Ladies who started around 280 please come in =)

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.

I started at 275 in a tight 20. I'm down 30 pounds (was down 40 before Christmas). And even at 40 pounds lost I was still in an 18. They were all too big, but 16's were just still a little too tight. I'm hoping to drop some sizes soon...it's very frustrating.

hey girl its a common issue
i started at 289 in a size 24- wore the same size for quite a while.. id say after i lost about 30 pounds i started buying smaller clothing but i also ran into the same problems as you.

Id like to say it gets better, but i still have that problem. Im wearing a size 14 now, often times it fits too big but a 12 is almost always too small. its just a reality we have to deal with.

best of luck with your journey!

I started at 282 a few years ago and a size 24. I got down to 172 in about 1.2yrs. I was almoooooost in a size 10 M/L I could easily shop at skinny girl stores ( I miss that...so easy) I'm 203 now and back on it, hoping to get to 150-160..160 first goal and fit, fit, fit..lots of liftiing oh and I'm 5' 4.75

Sadly I have since gained everything back over the holidays. But I am 5'9" with a starting weight of 292. I lost 26 lbs and got down to 266

I was (am now that I gained it back) also wearing an 18 or 20 depeding on the type of jeans. 20 is almost always a bit baggy, 18 gives me a bit of a muffin top. With the 26lbs I lost the 18's fit comfortably and I could manage to squeeze into a 16 sized dress but not 16 jeans yet. I agree, another 10lbs and I bet you will be down a size! Good luck!

bump