So it has come up for several people that others have commented on how skinny they look compared with where they were before.

Tonight my hubby & I watched the biggest loser finale. We tried to guess each person's weight as they were weighed & you know we were not right even once. The best we got was within 10lbs. Most of the time we were way under.

I have often been met with looks of shock from friends when they find out my weight. Even my doctor insisted we weigh again because she didn't believe it.

I don't know where I am going with this - lol - but I thought it was interesting to keep it in perspective that in general I think most people are not good at judging weight.

You're so right. People are horrible at judging weight, especially if they've never had a weight problem and didn't have to think about it as much as we do. But I'm not great at it either. One of my students asked me to guess her weight, and I said "definitely no more than 120," but she weighed 139! Like you, Lifeguard, I'm fairly tall (5'9") and I guess I carry it fairly well, so people always think I weigh less than I do. I know most people would never guess I got up to 275, even though I did look pretty huge. When I weighed 240 about 8 years ago, a friend guessed that I weighed 140.

Ditto, ditto. People never think that I weigh what I do. At first, I think I let it give me a false sense of security... Now, I realize that no matter what other's perception is of my size, it's mine that carries the most weight (no pun intended). Some people feel their best at 110, others at 215. Strange how bodies are. BTW, I just finished watching the finale as well. That show is addictive.

I used to always think that I didn't look like I weighed as much as I did. But, the proof is in the pictures. Now that I've lost weight, I think I look like I weigh as much or more than I actually do.

My hubby and I also tried to guess the contestant's weights and we also guessed way under what the scales showed. I think the contestants looked like they weighed less because they worked out so hard and gained a lot of muscle mass. We're always told that muscle weighs more than fat and to look at the way our clothes are fitting instead of the number on the scales. I need to remember this and get out my tape measure each month. I'm sure there will be many times that the scales don't move or don't move as much as I thought they would.

Good point GirlyGirlSebas. And you're so right about the measuring tape. I have to admit that is my favourite day of the week - Wednesday's I get measured as well as weighed & I find seeing the inches very exciting because it shows more quantitatively that I'm taking up less space!

My mom told me the other day that she thought I looked like I was about 170 lbs. She was shocked when I told her it was more like 200. I think she is just so used to seeing me heavier that I look thin to her now when I'm actually not at all.

I remember once a VERY long time ago on ER they had a storyline including a man that had to be cut out of his house and couldn't walk. One doctor makes a comment to the nurse about finding out his weight for the correct dosage for the medication and through small talk, one doctor says, "He must weight around 350 pounds." At the time, I weighed 300 pounds and I thought, "You jerks! That's what you think 350 pounds looks like?"

Well I do think it has alot to do with body fat vs. muscle. Like take me for instance, I am 208 but have also been walking and building more muscle for a year and a half. I just recently squeezed into some 16 jeans so I am stoked about that, my 18's are big on me and I can fit hand over hand down the front and maybe hubby's as well! Anyhow a neighbour and I were talking and she noticed I lost alot of weight and asked me all kinds of questions etc. Thios woman looks a good 50 pounds heavier than me just in the stomach alone. She told me she was 5'10 and weighed 240!!!! Baloney!!!! Being so tall she should of been able to carry it MUCH better! Lifeguard, this lady looks like about two of you! So either it is all fat or she is lying!!!!

I always get the same thing, people always think I weigh less than I do. Earlier in the year I lost about 5 pounds in a month, and while I don't think thats very much.. it apparently looked more like 15 pounds. Its all confusing to me! I'm currently 228 and in a size 16, while my mom is 230 and a size 24, she's about 5'5" and I'm 5'8"... could 3 inches REALLY make that much of a difference? We also have different body shapes. I think thats why it never works for me to compare myself to others, I always get so discouraged.

-Aimee

That sounds crazy swim girl but you probably have more muscle and she has more fat. The rule of thumb I have heard is 5-10 pounds for every inch.

Swimgirl I get the size thing. I worked in a plus size clothing store for a couple of years & sizes really do mean very little. It seemed like consistently women who were bigger than me wore smaller sizes - but they were always shorter - so yes a couple of inches in height does make a difference.

Jasmine - thanks for the compliment. Also, the way they do the measurements at herbal magic it is supposed to equal 1lb=1" but for me it is more like 2". They measure at a whole bunch of places: neck, shoulders, arm, bust, ribs, waist, hips, thigh, knee, calf & ankle. It seemed ridiculous at first but I cannot tell you how exciting it is to lose an inch in your neck!!!! Who'd a thunk?!

I would be stoked! I have just recently started measuring myself and have lost 3.5 inches in like 3 weeks in my belly! Hooray!

Jasmine - the weird thing about me vs my mom? She consistantly does weights, 3 times a week infact.. and me? I sometimes squat down to pick something up at work.. thats the extent for me.

Lifeguard - I've worked in two plus size stores, its amazing the different shapes and sizes, and what works on some people does NOT work on others. I actually secretly miss working in clothing - not the pay tho!

-Aimee

I miss the discounts!