Question:
Has anyone lost 60+lbs and not moved in size?
I went in at 397 and now i'm 310, but I haven't gone down in sizes. I wont lie and say my clothes don't fit better, but what's goin on? Has this happened to anyone else, or am I just the freak of the week? — Laydie K. (posted on December 6, 2003)
December 5, 2003
Laydie,
Sweetie, I have been there. I started out at 454 and it took me losing
about 75 pounds before my clothes started falling off of me. I am now at
314 and have lost 140 pounds with more to go. If we don't lose pounds we
are losing inches, if we don't lose inches we are losing pounds. Everyone
is different as far as how well they lose, where they lose it, etc. I must
so though, I am so pleased so far with my loss. I feel like a new person
and love everyday! Hang in there, the sizes will start to fall soon. They
did for me finally!
— tpalmer
December 5, 2003
I started out at 277 and had to lose at least 50 pounds before I noticed a
real difference in sizes. It dawned on me after a disappointing shopping
trip (tears were involved) that I had been wearing stretchy clothes for
years and really did not know what my size pre op had really been. I
thought I was a 22 maybe a 24 but at 50 pounds lost I was still in a 20 in
jeans. I thought that I should have been much smaller at that point but
have since found that I had relied heavily on elastic waistbands for far
too long. I have now lost 120 pounds and am in an 8-10 and the sizes have
dropped considerably with the last 30 -50 pounds much more than they did
with the first 50. I skipped size 16 altogether. Don't get dicouraged! Your
weight loss is great and you will shortly be rewarded with a much smaller
size. I also think that the larger sizes give you much more room than the
smaller sizes in a very forgiving way. Good luck and keep up the good work!
— Carol S.
December 5, 2003
Laydie, I know you have heard it a million times but literally, every body
is different. I belong to a board of people who started over 400 lbs and
many of them complain of the same situation, yet they will have significant
lb losses. It has tons to do with how you are built and the rest has to do
with your mental image. Some people just always see themselves large for a
long time and because they are not seeing the smaller body they think they
cannot wear smaller clothes. You have to be willing to take that chance
and start to see your body shape, which most people have hid under tons of
clothes for many years, me included.
<p>I was the total opposite of most WLS patients. I didn't lose a
ton of lbs at first considering I started at 442, but the pants sizes
dropped like wildfire. The gut was driving my pants sizes totally and as
soon as the fat shrunk I kept going down. It will come, so hang in there.
<p>Do yourself a favor and go out and try on some new clothes, even
if you don't buy anything. You might be pleasantly surprised. Take my
advice and anything new you buy, buy it so tight you can hardly breathe
because in a few weeks it will be comfortable and in a few more weeks
starting to get big. I also found that as I shrunk and fit into clothes
from 8 years ago, I found that they were shaped a lot different than they
are today. When I got back into old 24W jeans it was the waist that was
the problem. When the waist fit the hips and butt were baggy already, yet
it's the lower gut where I carry most of my weight, not the waist. Yet if
I went out and bought new pants a 22 and maybe a 20 would have fit at the
same time and then the waist would have still been too big. So if you are
trying to get into old clothes it might have more to do that the shaping
has changed over time.
<p>It will come trust me! I've gone from 36W pants to 18W and 4X-6X
tops to 14-16 tops in 10 months. After PS the pants will likely drop to a
14 immediately and tops to a medium. 1 year from now you will be amazed.
Just keep doing what you are doing and it will come. Try working some
weight training into your exercise routine as I personally feel it has tons
to do with how the weight/fat has burned and how I have shrunk. Muscle
makes your body a much more efficient burner. Good Luck!
— zoedogcbr
December 5, 2003
how well did your clothes fit pre-op? alot of us wear drapey shapeless
clothing. i was addicted to big sweat shirts and tee shirts. i have lost 54
pounds but i can still wear them around the house. if the fabric has any
stretch to it you can wear them alot longer.
— franbvan
December 5, 2003
I would assume that at your starting weight, much of what you were wearing
was made from knitted fabric rather than a woven cotton and may have had
elastic rather than fixed waistbands. These items will last you alot
longer, as did my gym clothes and my underwear. I wore traditional jeans,
even at my starting weight and therefore they were unwearable much sooner.
I waited til around 70 plus pounds to get new underwear and bras, and even
now at my goal pretty much, I have only gone down 1 or 2 bra sizes. As the
others have said, everyone is different. Also, my sister who had her WLS 6
months before me, passed her clothing down, so I was trying new stuff quite
frequently. Good luck.
— Fixnmyself
December 6, 2003
Sizes cover a bigger range when you get into 3 and 4x. Also, I didn't lose
sizes for 60 pounds either, but but because I was deluding myself about
what size I started. I claimed to be a 26/28 but I was definitely a 30/32
squeezing into clothes that didn't fit right. But after 60, I started
losing a lot of inches from my sessions with the personal trainer. So now,
5 months later I am an XL 14/16 shirt and a 20 pants.
It's very weird. You will wake up soon and the clothes will be too big.
For some people it literally happens over night.
— mrsmyranow
December 6, 2003
Hi. I have lost 50# and still wear the same clothes. Probably because most
of them are stretchy. Some are getting a little too big but I don't want to
have to buy a lot of new clothing so I'm going to wear them until they fall
off.
— AmyWollet
December 6, 2003
I had to lose 85 pounds (385-300)before my knit pants were finally too big
to wear, in my opinion. But I like my clothes very loose. I have no desire
for anyone to see the hills and valleys that are my thighs and knees. Some
people, no matter what their size, prefer their clothes to fit very snugly.
Which is their choice. That is the only thing I can figure about
super-morbidly obese people who post on here about "I've lost 25
ponds, and my clothes are falling off!!" Puh-leese. Depends how they
are cut, too. I cried in the dressing room at Catherine's because I'd lost
75 pounds (without WLS, so it took a long time)and had only gone from a 4x
shirt to a 3x. I mean I CRIED. Yet later, I tried a 26-28 at Wal-Mart and
it fit! So I just have tried to stop thinking about it, and am just trying
to do my best eating-wise. Sounds like you are doing great! Don't worry -
eventually it has to go away!
— Kim A.
December 6, 2003
This happened to me. I was in a size 24 at about 350lbs and still in a 24
at weight 275....but then I decided to try a different size. Imagine my
surprise when I was a size 20!!! I figured that I probably changed sizes a
while ago, just didn't realize it. Try a smaller size, you might be
surprised!
— thekatinthehat
December 6, 2003
Hi...this was my experience too. I had to lose about 65 pounds before I
needed to get anything smaller. I was at a 30/32 and 371 lbs when I had my
first consult visit at the surgeon's office. At surgery I weighed 344 and
my clothes were comfortable...after losing the next 60 pounds I needed new
bras and pants. Best wishes to you.
— Linda B.
December 6, 2003
Hello, I'm in the same boat, kinda. I was 340 on the day of surgery
(August 22nd) and I've lost about 63 pounds. My clothes are fitting much,
much looser but I still wear them. Partially because I can't afford to buy
new clothes. I'm planning on hitting up the clothes exchange at my next
support group meeting. Well, anyway I recently went to buy some new pants.
If I am being totally honest with myself then I was a 30/32 before
surgery, although I would squeeze my butt into a 26/28 stretch jeans.
Tonight I went to Fashion Bug and was able to squeeze my butt into a pair
of 20's, imagine that!! I still plan to wear some of my 26/28's of course
until either a) I can afford more or b) they fall off. So, just to let you
know my perception was off for awhile. I didn't realize my size had
fluctuated so much until I went and tried on new clothes.
— Morna B.
December 7, 2003
Hey,
I was a size 30-32 I think, before surgery, and I was still wearing them
after losing 42lbs. I didn't realize that I had changed sizes really until
my mom said to me like 3days ago that I looked like erckle and gave me a
pair of sweat pants to change into. They were a size xl (a little
stretched) But an XL. So I was losing and didn't realize it, I feel like
the same fat lisa. I tried fitted pants on and I can fit in some 24's. but
its been like a week since I tried. I think I'll wait till next week and
try some smaller ones on. It is definitely coming off for us, but we have
to get used to fitted clothes again versus the land of endless
stretchiness. It is a hard adjustment, but one I will enjoy.
Good luck and be good to yourself.
Lisa hackenburg (lap/rny 10-23-03)(340+/331/288/140?)
— Lisa H.
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