When it comes to dress sizes would I see results more rapidly (the sizes going down) than I would see in denim jeans? I have noticed that I could fit smaller sizes in dress pants than I could in denim jeans. For example, I could fit into a size 12 dress pants some time before I could fit into a size 12 in jeans (which I can do now). Close to a month ago I struggled to fit into a size 14 jeans. I don’t know what dress size I am now but I do fit an old dress a lot better than I did when I wore it this time last year.

Plus I learned watching Oprah today that it takes:

10 lbs to lose a dress size if you're really active/working out
15 lbs to lose a dress size if you're only dieting

First off, great job on losing all that weight!!

Well, I'd guess that since for a lot of people the thighs are the last place to lose weight, it might be harder to go down a size in pants. As for the number of pounds required to lose a size, that really depends where you're starting out. It's about inches, not pounds, and someone who is only 120lbs to begin with will lose a lot more inches per pound than someone who is 200lbs. Also, the inches per size goes down as the sizes go down too.

Dress sizes also depend on your chest size a lot. I'm your height, but still a little heavier, and while I can squeeze into size 10 jeans (depending on the cut), I have a really large chest so my dresses have to be bigger.

In any case, good luck, and great job so far!

I want my money back!!!!!!!! I'm not happy!!!!!! I have lost just over 30 pounds and have dropped two pants sizes and one dress size. Bizarrely the weight has come off my butt, thighs and hips faster than anywhere else (that'll be the exercise) but on my tummy has been very stubborn. So wheres my extra dress size I should have dropped??? LOL I know I know everyone's bodies are different etc etc, but it does seem very unfair! I'm hoping that as I get smaller the sizes will drop a bit quicker as paperclippy has said, I think when you are larger to start with it takes a while for the differences to become apparent. I have noticed my waist has moved, it's more defined and certainly in a different shape. I look like a fat hourglass rather than just a blob with no definition. And one thing that amazed the gym instructor who took my measurements, is that my forearms had shrunk the most, after my thighs.

"I have lost just over 30 pounds and have dropped two pants sizes and one dress size. Bizarrely the weight has come off my butt, thighs and hips faster than anywhere else (that'll be the exercise) but on my tummy has been very stubborn."

kykaree,

I have the same problem. My tummy fat is very persistent in staying in place. I don't know what else I can do to change that. But I'm following my exercise and healthy routine until something changes. haha.

sleptsolong,

I think dress pants are designed to be more loose fitting than jeans which explains why you can fit into a size 12 dress pant before a size 12 jean. In any case, I think you're doing an awesome job on your weight loss. Don't fret about sizes as long as your making your way towards your goal. Keep it up!

And hello to you paperclippy!!! haha.

Oh boy can I relate!I'm waiting for my waist to catch up with my butt and thighs.I have a pari of jeans that are a size smaller then what I'm wearing now.They fit in the thighs,but the waist is still to tight.

This just goes to show that we're impossible to please My waist is way ahead of my hips and thighs in the losing department. Any pants that fit my hips are usually about 2-4 inches too big in the waist. Strangely though, that only seems to apply to new clothes in the store. I just got 2 pairs of size 12 pants from my mom when she cleaned out her closet.. and they fit perfectly. Go figure.

I wouldn't say that the Oprah size thing is set in stone. It all depends on height, frame, body type/shape, and how much you exercise-and what kind of exercise you are doing.

If you are very short-you are going to see more size drops than a very tall person who has lost the same amount of weight. A tall person's weight is "spread out" more...so a 10 lb loss on a 5'1" woman is much more noticeable than on a 5'11" woman.

Whether you are losing faster up top or the lower body depends on what body type you are, and what exercises you do. An apple person will most certainly get thin, fit legs and rear end well before their abs and upper body get that way-so she may lose pants sizes and be smaller there-and wear a larger top/dress size. A pear shaped woman carries her weight in her butt and thighs-so she may lose "dress" sizes quicker than pants sizes.
I am hourglass shaped-so my waist is nipped in and shapely, and my abs and shoulder look great-but I still have plenty of buns/thighs and upper arms/boobs. I lost dress/pants sizes evenly because my weight is evenly carried all over with my body type. (My only problem is that the waist is usually too loose if it fits everywhere else.

After reading the above messages, and knowing my own situation (tummy TUB) and how difficult it is to find clothes to fit, my question is:

Just who are these clothing manufacturers making clothes for? LOL

For the hourglass shaped people like me.
Except...they use a standard waist to hip ratio...averaging 10 inches difference. If they make a pair of pants to fit a woman with a 30 inch waist, then they are made to fit a woman with approximately 40 inch hips. The problem with that in my case is that My waist/hip ratio is more exaggarated-so the waist is always a little too big.

You know...I just thought of a million dollar money making idea. I am a costume maker...I should go and design my own clothing line right now.

*runs off to make millions*

ooooh! I'll be first in line Aphil!

Wow, it's a relief to know I'm not the only person who is losing faster in my thighs, butt and struggling with my upper waist! I USED TO be an hourglass.........now I do ab exercises out of pure FEAR....my lower ab area firms up faster than my mid-section? But I'll take what I can get.....as long as the scale moves downward....instead of up!

I have always been able to wear smaller skirts and dresses than trousers. I'd buy a suit for work with trousers and skirt. Same shop. Same fabric. Same designers presumably. The skirt would fit fine and the trousers wouldn't fasten. Every time.

I seem to have lost weight from two main places - my back and my wrists. My watch (which is a solid band so quite good for measuring) is now so loose and slides up and down my arm. My face also seems to have slimmed down a bit. But my belly hasn't.

Or it probably has, it's just that there's so much of it that it's not as noticeable!

it's good to lose from anywhere actually....and backfat is a main place we often don't covet....but I HATE "bra-overhang" as much as tummy-pooch.

Thank you for the help. I sure hope I can get down to a smaller weight like 120 soon so I can get out of the big jeans. What you've said makes sense because I started out close to 200lbs and although I now weight a lot less, the difference is only slightly noticeable. I think I'm one of the people who will have the toughest time losing in the thighs/hips.

Thanks. I just wish it was some magical way to see dramatic results faster withthis whole getting in shape thing. I wish I could believe Anna Nicole Smith, LOL. I'd sure like to know the truth about how she lost half her weight inthe amount of time she did.