Question:
How do you know what size frame you have?

That might sound like a ridiculous question, but I really don't know! I'm 5'9", started at 359 and now weigh 179. Still overweight but finally approaching the upper end of the "large frame" ideal weight charts. How does one KNOW whether they're small frame, medium or large? Years ago, I had heard that you could tell by the size of your wrist and if you couldn't put your thumb and middle finger around your wrist, you had a large frame. Well, my wrists and forearms are darn skinny now, so if that's the case I guess I don't have a large frame. On the other hand, my body just looks "wide" to me, and always has. I have very little excess weight left on my upper body. The bottom of my rib cage is very near the surface, and I have a collarbone and shoulder bones for the first time. I do have a defined waist now, and think my body should be narrower but when I feel my ribcage, it really seems to me that I can't lose any more up there. That makes me suspect that I have a large frame. I can wear 14s or 12s now and even got on a pair of size 10 pants yesterday, yet when I was trying on some suede jackets, I had to try a 16 because there wasn't enough room in the shoulders otherwise. Is there some way to determine what size frame you are? Also, can any women out there with my height - 5'9" - tell me what weight you ended up comfortable with? AMOS recommends 156 for me. I honestly can't see myself reaching that at this point, and certainly not without plastic surgery! I suspect I'd be doing well if I ended up around 170 and plastic surgery would take some or all of another 10 pounds off me. Input?    — sandsonik (posted on January 10, 2004)

January 10, 2004
Check out this website for body frame size: http://www.am-i-fat.com/body_frame_size.html
   — blank first name B.

January 10, 2004
I don't have the answers, but I have bookmarked a couple of websites that might give you the information you need. Here you go! For determining your body frame: http://www.am-i-fat.com/body_frame_size.html For "ideal" body weight calculation: http://www.halls.md/ideal-weight/body.htm Best of luck to you!
   — Biking O.

January 10, 2004
My surgeons office measured my elbow to determine my frame size (see the url the other posters posted it's on there) I never thought too much of the wrist measurement as my wrist got bigger as I gained weight. <br><br> I am 5' 8 and hoping to get to 170. I have a large frame.
   — Patricia T.

January 10, 2004
Sandra, Thanks so much for posting this! I've often wondered this myself. Like you, I am tall (5'11") and didn't think I would ever get to a size 6 or 8 or even 10. Currently I'm wearing 12/14's and cannot see me losing much more weight, especially in my upper body. Like you, I can see and feel my rib bones, collar bones and even my arms seem really skinny and I don't want them to slim down anymore. My butt & thighs still need work, but I'm not sure if they will improve much without plastic surgery. I just did the wrist test and it shows I have a medium sized frame. WOW ~ I have NEVER seen myself as anything other than a large frame. My wrist measured exactly 6.25". Def another WLS moment for me. It sounds like you and I have similiar body builds. Incidentally, congratulations on your terrific success!! Thanks again for posting these questions ~ VERY interesting!!! *HUGS* Michelle Roberts Open RNY 1/3/03 330/182/175 (7 lbs to goal)
   — chelle3081

January 11, 2004
A simple test I learned at my doctor's office is to put your forefinger and thumb of your right hand around your left wrist. If you your fingers touch, you are normal framed. If they don't you are large framed. If they overlap you are small framed. It seems to be very accurate even though I thought it sounded strange when she told me.
   — Ann B.

January 11, 2004
The wrist method is not reliable at all. I had heard of this before my surgery and my fingers did not touch at the time. Now, 2 years post-op, my fingers overlap. I know my frame size didn't change. The elbow method seems to be the most reliable as the prominent bones are measured. This tells me that I am a large frame, which I knew anyway with my wide hips with bones sticking out and my wide rib-cage. I would do a google search on 'body frame wrist' and see what comes up. There are lots of sites that have easy guidelines to follow when determining your frame size. Also, the AMOS recommendation is probably (and this is a guess) an average target weight for the medium boned people. You and your doctor should really be the ones determining a realistic/healthy goal weight for you as an individual.
   — Cheri M.

January 11, 2004
Thanks to all who answered! Michelle and Cheri, you both sound a LOT like me. If I did the measurements correctly, I AM a large frame, even by the wrist measurement. I agree that the folklore about being able to put your fingers around your wrist is bogus though and wrist size changes as you lose weight. I just wish I could lose the remaining weight in my lower body but it seems to come from my upper body first - which is weird because I was NEVER a pear shape. I do think I have a wide ribcage and wide hip bones and both are pretty prominent now for someone who still is "overweight". I feel I'm pretty close to where I should be even though my weight still sounds heavy to me, and I'm also coming to the realization that I probably won't truly feel thin until I get the excess skin taken off!
   — sandsonik

January 11, 2004
Well according to the wrist I am small framed with a 51/2 inch wrist and I'm 6' tall. According to the elbow I am large framed.. Hmmm..I am 6'tall and 179 pounds. I'd like to loose a few more pounds but I also feel if I had plastic surgery for my excess I'd be just right so I don't know if I should really try to loose a few more or not anyway. It's hard to know where we should be. Carrie
   — Carrie D.