The "skinny" conversations got me thinking...

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67firecracker

Cathlete
How can there be so much variance in the weight of people more or less the same size? I got thinking about this because of the "skinny" conversations a few days ago. I also get referred to as skinny...but when I compare my height/weight with others on this website I feel positively fat!
Now I know we were supposed to throw our scales out years ago but I desperately need my scale. I weigh myself daily and judge my meal portions accordingly. I have a voracious appetite and a speedy metabolism...and spend the majority of my life hungry. Because of that I limit myself to 3 meals a day and one fruit snack - sweets on weekends.
But I've always held the upper limit at 120 lbs...and I'm just shy of 5'3". According to most people that record their height/weight in the posts...that makes me far from skinny...even plump sounding. But I know I'm not (OK I don't 'know' anymore or I wouldn't be writing this post)...my abs, and arms are nicely defined and my ribs are way too obvious. So what's the scoop? Am I big boned? No. Large chested? That's a laugh. Fat butt? OK maybe a bit. Thighs are a little thick but the muscles are defined there too.
So what's the scoop? As one writer said is it just that we are "skinny" because most people are overweight? Am I deceiving myself and need to lower my 'top weight'?
Confused and hungry!
Trish x(
 
RE: The

I think it is how you are built. Not body typing or anything else. I have been anywhere from 102 at one time to 132. I do not think I have ever been overweight. I have always been considered skinny. Now at 132 I felt on the verge of being over weight for me. But that was without the muscle I have gained. Now at that same point, no working out other than some sit ups, 102 was very thin. Working out now, I will not let myself get below 110 because I do not want to look as thin as I have been in some pictures. BTW I am 5"4 and 113 lbs right now. I am trying to gain some muscle mass and keep the fat off. I think there can be a huge variety that one can weigh depending on muscle mass. Right now I am at the point where I think I need to gain some weight to gain the mass I want to attain.
Diane Sue
 
RE: The

Being 5'0" and 104 lbs., I don't think I look "skinny". You can't see my bones, other than the tiniest hint of the bottom of my rib cage. I DO have very tiny bones. My wrist is only 5 1/2" in circumference and I wear a size 4 ring (on ring finger). I have nice muscle definition, but am not nearly as bulky as Cathe.

I would say...can you grab a hunk of your belly in your fist? If you can...then you may be a little "plump." Have you ever had your body fat tested? If you don't belong to a gym, I'm not sure where you'd do this...

You shouldn't limit yourself to 3 meals a day. Break it up into 5 small "meals" every few hours. You won't feel so hungry and your caloric intake will stay the same. And make sure what you're eating makes you feel full longer. Fiber is great for that. I think protein is too. I like to have oatmeal for my morning snack because it really "sticks" with you.

Speaking of fiber - how is your...ummmm...digestive health? Excess backup in your system will cause you to be heavier than you really are. (Not to mention, make you bloated). I do a colon cleanse once a year. I started this new tradition last year after a severe case of constipation - which was actually caused by an underactive thyroid. (thyroid is now controlled with medication). I lost 4 lbs. just doing that. The first time you ever do it, you do it for 2-3 months. During the rest of the year, I just take the fiber daily in the morning. I just finished my second annual and only do it for a month. The tea is nice because it has chamomile in it and makes you feel all nice and relaxed right before bed. (www.drnatura.com is where I found the stuff. It was OK'd by my doctor.)
 
RE: The

>You can't see my bones, other than the tiniest hint of the bottom
>of my rib cage.

You can definitely see my rib cage. In fact I had trouble finding a Christmas dress because the styles are so clingy they show everything...and ribs aren't real attractive.

>I would say...can you grab a hunk of your belly in your fist?

Not at all. My stomach is flat - if I put on weight it's more in my back waist area which is kind of strange. I've had a good view of my abs for quite a few years.

>Fiber is
>great for that. I think protein is too. I like to have
>oatmeal for my morning snack because it really "sticks" with
>you.

That and my digestive health is part of my always hungry problem. After years of diarrhea I've found that I can't eat wheat, corn, oats and rarely milk. I'm left with a high protein diet which is good but I'm still hungry.

>
>Speaking of fiber - how is your...ummmm...digestive health?
>Excess backup in your system will cause you to be heavier than
>you really are. (Not to mention, make you bloated). I do a
>colon cleanse once a year.

This might be an issue considering my problematic digestive history. Maybe worth looking in to. It really doesn't make sense when I feel in great shape and feel like I can't get much thinner but the scale tells a different story. I had two people refer to me as being "100 lbs dripping wet" but that's certainly not the truth. I wonder how gentle the colon cleanse is? After finally normalizing I'm scared of messing things up again!
Thank you so much for your time and thoughts. It's great to have a place to discuss this.
Trish
 
RE: The

Well, Trish, it definitely sounds like you are not at ALL plump! Don't pay attention to what the scale says. Just pay attention to how your feel and how your clothes fit. I don't even own a scale - I'll hop on at the pharmacy once in a while.

Can you eat other grains, like spelt?

The colon cleanse is very gentle. You ease into it. It's defintely not like one of those things that is taken before a colonoscopy. I have never gotten diarrhea using it. Actually, one time I steeped the tea for too long when I hadn't taken it in a while (because I was constipated) and got a emergency wake-up call by my body in the middle of the night. But it wasn't anything bad.

Check out the drnatura website. They have a lot of information on it and their customer service department is very helpful.
 
RE: The

If you're plump, then I'm plump too. And no one has called me that since I was a teenager. Does anyone remember that comparison scale I found some time ago? I've got to send it to Trish for a reality check.
 
RE: The

Donna:
thanks for the website on this drnatura...I have been looking for something like this for awhile. I went ahead and ordered it. I hope it works, because I have several symtoms that I know would be elviated if I could get my digestive system on track.

thanks for this post!!

take care:)
 
RE: The

You're welcome! I hope it helps. If you have any questions about the system, contact their customer service. They really have a great little company.
 
RE: The

Scales are evil. If you took a container of muscle, and the same size container of fat, the muscle would weigh much more. Same in your body. Like a box of lead and another of styrofoam.

Many years ago, my best friend was nick named "twig". You can imagine what she looked like. But we were both 5'6" and 110 pounds and I was a good two sizes larger than she was!! This was about 1973, long before I was exercising and trying to educate myself about fitness related subjects. It wasn't until years later that I realized why we could be the same height and weight yet have totally different body shapes and I couldn't wear ANY of her clothes! Obviously she had a lot more lean muscle mass than I did.
Barbara P
 
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