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

Mexicanbigfoot

I would not get too discouraged by this. I am down almost 38 pounds and I can wear a 26 in some pants and some 28's still don't fit me.

As long as you are working hard and you feel good, keep going.

Pants size and weight are "just numbers" and aren't the be all end all of your journey. Good luck! :flowerforyou:

Legs_McGee

When I was 158 pounds I wore a size 10 ..... when I got down to the low 140s I was a solid size 6. Now at 137 I'm either a 4 or a 6, depending on the cut. I'm 5'10. I've always had a small torso; I carry my weight in my hips and thighs.

onyxgirl17

20+ pounds

binkberry

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.

I absolutely love this analogy. The smaller I get the less it takes for me to fit into the next size down. Right now it's taking me 20-30 lbs to change sizes. But as I move into smaller sizes it takes less weight before I go down again. A lot of it depends on where you lose your weight, but if you look at a pants size charts the smaller sizes have fewer inches between them than the larger sizes do.

bijouchocolat

It took me just about 15 pounds to drop from a size 16 down to a size 14. I'm at 206 pounds and am 5 ft 8 inches. I am very curvy, big behind, small waisted and hippy. Genetics LOL

GURLEY_GIRL3

5"8 started 300+ pants 22 tight 20 1x 2x tops
lost 30 loose 20 and perfect 18 xl and large tops
lost 25more still in 18 most are getting loose and large tops

It is very frustrating not going down in sizes cause 50 lbs is alot!
I was like how the hell do these pants still fit!! but My shape looks so much
better. My 18 jeans I squeezed in at my 30 lbs fit perfect now and my friend was like
I like your new jeans..they are the same old ones
just no fat busting out of the stretch

madaleingericke

Don't get discouraged - you are making wonderful progress.
Thing is, pants sizes vary greatly between makes: one make would be a 16; the next one, a 14.
Maybe you should shop around for another pair of jeans or trousers...?

fooninie

I went from a size 14 (tight) to a loose size 10 after 40 lbs. Maybe it depends on your height and bone structure though? Not sure.

Alisha_countrymama

40 lbs when I was at my heaviest. Until I got to about 250 then it was about ever 20 pounds.

ERBred

I am down 8/ total of 18 since starting....and am now comfortable in the size 12's that probably should have been a 14. Just happy not to HAVE to buy new clothes, but able to wear what I have and not feel like I have to suck it in.

niftyfoodie

It took me about 30 lbs. to lose my first size. Since then, it's been a steady 10-15 lbs. loss = one pants size. :-)

teamstanish

I would say about 30lbs.

jesskreg

I think it took me around 20/25 lbs before I went down a size. I carry all my weight in my stomach, so pants would be loose in the hips, but very tight in the waist. I've lost 47 lbs so far and lost 3 pant sizes. I'm currently 157 lbs and a size 10/12.

HappyElizabeth

I must be weird, because usually I consider a pants size about 10 pounds. So when I lose 10 pounds I go from a size 8 to a 6 and it will take another 10 to get me down to a 4 (which for me is the smallest I wear).

mystiedragonfly

None.

I lost 10 pant sizes before I lost a single pound. How? I'd been lifting weights (heavy weights) and eating right. The weight is finally starting to come off, but the fat started burning before that.

... talk about frustrating.

oskybosky4

What a brilliant question. I have lost 27 lb. and am still wearing the same clothes although they are a bit looser now. I must have been bursting out of them before but nobody ever said anything. I like the story of Al and thin Al and will remember that as I have a lot of weight to loose its not going to show as much as if I only had a bit.

My son is getting married in September and I have been putting off looking for an outfit hoping that I will be a smaller size by then. I don't want to buy a size 22/ 20 [uk size] and then in a couple of months it may look far too big.

I agree the exercise helps shape up the body better but although I understand this I am not very good at following my own advice.

It seems the majority of people on here are saying that 30lbs. is about the right amount of weight to loose before going down a size. Well in couple of weeks I hope to be finding this out.

AllisonPlease

For me it took about 25- 30 pounds before I had officially dropped a size. Those first few pounds were in the waist and belly area so while my waist got smaller my stubborn thighs were determined to hold onto that fat!!

cutchro

for me it's about 10-12 pounds.

IndianPrincess8888

bump

LexiAtel

MOST of my "excess" weight is in my rear, thighs, and lower ab section ( will lose some b00b too though), so when I start dropping 20lbs or more, I am sure my pant size will too. I only have 67 pounds to lose to get to my target. When I reach my target, I should be in a size 6/8 (comfortably). This is what I was about 7 years ago... so yeah.

I am size 16/18 right now. Started at 187 with the obvious same sized pant size.

I may not even get to weigh 115 lack last time though, because this time I am lifting weights and building muscle. So I don't know what is going to happen

BrendaLee

I've lost 53 pounds, and I'm still wearing the same jeans I did when I started! They're stretchy skinny jeans, and they've gotten baggy, but I'm more than a little annoyed that I haven't shrunk out of them. Well...a little happy that I haven't had to buy new jeans, too. It took about a 40-pound loss before I started fitting into my smaller pants.

Wild_Hare

I'm glad you asked this question! It sounds like I'm right on par with everyone else. Down 32 pounds and went from a tight size twenty to a comfy 16!

marcvandenberg

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.

Tight 20 = 21
loose 18 = 17.

You start loosing where the most is,
It tkes me 30 pounds to loose 1 size.
My belly was big, so loose the most from there.

Keep on going, on a certain time you hate to shop everytime for new size clothes.

Marc

Kettle_Belle14

I lost 15 lbs and the only part that went down a size was my boobs... :sad:

demonlullaby

hmm..

when i was 200lbs i would shove myself into size 30 jeans. they were TIGHT and i probably should have been wearing a bigger size.
i'm now down 30 pounds and some of my size 29's are getting loose.

rebelq

It is different for everyone. When I have 40 to lose, I have to lose 20 lbs for a size drop, when I have 30 lbs to lose, it takes about 15 for me. My sister and a friend of mine both only have to lose 5-10 lbs to lose a size. Whatever, just keep on keeping on & it will happen!

dawningr

I'm down 60 lbs and now down a solid 2 pant sizes. But that being said women's pants are not very consistent in size. I still have pants that fit from my highest and also a few pairs that are the next 2 sizes down.

BunkyBumBum

Everyone's body is different, but for me, 10 pounds = 1 pants size fairly consistently. My boobs, however, haven't got the memo and have stayed the same cup size through 60+ pounds of weight loss.

xxmzangel

I've lost about 90 lbs and only gone down about 2 pants sizes, but the size I started at was pretty tight on me. I'm at 267.6 lbs and a loose 20, but the 18s I've got are still a little too tight. Hopefully in another 15 lbs they'll fit better.

I like that roll of paper towel analogy though, never thought of it that way, but it explains things pretty accurately.

fitelisa

I lost 13 lbs and went down 1 size, then after that did not lose any lbs but inches and went down another 2 sizes. So its tricky, I have gone into 2 sizes smaller with loss of inches not pounds at all because actually when I had lost 10 lbs I could still not get into any sizes its the inches that made it for me.