how many lbs = smaller pants?

cjwolfjen · April 2011

I'm just curious, since I've never lost more than 15 pounds, how many pounds (give or take) did you shed when you dropped 1-2 pants sizes?

I know that you can lose pounds and not inches, and vice versa... but I'm just curious when I'll be able to give up my current pants size, that is my mini goal for right now I can't wait to actually do it.

Also what exercises are good for shedding the inches off your hips?

sarah44254 · April 2011

18 lbs. Same pants.

Others have different stories! My bum is just where I keep all my fat so until I get to the end of my fat loss my pant size will remain the same, I fear!

OSUalum · April 2011

I've found that it really depends on height and body shape. I am almost 6 feet tall, so I usually need to lose (or gain) 15-20 pounds before I go into the next size.
My friends who are close to 5 feet tall only need to lose 5-7.
Good luck!
And as soon as you find some great exercises for hips let me know!

scaryfairy81 · April 2011

I think it all depends on how and where you lose it. Like if you are doing a lot of exercise and gain muscle, you may not lose too many pounds but you'll sure drop some sizes!!
A couple of years ago I lost about 30lbs, give or take a lb or 2, and went from about a size 10 to a size 2. I'm very short though and 30lbs is a pretty big range for my height.

krise31 · April 2011

It depends what you're doing as a workout. I've lost 13 lbs so far but dropped 2 pant sizes in 6 weeks doing the Power 90 program which is a mixture of cardio and weight training. Lots of squats and lunges!

chauncyrenayCHANGED · April 2011

25 lbs. Same pants.

WifeMomDVM · April 2011

Somewhere between 5-10 lbs for me for each size.

Atlantique · April 2011

There's no one, definitive answer to that unfortunately. When I was maintaining, 5 pounds could put me in another size. Now? 40 pounds heavier? It took about 10 pounds to get into the next smaller size. People carrying a lot of weight may not need new pants til they hit 20 pounds down. and do your current pants 'fit', or are you bursting out of them?

And it also depends on where you carry the weight. I don't really gain much in my hips at all. Stomach and chest, oh yeah. So if they are low-slung pants, they'll fit for a long time on the way down. But if they are wasit high? 10 pounds has made a huge difference at this weight. But someone who gains the weight in the lower body may need new pants at 5 pounds down.

You can't just 'shed inches off your hips', or any other place, unfortunately. You can lose fat and burn calories, but your genetics will determine where the weight comes off first.

cccathyyy · April 2011

It really depends... I've lost 35 lbs recently and I'm still in the same pants.

SixWeeksToSkinnyJeans · April 2011

That all depends on if you are losing muscle weight (which is dense) or if you are losing fat weight (which is fluffy). Ideally the more body fat weight you lose the smaller jeans you'll wear. Because of what I just mentioned you can be in a smaller jean size without losing a lot of weight by the scale. Does that make sense? :happy:

Acotta

Lkshebesta68 · April 2011

What a great answer, loved it. I hold all my weight in my gut so i expect to lose pants quickly. First I have to lose weight before my pants start falling off.

cjwolfjen · April 2011

Thanks guys, this was a big eye opener.

I am 5'9 and 250 lbs. I was 258 when this weight loss journey started. Just in the 8 lbs I lost i can "feel" it though you can't really tell... you know? My pants fit just fine, and a little more loose since I've lost the 8 lbs recently. They are big on me in the legs and the butt (I have a flat butt unfortunately lol) and tighter on the stomach and hips. I can feel the 8 lbs which I didn't think I would be able to so that has me excited! I am eager to lose 8 more and see how that feels too!

Bridgetc140 · April 2011

After I had my daughter I was wearing anywhere from an 8-10 at 135-140lbs (I'm 4'11"). I lost 25lbs and now I wear a 2-4. At my height just a few pounds can make a huge difference in either direction.

allroundthesun · April 2011

For me it's *exactly* 8 lbs, give or take half a lb. for different brands/styles/materials. I'm 5'2" and 160 lbs. is the most I've ever weighed and 113 lbs. is the least I've ever weighed as an adult. Basically, for me:

size 14: 153-160 lbs.
size 12: 145-152 lbs.
size 10: 137-144 lbs.
size 8: 129-136 lbs.
size 6: 121-128 lbs.
size 4: 113-120 lbs.

Those are vanity sizes, since most of the places I buy pants vanity size. Move each down a number for more traditional sizes (e.g. size 6 = 113-120 lbs.).

It's totally different for everyone though, so you can't really go by how many lbs. = a size for other people, it's something you start figuring out for your own body as you lose weight.

MrsFarrow · April 2011

Ugh, I went from 175 to 150 and still wore a 13. Now I'm 190 and STILL wear a 13 (which I guess is ok?!). But I think it depends on how you carry the weight.

bachooka · April 2011

I lost a pants size before I lost my first lb... no joke... it was quite wierd. I guess since I'm down 60lbs and 10 pants sizes it averages out to about 6lbs per dress size.