Clearly the pant sizes at stores are wrong...

Recently, I dropped to a size 8 for the first time since like middle school. My sophomore year of high school I remember getting a pair of size 10 pants and being ecstatic about it and other than that I have been a size 12...I never really grew out of my clothes, just stayed the same size 12 with the same size 12 body. I gain and lose weight pretty evenly so I have to gain or lose quite a bit before it makes a difference in clothes.

That being said, I have been changing my eating habits, exercising like a crazy and have actually found that my clothes were getting too big. Sweet, sweet progress...that is what we are all here for, right?

Unfortunately, after zipping up those size 8 jeans and getting the initial excitement out, my mind entered into complete bafflement. Now almost a week later, I STILL do not believe that this size 8 is accurate. "They must be vanity sizes." "That can't possibly be right." "I am probably more of an 8/10." I look in the mirror and I don't see a single digit pant size girl. I see the same size 12 girl but with less love handle.

I am a smart girl, I know that if I zip up size 8 pants, then I must be a size 8 but I suppose I have been seeing that size 12 for so long that I am having trouble "un-seeing" her. Does that make sense?

So, if this DOES make sense to you, then how long did it take you to actually comprehend that you are not the same person anymore? How long until that actual girl/boy in the mirror and that person you see match up (or are at least are a bit closer)?

Thanks!
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Replies

  • youngcaseyr
    youngcaseyr Posts: 293 Member
    I know what you're saying. I had to see some before and after pictures of myself right next to each other before I really grasped all of the changes that had been made.
  • Shannonthompson73
    Shannonthompson73 Posts: 105 Member
    I went from a 14 to 4. I still see the 14 in the mirror.

    You look good girl- rock those 8s!
  • Allene20
    Allene20 Posts: 6 Member
    Yes, I understand, they say when we look in the mirror we never see our true selves after a weight loss. We still see a person who needs to lose weight. Congratulations on your loss...fabulous!!!:flowerforyou:
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    Are you happy with how they fit and how you look? That's all the counts. Sizing can be crazy. I'm not saying your'e NOT a size 8, but don't be surprised if the next time you try on a pair, you might be a 10. Or a six. Or any other size at all.

    I have some size 8 jeans that are like skin on a sausage and some that will come down without unbuttoning them. I went shopping the other day wearing size 6 shorts, tried on a pair of size 6 jeans, and couldn't get them past my quads. I have no clue what "size" I am, because I wear anything from a size 2 to a 10....

    size_zpsf65f7019.jpg
  • Ibarra951
    Ibarra951 Posts: 19 Member
    When I deployed to Afghanistan I really dialed in my diet and fitness regime. Came home about 30 lbs lighter and I didn't really realize it until people kept telling me how much better I looked, how much healthier I looked. It didn't take until about... I don't know... the 100th person or so. Haha, it's kind of a shock and does take some time to get used to. For me i'd say maybe a couple weeks.
  • love9705
    love9705 Posts: 465 Member
    Congrats and I understand. If you see my profile pic when I look in the mirror I still see the lady on the left. It takes time but just take it one day at a time and Rock out in them 8's I can't wait till I get there again!!!!!
  • ShaSimone
    ShaSimone Posts: 270 Member
    I don't know when that happens...still seeing a size 22/24/26. No longer that large but it's hard not to be super critical of myself when I've been so successful in the past and getting back up into size 14/16 when my lowest I was a size 10.
  • sunflowerhippi
    sunflowerhippi Posts: 1,099 Member
    I still don't see it and I am down from a 16/18 to a 10/12 in jeans, and a 14 to an 8 in dresses. I don't know how long it takes for our mind to catch up but i wish it would sometimes.
  • AntShanny
    AntShanny Posts: 359 Member
    Makes complete sense! I still see the chubby person I once was...I sit down and my thighs spread and I think, how is it that can I be in jeans that are 2-3 sizes smaller than I wore just a year ago??? I'm not sure I'll ever get used to it!
  • SassyLynndog
    SassyLynndog Posts: 10 Member
    I have seen the same thing in sizes. If I get the Macy's store brand jeans they fit great. If I go try the same size on at Wally World, they are cut too small. It depends on the manufacturer.
  • jlgobert
    jlgobert Posts: 41 Member
    Im a guy but I kow what you are saying. I have been a 44/46 for years and while I would love to believe I have finally approached the 38 range, I just have a hard time believing it. I knew I lost some weight so I bought a size smaller jean which is a 42. Well they are huge, and as I said I would love to think I have actually lost that much, but something tells me they are just cutting these jeans a bit larger than they used to.
  • TArnold2012
    TArnold2012 Posts: 929 Member
    For me a year
  • hookilau
    hookilau Posts: 3,134 Member
    Pfft.
    I'm having the same issue.

    I started off in a very tight and uncomfortable 13, or 31 or 12ish depending upon the manufacturer.

    I wear 8 in Guess & Gloria Vanderbilt jeans, they are the only 2 pair that fit me & don't fall off. I was wearing a 9 the day before I bought the 8's because I thought there was NO WAY I'd be able to fit into them, but tried them on anyway.

    I was shocked to find they not only fit, but looked freekin' awesome.

    So I went to the thrift shop near my house & picked up jeans that I thought would fit me as well, they. did. not. :embarassed:

    Apparently, I picked up 28, 29's and even a 4. :grumble:

    There's something wrong with me, I know :laugh: I figure, meh, I'll eventually fit into them and more importantly, I can't trust my eyes too much these days.

    29qbjfk.gif?w=585
  • DianneP6772
    DianneP6772 Posts: 272 Member
    You didn't say how old or how tall you are. My story is almost identical. I am now 5' 4.5" Not sure - i think i was an 8 in maybe middle school. Must have been because one summer between 8th and 9th grade i went on an "apple" diet and i think got down to 115 Literally - thats all i ate for weeks. Then i remember 10's for a long time. And all my adult life have been 10-12 - more recent years 12's. I could go up or down 10 lbs and those 12's still fit. So i was ok, right? Finally started on here this May and have lost about 27lbs. Never ever before in my life have i lost that much. I am getting close to the weight i was when i got married - and that is decades ago! I have not been clothes shopping except about a month ago i bought a top from Kohls. Naturally picked out a large to try and was surprised that it really was too big - so got a medium.. Now that is roomy. Everything i own is really too big on me. But i want to go down to 120 - i am now 132-133. And i will see what that looks like.
    But my big non belief - and it sounds crazy - everytime i get on the scale (multiple times a day now) - i expect to see the old me weight- 159. I am so afraid its going to pop back on - this is all a dream! Nuts, huh?
  • hookilau
    hookilau Posts: 3,134 Member
    yipes.
    double post.
    carry on.
  • Duck_Puddle
    Duck_Puddle Posts: 3,237 Member
    For me a year

    A year here too. Went from size 22/24 to a 6/8, was a year before I stopped seeing size 22/24 looking back at me in the mirror. I still think my clothes look impossibly small. Not sure how long that part will take.
  • Ladydrake12
    Ladydrake12 Posts: 45 Member
    You didn't say how old or how tall you are. My story is almost identical. I am now 5' 4.5" Not sure - i think i was an 8 in maybe middle school. Must have been because one summer between 8th and 9th grade i went on an "apple" diet and i think got down to 115 Literally - thats all i ate for weeks. Then i remember 10's for a long time. And all my adult life have been 10-12 - more recent years 12's. I could go up or down 10 lbs and those 12's still fit. So i was ok, right? Finally started on here this May and have lost about 27lbs. Never ever before in my life have i lost that much. I am getting close to the weight i was when i got married - and that is decades ago! I have not been clothes shopping except about a month ago i bought a top from Kohls. Naturally picked out a large to try and was surprised that it really was too big - so got a medium.. Now that is roomy. Everything i own is really too big on me. But i want to go down to 120 - i am now 132-133. And i will see what that looks like.
    But my big non belief - and it sounds crazy - everytime i get on the scale (multiple times a day now) - i expect to see the old me weight- 159. I am so afraid its going to pop back on - this is all a dream! Nuts, huh?

    I am 5'5" and 27 years old. Unfortunately, I have no idea how low a weight I can go because i have NEVER been this low before...new territory! 133 would be amazing to me, though! It is so weird picking out clothes in smaller sizes than what you have been buying pretty much your ENTIRE life...
  • tanashai
    tanashai Posts: 207 Member
    I only *don't* see the Size 12/14 girl if I look at myself by accident :laugh: (I'm now a size 8) But I've only been at it since March and many people here seem to think it takes longer. I wouldn't worry about it; just enjoy it!
  • Ladydrake12
    Ladydrake12 Posts: 45 Member
    Are you happy with how they fit and how you look? That's all the counts. Sizing can be crazy. I'm not saying your'e NOT a size 8, but don't be surprised if the next time you try on a pair, you might be a 10. Or a six. Or any other size at all.

    I have some size 8 jeans that are like skin on a sausage and some that will come down without unbuttoning them. I went shopping the other day wearing size 6 shorts, tried on a pair of size 6 jeans, and couldn't get them past my quads. I have no clue what "size" I am, because I wear anything from a size 2 to a 10....

    size_zpsf65f7019.jpg

    Holy cow! That is crazy!
  • jwdieter
    jwdieter Posts: 2,582 Member
    Are you happy with how they fit and how you look? That's all the counts. Sizing can be crazy. I'm not saying your'e NOT a size 8, but don't be surprised if the next time you try on a pair, you might be a 10. Or a six. Or any other size at all.

    I have some size 8 jeans that are like skin on a sausage and some that will come down without unbuttoning them. I went shopping the other day wearing size 6 shorts, tried on a pair of size 6 jeans, and couldn't get them past my quads. I have no clue what "size" I am, because I wear anything from a size 2 to a 10....

    size_zpsf65f7019.jpg

    That's pretty funny and a great example of how ridiculous "sizes" are.
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
    For me, it took getting into one of the horrific changing rooms. You know - the ones with all the mirrors and weird lighting? And I was like "Who is that skinny chick?!"
  • WannabeStressFree
    WannabeStressFree Posts: 340 Member
    sizing depends on the manufacturer, if you saw sizes from the 1940's when the Industry standards were set, a current size 8 would be a true size 14, Marilyn Monroe is an example.
    Since Americans have gotten larger in size, manufacturers have increased garment measurements.
    You can measure yourself, then look up the sizing chart of the manufacturer to get a clear look and see what fits you, more expensive garments or European tend to be true to size which is smaller, American mass consumer market garments tend to be larger in s-xl sizing so that more people fit into them.
    It really depends on the manufacturer of the products you're buying, also, each lot is slightly different than the other due to many manufacturing processes that can alter the final product. Factories are given a range in which to finish the final product, making clothes is subject to human error. hope this helps,
    I work in the garment industry.
  • Cheeky_and_Geeky
    Cheeky_and_Geeky Posts: 984 Member
    Are you happy with how they fit and how you look? That's all the counts. Sizing can be crazy. I'm not saying your'e NOT a size 8, but don't be surprised if the next time you try on a pair, you might be a 10. Or a six. Or any other size at all.

    I have some size 8 jeans that are like skin on a sausage and some that will come down without unbuttoning them. I went shopping the other day wearing size 6 shorts, tried on a pair of size 6 jeans, and couldn't get them past my quads. I have no clue what "size" I am, because I wear anything from a size 2 to a 10....

    size_zpsf65f7019.jpg

    Wow! Great comparison! You look great btw!
  • Ladydrake12
    Ladydrake12 Posts: 45 Member
    When I deployed to Afghanistan I really dialed in my diet and fitness regime. Came home about 30 lbs lighter and I didn't really realize it until people kept telling me how much better I looked, how much healthier I looked. It didn't take until about... I don't know... the 100th person or so. Haha, it's kind of a shock and does take some time to get used to. For me i'd say maybe a couple weeks.

    Thank you for serving and congrats on the weight loss!
  • nathotte
    nathotte Posts: 51 Member
    Went from a 12/14 to a 4 and I still see the 12/14 when I look in the mirror, starting to see a change the more I look at before and after pics side my side. Pictures are the first place you'll see it.
  • TygerTwoTails
    TygerTwoTails Posts: 108 Member
    I was edging near a size 22 when I started to lose. I had never been smaller than an 11/13 since middle school, but after having a baby I kept gaining weight. I am now new to the world of single digits and can fit into an 8. I never thought I would be anything smaller than an 11, but here I am. I don't see it in the mirror though. I have to stare at old pictures to remember that I don't look like that anymore. I also still have a lot of loose skin on my belly from being pregnant and gaining weight afterwards that has been acting as kind of a mental road block for me to appreciate all of the hard work that I have done. Some days I feel it more than others. I'm sure my brain will catch up with reality at some point and I'm sure yours will too!
  • hookilau
    hookilau Posts: 3,134 Member
    For me a year
    I still think my clothes look impossibly small. Not sure how long that part will take.

    YES!!! That's it. I just can't judge clothing sizes anymore. I'm a sizing cripple :laugh:
  • hookilau
    hookilau Posts: 3,134 Member
    Are you happy with how they fit and how you look? That's all the counts. Sizing can be crazy. I'm not saying your'e NOT a size 8, but don't be surprised if the next time you try on a pair, you might be a 10. Or a six. Or any other size at all.

    I have some size 8 jeans that are like skin on a sausage and some that will come down without unbuttoning them. I went shopping the other day wearing size 6 shorts, tried on a pair of size 6 jeans, and couldn't get them past my quads. I have no clue what "size" I am, because I wear anything from a size 2 to a 10....

    size_zpsf65f7019.jpg

    Holy cow! That is crazy!

    sheesh :ohwell:
    In light of these pics, I was planning on going to thrift store today to get a couple more pair of jeans, but, well, can't trust my eyes :laugh: so I took a pair of well fitting jeans that I love & measured with my handy dandy keychain tape measure across the hips at the widest point.

    When I went to the thrift store, I measured across & bought 2 pair of jeans that corresponded & viole! I tried them on at home & both fit. like. a. glove. :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :blushing:

    Just thought I'd pass it on in case anyone else was in the same boat :drinker:
  • RM10003
    RM10003 Posts: 316 Member
    So with you on this--I also recently bought some size 8 pants for the first time in god knows how long and I still can't really believe I can wear a single-digit size pair of pants. It's finally starting to sink in for me that I've lost some weight, but I'm still hesitant to buy new work clothes "just in case". Having said that, my old 12s can be pulled off my body without unbuttoning, so clearly I need to shop, but....
  • janinab75
    janinab75 Posts: 147 Member
    Clothes manufacturers have actually started making sizes bigger since the 60's. So a size 4 in 1960 would probably be like a size 0 or -2 now. They began doing this as American waists have gotten bigger to sell more clothes. I used to wear a size 8 when I weighed 135 lbs. I fit into an 8 now at 150lbs. How does that happen?? Clothes makers are sizing clothes bigger. The stinkers!! Now, I don't think they are ALL doing it, but I think many are. I still can't walk into a Banana Republic and put on an 8 there, but I can walk into Kohls and wear some of their 8's. Same with J Crew, no way an I wearing an 8 there, but maybe at Gap. They are fitting their clothes to fit the "average" American waistline.