Question:
How does it work?

I am 5' 3 inches and have lost 100 lbs. I am now at 154 lbs. and am in a size 14 jeans and a large size shirt. What I want to know is WHY . . . is it that other ladies are weighing in at 154 lbs or More and they are in a size 8 or 10? Is it all a height thing or am I just an awkward bird? Is it unrealistic for me to want to be in a size 8-10?    — Breathin4him (posted on October 23, 2008)


October 23, 2008
My first thought was "Does she have excess skin folds?" Im 5'5 and when I get to at 155 Im in a 12 , been there before . At 205 Im a 16 so everyone is different. Dont get caught up in sizes.
   — [Deactivated Member]

October 23, 2008
The answer lies within how tall you are and how much bone you have... Someone who is 5' 10" and has a large fram would probably be in a size 6 at 154 lbs... Someone at 5' 1" with a small frame may be in a size 16... bone and height add alot of extra weight, so does any kind of problem fat area ie, large hips or butt, big boobs, its all relevant... I know that when I was 14 years old and strated diet center I was 275lbs and in a size 26 pants...I am now in a size 22 pant and 300lbs...why is this...I would say that my body shape changed over the years and it has changed the way I fit into clothes..I am also wearing a size 26 top and that was what I was wearing as a youngster at 275...
   — lori042499

October 23, 2008
I started at 225 wearing 2x shirts and 14 stretchy elastic waist bands in pants. I am about 5'7" and after almost 5 months, I weigh 134 and wear 8Petites in pants (no elastic wastes) and small to medium shirts. Hope this continues. Sizes change eratically sometimes. Just forget size and consider how you feel. WAlk tall and enjoy your weight loss as it comes. You will get there, though maybe not at the rate others do. You will get there if you do the program. Lyn
   — SkinnyLynni2B

October 23, 2008
i agree with everything stated above, but i would like to add one other item. clothing manufacturers play games with size numbers. mostly with womens clothes so please do not think im sexest, but when you are in the larger sizes (16 and up) those sizes are fairly accurate to you actual size. as you go lower in size there are a greater variety of cut in the clothes and the measurements seem to get very small. i remember when my wife lost alot of weight, she went out and bout a pair of jeans in a size 8. they fit her (very well), but the next week we went out shopping for other jeans and she had to get size 10's . when we got home we held a pair of the 10's up to the 8 and they were the identical size. the moral of the story is, don't worry what size the clothes say they are, just wear whats comfortable...sm
   — MNI

October 23, 2008
Here's one for you....I'm a year out...as of Oct. 17th, weighing 188...and I just bought my first pair of 14 pants...and wear a large in shirts...(but have no bust anymore.) I always get grief from my friend as she can't believe I can wear a certain size at a certain weight. I'm only 5'3 too....but have always been fairly muscular...until recently that is. I'm not one to wear clothes tight either....so getting into this 14 was a huge event. I haven't worn a 14 in over 20 years! I was always an 11 at 150 pounds back in the day. I look at an 11 now and think...WOO HOO...that's super small! I'm just damn proud to be in a 14...revel in what you've done....and don't worry about a size...do you look good? If the answer is yes....then who cares about a weight...or a size. Do you feel good? Even better. Are you happy inside? WOW...then you're way better off than the majority of those out there. Best wishes and be happy where you are and for what you've done. Congrats! Hugs...Cheryl
   — Cheryl K.

October 23, 2008
It all is very weird. I am 5'2" and weight about 155 - i wear a size 12 jeans and I just bought some size 10 slacks for work..... Who knows.......
   — jhart

October 23, 2008
Hi, I haven't had surgery yet, but I'm 234 and 5'4". Right now, I'm in a size 22 pants(yes, I have a big gut;), and a size 2xl shirt. When I was in High School, I was 128 and wore a size 9/10 or a 32/32 in Levi's. My friends were always smaller and I used to get so upset, even embarrassed for anyone to see my size 32 on the Levi's tag. Now,(of course it's too late), I realize that I had pretty big hips, so I needed the pants bigger to fit over them. Once it got to my waist, they were too loose. I'm going to TRY and not look at the sizes or weight after surgery, but I know that is definitely going to be a trial!! And yes, I realize how stupid I was in High School for not appreciating what I had. I know I will now.
   — ready4me_now

October 23, 2008
I am 5'4" and weigh 130. I currently wear either a 6 or an 8 depending on cut and maker of clothing. Not sure if this helps. I think it also depends on muscle weight vs. fat weight.
   — itsjust4me

October 23, 2008
I honestly think your focus is a bit skewed if you are that considered about your pants size and comparing yourself to others. The main questions for me are "how do I feel?" and "how healthy am I because of my weight?". The first requires some self-reflection and self-honesty. The second should ideally be answered in collaboration with a doctor. Both questions and answers should us set individuals goals and, hopefully, a plan for accomplishing those goals. Come on people, this is NOT JUST about the size of our clothes and how we measure up to each other! --Kathryn
   — kathryn_ann

October 23, 2008
HI I READ YOUR POST.IM 5'4 AND I WEIGHT 161LBS.IM IN A SIZE 8-10 AND SOMETIMES A 6 PANTS AND A SMALL TOP.AND IM 51YRS YOUNG.WHEN I WAS IN MY TEENS I WEIGHT 154 AND I WAS WEARING MEDIUM TOPS AND 14-16 PANTS.
   — deb44m

October 23, 2008
First off, congratulations on losing so much!!!! Second, my MIL is 5'4" I believe, and she had RNY 3 years ago. She went from a size 24-26 down to a size 12, but because of how "vertically challenged" she is, she will most likely not get past the size 12 jeans. She has always had a big rear end (her words, not mine) which is also why she can't get into anything smaller. I do know that when I first met my fiance, I was 15 and in a size 10, at 150 lbs, but I was also 5' 8", and I looked teeny tiny, bc of my height. Now, I am 30 years old, 5'9" (had 3 back surgeries and gained an inch in height) and weigh 264, and am in a size 20-22, but no one believes i weigh that much because of how tall I am. I can assure you that it is your height, although you do have to take into consideration how much excess skin you have, and whether you are "big boned" or not. Keep going on the great work!!
   — mommydragon2

October 23, 2008
Another issue is exercise. I have been at a plateau for months now but for about a month and a half I have been working out at a gym at least 3 days a week. I weigh about the same but have lost 7 1/2 inches all over. Try increasing your activity. Good Luck!
   — Lori G.

October 23, 2008
I am 5' 1" and have always been obese. At a point in my life, I got down to 142 lbs. (this is tiny for me). I was working out EVERYDAY and could wear 8-10. I later put 25 lbs back on and lost it again (without working out everyday) and could only get down to a size 14. It goes to show that a little exercise can go a long way.
   — ticklezngigglez786

October 23, 2008
Don't beat yourself too much over that one! Yes, height is most of it. I'm almost 5'7 and I weigh 143, and wear pants size 4 or 6. -Darlene p.s. bring this one up in your suport group and see what your peers say, seriously.
   — dadebrito

October 24, 2008
Hey there! I understand how you feel. Even when I weigh 150 I still wear a size 10-12 but I am almost 5'7. I see others that seem much thinner than I am at that weight. Its hard to see how good you look when you are looking at yourself. Your bone structure and height have most to do with what size you wear. Also, remember clothing all runs different too. I always wore junior sizes which run much smaller. So, all in all, you have done great and look great too. Don't worry about sizes, just wear what makes you feel great.
   — trbccowan

October 24, 2008
Thank you to all who posted regarding my question. As far as the one negative feedback I received from Kathryn Ann, please allow me to be more specific. Kathryn Ann, I am more than satisfied with myself at 154 lbs and a size 13-14 pants. I was simply curious as to how this thing works. I would suggest, however, for you that you would walk a little more lightly around others who might take your crass personality on a more serious note. Ladies (and Men) - we are truly blooming into a wonderfully beautiful work of art one pound at a time. Find the beauty within and let it work its way out. God bless each of you who have made my day! Thanks!
   — Breathin4him

October 24, 2008
It's not about weight as much as...Height and most importantly "proportions" which play a HUGE part in what sizes you will wear. My mom is 5'2" and weighs 130 lbs and wears a size 12! I weigh 35 lbs more than her and I'm 2 inches taller and wear an 8 or a 10. Her 12's are so baggy around her legs and seat...She needs the size 12 for her waist...12's fit me in the seat and legs but are baggy in the hips and waist and belly area. It's really about proportions. Our middles get larger as we get older and people think the sizes changed when it's their waist that changes...my waist used to be 24-25 inches at my smallest weight as a teen...I wore a size 7-8 or a 9-10 in juniors...My waist now at 165lbs is 28 inches. I don't fit into a 9-10 in juniors! I need a 13 or a 15 to fit my legs and there is NO waist on juniors pants...Those girls wear their jeans barely on their hips and no where near their waist like we do with misses jeans and pants. I tried on some juniors jeans and OMIGOD!!! All my junk was hanging out of the top and if I bent over???! Can you say "crack"? ...My butt was just "cracking" a huge smile!! NO THANK YOU! LOL You have some manufacturers that do make fuller or smaller cuts, true...but the majority go by measurements as they always have....Yet when someone larger wears a smaller size they think we are lying or shop at some place where the sizes are cut larger but the tag says it's smaller...YEAH RIGHT! I wish I knew a place like that because I don't go out often to go shopping...I certinly don't have time to go searching for the smaller sized clothes that are cut larger just to say I wear that size! I basically wear LEVI's...That's what I like...they fit me the best...and I wear them in a 8 or a 10...not much difference really with stretch denim. It's about body shape, fat vs muscle, proportion...But not about the numbers! Don't worry about the numbers! I have clothes in my closet right now that range in misses sizes 6-8-10-12...Depending on the style of clothes and where the lines fall on my body... I can wear any of them right now! I have dresses in a size 6...tight skirts in a 10 or 12...Loose A-line skirts in a 6 or 8...I have Levis in 8's and 10's...(Love that stretch in jeans nowadays! ) I couldn't fit into Levis as a girl because the legs were not cut full enough for me! I had to wear Wranglers! Or get all my jeans tailored at the waist and hips if i wanted to wear the sleek and slender clothes my friends were wearing. My proportions are way off of what regular people are...I have extra large legs and tush with extra small waist and shoulders....THAT's how it works!
   — .Anita R.

October 24, 2008
I am sure that part of it is your height. My best friend and I wore the same size in EVERYTHING before my surgery. i am 5'7.5 and she is 5'10. I started this lovely life changing journey at 258 she is at 280.......
   — phyllismmay

October 24, 2008
At 5'4" and 130 lbs., I wore 12s & 14s, and 30/30s in jeans. Now everything is 3XL or 22-24, still 5'4" but 240 lbs. I think it's a combination of factors - height, proportion, sizing/style of clothes, and frankly, some people just fudge a bit on their weight/sizes. My SIL wore 18-20 pants & blouses, and swore she never weighed more than 120. Congratulations on the 100 lbs. you've lost, and if wearing size 8-10 is important to you then go for it. I wish you the best...
   — sem51

October 24, 2008
You are not an awkward bird. Every BODY is different and every body part changes at it's on pace. You are doing great, keep up the good work and don't worry about clothes sizes. Congratulations on your success.
   — donnapusser

October 24, 2008
While there is a standard measurement for BMI, not all bodies carry weight the same way. There are a few different things going on that could be why you are a size 14 and other people who weigh the same weight as you are size 8 to 10. First, height. The shorter you are, the more likely you are to be a larger size. Second, percentage of body fat. The lower your percentage of body fat and the higher the correlary percentage of lean muscle, the more you can weigh in a smaller size. Muscle weighs a lot more than fat. Trust me on this one, I have had several people guess my weight at 25 pounds less than I currently weigh; I have been working out very hard since before I had the LapBand and am carrying some good muscles and intend to get develop more. Third, you have lost quite a lot of weight and you may have excess skin, which also weighs a lot. Take care and good luck.
   — [Deactivated Member]




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