Question:
195 pounds and size 12? How can this be?

I went shopping this weekend and I wear a size 12 Yea. But I don't understand how this is possible? I had surgery this past Dec started at 268 pounds and size 22-24 I have been wearing dress's since I shrunk out of my pants till I went shopping and I bought two pairs of shorts a skirt, a pair of jeans and two pairs of capris all size 12 and a comfortable fit. We are getting ready to go on vacation so I had to buy some clothes any way I don't understand why they fit I remember last time I was 195 I was wearing a 16 or 18 why am I so such smaller at this weight now and also when people comment about my weight lose and ask if I plan to loose more they think I'm crazy when I say I want to loose another 50 pounds that would but me at 145 in the normal range    — kathy B. (posted on May 13, 2003)


May 13, 2003
How tall are you? If you are tall, it might make a difference in being able to wear a smaller size. Like, a person that's 5'6 and a person 5'3 seem very different at the same weight, yanno? Maybe you've just lost a lot of inches! I was surprised that I can fit into a size 16 at 187lbs. It's a size smaller than I thought!
   — Diana L.

May 13, 2003
I am 170 lbs 5 6 1/2 and fit in a sometimes tight 16. My daughter is 203 5 5 1/2 and fits comfortably in a 16. No answers here.
   — faybay

May 13, 2003
I asked my doc the same thing (I'm at 180 wearing a 10 and the last time I weighed 180-in high school-, I was in a 14) Two possible reasons are: When you are severely overweight your body has to compensate. First, the bones become more dense to hold the extra weight and your muscles become stronger to move the extra weight. Both of these weigh more than fat... you have to judge your ideal weight by fat percentage as much as those charts. No one ever said ARNOLD SWARTENEGGER(sp?) was overweight...but I'm sure he didn't fit in the charts...LOL
   — Laurie V.

May 13, 2003
Years of carrying around excess weight has led to increased bone density and muscle mass, both of which weigh more than fat. Consider that the size of your body mass and the weight of your body mass can dramatically vary depending on the amount of muscle and the density of your bones. In other words, don't worry, be happy...
   — merri B.

May 13, 2003
From a "shortie" I am 5'1" and with a nearly 50 lb. wt. loss. I have gone from a 22 to a comfortable 18 almost ready for 16. Just goes to show you. I just need to be taller. I don't ever remember wearing a 12 in my entire life.
   — Delores S.

May 13, 2003
Hey girls It does seem strange I agree. I'm 5'9, 247#'s and wearing 18 very comfortable/16 snug but still a good fit. My goal is 170#'s and a size 10/12 :)
   — Ivonne C.

May 13, 2003
Someone posted a question over the weekend about clothing sizes and the wide variations between brands even. I think the general consensus was that YES, clothing manufacturers have become more 'generous' (if you can call it that) over the years, in their sizing, in efforts to boost your self-esteem and their sales margins and that just because you wear a 10 in your favorite brand doesn't mean that you won't wear a 6, 8, or 12 in another.
   — eaamc

May 13, 2003
Hey, that's good news for me though. In high school I wore a size 10 at 150# and always hoped to eek into the single digits...maybe now at 150, I'll be a size 8!
   — eaamc

May 14, 2003
I don't understand it either! They may be making the clothes larger, but that doesn't account for the fact that when I was in high school I remember distinctly that my hips measured 39". I weighed about 140-145 and wore a size 13/14 pants 11/12 dress. I had to lay down on the bed to zip the jeans. Now however, I weigh about 142 (I'm 5'4") and this past weekend I got two pairs of jeans (different makers one was Hilfiger and one Liz Claiborne) one pair of capris from JC Penney (Briggs) and one skirt from Wal-Mart (Faded Glory), all size 4, and they fit! My hips now measure 36". Up until now, I have never worn smaller than a 11/12 in my entire teen/adult life! But I have weighed less, as low as 120-125. Even if I never understand it I am still thrilled to think that one year ago I was in a 22/24. This surgery has just absolutely been successful beyond my wildest dreams. I thank God every day for it, and I'll never take it for granted.
   — Sheryl S.

May 14, 2003
Hi there,Kathy! You should be proud of yourself for being there. I am 189 and still basically in a 20! I am just starting to squeeze into some 18's. The last time I was near this weight, I was a 14, go figure! Vi. open RNY 9/23/02 down 134 lbs.
   — Vi F.

May 14, 2003
I was in a size 16 then and now I am 148 and wear a 8/9. Just a few pounds ago at 155 I wore a 12, could not fit a 10 for nothing and now 7 pounds lighter I skipped the 10!?! Oh well I'm not complaining, but it's because we lose inches faster than pounds :o) Good for you!!!
   — Sandy M.

May 14, 2003
Hi, I own a specialty clothing business and we sew & tailor specialized clothing for suppliers. I can tell you that the clothing manufacturing industry periodically changes how they determine size. An old 20 is now a 16 or 18 depending on the manufacturer. The industry does this because American's have gotten bigger and we don't like to buy larger sizes. Once women reach certain sizes, they don't buy as many clothes because that "size" represents something they don't like. By changing the size measurement standards (in Europe they don't change the standards) every few years, larger women suddenly wear smaller "number" size clothing. This in turn stimulates sales. Designer clothing is often cut to European sizes (smaller), American clothing is cut larger with a smaller size number. This is why 3 different pairs of slacks with the same size number can all fit differently. Pattern sizes are still truer to the old sizing (most of the time) as are ballgowns, wedding dresses etc. Hopefully this helps to explain some of it. Best regaards,
   — M B.

May 14, 2003
I am at 198 and I am in a comfortable fitting 18 bottom and xl top, SOME 16 bottoms dpeneding on the brand, the store, etc... All Fashion Bug size 16 stuff fits perfect but WalMart size 16 is a tad snug for me and heck, Gitano Size 16 I cant even BUTTON. So it is just wierd how the sizing goes these days. Very frustrating too because I can't just BUY things anymore, I have to try on EVERYTHING now.. LOL I have a friend who had this surgery and she is 190 and a size 10! I don't believe that I will loose 3 sizes just by loosing 8 pounds and she is the same EXACT height as me too. It has to be body type as well I guess? I always carried most of my weight around my middle, hence I haven't lost as many inches in the middle as elsewhere.. :(
   — Amy S.

May 14, 2003
I hope when I get to 195 I am a size 12!! LoL. I am 228 now and I wear an 18 bottom and a 14/16 top. I guess it all depends on the manufacturer as well. Good quality clothes are more true to size as opposed to cheaply made clothes.
   — Shavonne P.

May 14, 2003
I was in a 12 at 195 too. It could be that since you carried around alot of weight for a long time, your bones may be denser and weigh more now than when you were 195 before. I am now in a size 8 (Some 6's) and I weigh 160. I get told ALL the time that I look more like 140lbs and not too lose anymore weight. (I've had all my plastics done too) I'd just go with it!
   — Kris T.

May 19, 2003
In my opinion your height plays a major role in size. i am 226 lbs and I can wear a size 14. since my legs are smaller I could probably fit in a 12. i am 5'10
   — tameaka S.

May 19, 2003
It is the increased muscle mass that you have built by carrying the excess weight. Also, you must be fairly tall! Take my example: When I was smaller in high school, I weighed 115 and wore a size 12 on a good day. I still have my measurements and my calculated percent body fat was about 54%, so I was a "fat thin person." Fast forward to when I weighed 230 pounds. My calculated percent body fat was 57% so, while I had gained weight, I had gained not only fat, but also muscle. Now I weigh 130 pounds and wear a size 6. I am at about 23-24% body fat. I did lose some muscle as I lost weight (about 7 pounds of it) but I worked hard to keep it by eating high protein and working out with weights. This is why I based my goals on percent body fat, not weight. If I were to acheive the weight listed for my height (5'2") by the insurance companies I would either have to give up some muscle or be at an unhealthy body fat percentage (too little is just as bad as too much).<p>Bottom line, it sounds like you are doing great. Set your goals by what you feel, not by some chart. Believe me, when you are built with a lot of muscle, you can just lie about what you weigh if you get a lot of grief about it. Most people cannot BELIEVE I weigh as much as I do!
   — ctyst




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