Women: How many pounds to drop a pants size?

tropicaltiger

i went from a size 22-to a size 5/6 when i lost 94 pounds if that helps-it has been over 5 years ago-all i know i just started buying clothes when i would size down-now still kept weight off -just want to take more off now

kiki2009

I have lost 24 pounds but still fit into my old pants. They are loose, but I want to go down a size!!

Momto4minions

It definitely depends on height, where and how you carry weight, and body composition.
That said, I am 5'7", very muscular, and extreme hourglass. I have very large and musclar thighs and calves from gymnastics and martial arts when I was younger. My waist is pretty small.
For me, 15 lbs equates a pants size when I am a soze 8 or more ( given they are the same brand and cut). Lower sizes, 10 lbs can do it, but not always.
I am always a size smaller in dresses than pants.

chantelp0508

For me it's 20 lbs. I gain 20, I go up a size, I lose 20 I go down.

Same here. For me it's pretty much "Gain 10 pounds, pants get tight but still wearable, gain 20 pounds, go up a size."

Yep me too.

MVY_

i'm 5'1 after birth i weighed 186 after a month in a half of working out I lost 13 lbs and went down from an 18 to a 16....although i refused to buy my size 18 pants lol. when I realize I fit in that size I got back on track on losing weight quick.

ElyseL1

i'm 5'1 after birth i weighed 186 after a month in a half of working out I lost 13 lbs and went down from an 18 to a 16....although i refused to buy my size 18 pants lol. when I realize I fit in that size I got back on track on losing weight quick.

I think this is interesting i'm also 5 1 and started off at 217 wearing a size 16 jean, now that i weigh 164 i only dropped to a size 10. Goes to show that is has a lot more to do with bone structure than people think. Would you happen to know what yours is?

marye2021

Mine is roughly 10 pounds per pant size. It's been cold so I haven't tried any dresses on yet.

summertime_girl

It depends on what you already weigh, and fat vs. muscle. I've gained ten pounds in the last five months, but lost a pants size. When I was still losing, between some sizes, I could lose 20+, and not change sizes.

AllieBear88

I've lost 10 pounds, but it's only visible in my face and waist. My hips are still the same as they were a few months ago, so no pant size decrease here. For some, it's 20 pounds, for others, much less. Each body is different.

DonnanPropp

Feeling good after you weigh in is better than pant size, especially if you do not gain!

321blueeyes

What an amazing difference from person to person! I knew it would vary a lot, helps me feel better to see that there is such a wide range of "normal". At 10 lbs lost (20ish more to go) I was feeling a little "off" that I'm still in my fat pants.

I can definitely tell that pants are getting looser (slowly)... and only intend to shop in my own closet (where they are sorted by "fit" not actual number size) which is filled with clothes from lighter days.

Frankly, I never really worry about losing muscle mass - very difficult for my body to do as proven by body comp tests over the years, so it's all about the fat & where my body decides to shed first. Unfortunately, my thighs lose at a slower rate than other areas... and this happens to be the single most limiting factor in pants.

1991court

Don't look at your old pants and think they are still to tight look at your everyday ones and see how they fit. Change your perspective. Once the everyday ones are annoying you because your pulling them up so often then try your old pants.

Nerdybreisawesome

Before I had a mental meltdown over the fall and winter months, I was actively weight training along with eating better. I could fit in to clothes that I wore at a weight 20lbs less than I was. Basically means that although I was not losing too many lbs I was losing lots of inches. Which I think is more important than what the scale says.

christa279

I don't think you can really equate weigh loss/gain with an increase/decrease in pant sizes, mainly due to body composition and differences in sizing between brands. Fat takes up more space than muscle, so one could gain muscle and go down a size.

Now, for me, I started at a size 18. I have no idea what I weighed then, since I refused to get on a scale. I do know that I went down to a size 16 and when I finally hit a scale I was around 206 lbs. When I hit around 180 lbs, I was able to fit into some size 14s but they were snug. At 175 lbs, I fit comfortably into those 14s and snugly into 2 other pairs of 14s. At 166 lbs, I had to wear a belt with the 14s and could squeeze into 1 pair of 12s I have from like 8-9 years ago.

ETA: I tend to carry most of my weight in my butt, hips, thighs, and upper arms. I lose in my waist first.

DamianaKitten

There's no way to know. I currently weigh 240lbs and wear a 16/18 depending on brand. When I was 150lbs I wore a size 12/14. I've always been squishy. :laugh:

channi_c

track your inches its more rewarding !

I lost 10 lbs before i changed dress size now ive lost another 5lbs and im nearly back down to a 12 but I do alot of pilaties and zumba which is more toning than anything some weeks i lose nothing on scales but lose inches x

amblight

I've dropped 41lbs, and 4 pants sizes (though 0-1 dress sizes, my boobs and arms haven't shrunk!).

It can really depend - where are your jeans snug, for example? If they are snug in the waist, but you lose from your thighs first, well, then it's going to be a while!

Samstan101

Its not been linear. I seem to lose weight according to the scales then will have a couple of weeks where my weight loss slows but my shape changes. I've gone down from a UK26 to a comfortable size 18 (and can squeeze into a 16 but wouldn't risk sitting down yet!) and lost 93lbs. However, I kind of skipped size 22 and went from a 24 to a 20. This was in part because buying clothes is getting expensive for the wear I get out of them and in part because I changed shape quickly after my intitial loss.

MissLeelooDallas

I'm not sure how this worked out, but I dropped 5 pant sizes after losing 32lbs.