I am just not seeing a difference in my body, even though I am losing weight.

I'm a 10/12 this week, down from my starting size of 16/18, but I still look chubby and flabby. I was also hoping to be a size 8 by now. I see so many people on here talking about being a 10 when they are 20+ heavier and even shorter than me. I have to squeeze myself into a 10. What is going on? Am I just shopping at the wrong stores (mostly old navy, banana republic and anthropologie)?

I'm only 7.4 pounds from being height-weight proportionate and I thought I would look so much different by now. When will I start to lose sizes and inches more rapidly? I've been pretty inactive the last 2 months, but generally I'm in a city where I walk everywhere and I'm on my feet all day as a teacher.

I'm just bummed. :-(

I was juuuust thinking this...I see pictures of people here who are shorter and heavier than me and who look AWESOME, and I feel like I look much bigger than them...it doesn't add up for me. I try not to compare myself to other people, but it's confusing and hard not to.

I'm learning that I'm always going to be much more critical of myself than others. And unfortunately, I'm worried that I won't ever be satisfied. I think maybe I started out with some pretty high expectations and it was inevitable for me to be disappointed. Maybe the mental image you had of yourself at this size/weight was a little unrealistic? Mine was. I set myself up for a big downer.

This is when you have to force yourself to compare...where you were to where you are now. You HAVE improved. It can't matter so much that you don't look like you thought you would, you are still lightyears beyong where you were and still trucking along. That's so important! Chin up. It will take time to recognize changes that I know are happening with your body and I'm sure you look great.

I could have written the exact same post. I'm really struggling with this 10/12 size. I feel worse now then i did 20 lbs. ago. A client said "hey skinny" when i walked in to work yesterday and it made me upset because i still feel so fat. People have said my large tops and size 12 jeans look to big but if put on anything smaller it clings to my tummy. I thought i would look better at this weight. I guess we need to just keep chugging along and hope that when you are smaller losing a few pounds makes a big difference visually.

Keep in mind that what we see in the mirror is often very different than what other people see when they look at us.

I definitely agree with Expunge--what we see in the mirror doesn't always reflect what other people see. On top of that, I also think that we're always harder on ourselves than we should be.

I know I have days when I just feel huge even though I'm a lot smaller than I was in a size 10/12. Usually when I feel this way I just remind myself that if I just continue sticking to my eating plan and exercising, sometime soon, maybe in a couple days or next week, I'll wake up feeling better and see results. Losing weight is such a mental games some days!

I'm also at the 10/12 stage, and this is kind of where I started... I don't like it at all. I always wondered how people could be so happy at this size, and maybe because I'm so short things are different for me or something.... and I'm kind of relieved to see that that's not necessarily the case

Thanks everyone for your support! I don't really have any choice I suppose but to keep going.

Would adding more resistance training make a difference? I've been doing it forawhile and I've "felt" alot firmer though I still have enough fat over the muscle to obscure my progress unless I poke under it and feel it.

I have BED and it's been a real challenge to get my eating under control but I really like weight lifting and even though I haven't lost one pound since starting to lift semi regularly (six months ago) my body composition seems significantly different. No several sizes different-but I definitly feel less gel- like.

All the women in the Ladies Who Lift Forum seem to swear by it. Maybe you could check that out.

I see that you are local (l live in Brooklyn/work in the financial district). There are SO many gyms that over free passes that also have some sort of resistance class that you could easily rotate between them for six weeks or so and see if you see any difference for FREE! and then get a bunch of DVD's and do it at home if you are anti gym. (you could also go right to the DVD but I think its always good to have a little live instruction to make sure you don't hurt yourself)

Also, I don't know what your circumstances are but you appear to be Young Urban professionalish like I am. If that's true a mid range gym isn't such a financial burden and if money's tight the Y is awesome.

If you are doing resistance training and not seeing results I would lift heavier weights.

I hope you start to feel better about your AMAZING progress.

I am a size 12 at 199 which is just below your starting weight and I am 5'5...
I shop at Old Navy, Gap, Banana and Jcrew

People are just built differently. Doesn't mean it is good, bad or odd. Congratulate yourself on the things you have accomplished and keep on fighting the good fight.

Don't let what size other people are define YOU.