Hello friends!

So as a result of changing my life etc etc, I have become far more aware of my body and I just wanted to ask a bit of a question. Every time I come to ask a question it always seems like I have the silliest questions, but here goes anyway: Is it possible to actually have big bones? Maybe not the bones themselves being large, but to be ... built quite big?

I am really short but I feel like I may not actually be able to get to my goal weight. I know I have a lot of fat hanging around my thighs, bottom and stomach, but I feel like my bones aren't actually that far beneath the surface - like it's possible I may not actually be the small person I hope to be.

I'm not sure if this makes sense, it's hard for me to describe things
sometimes. An example is this - I feel like covering my ribs there is only about 1 inch or less of fat/padding.

Any words of wisdom are most welcome!

http://www.ehow.com/how_2346297_dete...rame-size.html
http://www.wellsphere.com/exercise-a...are-you/818498

Your own individual makeup is going to determine how you will end up when you reach your goal weight. With your success so far it is not surprising that you can see your collar bone and feel more of the definition in your legs.

I had an hourglass figure when I was younger.That's not as great as it sounds when you are short. I have always had what I call fertility goddess hips-wide hips-slim waist, large breasts. It is hard to find clothes that don't accentuate and exaggerate it in a negative way. But losing the belly fat and gaining strength is well worth the effort.

Good luck-keep going-calorie counting counts!

The size, shape, and proportions of you bones do determine some of your shape. If you have short legs in proportion to the rest of your body, for example it will be very difficult to look "model-thin."

If you have a boxy wide torso, you may never be curvy. If you have a wide pelvis, you'll likely be pear shaped and never manage the curvless "waif" look.....

There are also genetic tendencies towards storing body fat (not only how much you have, but where you store it).

If you have very litte extra fat around your ribcage, but plenty in your thighs, butt, and stomach - that's not "big bones," that's just your proportions. You won't be able to lose as many inches in your ribcage as the areas where you have more padding, but that doesn't tell you how many pounds you can still lose, only where you can lose them from.

The size of your bones does not matter, its the percentage of fat in your body is whats important. I have more fat in the abdominal and hip area that doesnt make my hip bones any bigger than my leg bones. People usually refer to themselves as 'big boned' as an excuse for their size. people carry weight differently, however that doesn't have anything to do with bone size. everyone distributes weight differently, and THAT is what determines your shape.

Thanks for the answers so far! I feel a lot better already - I wasn't trying to make an excuse for my size by saying I was big boned - I was genuinely asking as a question whether it was possible haha.

Maybe since I'm already smaller on the top half (at least around my natural waist and rib area) I may get lucky and have more of an hourglass type shape when I lose some more.

As for genes - maybe I'm adopted! No, I know I'm not, but seriously... all the women in my family are bigger on top with slim legs. Where I get my giant thighs from I will never know. All I can do is work to make them less giant. I think I have some fairly decent body proportions hidden away!

I think the reason I'm more like "oooh?wha?eeeeh?" (any perplexed confused noise will work) is because I've never been "small". I've always been overweight. I'd love to be petite to suit this very short body I've been graced with, but I know that being truly petite might not happen for me - and to be honest, I have never wanted to be skinny. I actually would quite like to be curvy and have a tummy if I am healthy in being that way.
I guess I'm just really intrigued at what is hiding underneath the padding.

I was told all through childhood that I had my dad's "big bones". When I lost weight, I found that I had my mom's frame- bone thickness had nothing to do with it whatsoever.

It was kind of funny. I looked exactly like my five foot-98 lb mother- own to the skinny wrists and wide hips and bony knees.

I think frame width can vary greatly, which is probably the source of the "big bone theory. We're all built so differently in our structure and where our weight is distributed, but our bones are relatively proportionate in size/thickness.

I didn't think you were making excuses, just asking a question - and it's a legitimate one. As with the rest of the body parts, size varies. Big boned or "large framed" people do exist. And there's no real test for the size of your bones - and the size differences aren't always proportional. You may have a broad rib cage and a narrow pelvis (or vice versa).

A couple decades ago, wrist and ankle circumference and shoe size were said to be a test of frame size (at least according to popular women's magazines), but just because you have big feet doesn't mean you have big wrists/ankles... And if your ankles and wrists are small, it doesn't mean everything else will be - there's a lot of variation.

It was thought that people don't tend to gain/lose a lot of weight in the ankles and wrists - but that's not necessarily true (especially if you tend to retain water).

By the wrist measure, both my mother and I have large frames (we're not bio-related, as I was adopted), but my mom is 5'0" and I'm 5'6". I'm not convinced that either of us "really" have larger than average bones, but it doesn't really matter. I don't intend to choose my ultimate goal weight based on some arbitrary chart. I'll choose my ultimate goal weight on how I feel physically, and what I'm willing to maintain. Whether I reach 250 lbs or 150 lbs and at that time decide that I'm not willing to do any more to lose weight, I'll stop and maintain at that point (at least until I'm ready and willing to do more - and if that day never comes, so be it).

The more I lose, the better I feel and the more I'm willing to do, so I'm not too worried about frame-size very much. Maybe when I get closer to a reasonable weight, I'll feel differently, and I'll deal with it then.

Height/weight charts are fairly inaccurate because they don't take into consideration muscle weight. A person who is more muscular than average is going to be overweight by height/weight charts, even though they're not overfat (they probably won't look overweight, either). I'd love to be "overweight" in that sense - that I look fabulous because I'm so toned. I don't see that happening, unless I develop a love for exercise that I don't yet have.

Regardless, I think it just means that everyone has to remember that there is no single "magic number." There are a lot of variables that will determine the best weight range for any one person, and trial and error is one of the best tools available.

Hrmm... I hope it's true. Because I'm pretty sure my shoulders are there for good, along with my hips. All I can hope is that they balance in the end.

Oh, absolutely! I can relate to that. All I had to really evaluate such things was someone else's opinion (usually an older relative's comment ) so it was just a big ole' mystery until I actually got there.

It's rather exciting

Good question!! I wonder about this sometimes too, especially when I look at my disgustingly talll & willowy siblings. (Despite heavy grilling my parents continue to assure me they are not adopted)

I remember from my physiology class (and my personal trainer) that there are different body types, endomorph, ectomorph, (something like that). So there is scientifc back up. Also I've been reading a women's weight lifiting magazine and their mantra seems to be no matter your body type you can improve your shape big time with weight training.

So keep going and I bet you'll get killer curves.

Thanks everyone!
I guess I'll just have to see what happens. My "goal" weight is not a be all and end all, because it could be unrealistic. I'm just trying to get to a point where I feel healthy and happier with how I look. I would love to enjoy exercising too haha! I'm about to attempt my first EVER serious-for-exercise-benefits walk/run outside in the real world.

kaplods Your endless wisdom never ceases to amaze me - seriously, if I'm reading a thread and see you've posted - instead of skimming through it I read every word.

I can sympathize with you. I have a large frame and I have to make sure my shirts are slightly baggy because my rib cage looks so wide if I wear any shirt that is form fitting (sticks out something fierce). I also have nothing up top (not complaining about that at all!) and have huge thighs and no ankles! Don't worry- you are not alone!

Dhani

Definitely. You notice in my pictures that even before I hit onederland, I had pretty well defined collarbones and was "complaining" about my hips sticking out when I sleep. I can also see my ribcage now...

Also, I never expect to get out of large shirts because of my, what I call "man shoulders". My shoulders are SO wide it's ridiculous.

I'm built large. Honestly, even though my ultimate goal is 160-165, if I don't make it out of the 170's I'll be ok. People tell me I look 160 now... and that's because I carry so well and am so largely built....