Average age/height/weight/size of posters

[welikeincrowds]

:lmao: at everything you just said.

 

Oh I could keep going. Other easy targets I considered: your highly consistent French manicure, that (Vodka cranberry?) sugar water (that you're probably delicately sipping on) in the first photo

[welikeincrowds]

I think if I squint I can make out the white edges of your fingers shining through your ski gloves

[thatone]

And usually the authors of said books are former politicians not actual experts on the regions in question. When's the last time you saw Tariq Ali, Vali Nasr or David Kilcullen on CNN?

 

yep, that's why i like rather's new show, he gets those guys who are actually involved with those issues to talk about them.

 

his nuclear power show was interviewing physicists and engineers from GE and MIT.

 

his afghanistan shows are not at a base talking with generals, instead more like riding in a humvee with a lieutenant.

[sb129]

People who tell you to stop losing weight because you "look too thin" are insecure women who don't want you be fitter than they are.

 

Maybe. I don't think I look too thin-I actually think I look pretty good esp compared to how I was just after my daughter was born. I am happy at this weight. I'd probably like to be a little smaller, but I like the occasional indulgence and this weight is easy to maintain without too going crazy at the gym.

Another poster on here who is the same height as me is 7lbs lighter and says she has to work at it, so sounds like we are both within the normal range for our height.

 

I'm 23, 5'1 and currently 127 pounds. Size 10 Australian.

 

I'm most comfortable at least 10 pounds lighter but that's just not happening with my health problems. I'm sure I'll survive.

Somehow I think you will too..... I'm sure your husband isn't complaining!

You're hot.

[LittleTiger]

I can't comment on the rest of the Europe but, in the UK, the average height for a woman is 5ft 4in and the average dress size is 16 - which I believe equates to a US 12/14. In the US the average size woman is larger than that.

 

In the UK, the smallest, widely available dress size you can buy off the shelf is a size 8 (4/6 US equalivalent). In teenagers boutique shops, a size 6 is common. We don't even pretend that anything below that is healthy. There are exceptions of course for very small or small boned women but it's rare. If an adult woman is smaller than a size 6, she usually has to buy children's clothes.

 

In very broad terms, the fattest people in the world are those who live in the South Pacific Islands (being a fat/obese woman there is considered highly attractive), followed by the US, NZ and Australia. The English are catching up but are still a long way behind.

 

For the OPs info - most women who have posted on this thread are considerably lighter and thinner than average - including Star Gazer ( at anyone who thinks she's overweight!).

 

According to LS stats there are nearly 137,000 members and the vast majority of women posting on this thread (very small number!) are happy with their size. Most overweight women wouldn't have the courage to post on a thread like this and admit their real statistics so you're very brave for doing so. Judging by the nasty responses to the recent 'my girlfriend is gross....' thread, you took quite a risk, and I'm actually surprised this one has stayed relatively civil.

 

I think the only conclusion you can draw from this thread is that the average poster (who's prepared to admit their size - assuming everyone is being 100% honest) is much thinner than 'average' in the real world.

[oldguy]

I can't comment on the rest of the Europe but, in the UK, the average height for a woman is 5ft 4in and the average dress size is 16 - which I believe equates to a US 12/14. In the US the average size woman is larger than that.

 

In the UK, the smallest, widely available dress size you can buy off the shelf is a size 8 (4/6 US equalivalent). In teenagers boutique shops, a size 6 is common. We don't even pretend that anything below that is healthy. There are exceptions of course for very small or small boned women but it's rare. If an adult woman is smaller than a size 6, she usually has to buy children's clothes.

 

In very broad terms, the fattest people in the world are those who live in the South Pacific Islands (being a fat/obese woman there is considered highly attractive), followed by the US, NZ and Australia. The English are catching up but are still a long way behind.

 

For the OPs info - most women who have posted on this thread are considerably lighter and thinner than average - including Star Gazer ( at anyone who thinks she's overweight!).

 

According to LS stats there are nearly 137,000 members and the vast majority of women posting on this thread (very small number!) are happy with their size. Most overweight women wouldn't have the courage to post on a thread like this and admit their real statistics so you're very brave for doing so. Judging by the nasty responses to the recent 'my girlfriend is gross....' thread, you took quite a risk, and I'm actually surprised this one has stayed relatively civil.

 

I think the only conclusion you can draw from this thread is that the average poster (who's prepared to admit their size - assuming everyone is being 100% honest) is much thinner than 'average' in the real world.

 

It depends largely where you are getting your info from. Over the past few days, since this topic was posted I've been looking up stats & found the U.S. to be, The fattest country to the 9th fattest. I found the UK to be as high as 3rd fattest & Australia to be in or out of of the top 10. These are just 3 sample countries I noticed.

 

The one universal truth seemed to be that we are all getting 'fatter' by every ones view or findings but the thing that stood out more as I was reading through all of this was, 'we are all becoming more unhealthy', with type 2 diabetes & coronary disease being reported on the rise world wide.

 

About 5 years ago, while I was recovering from a serious accident, I found myself over weight, (by about 50 pounds), for the first time in my life & what motivated me to loose the weight wasn't the sore back or knees or even not being able to sprint up a flight of steps without being winded. It's when my doctor told me I was over weight & that my BP was elevated.

 

So being fat or thin is relative & subjective I think, but being healthy, at any weight, is what I think is important. For me, that started by believing in my doctor & when she told me I should loose weight I took it seriously.

 

:laugh:At 220 pounds people stepped around me when I walked down the street, that never happens now at 170. But at least I don't have to worry about them stepping over me one day:laugh:

[Stupid Girl]

Stargazer, are you sure you're right about your weight? Because I'm the same height and 20-25lbs lighter than you and we look almost the same (from what I could tell from your pictures)! That's crazy, you must carry your weight REALLY well!

[Taramere]

I don't know that the average person really is getting fatter. I suspect that all Western nations are becoming more extreme...in terms of having some extremely obese people, who are noticed for their obesity, but aren't representative of the average person by any means.

 

http://www.paydayadvanceuk.co.uk/news/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/obesity.jpg

 

Let's say one of those women weighs 300 pounds (and I don't know, because they're beyond a weight I'd feel able to guess with any likelihood of accuracy). That excess weight skews the statistics enormously. Somebody who is underweight doesn't skew the statistics in the same way. Somebody could be 40 pounds above the upper limit of their healthy weight, and function fairly normally beyond being stigmatised as obese and having some health problems.

 

At 40 pounds under the lower end of the healthy weight they're going to be very close to death. There are more very obese people, but does that mean that society has become more generous in its notions of what constitutes a slim and attractive woman? Here are the finalists in the 1953 Miss World contest. I would contend that the only one who would probably be considered to have a "hot" body by today's standards would be Miss Ceylon.

 

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_JbkfdQvU5jA/TApN7p1yt8I/AAAAAAAABUY/srMU7zjWviI/s1600/Contestants+in+1953.jpg

 

Not that there aren't lots of men today who would find those women's body's attractive, but I think there would be lots who dismissed them as "average"....and I can think of some men who would call some of them "fatties". Yet back in 1953, they were selected for representing the epitome in female beauty. Presumably that means they were considered attractive and slim.

 

Here is a far more recent beauty contest winner

 

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jjxzK6CKhH8/TcDlDNbUNKI/AAAAAAAAA8w/L1f1eomO7zQ/s1600/Czech+-+Jitka+Nov%25C3%25A1%25C4%258Dkov%25C3%25A1-8.jpg

 

Much longer, leaner and more toned than the 1953 contestants...and a shape that really isn't going to be attainable for the average 5 ft 4" female.

 

I often read complaints on this board of modern women having let themselves go, but I really think that with a moderate approach to eating and exercise the shape of those 1950s contestants is a very realistic model for most women.

 

The problems set in when unattainable expectations are presented. That's when people often stop trying altogether. The way to counter that is to help people resist that temptation to just give up altogether, and encourage them instead to focus on models of good health and slimness that are realistic for them and their lifestyles.

[chuckles11]

I don't know that the average person really is getting fatter. I suspect that all Western nations are becoming more extreme...in terms of having some extremely obese people, who are noticed for their obesity, but aren't representative of the average person by any means.

 

 

 

I don't know, I'm skeptical of that explanation. I have a hard time believing that people in the 1950s ate as much junk food as people eat today or were nearly as sedentary as people are today. The fact that there is more extreme obesity might offer a partial explanation, but it probably doesn't tell the full story.

[tigressA]

I'm female, 41.

5'7", 114 lbs. I fluctuate between this weight and 130.

Because of recent depression and anxiety issues I am on the lower end of the scale currently. I am happy being 120-125lbs.

 

I'm similar to D-Lish, being the same height and in the same fluctuating weight range, but I'm not the happiest being 126 lbs right now. I'm so used to having been between 110-115 for years that I find myself wanting to shed about 10 lbs. It's so crazy to feel that way because I know I look perfectly fine--I can't remember the last time I got a random comment about how 'skinny' I am. I carry my weight well; my curves are more pronounced, but I guess I miss my old figure.

[Taramere]

I don't know, I'm skeptical of that explanation. I have a hard time believing that people in the 1950s ate as much junk food as people eat today or were nearly as sedentary as people are today. The fact that there is more extreme obesity might offer a partial explanation, but it probably doesn't tell the full story.

 

I think junk food plays a huge part in creating extreme obesity, and there's no doubt that there's more of it around. I think it's probably more responsible for a minority of people reaching gargantuan proportions than anything else is.

 

France is often held up as a model for good living, and having spent a fair bit of time there I agree. The food is often very rich, but balanced with salads and because eating is a bit of a ritual that people take their time over, by the time you get up from the table you tend to be full. Even if you haven't eaten that much.

 

I think in that respect the French lead lifestyles that bit closer to the lifestyles people had in the 1950s. The "everything in moderation" approach....rather than frenetic exercising, carb-free diets and all the other approaches to attaining perfection that aren't really compatible with having a life.

[EasyHeart]

I don't know that the average person really is getting fatter. I suspect that all Western nations are becoming more extreme...in terms of having some extremely obese people, who are noticed for their obesity, but aren't representative of the average person by any means.

I think that's right. As in many other respects, i think that America is becoming a deeply divided country with respect to health and weight: some who obsess about it and are very fit and healthy and some who live on processed food and think walking down a flight of stairs is "exercise".

 

I don't know about other countries, but in the US the obesity rate started to climb (and has continued to climb) since the early 1980s when the US government officially adopted the low fat/high starch diet as "healthy". Even people who try to eat healthy get very, very fat when they follow the government's nutritional guidelines.

 

The latest nonsense put out by the government (MyPlate) continues to intentionally spread false information about nutrition and people are going to keep getting fatter and fatter.

[Taramere]

I think that's right. As in many other respects, i think that America is becoming a deeply divided country with respect to health and weight: some who obsess about it and are very fit and healthy and some who live on processed food and think walking down a flight of stairs is "exercise".

 

Yes...my impression is that there is heated debate about it in the US. We've got plenty of obesity in the UK, but I do think there's a slightly gentler way of approaching the problem. The "everything in moderation" approach. When people present an image of a healthy lifestyle involving punishing exercise regimes and endless carb-free dieting in an attempt to obtain the perfect body, it tends to conjure up visions of Scrooge miserably heating himself up around a candle. You might push yourself through all that unpleasantness for a while, but eventually the motivation is going to go.

 

It doesn't need to be that way. If people have realistic goals about the body they'd like to have, then there's no reason to live a life of frugal denial. It's just a case of walking a bit more instead of taking the car (though I think that can probably be difficult in some parts of the US that just aren't geared towards pedestrians), making more of a pleasant ritual of meals so that they last longer and you're not tempted to snack between them. Smaller portions etc.

[Emilia]

A lot of it is lifestyle though, it may be hard work in the beginning until you get used to a different life but exercise and looking after your body becomes second nature.

 

As I got older (I'm 39) I noticed how my body changed, it's a similar shape to my mother's and I didn't want to end up looking that way. What it meant was not spending every mid-week evening in front of the telly with a glass of red wine or two but getting out to the park and run, do lunges, press ups, crunches, etc. I don't even notice it now, it's second nature. I'm sitting in the office, it's just past 2pm and I'm looking forward to being in that lush park and be surrounded by like-minded people who happen to be good looking too. I never go to the gym.

 

Once you have more muscle content, it's easier to maintain your shape because your metabolism becomes faster as muscles burn more calories than fat does.

 

I still go for curries with my friends and enjoy wine and home cooking but I'm very active, go surfing or sailing and don't own a television anymore.

 

It can become a very enjoyable - and rather social might I add - lifestyle rather than a chore. I don't count calories but I do keep an eye on carbs. However, I take extra carbs before I go swimming or running because I need it to maintain energy levels.

 

I love being active and feeling fit, it isn't hard work anymore and I only started regular exercise about 5-6 years ago.

[EasyHeart]

Yes...my impression is that there is heated debate about it in the US. We've got plenty of obesity in the UK, but I do think there's a slightly gentler way of approaching the problem. The "everything in moderation" approach. When people present an image of a healthy lifestyle involving punishing exercise regimes and endless carb-free dieting in an attempt to obtain the perfect body, it tends to conjure up visions of Scrooge miserably heating himself up around a candle. You might push yourself through all that unpleasantness for a while, but eventually the motivation is going to go.

I generally agree with you, but I think those are two different issues: (1) having a realistic body image and (2) finding an optimally nutritious diet/productive exercise program.

 

And as a happy low-carber for many years, I think we'd be all be a lot happier and healthier eating that way! One of the problems with a "moderation" approach is that people feel very hungry and deprived, because they still end up eating lots of starches and sugars and causing an insulin response.

[Taramere]

I know everyone has different tastes, and I always try to account for that when participating in online forums in general, but this particular site is really making me take a hit on self-esteem. I'm sincerely hoping that the general population on here is younger and fitter than average because otherwise, I'm in bigger trouble than I thought.

 

Anyway, I'll start:

 

33

5'5"

168lbs

12/14

 

 

I'm sorry to have gone off the track of what was originally intended with this thread.

 

Your BMI would be 128 which is generally classed as overweight- which lots and lots of people are - but not obese (which would usually be 130 or more). One article I read said that 128 is the average for a woman in the USA..others have said 126 or so is (which I think is the average in the UK).

 

I can think of plenty of people who fall into the overweight category who are very attractive, stylish and popular with the opposite sex...so I wouldn't let what you read on this site get to you. People tend to be a lot more judgemental on the internet as a result of anonymity and lack of face to face contact making it easier for them to objectify others.

 

Were you prompted to start this thread because you're thinking about maybe changing your diet and stepping up your exercise a little...or is it more that you're just feeling a little down about things you've read?

[Star Gazer]

Stargazer, are you sure you're right about your weight? Because I'm the same height and 20-25lbs lighter than you and we look almost the same (from what I could tell from your pictures)! That's crazy, you must carry your weight REALLY well!

 

Just got on the scale this morning and it read 152. I'm PMSing though so I like to think that's closer to 149. But yes, I'm positive! That's how much I weigh!

 

My BFF weighs about 15 less than I do, is shorter, and yet is physically larger - at least in the hips/butt.

[OliveOyl]

I think the only conclusion you can draw from this thread is that the average poster (who's prepared to admit their size - assuming everyone is being 100% honest) is much thinner than 'average' in the real world.

 

I used to live in California - overall a very image-conscious state. When I moved up to the Pacific Northwest, I was amazed at the difference in average weight. More people around where I live generally tend to be visibly overweight. I'm not sure whether it's the lack of sunshine, cultural norms, or what. What has been posted here is not representative of the "average" here. It might be in certain areas of California though, notably Southern California (extremely image conscious area - where Hollywood is, of course).

[Star Gazer]

For the OPs info - most women who have posted on this thread are considerably lighter and thinner than average - including Star Gazer ( at anyone who thinks she's overweight!).

 

In pictures/person I'm smaller than what we consider "average," but my weight and size as disclosed in this thread are on the larger side.

[Chocolat]

Women are going to look at what the average weight of the general population is and say that's average for women.

 

The problem here is that, as the average moves up, it creates a new "normal." And that normal keeps creeping upward.

 

 

I don't know that the average person really is getting fatter.

 

In the US, it's pretty well documented that people are getting fatter and that there are also more obese people:

 

The age-adjusted prevalence of obesity was 30.5% in 1999-2000 compared with 22.9% in NHANES III (1988-1994; P<.001). The prevalence of overweight also increased during this period from 55.9% to 64.5% (P<.001). Extreme obesity (BMI 40) also increased significantly in the population, from 2.9% to 4.7% (P = .002). (http://www.mindfully.org/Health/2002/Obesity-US-Adults1999-2000-9oct02.htm)

[serial muse]

I think that Taramere's point was that while obesity is on the rise, there may also be an increase in the number of people who are underweight, due to the change in body ideal over time. Hence, the image of 1950s pinups, who are considerably curvier than today's models. Thus, the average, or the mean, national body weight may not have changed so much as it appears if you just look at obesity stats.

 

I have never seen any stats on whether there are more underweight people in the US, although they may exist. It would be interesting to see.

[Emilia]

I think that Taramere's point was that while obesity is on the rise, there may also be an increase in the number of people who are underweight, due to the change in body ideal over time. Hence, the image of 1950s pinups, who are considerably curvier than today's models. Thus, the average, or the mean, national body weight may not have changed so much as it appears if you just look at obesity stats.

 

I have never seen any stats on whether there are more underweight people in the US, although they may exist. It would be interesting to see.

 

if you watch black and white fashion shows, the girls were tall and slim because they were easy to dress. Homosexual men and women rule the fashion industry, not hot blooded straight men. Today's pinups are voluptous women too, not skinny models

[Taramere]

I think that Taramere's point was that while obesity is on the rise, there may also be an increase in the number of people who are underweight, due to the change in body ideal over time. Hence, the image of 1950s pinups, who are considerably curvier than today's models. Thus, the average, or the mean, national body weight may not have changed so much as it appears if you just look at obesity stats.

 

I have never seen any stats on whether there are more underweight people in the US, although they may exist. It would be interesting to see.

 

Yes, that's what I meant SM. More extremes at either end of the spectrum. For instance, while I see more overweight schoolchildren going about, I also quite frequently see girls who are painfully thin in a way that I don't remember anybody being at school. There were very slim, small boned girls of course...but there's a distinct difference between that and the "jagged" appearance of somebody who has dieted to a level below their normal weight.

[serial muse]

if you watch black and white fashion shows, the girls were tall and slim because they were easy to dress. Homosexual men and women rule the fashion industry, not hot blooded straight men. Today's pinups are voluptous women too, not skinny models

 

Perhaps pinups was the wrong word - the correct comparison would be between beauty queens of then and now, which is what the image that Taramere posted shows.

[Sarabina]

I am pretty tiny - I am almost 5ft and weigh 110 pounds

 

I am trying to lose 10 pounds by September.

 

Even though I am "tiny", compared to today's standards (media, celebrities, etc...) I am still considered to be chubby