Body type

Avatar for travkitty
iVillage Member
Registered: 11-05-2003
Body type
29
Sun, 07-31-2005 - 6:27pm

Ok, one of the other discussions leads me to this question. I'm having a hell of a time settling on a body type to put on my profile. At what point does average become "a few extra pounds"? Granted, I'm losing that last bit of weight on my butt, so in a couple months it will be a moot point, but how do you think men perceive an average, "extra" & curvy woman's body?

Annie

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-19-2004
In reply to: travkitty
Mon, 08-01-2005 - 12:53pm
Well I'm a size 16 and according to the BMI I am obese....the BMI is crap, it goes by height and weight not by amount of muscle or anything, so I wouldn't necessarily go by that either.
iVillage Member
Registered: 01-10-2004
In reply to: travkitty
Mon, 08-01-2005 - 4:37pm
Coming out of lurking to agree with your frustration about BMI. My BMI is 25, so I'm on the edge of "overweight", but I've been told that I look 20-30 lbs lighter than I actually am. Whether the guys saying it were just flattering me or not (they are friends of mine), I don't know. However, I do think that you have to take more than your BMI number in to consideration. As far as my profile, I do have "a few extra pounds" because I am 20 lbs over my ideal weight, and I don't want to feel like I'm misleading anyone. Unfortunately, I haven't gotten any interest in a while, maybe my body categorization is the problem.
iVillage Member
Registered: 05-03-2005
In reply to: travkitty
Mon, 08-01-2005 - 4:58pm
This is a good question. Something I struggle with answering myself. I remember reading that the average size for an American woman is 14. That's what size I am. So, I sort of consider myself average. But then, on the other hand, I am about 15-20 lbs. overweight. That is a tough one! I list myself as average on my profile.
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-19-2004
In reply to: travkitty
Mon, 08-01-2005 - 6:57pm
Yes size 14 is considered "average" because that is on average what a woman is, but most people consider size 14 plus. Go figure. They really don't care that the "average" number of women are a size 14. It's screwy....but most men don't consider a 14 average. Unfortunately.
iVillage Member
Registered: 05-09-2005
In reply to: travkitty
Mon, 08-01-2005 - 8:02pm

Most guys don't know about 14, 16 or 18 and really don't care. For them if you look good to them physically, that's a plus! I'm a size 18 but on my profile I list "Thick" (Yahoo) or "Few Extra Pounds" (other sites) because I'm meaty all over -- shapely but stacked (breasts, hips, tummy, etc.). I guess I should also mention that I'm African-American, so being healthy is more acceptable. Regardless of race, it's really all about being PROPORTIONATE and of course, if the guy finds your body-type appealing. Of course, there are many things I cannot wear, but I dress to flatter my figure.

I have a galfriend who is a Plus Size/BBW (over 250+) and has more dates than me. Remember, it's all about being comfortable in your own skin and all guys will NOT be attracted to you!! There are plenty that will be attracted though!!

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-19-2004
In reply to: travkitty
Mon, 08-01-2005 - 8:34pm

Exactly...and it is more acceptable for african americans, I get a lot of african american males emailing me from my pictures, more so than caucasian males.

I would like to lose weight, but I"m comfortable in my own skin if that makes any sense. LOL

I have found that being on the bbw dating site, I have many more dates, then I ever did on match.com, maybe because those on the bbw dating site, prefer bbw. I'm not sure...but I get winks and emails all the time.

I find match.com to be the worse, I think there are a lot of shallow men on that website. And the ones that do write, they obviously don't read the profiles, just go on pictures, and I want someone interested in ME not just my long hair and big boobs. LOL

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-10-2004
In reply to: travkitty
Mon, 08-01-2005 - 9:09pm
Ladies, Ladies, ladies,
You are all thinking to much here. If you are up to a size 18 I would say you have a few extra lbs. If you are talking with a person on line and have a current photo they can see. It is not your dress size I would be worried about but this womans personality I am e-mailing with.
Online dating is like shopping for a book. I am not buying a book for the cover but the story inside. Northwestwander you are not big , you look like the average size woman.
iVillage Member
Registered: 01-01-2004
In reply to: travkitty
Mon, 08-01-2005 - 9:56pm

Travkitty-


Get a friend to "work" with you and a digital camera.

Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-19-2004
In reply to: travkitty
Tue, 08-02-2005 - 6:16am
Unfortunately knowing what many of us know, many men go by the pictures and don't even READ the profiles.
iVillage Member
Registered: 08-16-2004
In reply to: travkitty
Tue, 08-02-2005 - 8:32am

I just had some updated pictures of myself taken. I needed them badly! My mom looked at my pictures online and said I needed some new ones, so she snapped about 20 and we picked the best. I'm a size 14, but I'm also 5'9. I list "a few extra pounds" as I am about 20lbs over my goal weight (150). I'm pretty proportionate except for my birthing hips LOL

I too get winks and emails from men who are just looking at my pictures and not even reading my profile. Most of them are too old, too short, or live too far away. Those are the three main things I look for automatically. Most of them say "I don't see a few extra pounds!" But they are there LOL

If anyone wants to check out my new photos and give a critique, my match.com name is deltag04. Thanks!

Layx2