to lose, pinch an inch, sound firmiliar....good luck....Nancy

I am seriously considering proposing a worldwide ban on the word "fat" as an adjective. It is so very loaded and unhelpful.

You are five pounds over what is called a "recommended weight" for ideal health. However, there is no evidence that being five pounds (or even 10-15 lbs) over an ideal weight is associated with any health problems. (Once you get to 20 or so, things change).  So the question "am I OK, should I lose more?" is purely an aesthetic one. Personally, I think it's more about how you carry it, your frame, and how you feel - and it varies by person, so no you cannot use anyone else as a reference guide!

Yes, that's right what works for one will not necessarily work for another, me personally i've always liked being slim, and gaining it in my neck, face, chest, waist and hips isn't cool, living in Barrie, Ontario it's so easy to gain over the boring winter, but now that spring is officially here i can start riding and swimming soon.....i like size 28 and that's my goal.....so you'll figure it out girl...