Question:
Why is it that I have lost 70 lbs and have not dropped as many sizes as some?

I have read about people that started out my size, have now lost 50 lbs and went from a sz 30 to a sz 24, or less. I have gone from a 30 to a tight 28. It is very frustrating, and I know that we are not to compare to others, but why is it taking me so long to drop sizes?    — Sue B. (posted on April 27, 2001)

April 27, 2001
I bet I'll be just like that... I have gained weight yet still wear the size.. I am certain it is all about our shapes and our body size.. we are all built so differently. I'm sure it can be a bummer.. but hey 70 lbs is awesome.. please don't let this get you down.. you are getting there.. you really are :)
   — Dawn R.

April 27, 2001
I felt very much the same. I kept wearing my size 26-28 clothes for many months...I think a lot of what we loose at first is water weight, and then it takes your body a while to catch up..you'll read about some people loosing inches, but not weight...kind of the opposite of what you're doing. Anyway, I'm no 6 months post op, and I swear I have lost everywhere except in the stomach....if I could just get rid of the stomach, I'd probably drop 3-4 sizes. I asked at the gym, and they tell me there's really nothing I can do to target that area...just keep loosing. Good Luck!
   — tlg6056

April 27, 2001
Boy do I understand. I've lost 63lbs. and went from a 26/28 to a 24. What I've come to realize is, I squeezed myself into a 26/28 for so long, I probably was an actual size 30/32. I wore my 26/28 clothes until they molded to my body. I just refused to buy a bigger size. I'm not saying that's what happened to you, but I know that's what happened to me. Hope this helps.
   — Vanessa J.

April 27, 2001
Some things to consider...first, how much are you exercising? It's possible to lose weight without losing much in the way of inches if you're not doing something to tone your body--just like it's possible to lose inches but not weight if you exercise a lot. Another is this: clothing sizes vary radically. I've got a loose pair of 20s, a pair of 22s that fit all right, and a pair of 18s that aren't even close to fitting; in theory, the 22s should be a bit big, the 20s should fit, and I should be able to squeeze into the 18s. I even have two pairs of 20s made by the same designer at approximately the same time, where one is tight and one is a bit loose. <p>Are you taking your measurements? That will give you a clearer picture of what you're actually losing than a particular "size" will. <p>Finally, it might just be where you're losing. If you're a "pear" shape, you're probably taking more off your hips, thighs, and butt than off your waist, which could be why your pant size isn't budging much. If you look at my profile, you'll see that I'm an "apple," and am losing much more quickly off my waist than any other part of my body. I haven't lost anything at all off my literal hips (though my gut has shrunk a lot), and have taken exactly 1/2 inch off my thighs. However, I've taken 10 inches off my waist and 9 off my gut/abdomen. If I were a pear, I bet those numbers would be close to reverse.
   — Suzanne B.

April 27, 2001
Hello Sue... How tall are you? I can relate because I am 5ft11 and losing a size means almost 20-30 lbs for me... as opposed to 10-15 to others... Hang in there Hon... You will get there... Sending you well wishes...
   — California J.

August 6, 2001
When an individual is maintaining size while losing weight, I am suspicious that the weight being lost is muscle weight, not fat. The answer is to focus on building lean body muscle (which burns fat), and to safely increase your metabolism (which also burns fat). I'm not talkin' diet pills here. When that's the focus, the result will tend to be more the opposite of what you've described; a melting away of inches, which is more dramatic than the melting away of pounds. This is simply due to the fact that muscle mass weighs more than fat mass. I hope this helps. I pray for your continued success.
   — Eric H.