Feeling defeated! pant size issue.

daloverlyme
daloverlyme Posts: 583 Member
edited November 13 in Motivation and Support
I have gone from 260 lbs to 206 lbs in a year. However my pants and shirt size hasn't drastically changed. I see people being 5'2 like myself and weighing around the same, and wearing size 14 pants. I'm still in 20+ pants, and 2x shirts. How??? Am I alone???

Replies

  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    Body composition and vanity sizing are the most likely reasons. I'm four inches taller and I didn't fit into 14s until I weighed about 185 pounds.
  • Ant488
    Ant488 Posts: 372 Member
    Don't give up!
  • wishfuljune
    wishfuljune Posts: 2,607 Member
    edited November 2016
    I understand where you're coming from! I started my journey at 205lb (but I was really 210+ in December 2015) and in a size 16 pants/tight fit in a size 14. I'm now in a size 12 pant, but I'm down to 175. I thought I'd be closer to a size 10 in pants. In dresses, I'm still a 1x/XL because of my bust.

    Like others have said, don't give up. Notice the small things -- do your clothes feel looser at all? That's usually what helps me remember that I am losing weight.
  • Raptor2763
    Raptor2763 Posts: 387 Member
    Body type and composition has alot to do with how one's clothes fit. Put your focus where it should be - losing weight. The inches and smaller clothes will follow.
  • goodasgoldilox165
    goodasgoldilox165 Posts: 333 Member
    There is a lot of concealed fat in an overweight body (Round your heart and other organs). Rejoice that this has gone - thanks to your success so far. (Well done - by the way- almost 60lb is an amazing loss!) Losing the stuff you can see is rewarding... but probably not as critical to your good health. It will happen. Those pants will fit one day soon. I will look out for the pictures.
  • seska422
    seska422 Posts: 3,217 Member
    Think of it this way:

    1. No one else can see the tag inside your clothes so does it really matter what number is printed there?

    2. That's less money that you have to spend on clothes as you lose weight.

    I've lost over 110 pounds and have only needed to shift to a smaller size twice. I did start with tight clothes and waited until they were falling off (pants) or getting caught in things because they were so much bigger than I was (shirts).

    Even 10 pounds makes a lot more difference clothing-wise for people at or close to the healthy BMI range. Larger sizes tend to last through larger pound ranges.
  • ARGriffy
    ARGriffy Posts: 1,002 Member
    Clothing sizes are deceptive and, in my opinion, a head f**k. I'm a size 6 in some stores for a dress, im a ten in jeans, extra small in tops, and a size 14 in knickers if I don't want a muffin top. Figure that out!! Just wear what fits and looks good!
  • Shanel0916
    Shanel0916 Posts: 586 Member
    Lift weights
  • courtneyfabulous
    courtneyfabulous Posts: 1,863 Member
    You probably carry your weight in your lower body more so that will be the last to go- you just need to keep losing body fat.

    And I agree with Shane- lift weights :smile:
  • melodydee66
    melodydee66 Posts: 115 Member
    OP - First off, congrats on such a huge accomplishment! You should be so proud of what you've done so far! I can relate on some things and perhaps share some of my own personal insights.

    I started off at a weight close to your own, 269 and currently just reached 200. It's rather a strange amount of weight to lose, because I'm still wearing some of the same clothes I had at the start. Some of that, I chalk up to just wearing them way too tight when I was at 269. The jackets that I couldn't even button up before, now button up with lots of room. I was also used to wearing things that were bigger on me and didn't fit properly. I get surprised constantly when I'm shopping with something and they tell me that I still need to lower my size and try again! I could probably still wear a size 18-20 pant, but it would be very loose. I SHOULD be wearing a size 16 as the 18's now have a bit of space. I'm also 5'2" and with shirts, I can get away with larger as I have a generous sized chest, so 2XL isn't that far of a stretch for me! They do fit nicer and baggier now. I was told by a close friend the other day that I really need to go bra shopping and I would feel much better about the shape of my body! You might be surprised how well some smaller sizes fit. And also you must taken into account where you are shopping! There is so much discrepancy in sizes just from store to store!

    Keep up the incredible work. Feel free to add me as a friend if you would like some motivation and support. I can use some from time to time as well. I still have a while to go in this journey!
  • Wiggymommy
    Wiggymommy Posts: 106 Member
    I know what you mean. My sister has about 50 pounds on me and we wear the same pant size. Whats the diff between us? I carry alot of weight in my butt and she carries more in her upper half. I've also read that as women's size grow there is less of a diff in inches. So there might only be an inch diff of about 2 inches between sizes 4 and sizes 6 but there might be a diff of like 5 inches in size 20 to suppose 22
  • leanjogreen18
    leanjogreen18 Posts: 2,492 Member
    260 to 206? Don't let clothes make you feel anything. Heck you've lost almost 60lbs that's awesome.

    Focus on the fact that you are so close to onederland!

  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 18,230 Member
    Clothes sizes are a rort. I bought a size 12 fitted skirt at one place a while back, and size 16 pants at another place, on the same day!
  • chandraminick
    chandraminick Posts: 452 Member
    Well, you have to face the awful truth that 206 pounds is still way to heavy. I started at 203, and am still too heavy at 179 two months later. You have to get control over your thinking. I hate it, but I know its going to take at least another four months to take off another forty, but there is no other choice. The reason your fitting into the same size clothes is because you lost your deep abdominal fat attached to your organs. You have to keep chugging away at it to loose the fat layer over your muscles.
  • rainbowfaye
    rainbowfaye Posts: 68 Member
    I wanted to say i started at 240 and am now at 205. I do have two inches on you (5'4). But im at pant size 18 and shirt size 2x. So you really arent alone. I am right there with you.
    Also I think you are doing great! Soon enough you will start losing pantsizes.
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,423 Member
    People carry weight differently. Clothes are cut and sized differently. Someone might be wearing stretchier clothing.
    No one is a size 14. They may best fit in size 14 pants from some brands. That is all.
    Don't get hung up on the number. Look at size charts and find clothes that fit you well as you change your shape.
    I lost 20+ lbs and am mostly wearing the same stretchy waist pants and skirts because my belly is still a bigger clothing size than my hips. Things are moving in the right direction.
  • Pandabear0324
    Pandabear0324 Posts: 425 Member
    I started way bigger (but also much taller) so maybe that part is irrelevant. I will say though... it took me losing 100lbs before the pant sizes really made a change! Like others say it is probably that you're getting rid of that horrible inner fat from around your organs first! That is an awesome and wonderful thing!! I maybe went down one pant size in the first 80-ish pounds but have gone down another 4 sizes from then to now (160lbs lost). Dont give up! If you keep going you will get there!!! :)
  • courtneyfabulous
    courtneyfabulous Posts: 1,863 Member
    Pandabear0324 wrote: »
    I started way bigger (but also much taller) so maybe that part is irrelevant. I will say though... it took me losing 100lbs before the pant sizes really made a change! Like others say it is probably that you're getting rid of that horrible inner fat from around your organs first! That is an awesome and wonderful thing!! I maybe went down one pant size in the first 80-ish pounds but have gone down another 4 sizes from then to now (160lbs lost). Dont give up! If you keep going you will get there!!! :)

    How does one lose height?
  • jennybearlv
    jennybearlv Posts: 1,519 Member
    Is it possible you were wearing your clothes too tight before? I thought I was a 2x for a long time. I finally measured myself when I needed some new pants for winter and found out I was actually a 4x. Almost 30 pounds down and I'm still a 3x. I was apparently testing the boundaries of those stretch pants. If I hadn't measured at the start I would think I hadn't budged clothing sizes another 30 pounds from now.
  • fastingrabbit
    fastingrabbit Posts: 90 Member
    "apparently testing the boundaries" -- too funny!
  • crackpotbaby
    crackpotbaby Posts: 1,297 Member
    ARGriffy wrote: »
    Clothing sizes are deceptive and, in my opinion, a head f**k. I'm a size 6 in some stores for a dress, im a ten in jeans, extra small in tops, and a size 14 in knickers if I don't want a muffin top. Figure that out!! Just wear what fits and looks good!

    Over the last 3 yrs I've gone from an Australian 6 in clothes to a size 12 being a bit tight. Now back as a legit size 10 but ALWAYS a size 12 in undies!
    Wtf?! Even at size 6. Must be my big booty.

    Always, always a size 12 knickers.

  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    When you have a lot to lose you can fit into a variety of size ranges, and things won't be falling off any time soon because you'll have a good amount of fat to hold clothes up for a good while, even if they get loose. I can wear a size 22 or a size 14 of the same jeans if the fabric has some give. The 22s are a bit loose but aren't falling off and the size 14 is a bit tight but buttons up just fine. In fact, I still wear my 3x and 4x shirts although I can already fit into an XL and all but my size 24 and up trousers are still wearable.

    Some people wear things differently too. I have a friend who is close to my stats but carries more of her weight in the belly. She wears 12s and 14s comfortably because she buys shorter rises and it sits below her belly and fits her narrower hips and legs perfectly. If she bought higher rises she would need to upsize significantly to fit her waist.

    Sizes can be misleading. When the scale says you've lost 60 lb, believe it.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    I agree that you were probably wearing your clothes tight before, plus they might have stretched because of it too.

    I know that I was wearing size 18 pants forever... then I lost 40 lbs or so and they still fit fine, but when I went to the store I could fit in 14s.
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