Losing sizes faster as you go down?

[makingthechanges]

I couldn't think how to word the subject line but- I read here a lot more than I post (and am sooo glad to have your collective wisdom!) and I think I've heard people say as you begin to lose more, you drop sizes quicker?

I was an 18W in pants when I started, and it took me about 30 lbs and 4 months to go down 2 pants sizes. Now I just got into a 14 jean maybe 2 weeks ago, but today I tried on some 12's and they technically fit. One of those, yeah I can zip them but makes my fat stick out the top, and I can't really breathe or sit in them lol. I did not buy them because I want to REALLY be a 12 before I buy them. However both of my 14 jeans, I can now remove without unzipping or unbuttoning so I must be close.

Have y'all found this to be true, that as you go down, you go down in sizes faster? It doesn't really make sense, but I hope it's true! I'm sure it's different for everybody and depends where the weight comes off- but I would love to hear how it went for you.

I'm happy that I'm losing from my face and arms and all, but ya know, I'd like to think that the fat on my belly is starting to realize it's overstayed it's welcome. I want it to go join my other rejected fat, and talk trash about me or whatever the fat does once it realizes I don't want to host it anymore.

[sontaikle]

I went down in sizes very fast once I hit the single digits. Sometimes a couple pounds was enough to push me over. It helped that I was losing a lot in my hips though.

If you bring up a size chart just look at the smaller sizes--they're generally only an inch or so apart between each size while plus sizes are usually more than that.

[Sakai]

It's true that it takes less and less weight loss to drop a size. Df explained it to me one day. He's a very mathmatical(sp) type person so this is how he told me.

Imagine your body is a grid of squares. Say 10 by 10 and each square is a pound of fat. Now to remove a layer of fat you need to lose 10 squares on one side and 9 squares on the other side.(19 squares) now you are a grid 9 by 9 and a size smaller... to lose another layer of fat it's 9 one one side and 8 on the other side. (17 squares) and so on. each time the grid dropps a layer, it takes less and less to take off another layer.
(I'm not a very math type person so he had to draw it out on a paper for me to get it lol)
And this is why I hear people say "I lost 25 pounds and dropped 4 dress sizes!" (When they started at a size 8) where as I could lose 25 pounds and only lose half a dress size

[Magalo]

It also depend on where you store your fat. Maybe the fat from your hips will be the first to come out, or the last.
Some average people (like mid-bmi) lose a pant size every 5 pounds, and I got down only one pant size after 20lbs lost. (lost 1-2 inches from my hips)

[Justwant2Bhealthy]

As you can see from my profile that I have lost 86 lbs and 8 singles sizes. Now single sizes are only about 1-2" apart, so the grid guy has the right idea. Also, I have lost over my whole body all the way, although my tummy has lagged behind some or I would be down further, I'm sure ... but I'm working on that continuously ...

[KittyKatFan]

In previous weight loss attempts, yes, I seemed to lose sizes quickly. But not this time. I'm very frustrated because I've been on the same size for about 2 1/2 months now. Maybe it's because in previous attempts I did more weight training. I've picked that up again, so I'm hoping that makes the difference.

[LiannaKole]

Yes, I've heard that's how it works. It depends on where you lose the weight from (waist and hips will result in lower sizes more than arms will), but also it's because when you're smaller, 5 lbs is a bigger percentage of your mass.

It was once explained to me like this by another 3FC member. Your body is a like a role of paper towels. When it's full and you take off 5 sheets, you barely notice the difference. But when it's closer to being an empty role, 5 sheets makes a much bigger difference.

[freelancemomma]

<<It doesn't really make sense, but I hope it's true! >>

It actually does make sense, because when you lose, say, 20 pounds at the beginning, it's spread out over a larger surface area and volume, so you get less "reduction per square inch" than when you lose 20 pounds on a slimmer frame.

F.

[ValRock]

For sure! Took me at least 30 lbs to get out of 24/26... but I feel like I've blasted through the sizes below 14.

[Nadya]

Originally Posted by makingthechanges

One of those, yeah I can zip them but makes my fat stick out the top, and I can't really breathe or sit in them lol. I did not buy them because I want to REALLY be a 12 before I buy them. However both of my 14 jeans, I can now remove without unzipping or unbuttoning so I must be close.

My pants are the same way. Somewhere along the line I stopped wearing a few pair that were ~16s and dropped down to ones that say 13 but that doesn't sound right because that's what I used to wear when I was ~130 pounds. Stupid sizing differences...

Anyways, I don't remember when my 16s stopped fitting. I just pulled them on one day and was like, "Wow, these are too loose, I look sloppy..." For a while, I tried to figure out if my self-esteem was changing - when I feel good my clothes fit better - or if I had actually gone down a size. I've lost a total of 16 pounds but I haven't actually noticed much of a change in my pants since that last possible drop. I keep hoping I will but I'll be darned if I'm not still wearing the same ones. I don't even know if I really experienced any difference the first time, for all I know those 16s never really fit that well to begin with. *sigh*

[astrophe]

Sure.

The diff in plus is 2 inches or around 20 lbs.

The diff in regular is just 1 inch or around 10 lbs.

(YMMV with that ballpark rule of thumb of course.)

Wherever the brand you are talking about changes from regular to plus is when it happens and you are around there. So I'm not surprise you notice this now because usually it's around the 12's or 14's.

Hang in there -- you will move to 12 jeans soon!

A.

[knoxie]

Absolutely true. A 14lb loss on someone who is 280lbs is only 5% but on someone who weighs 140lbs to start it's 10% of their weight and so proportionately a 'bigger' loss, even though 14lbs is 14lbs in anyone's book right?

I'm much bigger than you and with a 34lb loss I've only gone down one dress size as opposed to your two size drop. Case in point

[runningfromfat]

It's definitely true that the smaller sizes are closer together than the larger sizes so that contributes to it in part.

Also, are you lifting/exercising a lot? Because if you're gaining muscles then you can be inches smaller at the same weight so you might go down quicker because of that.

It also depends on where you're losing. Sometimes I lose a lot from my hips and will drop pants sizes like crazy. Other times I lose more from my top half and will drop shirt sizes.

Oh, and I so hear you on your midsection. Mine won't budge either! Unfortunately, some of us just retain more fat there and you have to be patient. For me I normally lose about 1 inch off of my waist/10lbs. I figure that eventually my arms/legs/hips are going to get sick of dropping fat so my waist will have to catch up.

[stimkovs]

i didn't even SEE size 12 or 10.

i had 14s. then they got loose. i waited as long as i could. then i bought 8s lol.

[Eurus]

Originally Posted by stimkovs

i didn't even SEE size 12 or 10.

i had 14s. then they got loose. i waited as long as i could. then i bought 8s lol.

Haha. My jeans are too big right now. But Im not going to try on smaller pants or buy some new ones until I need some. (I wear a uniform at work so Im going to lose some more weight before I go shopping again )