Why Women Lose Weight—or Don’t

You really can't go by the BMI scale because it doesn't take into account the amount of muscle you have. My height to weight ratio is also in the "overweight" category because of my muscle tone, but I'm actually quite thin.

I manage a Surgical Weight Loss clinic and winced when I saw the "normal" BMI (body mass index) of 18.5 to 24.9. This means a 5' 7" woman should weight no more than 130 pounds. That would put me in a size 8!!! Is this normal? I don't think so. This is one large reason people have poor body image. Recent studies have shown too that being somewhat overweight but "fit" can have a far more beneficial out come than someone who is within the "normal" weight range and isn't fit. I certainly DO NOT promote weight loss through surgery, but it IS a last alternative for morbidly obese people with awesome outcomes! People pre0-judge so so much by appearance! It's sad

My elevated blood pressure and GERD tell me that being overweight is not normal. My current weight is 205-210 lb while normal for me 180 and 170 is lean (as a dedicated weight-lifter I obviously can never get slim). While I do not "look obese" thanks to all the muscle BUT I can definetely feel the discomfort of all the extra weight, and so can my heart as my pulse is on average 5 beats per second higher on the cross-trainer per every 5 extra pounds of weight.

Also loosing weight is not always that obvious. If you look at the charts I eat 2200-2400 calories a day while I sweat out around 3000 calories (if you believe the standarized charts) and that is how my weight stays constant, so obviously the energy conversion ratios are a highly individual issue and vary on a personal basis greatly.

Comment: To MSTHigh......If you think I have always been thin, you are WRONG. I was always a lil overweight till I had my last child 2 yrs ago, and I took control MYSELF! That is why I have no sympathy for overweight people. They need to toughen up and if you want it bad enough, than you will MAKE it happen. Period. If you think it was easy to lose weight after having 4 kids in 5 yrs you are WRONG, and weight is weight. Don't give me bull *** that baby weight is easier to lose. It isn't. Have a great day!

First of all there is no quick and easy fix. It can be done however. What is needed is a commitment to oneself. A desire to achieve. Step by step goal setting, with a solid plan of action. Ther are a many resources available that are either free ( the public library) or inexpensive. The internet is a good source as well. Talking to one's primary physician might be a good first step. One has to develop a workable plan of action. A dietician, even a good personal trainer, can help in these areas. In some cases, a persons health plan may have help available to those who want to get their weight down, by covering some of the costs of some programs. We all need encouagement in our endeavours, thus having a few like minded individuals around whom we can "lean on" from time to time may also be helpful. My dad used to say "plan your work, work your plan, and persevere".

Why is that when you have a comment site, everyone takes on themselves to "knock" everyone else. I am one of the ones that has always had a healthy metabolism, etc. I try to eat right (not always) and live a relatively normal life. Take the dog for a nightly walk and enjoy my glass of wine at night. Weight has and always will be a controversial topic, going back centuries. The thing that we enjoy in today's society is the ability to choose, who and what we want ourselves to be. Media and other affiliated outlets, have made it extremely hard for many that have "choices" to make regarding their weight and lifestyles. One day this is "good" for you the next it isn't. Today's number solution is>>>>> but tomorrow it is >>>> different. It would be rather "nice" to have someone, just come out and say, "cut out the junk food". Eat like we used to when we were "kids", that is, those of us in the 40-50 age bracket. And walk.....you don't need a "high-priced" gym and you don't need "high-priced" diets. Just get back to what is "real". And stop being lazy and actually "cook" your own food, decide what you like and what is best for "you"....

Hey Bbama, is there any mental illness in your family? are you angry at someone or something? might want to check that out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Dear Don'tEatMeat,
That is an incredibly insensitive, cruel, and false comment. Being overweight doesn't mean you don't have willpower. Just like being skinny doesn't mean you have willpower. You forget genetics. Face it, some people are bigger than other people. It doesn't mean the skinnier person is healthier.
Here's an example: I had amazing willpower for 13 years-after every meal I threw up. I was also anorexic for 5 of those years. I was a size 0-2. I am now 28 and suffer from tooth decay, esophageal problems that may need surgery, eating and body image problems, and depression and anxiety.
It also sounds as if you have a little self-hatred going on in your own life. Please stop worrying about other people and focus on your own happiness. You may also conside extending your empathy for animals towards people.

Over the last year, I have gained over 50 pounds. The doctor I see was amazed because my eating and excersize habits had not changed, but I was putting on tubbs of weight. It turns out, through about 6 months of testing, that I have a hormonal imbalance. The trigger to my weight gain was going off of birth control pills to try to get pregnant. Other than going on a VERY strict diet, there's not a lot that I can do other than go back on birth control. That is not a choice at this time since we still have not been able to conceive. I have tried several diets and the one that works the best is so strict that it is difficult to follow. It was the type of diet that if you even strayed a little, you got off track and would have difficulties losing. That would lead to frustration and eventually just giving up.

The point is that you need to be careful about judging people. I know there are some lazy obese people out there, but there are some who have a chemical imbalance that until it is fixed have a really hard time losing weight.

I can't really say that I disagree with most of these posters. I am a 43 years old woman who is 45 lbs overweight. That 45 lbs is the difference between feeling great and feeling like a lardass most of the time. I am attractive, just not the best in the self control department. Reading all of these comments encourages me to get my booty our there walking. But give me a break... Jennifer Love Hewitt.... Fat????? Don't think so.

As a 5'2 woman who's *gasp* 170 pounds, I just have to laugh at most of these comments and the originating article. i work out every day for at least an hour, which includes cardio in 70% of my target heart rate, strength training, yoga (daily), pilates and belly dancing once a week. I am not "skinny" and I don't know if I really care all that much about it anymore. I think the emphasis placed on a woman's weight particularly by the medical community is ridiculous and largely (no pun intended) based on the biases and ignorance of the doctors and not necessarily the unhealthiness of the patients. There are plenty of people at or near their ideal BMI weight who smoke, drink and engage in all manner of habits, which are NOT healthy. Go beat up on them and leave me the hell alone.

My BMI is 39!! I LOOK only 25 to 30 lbs over weight,(with a BMI of 39 you would think i would be the size of a small bus, not so) I???m a size 12 to 14. I work out 2 to 3 times a week for one hour doing a mix of kick boxing and aerobics with a 10 minutes workout with 8 lb weights; I have always been an active person, cheerleader all through high school, yard work, years of going to workout classes. I feel I have a ton of muscle weight and that intern is bringing up my BMI .If i thought my BMI was my true fat scale I would be at my wits end. I would rethink taking the BMI scale calculations to seriously. It doesn???t factor in all the Facts

Although, my family has a history with obesity I never had a problem with weight until after I had 3 children back to back (16 and 18 months apart). I worked out at the gym for 1 1/2 to 2 hours a day 4x a week. I ate low fat and low carb, tried weight watchers, everything. Come to find out my medication was causing weight gain. Changing medication is not an option. Just because someone is overweight does not mean that are lazy. I am quite the opposite. People comment that I should be "skinny" due to all that I do with children, etc. Family history plays a huge factor, medication, etc on why people are "fat".. Don't be so quick to judge.

I am ok with women and men being comfortable with their body image and who they are. That being said I don't think that the media and society should promote the idea that is ok to be overweight. There are so many health risks that go along with being overweight. What good is it to be ok with being fat or overweight if you are shedding years off your life. I have 2 kids and one on the way and work full time and still have time to exercise. Put a treadmill or stationary bike in front of your TV! Not having time to exercise is an excuse for laziness.

DONTEATMEAT - IF YOU DON'T EAT MEAT WHAT ARE YOU DOING HANGING OUT AT MCDONALDS TALLYING WHAT ALL THE FAT PEOPLE EAT? GET A LIFE

As long as you like the way you look and are not risking your health, than who cares what poeple consider to be beautiful or normal, It's the labels that drive people crazy, oh you're fat or too thin, if you're healthy and happy than that's all that matters.