Why do I look heavier than I am?

Discussion in 'General Martial Arts Discussion' started by Teflon, May 3, 2012.

  1. Teflon

    Teflon Valued Member

    I've been searching for answers to this question the past few days and haven't really come up with anything conclusive. Firstly, its hard to find the question without it relating to weight-loss sites and fat percentages, which isnt very helpful to me at all. Secondly, the info is all very varied, and often one answer contradicts another, so I'm probably more confused than before if anything.

    Basically, everybody seems to think I weigh a lot more than I do. For over a year now, any friends/family/training partners that guess my weight, always put it a fair bit higher than it is. The lowest guesses I usually get are 13-13.5 stone (82-85kg) and they have been up to 15st (95kg), often from people at or above those weights themselves. I also have a lot of training partners that appear smaller than me, and comment on how I'm bigger than them (usually when it comes to clinching etc). However, when put on the scales, almost all of these guys outweigh me. Its odd to stand next to guys who are the same height as me, but smaller built, and have them weigh more on the scales.

    Im quite sure its not build difference per se, as we're obviously in shorts + tshirts at the gym, so a build difference should be spotted quite easily. Im also quite sure its not a matter of body fat %, as I am equally defined as my training partners, in some cases more so. Im also quite sure Im not suffering any kind of bone density problems as surely this would be picked up during my MT training no? I recover quicker than most people, and my shin conditioning has been going just fine.

    For the record I'm a hair under 6' and actual weight is around 12st (75-78kg). Is there any known reason why I appear to be significantly bigger than this size?
     
  2. Smitfire

    Smitfire Cactus Schlong

    How old are you?
    I can remember weighing 12 stone. Just about. :)
     
  3. Putrid

    Putrid Moved on

    Its crazy,isn't it.I am around 5ft 7" and weigh 12 stone and people comment on how thin I look.
     
  4. Teflon

    Teflon Valued Member

    PASmith> I am 26 :)

    Putrid> I seem to have the opposite problem!
     
  5. Smitfire

    Smitfire Cactus Schlong

    26 you say...hmmm. Dunno then. How many limbs do you have? :)
     
  6. cloystreng

    cloystreng Valued Member

    Sometimes perceptions of weight can be based on all sorts of things. Also, I find that since when I was younger I was skinny and shorter, I usually see people that are just around my size as bigger than me, when I usually outweigh them but a good margin.

    75 kg at 6' is pretty light, I think. I'm 6' 88-90 kg. I used to be around 75 kg and looking back at those photos from a few years back I was skinny as hell but with baggier clothing I looked heavier.

    For that reason, your height alone may do it.
     
  7. Asterix187

    Asterix187 Valued Member

    Maybe your hollow like penne pasta, crumbly like a flake or made of the stuff inside milky way's?
     
  8. jazzysingh

    jazzysingh Valued Member

    dont worry about it. i am just under 6 foot and weigh 105 kg lol.
     
  9. Coges

    Coges Valued Member

    Without seeing a photo I could only guess that you're just build that way. Great answer huh?

    Some people look heavier than others at the same weight. Maybe you have a naturally larger frame than others the same weight. I am the complete opposite to you. I always look lighter than what I am. At 6'4 it may be a factor of height but I've been as heavy as 95 and people never thought I was above 85.
     
  10. slipthejab

    slipthejab Hark, a vagrant! Supporter

    I feel for ya.... I'm 6'2" and range anywhere from 180lbs to 198lbs.... and no matter how fit I am at the given moment or how much I've trained... the ultimate response from everyone I see is 'oh wow are you ok you look like you've lost weight! have you been sick'..... grrrr.... in a grappling competition at the weekend I weighed in 72-84.9kg category... and there were guys in there that looked... compared to me... massive. Ugh. So the absolute category (where you can grapple with anyone at any weight depending on who's won) has a guy that was 302 pounds. :p hahahahahhahaha.... luckily for the rest of us my mate beat him!

    I chalk it up to the average person being totally clueless what healthy actually is. The most that a vast majority of the population seems to understand is a bodybuilder physiques and numbers on the bathroom scale. Both which have no relation the world of athletic performance or being fit.

    So now when people make comments like that I usually ask if they've come off a diet because they look fat. :p
     
    Last edited: May 4, 2012
  11. cloudz

    cloudz Valued Member

    you ate all the pies ? :)

    it might be to do with your height and body shape that folks misjudge your weight?
     
  12. Teflon

    Teflon Valued Member

    Slip, I hope you're nicer to the girls :p

    Im beginning to think along those lines too Cloudz, the confusion stems from training partners who weigh a clear 10kg+ more than I do, but who appear smaller built when side by side, and who match my height. . However I notice that my hands and feet are very much just skin and bone, same around my wrists/ankles until you hit the calf/forearm muscles. Additionally my shoulders are quite wide and my chest sticks out, which makes my shirts hang like Im big all the way, but theres a drastic cut inwards at the abdominal area.

    I think Ill take some pics + measurements at some point just to be sure :p
     
  13. Smitfire

    Smitfire Cactus Schlong

    Is this just some elaborate ruse designed to let us know you're "well endowed"? :)
     
  14. Teflon

    Teflon Valued Member

    rofl!! I won't comment :x
     
  15. Oddsbodskins

    Oddsbodskins Troll hunter 2nd Class

    I'm much the same as Coges, look much lighter then I am, at my heaviest I was 12 stone 10, and by all accounts looked far closer to 10 stone 12. I think part of it is where you carry the weight, I tend to put muscle on more easily in my legs and back, where it's fairly discreet, but have thus far in my life never ceased to be pigeon chested.

    Man I've lost a ton of weight recently, need to train more :(
     
  16. Mangosteen

    Mangosteen Hold strong not

    i always get told that i look lighter, i weigh 172 pounds (78 kg) and most people estimate my weight at 140 or 150.
    and an old friend in the uni shop just estimate that, he was surprised i weigh what i do. most people judge you on how tall you are and how you clothes fit.
    maybe OP is wearing too many tight shirts? :p
     

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