I am not speaking about anyone in particular but I am having a really hard time digesting that some of you that have lost a lot of weight, are wearing a size 4 or less? How does that happen? The smallest size I ever remember wearing was a 9. Is it just body composition? I wouldn't think you would even be able to get the excess skin in a size 4? Shed some light on this for me will you? I certainly can not imagine me even being in a 14 right now..but maybe someday...who knows?

Great question. I was a size 2 in highschool and a 5 in college. But in my 30's I wore an 8. I'm 42 now and obviously over weight....I can't imagine ever going back to a size 2 again, but I can hope for the 8!
I always wondered about the excess skin but if you look at the success stories there are before and after pictures, I think they literally worked their butts off to get there.

A size 4 these days really isn't all that small, believe it or not! Due to vanity sizing, today's size 4 is equal to probably what a size 8 used to be 10 or 15 years ago. I'm not small or thin by any stretch of the imagination, but can easily wear a 4 or size small. It's the truly tiny people who can't find clothes to fit them any longer because everything has been re-sized to be larger.

You used to wear a size 9 and that's a juniors size, which is cut differently than misses. I don't know what size I would wear in juniors, but I seriously doubt it would be a 3.

As for the skin, before I had my lower body lift I just stuffed it in my clothes, no problemo.

Chalk it up to vanity sizing!

I was a fitness instuctor for 2 years. I was at the high end of my ideal weight range, 124. But I kept getting smaller and smaller in sizes, basically, i was a brickhouse!!!! I was working out for 2 or more hours a day. So everytime I moved I made my body tighter, weird but true. I bought a pair of size 4 jeans from gap.
However I am a CURVY lady, and never saw that comming.
Anyhow, imagine, I HATED my body back then!

The first thing to consider is that, depending on how long you've been a size 24, sizes have likely changed. A year or so ago I lost 80 pounds and found myself wearing a size 4. But, it was not the same size 4 of my youth. If I had to guess, I'd say the 4s I wore a year ago were closer to the 8's I wore in the early 1980s.

Also, bear in mind that your body's shape and "true" size plays a bigger part in your clothing size that the number on the scale. When I weighed 150 and lifted weights a lot, I wore smaller clothes that when I weighed 135 and didn't exercise at all.

As for the extra skin, I've had it. I am the first to admit that I was amazed by how easily it was manipulated under my clothing.

There are so many variables that determine how you will look and the size that you will be once you reach your goal weight. I wouldn't spend too much time analyzing what will be. I for one had to finally admit to myself that my goals were unrealistic because, regardless of what the scale said, I was NOT getting my pre-children, 18 year old body back. Once I accepted that my age, preganancies, and having carried so much extra weight for so long were going to significantly impact my final outcome, it was much easier to appreciate just how "good" my body was.

I think it is great to try and visualize where you want to be and work towards that. But, don't let looking to the future keep you from appreciating the present. You've lost 24 pounds and that's AWESOME! Don't you feel better already? Maybe one day you'll slip into a pair of size 4 jeans, maybe you won't. The important thing is that you don't let a number deteremine whether or not you are happy with yourself, your body, or your accomplishments.

Vix, good point about the muscle -- I forgot to mention that! Because a pound of muscle takes up about 1/3 as much space as a pound of fat, the lower your body fat % is, the smaller you will be. Yay, muscle!! (I've been lifting weights five days a week for the past 6 1/2 years)

I doubt I will ever be smaller than a 9/10. That is what size I was when I was VERY calorie controlled and working out 2+ hours daily, 6 days a week and walking everywhere as I had no car (10,000 steps? HA! No problem! ).

I am not really concerned with sizes but a 14 would be great, 'cause I'd have more options at more places than I do now! Hey, that's just 10 sizes away

Well back in high school, I wore a 12 in jeans, and weight 13 pounds less than I do now, and am wearing a size 10 in jeans. I can actually wear an 8 in some. I think that's due to the vanity sizing. Plus, I exercise now, and didn't then. So maybe part of it is also the weight distribution that determines the size you can wear.

Fifteen years ago I had lost a lot of weight and weighed the same as I do now. I wore a size 8 at that time in women's or a size 13 in Jr. Miss. Now, I wear a size 4 in women's or a size 5 in Jr. Miss. It's definitely vanity sizing.

A trip to a second hand store will help you with your doubts. As I work my way down to my goal, I have been spending a lot of time finding clothing for work that fits my current size and shape. Depending upon the vintage, I wear size 10, 12, 14, or 16 (and even some very old 16s are a bit snug). I wore a size 8 at my lowest adult weight of 117 lbs. I expect to wear a size 8 somewhere around my goal weight (140) this time around.
And - as others have mentioned - I exercise more and am actually more fit now than I was at 117 lbs.

The smallest size I ever wore after puberty (before I gained my weight) was a size 12... I have an extremely large bone structure (NO it's not an excuse )

Of course I'd be happy to get into a size 16 right now At least I'm down to 18's now

I was never a size 4 (or even a size 8 for that matter) that I can recall. I'm sure I must have gone through those sizes growing up, but I certainly don't remember it, and the smallest I recall being in my teen years was a 10, for like a minute. Amazing that at age 41, I am now tinier than I ever was in my life and am regularly in size 4s, vanity sizing though I know it is, it still feels good.

I credit this to taking exercise (running) seriously and actually paying attention to what I put in my mouth, in a very detailed way. Knowledge is truly power.

As for loose skin, yes, I've got some, but it hides away nicely under those size 4 clothes!

I have no clue about this. (since I was a size 18 when I was 13 )

So, I have been guessing that I'll be a size 10 or so (maybe 12, maybe 8) when I reach my ultimate goal weight of 145. I am a 24/26 now at around 280.

Is that a good rough estimate? I know that there is no way to be sure about it, but I was just wondering how close my guess might be.....

I do think some of it is body composition though... The lightest I've been is 130 lbs, I'm 5'6", and I couldn't fit into anything smaller than an 8/9.

150 lbs at 5'6, I would guestimate a little smaller, like 6 or 8, expecially workouts play a big part in your weight loss.