Still haven't lost a dress size

2

Replies

  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 24,706 Member
    But some people do loose a dress size in three weeks. You can even loose a dress size in a week

    I'm not sure who can lose a dress size in a week ... perhaps someone on a severely restricted calorie diet?

    I was losing 1 kg/week for the first 15 weeks I was here. I remained at Size 16 AU almost that entire time. It wasn't until I had lost about 12 or 13 kg that I finally went out and bought a Size 14 skirt. It was just a bit snug and I wondered if I should have bought it or not. 2 weeks later, when I had dropped 15 kg, it was OK. So for me ... it took a 15 kg drop before I lost a size.

    I am now in Size 12 clothing, but that has taken another 7 kg drop.


    Now you say you're exercising and eating healthy and that's great ... but are you eating fewer calories than you are burning? You can still gain weight, or not lose, on a healthy diet.

  • CurlyCockney
    CurlyCockney Posts: 1,394 Member
    Thanks guys for the supportive messages, maybe I should be more patient. I only lost dress sizes quicker when I was bigger. I think it takes me 10-15 pounds to loose a dress size. I especially struggle to loose sizes up top because I have large bust. I struggle with dress sizes as a size 14 can be really big and a size 12 tight. It seems like such a big discrepancy between sizes even in the same shop. I though there wasn't a huge difference between sizes.

    I'm a 16 in M&S and Sainsbury's Tu, and a 20 in most other shops. Guess where I buy my clothes ;-)
  • PinkPixiexox
    PinkPixiexox Posts: 4,142 Member
    Thanks guys for the supportive messages, maybe I should be more patient. I only lost dress sizes quicker when I was bigger. I think it takes me 10-15 pounds to loose a dress size. I especially struggle to loose sizes up top because I have large bust. I struggle with dress sizes as a size 14 can be really big and a size 12 tight. It seems like such a big discrepancy between sizes even in the same shop. I though there wasn't a huge difference between sizes.

    In New Look, I am size 6-8 - Yes, a SIX!
    In Primark, I am a solid size 10.
    In River Island, I am a size 8
    In H&M, I am sometimes a 10-12.

    I couldn't tell you what size I actually am!!!!
  • Whitezombiegirl
    Whitezombiegirl Posts: 1,042 Member
    It seems like such a big discrepancy between sizes even in the same shop. I though there wasn't a huge difference between sizes.

    Different manufacturers are used even within the same brand, different patterns, fits, fabrics - all make a differece. Plus there is 'vanity sizing' whereby the brand keeps the same tag size but increase the measurements. This makes people feel better and is proven to increase sales. There are certain brands I can no longer wear because there smallest size is now too big - I guess I'm not thier target market.

    Measurements relating to size tags have always changed though. It's often said that Marylin Monroe was a size 14. Yes- her tag size was a 14 back in the 50's but the measurements (which we have from studio wardrobe records) would make her a modern size UK6-8 (UK10 at one point in her career).

    The thing I'm most annoyed about is vanity sizing shoes- yes shoes!. I used to be a UK size3 (US 36 ?) which was the smallest size for womens shoes. I'm now a size UK2 (US35 ?) and have so much difficulty finding shoes to fit. I wear kids shoes sometimes.

  • VintageFeline
    VintageFeline Posts: 6,771 Member
    There is no standardised sizing in womenswear do it is not a good way to judge your size. I wear vintage and so have always kept an eye on my measurements more than anything else.

    And to echo others, three weeks is not enough time. At about a UK 12 you are going to see changes more slowly, it's inevitable. I've lost 33lbs but am only now starting to really see a big change, conversely now is when those changes will slow, it's fine, I'm in no hurry, I want to keep the weight off and look good, not lose quickly and lose a bunch of muscle with it.

    You're doing well, just relax and the changes will come.
  • segacs
    segacs Posts: 4,599 Member
    Your profile sets off a few warning flags for me. You say you want to just be healthier, but you also say you have lost a lot of weight very quickly in the past and have an ongoing struggle with binge eating.

    For the sake of your health, you need to get over the obsession with dress sizes. Trying to lose weight quickly to squeeze into a smaller dress is not healthy, and is probably triggering your binging behaviour.

    You're only 23 years old. This yo-yoing and binging could be doing serious long-term damage to your health, especially if you're dropping to very low calorie diets deficient in critical nutrients and vitamins. Do you want to end up with osteoporosis and broken bones at the age of 50 because you didn't get enough calcium in your early 20s?

    You're a UK 12, which is a pretty small size already. Stop obsessing over the number on the tags on your clothes, and buy clothes that fit your body and make you feel great. Focus on eating a reasonable, healthy amount of food, getting a nutritious diet, and getting some exercise into your routine. Instead of worrying about getting smaller, focus on getting stronger. These things will give you the toned results you're looking for, without putting your health at risk.

    And if you're struggling with binging and other disordered eating, know that there's tons of help and support out there for you. All you have to do is take the most difficult first step by asking for it. Here are some resources to get you started: https://myfitnesspal.desk.com/customer/portal/articles/1575987-eating-disorder-resources

    Best of luck!
  • fitnessqueen91
    fitnessqueen91 Posts: 166 Member
    I really appreciate all the comments, I'm feeling a bit better. I'm only so desperate to loose dress sizes because a lot of shops I go to have really small sizes and in shops like top shop or river Island I have to take a 14 though sometimes a 12 is OK depending on the item. In shops like H&M I'm a size 16-18!! In shops like tesco and peacocks size 14 can be huge but 12 slightly tight or good fit. In most shops though mostly small sizes are left on the racks like 6s, 8s and 10s. It can be frustrating especially when some girls are really slim and don't have to try. I have to work so hard when some girls don't worry about losing weight and don't do exercise and are a size 8-10.

    I've managed to stop the binging though. I don't crave sweets as much and I don't feel as hungry. Not binging is huge for me. I don't do restrictive diets as I get obsessed with calories. I eat around 1500 - 1900 calories and try to be active when I'm not working out. When I lost loads of weight a few years ago, I ate 1000 - 1300 cals a day plus did loads of exercise on most days. My weight loss was extremely slow when I restricted.
  • segacs
    segacs Posts: 4,599 Member
    The truth is that everyone always thinks that other women have it easier when they clothes shop. But it's a lie fed to us by the fashion industry. NO women have an easy time clothes shopping. Everyone has their issues!

    For instance, I'm a US size 4 (UK 8 or so) but I'm only 5'1" and most clothes in stores is meant for much taller women, and I find it almost impossible to shop 'cause nobody carries petites here in Canada. Some tall women have the opposite problem where everything is too short. Some women have trouble because their busts or shoulders or waists or hips are too big / too small / too something.

    The thing is, the fashion industry does it on purpose. It's all a scam to keep us dissatisfied and buying more. And as long as you keep imagining that things will be different, you'll be trapped in an endless cycle that you can't get out of. It's a direct result of the mass-manufacturing era; we used to make clothes to fit our bodies, and now we desperately try to re-make our bodies to fit the clothes and their impossible standards.

    Look at how men shop: They go to a store, they buy something in a size that's based on actual measurements, and they get it tailored on the spot. When clothes don't fit men, the assumption is that the problem is with the clothes, and they fix the problem by tailoring them. When clothes don't fit women, the fashion industry and media lie to us and tell us that the problem is with our bodies. And we do terrible things to ourselves trying to buy into that myth, killing our self-esteem and confidence and health in the process. But it's a lie, all of it. And it's designed to keep women down.

    Opt out. Buy stuff that fits reasonably well. Find a good tailor for the rest. Wear it and enjoy and don't worry about what person X or Y or celebrity Z in a magazine is doing. That's a lose-lose game and life is way too short for that and you're way better than that.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,262 Member
    segacs wrote: »
    The truth is that everyone always thinks that other women have it easier when they clothes shop. But it's a lie fed to us by the fashion industry. NO women have an easy time clothes shopping. Everyone has their issues!

    For instance, I'm a US size 4 (UK 8 or so) but I'm only 5'1" and most clothes in stores is meant for much taller women, and I find it almost impossible to shop 'cause nobody carries petites here in Canada. Some tall women have the opposite problem where everything is too short. Some women have trouble because their busts or shoulders or waists or hips are too big / too small / too something.

    The thing is, the fashion industry does it on purpose. It's all a scam to keep us dissatisfied and buying more. And as long as you keep imagining that things will be different, you'll be trapped in an endless cycle that you can't get out of. It's a direct result of the mass-manufacturing era; we used to make clothes to fit our bodies, and now we desperately try to re-make our bodies to fit the clothes and their impossible standards.

    Look at how men shop: They go to a store, they buy something in a size that's based on actual measurements, and they get it tailored on the spot. When clothes don't fit men, the assumption is that the problem is with the clothes, and they fix the problem by tailoring them. When clothes don't fit women, the fashion industry and media lie to us and tell us that the problem is with our bodies. And we do terrible things to ourselves trying to buy into that myth, killing our self-esteem and confidence and health in the process. But it's a lie, all of it. And it's designed to keep women down.

    Opt out. Buy stuff that fits reasonably well. Find a good tailor for the rest. Wear it and enjoy and don't worry about what person X or Y or celebrity Z in a magazine is doing. That's a lose-lose game and life is way too short for that and you're way better than that.

    Exactly this.

    I hold my weight in my stomach/waist area. I've never in my life complained about the size of my hips or thighs and have never struggled to pull pants up past those areas. But I have a very hard time finding flattering pants because any that fit in the waist are baggy everywhere else. Everyone has their issues is absolutely the truth.
  • WBB55
    WBB55 Posts: 4,131 Member
    ...It can be frustrating especially when some girls are really slim and don't have to try. I have to work so hard when some girls don't worry about losing weight and don't do exercise and are a size 8-10...
    I advise not assuming this is the case. Even if you flat out ask someone, they might lie. They might not realize how they self regulate. They might exercise or simply have more active lives than you that they don't really think about. They might purge. You don't know their 24-hour story.

    You're you. You're not them. Focus on you and don't compare yourself to them. Your entire life you will know people thinner, younger, richer, more successful, more attractive, smarter, etc. etc. Love who YOU are and what makes YOU special.

  • kellyptn
    kellyptn Posts: 17 Member
    If you are eating almost 1900 cals per day u wont b lossin weight that is just about the amount you have to eat to maintain so maybe that is why you are not getting the dress size down?
  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
    kellyptn wrote: »
    If you are eating almost 1900 cals per day u wont b lossin weight that is just about the amount you have to eat to maintain so maybe that is why you are not getting the dress size down?

    And how do you know this?
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,488 Member
    It took me an extremely long time to go down a size. Even now I can still wear most of the clothes I was wearing before I lost any weight. I am only down a size in certain clothes. So I feel your pain! Try some different brands - women's clothes are all sized different so one brand might be super tight in a size but another brand might be loose in the same size!
  • mrsdrshot
    mrsdrshot Posts: 154 Member
    Everyone's body is different. You've got to feel better even if the scale or your clothes aren't giving your the props you wish they were :) I've been doing this for 60 days now and I'm still in the same 12's I started in, though they fit a little better. And only 10 lbs down too! BUT I'm stronger and happier and am used to making good food choices now. I have more energy and am a happier person and get more accomplished during the day. Keep going! For now, focus on those non-scale victories and keep making good choices. I sat with 0 weight loss for over a month, and then suddenly 3lbs came off in a week. It'll happen!
  • PinkPixiexox
    PinkPixiexox Posts: 4,142 Member
    kellyptn wrote: »
    If you are eating almost 1900 cals per day u wont b lossin weight that is just about the amount you have to eat to maintain so maybe that is why you are not getting the dress size down?

    Huh?! How do you know!
  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
    kellyptn wrote: »
    If you are eating almost 1900 cals per day u wont b lossin weight that is just about the amount you have to eat to maintain so maybe that is why you are not getting the dress size down?

    @kellyptn - And how exactly do you know that? I lose weight eating around that amount, so I don't see where it would be impossible for another female to lose weight at that amount. She also said she has lost weight. From OP:
    ...I've lost abit of wweight on the scales....
    Her weight loss isn't at a stand still. She just hasn't shifted enough to drop a dress size which is more of a patience issue than anything.
  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
    Thanks guys for the supportive messages, maybe I should be more patient. I only lost dress sizes quicker when I was bigger. I think it takes me 10-15 pounds to loose a dress size. I especially struggle to loose sizes up top because I have large bust. I struggle with dress sizes as a size 14 can be really big and a size 12 tight. It seems like such a big discrepancy between sizes even in the same shop. I though there wasn't a huge difference between sizes.

    Give it time and try not to focus so much on the clothing size since it can vary so much.

    And yes the discrepancy can be huge. I can wear anywhere from a US 2-6 (UK 6-10) in most brands depending on the cut and in some I'm still an US 8 (UK 12).

    If your happy with how you look, does it really matter what the tag on your dress or jeans says?
  • melonaulait
    melonaulait Posts: 769 Member
    Don't look too much into dress sizes, really. For the last 8 years or so, I've been size EU 38-42. Sometimes a 42 can be too tight on me, but then another piece in 40 or 38 is way too loose...
  • fat2fitshley
    fat2fitshley Posts: 50 Member
    edited September 2015
    I agree with everyone else. Do not dwell on a dress size to determine your weight loss. I just went to a local thrift store for work pants and picked up 12 pairs to try on ranging from US size 4 - size 12... I ended up buying 3 pairs-- US4, US6, and US8. The 6 & 8 were made by the same company.

    Just keeping pushing yourself and determine your weight loss success by how you feel, not the number on a tag.
  • sapphire1166
    sapphire1166 Posts: 114 Member
    I've lost nearly 40 lbs and am only 1 or 2 dress sizes smaller. I started at a US 20 and am currently an 18/16. It takes a while to see the dress sizes drop!