Question:
Clothing sizes... how is this possible?
Hi everyone. I am 4.5 months post op and down 94 lbs to 197. I am thrilled. I have been trying on clothes recently, went to the women's dept, tried on a size 16 women's jeans and they are TOO BIG! So... I went to the misses dept, and tried a 14 misses and they fit. I was so excited I went home, rummaged through my 16 year old daughter's closet (who wears a 13 junior) and found a size 12 khaki pants. For kicks I tried them on and I swear, they went on, I buttoned and zipped them without lying down. Can anyone tell me how i can weigh 197 and wear these small sizes? It's always been that way with me, but I don't understand it. I have heard of the dense bone theory and my mother swears there is NO way I need to lose 47 more pounds or I'll look emaciated. Can anyone relate? I'm NOT complaining or bragging, I'm just astonished. Thank you all and God bless you. — Happy I. (posted on October 5, 2003)
October 4, 2003
Lisa
i dont know but dont you just love it. I am at 175 last time i got weighted
and i can now get into 12s they are tight but i can get in them .So iam
gonna hold onto my 14s a little while . The only thing i can thnk of why
this happens is we lose inches more. Cause years ago when i was 175 i was
wearing a tight 16. Now since ive had WLS and 175 again i can get in to los
14s or tight 12s . I love it thoew I found some jeans on sale at walmart
for 3.00 a pair they was 10s and 8s but i bought them an ways so when i do
get into them. Good luck keep up the good work
— wildbrat
October 5, 2003
I anticipate that at 200 lbs I will comfortably wear 12 to 14 on the bottom
and 12 on top. I'm at 265 right now and wearing 20 pants and not too far
from 18's. I wear 1X or 16-18's on top. 65 lbs will definitely change the
picture and then a belt lipectomy may even move those sizes smaller. Right
now if I had the PS I'd be in 16-18's for pants.
— zoedogcbr
October 5, 2003
I make historical repro clothing for the museum and park service
industries. Twice in the last 12 years the US clothing industry re-sized
clothing to boost clothing sales in the US. To get a perspective of what
your "real" size would have been before 1990, loook at your
measurements againts a pattern chart. Pattern sizes stayed the same.
— M B.
October 5, 2003
Ok Ladies...I am going to give this a shot. I was on a high protien, low
carb, low fat diet. This was several years ago. I lost 87.5 pounds...was
down to 124, and I wore a size 3!! I was told that the protein you eat,
helps your body metabolize your fat and protects you from losing muscle
tissue. Now the remember the muscle weighs more than fat, and your body has
metabolized its fat. So my summation is your denser, heavier muscle is left
behind, making you weigh more, enabling you to wear smaller sizes.
I hope this is helpful. It makes sense to me....Have a good one.Happy
losing..CMQ
— Cheryl M.
October 5, 2003
Congrats, size 12-14 is awesome. I must be VERY large in the gut because at
206 I wear an 18 or 16w. I cannot fit into a 16 juniors they are always to
tight. I am thinking that I will not be a 12 until I reach about 150 so you
are doing fantastic. Keep it up! Reace
— Laureace A.
October 5, 2003
How lucky you are! I am at 180 pounds & wearing a comfortable 18 &
some tight 16s!
Congratulations!!
— Kathy K.
October 5, 2003
Lisa, consider yourself Lucky. I am like the prior poster, I am 5'5 and
down 122lbs to 183 and I fit into all 16's and most 14's (all normal, no
W's) but, it really varies. I am a Medium on top and carry all my weight
in my gut (PS soon)! So, there is no rhyme or reason to it.
— heathercross
October 5, 2003
I am 6 years post and at 189 lbs. I in a 10/12 I got my 10 skirt on
yesterday and it was loose. I was a little shocked. My dr. told me a couple
years ago I am not to get below 175-180 I would be too thin. I would look
anorexic. I have a large frame. I wear a size 9 ring. So my bones are
dense. So I don't have much body "fat" It is still mind
boggleing. Even after 6 years I haven't gotten used to it. Us with dense
bones have to learn to ignore the scales and go by the clothes. They tell
the better story. No one thinks I weigh almost 200 lbs. My husband calls me
boney. I prefer that to pudgy, pleasing plump, or just plain fat. (he never
called me those but I have heard them from so called loved ones) Anyway
enjoy the clothes. I sure do.
— christine M.
October 6, 2003
It so depends on your frame and the stores cut. In some stores it even
varies item to item. I am 5'2" small-medium frame at about 131-133 lbs
(from 290) and I wear from a 0 to 4 generally but have some 6's and a
couple 8's that fit ok too.... go figure. That is why I almost always try
everything on first now.
— sara J.
October 6, 2003
Ah HA! Thanks for your answer, Maggie. I thought there was a marketing
slant behind this, and some of my older clothes suggest that, too (my old
stuff that fits now from the early 80s is sizes 10-12; my current stuff is
sizes 4-6, at the same weight in both eras). Before long, they're gonna
wind up selling negative clothing sizes, 'cause there are plenty of people
smaller than me out there and I can't imagine what size those little folks
are wearing these days (size -2?). The important thing is, if you feel
great and look great, the sizing (while fun) shouldn't really matter. But
of course, it does. (Sigh.)
— Suzy C.
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