How much did you lose before you went down a pants size?

kizzykizzywizzy1

I wish I could remember the exact story, but here's the gist of paper towel analogy:

Al is a roll of paper towels. The center/core is Thin Al. Each paper towel sheet is a pound of fat on Al. The outer layer(s) barely go around the roll once so, if you take one sheet off of Al, you don't see much change. As you take more and more sheets off, each sheet wraps around a bit more and, the closer you get to the center, to Thin Al, the more noticeable each sheet you remove is.

Anyway, at your heaviest, it's going to take a while before the loss shows. As you get smaller, it will take less to go down a size.

When I started, it took me 30+ pounds to go down a size. At my smallest, I went down three sizes in less than 20 pounds. Body composition also makes a big difference. If you work on shedding fat, not just "losing weight," your measurements will go down more.

kizzykizzywizzy1

Love this explanation.
I have hardly lost any weight, I haven't gone down a size, but I don't have a muffin hanging over my jeans anymore . I am fitter & more toned I have gone from fear of the treadmill to running 10k on the road last week, used to kill me to run for 1 minute!

ladybuggprincess99

My beginning weight on my journey was 275lbs. Since then I've lost 40 pounds and have only gone down 1 pants size. I was a tight 20, and now I'm a loose 18.

I'm very bottom heavy which frustrates me. I have large hips and thighs and a small waist...so I tend to have to go a size bigger just to button up.

Just feeling a little discouraged and wanting to know if anyone else has gone through this too.

64 pounds... STILL wearing the same pants, just not as tight. I am a 24, but I did buy a new pair of 20's that fit me pretty well...
It might have something to do with me busting out of them when all of this started. My "love" handles love me so much they just don't want to leave.

ifeelsqueaky

I feel your pain! I lost 30lbs and went down a size when I lost about 15 but since then, I remained the same size I have a big stomach and skinny legs which means I often have to get a size up for trousers to fit. It's disheartening because it hides everything I achieved so far - the bagginess of the trousers means that my legs look much bigger than they actually are! Just makes me wish I could wear skirts every day

I am back up to 20lbs lost now and I would say part of the weight gain has to do with the lack of visible progress I have seen lately - it's so encouraging when you see a real difference!

govinda70

i was size 12 (UK size), now 10,8 lbs less I am size 10

xstarxdustx

~20 lbs before realizing. From then on, every 10 seemed to be a pant size down.

mrswaite08

At 55 lbs lost I have only went down 1 pants size & 1 shirt size. If my waist was keeping up with my legs and bottom it would be 2 sizes. Hopefully in 10 lbs or so I'll get down to the next pant size.

QueensGirl83

Hi. I am in the same boat as you. As of now, my clothing is much more loose but it takes me a long time to go down a size. Even when I was a teen and lost a good amount of weight (I believe I weighed in at about 150) I was still a size 14. Mind, you this was in teen sizes, so maybe it was more of the equivalent to a 10 in adult sizes? 5-6 year ago when I was hitting the gym about 5 days a week, I was 190ish and a size 14 comfortably. A little discouraging since I don't really remember being smaller than a 14! Thank you for posting this topic, because I just now decided that my first big goal is to fit into size 10.

scrttwtt

Between size 14 and 10, I usually lose a size for every 12 lbs. I'm 5' 3", which I think makes a different.

StaceyJ2008

Pounds usually don't matter to me. I usually have to lose body fat, inches... Sometimes I can lose 5 pounds and go down a size, sometimes I have to lose 30, depends on your training and what you do.

SquidandWhale

I had to lose 40 pounds before I went down a size, and that really depends on the manufacture. I almost cried the other day when I tried a pair of Levis (in my current size) and they barely fit. Tired a size larger and they were still tight, meanwhile, clothes from other manufactures fit great in current size!

Trying on clothes when you're losing weight is like a game of Russian Roulette; however, instead of facing potential death, you face potential heartbreak.

Tldavis3s

I am down almost 50 lbs and I have went from a size 14 to a size 8. It took me around 20 lbs to lose a pant size but the more I lose the faster I seem to go down in pant sizes. My juniors pant sizes haven't went down as much though, which I assume is due to them being made smaller. I think it all depends on your body shape and size as to how fast you lose pant sizes though so just stick to it!

MayaSPapaya

It took me about 20 pounds. I used to be quite big in the hips, and I'm curvy, so I needed to lose twenty pounds before I successfully went down a size. Now, I'm almost down two sizes

huizenm

Hi There, it took me 33lb's to go down a size in jeans, and I am currently down 37.84lb's down and am thinking of re-looking at the next size down in work pants.. I have large thighs, so pants that fit my waist are generally very tight around my thighs.. sigh

I have the same issue. More narrow waisted. Fit my waist but skin tight on my thighs...oh genetics...

huizenm

Hi There, it took me 33lb's to go down a size in jeans, and I am currently down 37.84lb's down and am thinking of re-looking at the next size down in work pants.. I have large thighs, so pants that fit my waist are generally very tight around my thighs.. sigh

I have the same issue. More narrow waisted. Fit my waist but skin tight on my thighs...oh genetics...

lfergurson1

im at 30 ive gone down one pant size ... Honestly remember with sizes they dont run uniform so if its not happening dont worry it will.

rtr0013

Hi! It took me 23lbs, and it's so funny that I seen this topic this morning b/c it was just this morning I put on a pair pants that is one size smaller!

Livdoesketo

I lost 4 stone ( 52lbs) and I'm still not convincingly in the lower size for trousers. I think I must have bought jeans just before I put on weight and they stretched, that or I was really fat everywhere else!

krithsai

I am bottom heavy, just like you. I strongly urge you to look at Curvy jeans. I recently bought a pair at Gap. I was able to go down a size without compromising on comfort around my thighs. Curvy jeans are meant for girls like you an I!

A_Fit_Mom

Here is how my sizes worked with my weight:

I am 5'8

At 185- I was a size 12

At 168 or so I was a size 10

Now at 158 I am a size 8


I am hoping to get back down to 140-145 and wear my size 4 clothes.