Dress size, this doesn't make sense

Are you exercising? If so, are you doing strength training or just cardio? I have dieted MANY times in my life but never really worked out at the same time. I am now dieting and working out with a trainer 3 days a week. I am in a size 18 jeans which I have NEVER been in at the weight I am currently at so the whole muscle weighs more than fat thing I get now. The working out is toning and firming me to the point I can get in a smaller size at a higher weight. Make sense?

That sound about what is has been for me. I started out in a size 14-16 oct 2009 now down to size 4 but lost 57 pounds....takes time

It's alright... I've dropped 12 lbs and I still wear the same size. The only difference is that my pants are looser on me, whereas they used to fit much tighter. But I'm not small enough to fit into the next size down yet. I think I may need another 10 to get there. I wouldn't let it bother me, though. Sizes vary from brand to brand and we all lose weight in different areas first. For example, I've only lost a couple of inches off my waist and hips, but my arms keep shedding inches like crazy. So, yes, I'm losing fat, but I'm just not losing it off the places I need to in order to drop clothing sizes. That'll come eventually.

The important thing is that you're losing and that you feel better about yourself. Everything else will fall into place.

Sizes vary a lot, even among the same manufacturer, so you may fit in smaller sizes in one brand, larger in another. That said, moving form one size to another has more to do with your body reshaping (losing fatty tissue, gaining muscle) and less to do with the scale falling

And depending on how your weight is distributed, you may not notice a change in dress size for many pounds. I have lost 32 pounds.

I went from a size 18/20 pants at 225 pounds to a 14 at 205. I have lost 15 more pounds since then and have not lost another size.

i was also a size 18/20 @ 226 now im down to 181 And size 14 so that just shows everyones body is diffrent you will get there good luck ladies

You know, I started at 160 and was wearing size 12's. They were baggy from the calves, fit well in the thighs, but were tight in the waist.

At 140 I wear my old size 10's still and they fit comfortably.

I think what you also have to look at is whether those original size 16's were tight?

Not to sound insulting, this is from my own personal experience, but there was a point where I simply refused to buy a bigger size than 12 and stubbornly wore a smaller size (quite tightly).

Could it be that the size 16 was tight and the size 14's are nicely loose now?

Oh, and I'm also 5'4.

I am mostly in a 12 right now but I do have some 14's that fit me and I've also got a few 10's that fit. It just all depends on the manufacturer I think. Hang in there! You're going the right direction and it will seem like overnight you're in a smaller size.

I would definitely just concentrate on the fact that you ARE losing weight AND size!

When I started MFP, I was a size 14 at 150 pounds. I am now a size 6, sometimes an 8, and hovering around 140 or so. So I seem to have lost more sizes than pounds. Either way, it can be frustrating. But then again, either way you look at it, we are both losing sizes and pounds!!!

I am beginning to be a bit frustrated. My starting weight was 194 lbs and wore a size 16 dress. Now, I am 173 lbs and my dress size is 14. I mean, I've lost 21 lbs and I only went down to a 1 dress size. This is frustrating in a way but I am happy that I have progress. Does this make sense to you? =(

By the way my starting waist line was 36" and now 33". I just feel that I should have at least went down to size 12 with that 21lbs lost.

If this info would help I am 5'4" and I exercise 6 days a week. I do Insanity for 6 days and do the P90x shoulder and arms 2x a week in the evening. I am not the type of person who has flabby skin but I am overweight. A lot of people tell me that I have big bones (LOL) that's why my body frame is big.

It makes sense because dresses are not fitted by waist measurement. Depending on the cut of the dress, it's fitted by bust or hip measurement.

I'm busty, so I often have to go one size up from my usual size in dresses and then have the waist and hip tailored a bit. Women with lfuller hips often have to do the same--buy the size that fits the hip properly and then tailor the waist and bustline. (Do we really think JLo, gorgeous as she is, is buying off the rack without tailoring? HA!)

Congrats on the loss and on the waist going down so quickly! That makes a tremendous difference in your overall appearance!

ETA: Also, I've seen this analogy posted here before and it makes sense:

If you think of a roll of paper towels and you rip off 5 sheets when the roll is full, it doesn't make that much noticeable differnce, right?

But when the roll is already fairly small, ripping off 5 sheets make a big difference.

It's similar with weight. If you're 60 pounds overweight, 10 pounds doesn't make as obvious a difference in your appearance as 10 pounds would in someone who is only 30 pounds overweight.

I am struggling with this one at the moment myself.

Size 12 (US size 8 - sounds SO much better!) is too big but Size 10 is too small. I lost 10lb and thought I would have at least fit into a 10 by now