Ladies who started around 280 please come in =)

I'm 5'4" and I started at 256. I've lost 28.6 lbs.

My shirts are too big. My good bras are too big. I'm wearing sport bras now because they can handle contraction better (I think that my breasts must weight 10 pounds less. They feel so different in size and weight). My dresses are too big. The shoulder seams hang off my shoulders by an inch or more. T-shirts are the same size, but they are noticeably better fitting. (If I could have found bigger T-shirts, I would have bought them. Nice to know that they fit properly now). My caftans (that I wear mornings while I have coffee and write here) are so large that they won't stay on my shoulders.

but you asked about Jeans, and that's a different story.

I have one pair that I won't wear in public any more - but I think that's because they were so stretched out. Same with a pair of capris that I use for exercise. I've found a pair o jeans that I can wear that I haven't worn for two years or more, but my butt is still not shrinking noticeably, so that's a problem. The jeans fit sort-of, but my waist is too small for them, so I wear a belt (that didn't even go around me before I started) and because of my expansive butt, they are tight in the crotch. But they do go up, zip, and button easily.

My inch loss is real. I've seen the measurements. Perhaps not as real as I would like in the context of jeans-size. Because of my obesity, I couldn't find my waist and didn't know where my hips were, so I began measuring neck and just under my breasts (the bra band size). This didn't move around so I got more consistent measurements.

I would prefer to lose weight from the bottom up rather than the top down. It doesn't seem fair this way. I rather liked having larger bust (though not that large. I like what I have now), but that was the first to NOTICEABLY go away. I'm afraid that I'll be almost flat chested again before my butt even starts going away.

Hi I started 18 at highest 240. 5'6. Now at @220 18 s loose on my legs n would fall a lil so now fit n a snug 16 I want to get out of 200s my goal for now 195 gw...can people tell me how u girls got out of 220s calorie amount. Iv been stuck 220 for more than 2 mths pls help any tips?

Hi I started 18 at highest 240. 5'6. Now at @220 18 s loose on my legs n would fall a lil so now fit n a snug 16 I want to get out of 200s my goal for now 195 gw...can people tell me how u girls got out of 220s calorie amount. Iv been stuck 220 for more than 2 mths pls help any tips?

I can't see your diary to take a look at what you're eating. If you friend me, I'll take a look and see if I can help! I plateaud in that range for a little while, too.

I'm 5'9 and started at 287- last weigh in was 231 and I weigh in again tomorrow.

I think the sizes as we gain weight are pretty subjective. Even though I gained weight I would not buy pants larger than a size 18W, so if I found an 18W and it didn't fit I didn't buy it. Now, that I have lost 52 pounds I realize just how much I had stretched out my 18W pants, some of them are big, some fit just right. Although when I absolutely had to have new pants I broke down and purchased one or two pair of size 20W (which were tight) but they are long gone after the first 30 pounds went.

My sister gave me some of her pants that were too large for them-I can get in one pair of the 14W, and a couple of the 16W ones. I wouldn't venture to say I am a 16W at this point, because I am trying to be true to myself.

By the way I am 5'6.

i'm 5'6 started at 275 sz.22 before the holidays i got to 241 now i back at 251 (getting back on track). at 241 i was able to fit tight into a sz. 20.

I'm 5'9 and started out at 280lbs as well. My pant size was a 22/24 and I'm down to an 18/20 too, depending on the brand. Some 18s are way too tight, and others are just right. I currently weight about 235lbs. I've been doing this for a year, and only recently moved down to the size 18. I hope that helps!

I started at 288. I am now 182. I am a size 10 to 12 mostly. I am 5'7. I have about 40 pounds to go or so. Feel free to add me.
I was a size 18 I now wear small tops from an XXL

The good news?

there is less poundage difference the smaller your sizes get. At 220 I was a 16, at 210 a 14, at 200 a 12, at 190 a 10 and so on.

Did you know that the difference between a size 6 and a size 4 usually comes out to about 7 pounds? true story.

Dont give up, realize that you're going up to the top of the highest hill on the rollercoaster before you will start to plummet.

*im sorry if any of this message is offensive.

SO TRUE about smaller sizes - it's amazing how quickly a 10 pound drop can mean a whole different dress size.

Also - have no idea how this post could be offensive!

I was implying that people were wearing clothing too small for them to begin with, that's like... hell-worthy

It's not hell worthy - it's true! I routinely refused to buy bigger sizes so I wore the begezzes out of my stretched out 16's & 18's so I wouldn't have to *gasp* admit I was really more comfortable in a size 20!

I'm sure I'm not the only one who sweated to get those pants on, dealt with that muffin top it always gave and let my jeans go unwashed a few days longer than i should have so they would stay stretched out ...to the point where they looked halfway decent and didn't cut my breath off when I sat down

I SWORE I'd never buy larger since I planned on losing weight. I swore the same thing at size 14 too, btw....until I seriously couldn't pull them up over my thighs.

Ps. Im 5'5 and I usually stay a size 16 until I'm around 180. I have a belly and a whole caboose full of fun going on back there! *wiggles*.

I am 5'6 and started at 291 (my highest) and a size 24/26. I am now about 230 and a size 18.I feel like I didn't drop a size for a while and then al of a sudden I was down 2 sizes.

Hey there, I am 5'5" and started at 280lbs last March 2012 and have since lost 120ish pounds and currently weigh 160ish. I was a tight size 24 and now wear a 10/12 depending on the brand and or fit. My tummy is the last place I am losing but nothng some control tights and a good fittting skirt won't cover. I am still about 30lbs from my goal weight of 130lbs and am sooooo excited to be almost in a normal weight because when I started I was morbidly obese. The last 30 pounds are coming off more slowly but I am just tweaking my nurtition and trying to switch up my exercise routine. I eat a mainly clean vegetatian diet and don't track my calories but instead use the pie method of eating (1/2 vegetables, 1/4 carb (grains), 1/4 protien). And I run at least 5 days a week and am just starting to add some cross training (paddleboarding, swimming, biking).

You can do this, for me it was more about getting past my mental obstacles and thinking I could do it first and feeling better about myself...then my actions followed. The "fake it until you make it" approach.

Here is a recent picture (280ish on the left and 160ish on the right)

wow you look great! what was your form of exercise when you first started??

bumpity bump to read about all my similar-sized ladies later!!

Heres a pic i just took today. I was 277 lbs, size tight 22. Now a size 10. Good luck ladies. Its so daunting in the beginning. Take it small goal by small goal

My highest weight was 286 and a size 24. I started MFP at 257 and a size 22. I honestly don't remember how long it took me to drop sizes. Try not to get too frustrated. As someone else stated, I think it takes losing quite a bit to go down in sizes when you have more to lose.. I've been bouncing between 165 and 170 for a few months and I'm a size 10 in most things. Just keep going and you'll get there Maybe go ahead and buy a pair of pants in the next size down and just keep trying them on until they fit? That would be good motivation to keep going on those days that you feel frustrated.