So I just dropped another size, I'm an *official* 10 now, maybe an 8 if it's stretchy or a 12 is it's a designer that runs small and I'm a M/L in tops. I have 7 lbs to go to my *goal* at which point I plan to transistion to maintenance very slowly adding maybe 50-100 cals every 4 weeks or so until I'm at about 1800-1900 cals (I'm losing at 1600 so I think I'd be comfy there). So with my activity level and being able to lose at a higher cal rate I figure I'll probably lose another 5-10 lbs past my goal putting me maintaining between 135 - 140. My best guess is that I'll be at *goal* by July and at maintance somewhere around September/October. So the delima is I cannot figure out for the life of me where I'm going to end up size wise and whether or not I can hold out until maintenance to buy cloths. If I settle in at an 8/10 I can pick up a couple pairs of pants to hold me over and wear the forgiving dresses I have until they're sacks on me, but if I get much smaller I could have an issue with tops I already own, which are getting too big as it is and need to by pants twice. So I guess my real question is how many sizes did you drop in the last 10-15 lbs. I guess I should add I just started strength training 2xs a week about 4 weeks ago and am seeing some changes in my body, minor ones that I can't quite put my finger on, but my body is changing.

Well I don't have any advice for you!

I just popped by to say congratulations on being a 10! That is wonderful!

I started at 129 as a long-time weightlifter and found that even 6 pounds made a huge difference, but then I'm only 5' 3.5". At 129 I wore a 2 in regular sizes (non-petite). By about 123 I was already to a 0, and by 116/117 a 00.

5' 5" isn't that much taller, so I imagine you'll start changing sizes rapidly as you hit and pass your original goal, which is less than 10 pounds higher than where I started when you account for height. It doesn't take much at that point for there to be fairly big changes, especially if you're reshaping your body with your workouts. I don't know exactly how it works for those who have lost a lot of weight, but I have seen your pictures and I wouldn't be surprised if you change sizes pretty quickly.

Well, I started off at 155lbs at 5'5 and I was also a size 10/12. Trying to stretch my memory here... I believe I was still around an 8 (maybe a 6, depending on brand) at 135-140lbs.

I am 5' 5'' and when I weighed 138, I was consistently in a size 8. (How I long for those days again!)

if you just changed to sz 10, i doubt 7 lbs will bring you down another size. im a smaller 10 right now and thats probably where you'll end up. not bad!!

So I'm thinking if I get a 10 in something, I should be pretty safe. Worst case it may be a little baggy on me if I drop into the high 130s (which is somewhere I'm not sure I can or want to be). This is getting so exciting! I can't believe it's finally here...I'm so nervous about transitioning to maintenance (but that's a whole other thread!)

me too! i keep lowering my goal, i think it's because im too nervous to stop dieting. i think 10 is a great size. i could probably get down to a 6, but i dont want to work to maintain that forever. i want to be somewhere i can maintain without having to constantly worry.

im right where you are, always can wear a 10 unless it runs tiny, some 8s (mostly thanks to old navy and their vanity sizing). i think where we are is great!

It really all depends on your shape and what is holding you back from the next size. Tops, I am boob and shoulder limited and the last 10 lbs doesnt get me much. Jeans...well it depends on the brand and where the waistband hits and how full they are through the thighs.

I have been consistently losing a size about every 10 lbs. (14 at 186, 12 at 178, 10 at 165, 8 at 157). I would expect you to easily be an 8 at goal, especially since you are adding strength training. Given my current trend, I count on being a 6 if/when I ever hit goal!

I, too find I lose about a size per 10lbs. At 170lbs (5'2") I am a 16. At 125 I was an 8. I've never been smaller than that as an adult but I suspect the trend would continue (and hope I get to find out!!)

I hate to be the bearer of "bad" news, but more than one maintainer has posted that their body continued to change size and shape as they maintained, and they continued to go down sizes even if their weight didn't go down.

So I'd say to hold off investing in too much in the way of clothing until you figure out what works out to be your maintenance weight , and even then, maybe don't go too nuts until you are comfortable you are at the size and not just the weight that you are going to maintain.

(btw, I'm not even a maintainer but I can vouch that sizes change even when the scale doesn't - I just went down a size this past week even when my weight actually floated back upwards a couple of lbs!)

At 140 lbs, I was a size 10. At 130 lbs, I am a size 6.