Why am I still a size 18

Don't worry, there are at least 10 posts a day about how someone can't seem to lose any weight from their stomach. The grass is always greener on the other side.

It will eventually come off, patience

I cant budge from an 18 either. I am not sure what size I was when I started losing this time because I was wearing only sweatpants. I have a ton of 16's that I would love to be wearing right now!!!

Understandably frustrating. I have lost weight before in large amounts and not moved one size. This time (and I'd like to add, the LAST time I'll be losing THESE specific pounds!) it seems I am losing in different areas than before. I'm only down a little over 15 pounds, but have moved down one full size and it's even a little loose on me. Crazy how this body seems to work!!

Keep up the great work!

We all stall out at some point. I've been working at losing weight for over 2 years now, and there have been times when I was stuck at the same weight for 6-8 months.
However... I know I lost inches albeit slowly because some very old pants I have kept around are now too loose. That tells me exactly what I need to know. I really have lost inches. I don't believe the sizes in the stores nowadays because they have changed so drastically. When I was 115 pounds in high school in the early 70s, I wore a size 12 so why would I now wear a size 8 when I'm still 20 pounds heavier than that now? See what I mean? So it's good to keep a few smaller sizes around, whatever they are, that you used to fit into, so you have a real test of your body changing.
One other thing I found that works: cut the bad fats out of your diet as best you can. I read recently that your body only burns 3 calories taking fat you eat and storing it on your middle. A biopsy of the fat around your middle can reveal exactly what kind of fat it came from (i.e., dairy fat, olive oil, etc.). But if you ingest less fat than you burn, your body has to use the fat in its stores. You become a fat-burning body when you force it to burn already stored fat. To that end, I have reduced my fat significantly, and over the past year I have definitely noticed the loss of body fat, especially around my middle. (If I exercised more, like you, I would probably see results faster but alas, I am a lazy soul.)
You're out there doing good things for your health, and I hope you're having fun at the same time. So go enjoy the moment. I haven't seen your food diary or how you balance your macros, but I believe the weight will come off eventually if you keep going in the same healthy direction you're going.

It took me 35 lbs to go from an 18 to 16. I've read the "10lbs lost to drop a size" just doesn't apply to plus size. I've lost another 10lbs since I hit size 16 and I am not even close to fitting into a 14.

I am only down two sizes and have lost 70 lbs., so we are all different!!! I do need some new clothes though. I wonder if I will be able to fit in to anything smaller?

This is why you need to take your measurements. Clothes are an okay judge but since a lot of material is stretch in some ways they may still fit you. Don't get discouraged..just keep at it. I still wear my original size 16s and cant fit the 14s yet but lost a lot of inches. Slow and steady wins the race.

There are several reasons this could happen. I started at a size 18 or 20 depending on the brand, and in 40+ pounds, I'm only down to a 14 (loose or tight depending on the brand now, haha). BUT I've gone down to a size 10-12 in dress sizes, so for me, it's just that I'm losing a lot more on top that on bottom. I lose quickly in my stomach but slowly in hips, buns, and thighs. So the waist on my old jeans was super baggy for about 20lbs until I could finally move down. :grumble:

It could also be that you're buying from a brand that runs small. Like someone said, you REALLY don't look like an 18 to me. Unless you're just really large framed, which I guess is possible (or you are storing a lot of that fat in your lower half). So, yeah, could be the brand, or it could be uneven fat loss, or even a combination of the two.

When I was wondering this myself, I remember reading that it can take something like 20lbs for some people to move down a size within plus size pants, but that once you're below a certain size, it only takes about 5-10lbs to drop a pants size. Don't know if it's true but it matches up with my experience.

(Also, you mentioned wanting to fit into 15s. If you're built curvy, like me, you may not want to bother with junior sizes. I can fit into 14s now but not 15s... I believe it's because they're cut straighter.)

if you havent already, you might want to try a different cut/style of pants. I know that depending on the cut of my jeans it can be a difference of 1-2 sizes. For example, my 16 flares are loose and baggy on me now but I'm just now fitting comfortably in my 16 bootcuts and last time I was in the store there were other 16 bootcuts that I couldn't even pull up over my thighs.

Also, for slimming down my thighs and butt, I know that cardio with resistance (such as walking on an incline) working well for me. My thighs are still huge but much smarter than they were.

Thats what I dont get, im showing signs of a six pac yet my fat *kitten* lol is still squeezing into a size 18. I took measurements today like suggested and they havent budged either even my stomach which has nodoubtedly gotten smaller. Maybe I did it wrong

I'm having a really hard time believing you're an 18. Are you talking junior sizes, so like a 17/18? That is smaller than a misses 18. Also, are you really tall?

Either way, as hard as it is to accept, you may just be that size. You look FAR better than I do, and I wear a size 8. So be proud LOL!

This year I went from 178 pounds and size 12/14 jeans down to 137 pounds and size 10 jeans -- just one size. I read somewhere on MFP that a lot of women go down a pants size every 30 pounds or so.

You're doing all the right things. Just keep at it and the weight will eventually come off.

I agree with the others who are saying you don't look like a size 18 in your pictures. That being said, if you're anything like me it takes a lot of loss or gain to change a size. I'm 5'10 and can gain 20 pounds (I tend to gain and lose evenly all over) and still fit in the same clothes. That's how it creeps up on me. On the flip side, I'm not going to drop a size with anything less than 20-25 pounds. I think it all depends on height and weight distribution. I have friends that are almost a foot shorter than me that can lose 5 pounds and look like they had the kind of change it took me 50 pounds to accomplish. Don't worry about the numbers. Worry about what you look and feel like.

Well speaking for myself... may not be true for you: by the time I decided to start on this journey I was busting out of my size 18's and they were stretched out ( But I had steadfastly refused to by size 20's). Therefore... the first 20 or so pounds made me a true size 18. Now that I'm down -36 I'm a true size 16.

This is me too. I have to keep reminding myself that I didn't really fit into my current size jeans before (no matter how much I tell myself I did). Therefore, just being able to wear all of my jeans at this size is a HUGE accomplishment despite the fact that I haven't actually dropped a size yet with 27lbs lost so far.

OP you look fantastic no matter what your size is. Keep doing what you're doing because it is clearly working

Thats what I dont get, im showing signs of a six pac yet my fat *kitten* lol is still squeezing into a size 18. I took measurements today like suggested and they havent budged either even my stomach which has nodoubtedly gotten smaller. Maybe I did it wrong

I'm having a really hard time believing you're an 18. Are you talking junior sizes, so like a 17/18? That is smaller than a misses 18. Also, are you really tall?

Either way, as hard as it is to accept, you may just be that size. You look FAR better than I do, and I wear a size 8. So be proud LOL!

Yeah, I'm wondering that as well. I was an 18 at about 250 pounds. I'm around 220 now, a 14, and MUCH larger than the OP. When I go to the juniors I wear a 17.