I know I've posted this before, but it's another rant. I've lost a considerable amount of weight and been fat my entire life, my highest weight was 448 lbs and my waist was about 64 inches if not a bit bigger. Currently I am down to 271 lbs, but I fluctuate like mad (as you may be able to tell by my numbers) and have had regain back to the mid 300s and lost again.

Right now my waist inches is about 56 inches and if I tighten up the measuring tape, about 53. Whenever I google this, I get men who are close to 390-400 lbs (?!!) who have a similar waist size to my own. When I google men who are my size, they wreak with horror over a waist size of 44 inches at the beginning of their weight loss journey, which would be utterly normal for me.

I feel like at this rate, even if I get to a normal weight of 190 lbs, I will have an abnormally large waist of mid-40s inches and always have to buy big and tall jeans. So it's hard for me to enjoy "mid-sized" obesity when my waist is at the same level of someone who is 400 lbs, it is just really discouraging and why I don't go along with the adage of not using the scale, use the measuring tape, because that has proved not so reliable for me.

When I lost weight the first time, to the mid-200s, I was more confident, getting compliments from women (well from everyone really), getting used to "normalcy" something as an obese male, I had never experienced before (despite the stereotypes that it's easier for guys). But with the regain that reduced my self-confidence when I got back up to the 300s again when the compliments slowed or stopped and I was getting the verbal assaults from passers-by on the street again.

Now I am back to "normal" mid-sized obesity, but I still think I'm mentally over 300 lbs, and I feel it with this large waist that hasn't budged really from being in the mid-300s. One of my big problems is I suffer from chronic constipation and obstruction and food restriction exacerbates that problem, which is the physical part of why it's hard for me to stick with a restrictive food regime for long. I don't get it. Is anyone else in the same boat?

I'm not a man, but I will still give my $0.02.
Fat distribution is very different from person to person. You have your typical apples and pears, and to relate to female fat distribution (hope you don't mind) some women can start off overweight, lose virtually all fat from their upper bodies, including boobs, which will make them despair as they are still heavy on the bottom. Then when they get closer to goal weight the bottom half will all of a sudden decide to catch up.
It sounds to me as if your waist was what you call "normal" when you were in your mid 200s? If so, I'm sure that your waist will shrink again.

I have to say I'm appalled at reading that you get abused in the street from strangers! How people can do that is beyond me.

Anyhow, please don't get discouraged, and most of all please don't compare yourself to others. Our bodies are all different and behave very differently when losing weight.

You have done an absolutely amazing job losing as much as you have! Be proud and rest assured that everything will catch up eventually.

I don't have any suggestions, but I hope I can offer a little bit of moral support.

First, huge congratulations to you on all the weight you've lost. That is an incredible accomplishment, and very inspiring for people like me who have a lot to lose and see a long road ahead. You've done an amazing job and should be extremely proud of yourself - especially for overcoming the setbacks along the way.

Regarding the waist measurement: you sound somewhat like my husband, who holds almost all of his weight in his stomach. He's 5'11", 240-245 lbs, and wears a size 40 or 42 pants - but only because he wears his pants beneath his stomach. If he were to measure his waist near his belly button or wear his pants there, he'd need to wear a much larger size. If you were to look at my husband from behind, you'd see a guy with a pretty small waist and hips, with broad shoulders. His stomach and the broad shoulders mean that he has to buy suits in a much larger size, and then have the pants taken in by inches at the waist (which again, sits below his stomach) and in the legs.

Anyway, I do think the weight will eventually come off from your mid-section, it just may be the last place you'll lose it. If my husband were to lose weight, I'm sure his stomach would be the last to go - because that's just how fat is distributed on his body.

My husband is extremely handsome, by the way, and I love everything about his body.

Good luck, and keep doing what you're doing. It's working, and you are making amazing progress. In time your waistline will catch up with the rest of your body.

Dear ThinDesire,

Don't get discouraged about something that is not in your hands. You have no control over how your body functions. I myself have a large chest, and was poked fun at through middle school, high school, and now by my own friends. I honestly don't care anymore, I'm immune to all the pain that I used to get. Now I have a different approach to everything. If someone doesn't respect all the effort you are putting (to lose 185 lbs isn't a stroll in the park...), then why should you pay attention?

I was told that everyone carries garbage with them throughout the day (garbage meaning rage, frustration, anger, etc). If you react, it means you have accepted their garbage and allowed them to dump it all on you. Never EVER accept negative energy... Your waist size is something that can MOTIVATE you to lose weight! My chest is what's motivating me!

Wish you the best of luck my friend

Different body types hold weight differently. When I lost my excess weight, from 300 to 180, I was still a size 34 pant when it was all over even though most guys my weight wear size 32. Don't worry about it, just keep working and it will all pay off.

By the way, are you doing any abdominal working out?

You didn't mention anything about seeing your physician. It could just be your body's way of carrying the weight, but it wouldn't hurt to check with your doctor too to rule out stuff like IBS, food allergies, Celiac's etc. given the chronic constipation...

I live in the U.S., I don't have medical cover since I lost my job. But when I had coverage, they aren't concerned about those kinds of things, they just tell you to lose weight.

I would really love to get those things checked out though. I know for a fact that I suffer chronic constipation, and suspect I suffer celiac. Most celiacs are actually overweight, but not something the media talks about. I blow up at anything bread related - pasta, etc.

Also remember that stuff like the skeleton/muscle bellies/muscle insertions/various "bones" 'n' stuff DIFFERS a LOT. Two persons at the same weight, height, muscularty and body fat % can have extremely different waist measurements.