Amazing but true story.

I decided to hit the department store today to try on some clothes, to celebrate hitting 90 lbs down, and to see if by any chance I could FINALLY fit into pants that were neither size 18 nor women's size. (my best fitting pair of jeans right now is a size 14W)

First, let me just say that for a person who has shopped in PLUS SIZES for 20 years, it is just stinking weird, overwhelming, and BIZARRE to be wandering around in there.

Next, I kept looking at stuff and thinking how big it looked, and how maybe there was a well-kept and secret conspiracy about stocking HUGE clothes in the normal section, but just not telling the plus-sized ladies about it.

So I grabbed some 14s and a 16, but I eyeballed a pair of 12s that somehow looked like they would fit. 14s-- fit but I didn't like them. 16s, fit the waist but boxy through hips and legs.

Next came the 12s....

Pulled them up, buttoned the button, and zipped them up.

They fit like a glove through the butt, hips, and legs, but they were too tight around the waist and gave me a muffin top.... now about a month ago, I was ABLE to zip up my mom's size 12s, but that was only after really fighting with the zipper, and plus, they were stretch jeans. These, they were tight, but not to where I almost had to break them or myself to get them zipped.

I was wearing a loose button down, and frankly, they looked AMAZING as long as the muffin top was covered by a loose shirt.

But I didn't buy them. Although I almost bought them as goal pants, but then I thought NO because if I can really fit a 12, I don't need those particular jeans, I'll have lots of choices.

But, I'm just curious. I've heard that once you get into normal clothes, you can drop sizes at a fairly predictable rate....

So how many pounds before I hit a comfy 12. Any guesses?

No idea about how long until you hit a size 12... maybe 10 or so more pounds? But I did just want to say CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

I too have no clue how long.. but holey crap!! A 12!!! AWESOME!!

We are the same height...I'm between 174 and 177 right now (don't weigh till next week) and I'm actually still in a 14 which suuuuuckkks (and yes I work out lol). I have a pair of size 12 khakis that I can wear, but they are a little more snug than I prefer my pants, so I don't wear them often. No muffin top though.

I was actually thinking today that when I get to my official, official goal weight, I'll be lucky to be a size 10. Which is a little depressing, but hey, better than a 16!

Good job and keep up the good work, that's so awesome.

Sizes can be so funny. I see people around my weight and i wear sizes WAY bigger than they do. Don't know what that's all about.

But, I wanted to say CONGRATULATIONS!!! You are doing awesome!!

Size drops are coming a LOT faster for me, now. Way faster. These are UK sizes I'm talking about, so subtract either one or two sizes to get the US equivalents (I've heard both, and it seems to vary by brand) but it seems as if 18 (US 14 or 16, depending on who you ask) was the point where it started getting faster. 18 went pretty fast, and it's almost as if I blinked and missed 16, and 14 is going faster still. I got on a pretty good losing streak, and the 14s I bought a few weeks ago are way too big, and the cheapo jeans I bought today from H&M, just to get me through, because I MUST have jeans, are UK 12s. They fit fine.

I think it's impossible to put make any really definitive statements about how many more pounds it will be until you (or anyone) gets to the next size. Since January I have lost on the scale only about 8 pounds thus far, but I have gone from a loose 18 to now a loose 14, needing to probably get into 12s next time I buy something. (Assuming I buy something soon. I might not--I tend to not have money for clothing, so I skip sizes and may not buy anything until I get to 10s.)

If I'm remembering right, you do strength-training; this will cause you to lose sizes more quickly than you lose weight, so you could be in those 12s in 5 pounds. Or who knows, perhaps 10 to 15...you'll just have to see what happens

Thick-- I'm judging from your picture that you are a lot younger than me! One thing I've noticed is that there is a lot of size difference between your "mom-cut" clothes and the clothes targeted for younger people.

I was definitely shopping in the mom-cut department, where the clothes are cut pretty generous. I don't think I'd wear a 12 in anything trendy.

Everybody else, thanks for weighing in. I guess I'll just have to wait and see. Looking at those 12s, I thought I'd probably be happy to stop when they fit...but if I get to goal, I think they would be too big, and even my goal is still a little over a normal BMI, so I'll have to see.

You are AMAZING!! Congrats (also, I am jealous lol ♥)

I know a lot depends on your body shape/type but if your pretty well proportioned I think if the height is the same, then size is pretty consistent too. Last year my SIL lost 55 pounds, she went from 205 to 150. She is your height and she went from a size 14 to a size 6 with that weight drop. We have discussed this subject quite a bit because she said for the first time in her life she finally understood why thin people complained about needing to lose 5 - 10 pounds or were whining when they had gained 5 - 10. She said for them, (and now her), that is a size and they can really feel it right away in their clothes with just a little weight gain. This makes a lot of sense to me because I know from being so overweight I could usually stay in that size for a good 20 pounds. I soooo hope when I get there this theory holds true.

Same here - I am just on the cusp and can't wait to start sliding down the size pole!

I am shorter than you guys, but for me I was about the same size for the first 15lbs, and then another size for the next 15lbs. Now, I am solidly an 18, but some 16s are starting to fit.

Great job on those 12s!!