I'm trying to go from a size 16 at 236 pounds to a size 12. how long will it take and what exercises/foods should I eat to accomplish my goal?

at around 215 i stopped wearing pants, but was around a size 17 in misses. right now at 182 i fit into a very tight 13 misses. like.. spray painted on tight.

Ug, I've lost 16-17 pounds and yet my pants don't fit much better at all. Well, I broke out a measuring tape about a month ago, and I discovered something. The part of my stomach where my pants lie hasn't changed in measurement in that month, yet the "over-hang pudge" has shrunk. (And actually measures smaller. Not sure about that one...) I'm hoping once that area has shrunk some more, the actual waist will start to go with it. Plus, I added crunches/sit-ups to my routines.

So, overall, I was happy to hear that a lot of people in my weight didn't drop a pant size until 25-30 pounds down. Cause that's what it's going to be for me...

I've lost 52lbs and have only dropped one dress size. I started off wearing a size 24 pant and a 3xl shirt. Now I wear a 22 pant and a 2xl shirt. It makes me a lil sad at times but I'm not gonna give up.

It takes way more pounds to go down a size in the higher sizes. Once you are smaller, it usually takes many fewer pounds lost to change sizes. It may take you 20 pounds to go from a 16 to a 14, but only 5 pounds to go from an 8 to a 6.

I read a great visual from someone, but I'm sorry I can't give credit where credit is due -- they said it was like a roll of paper towels. When the roll is full, you have to take off a lot of sheets to see the roll get smaller. When you're almost out of paper towels, though, you notice a change in the size of the roll with every sheet you remove.

I think about 7 pounds on an average was what it took me. But most people on here are shaped different or something cause I wear size 4's that fit great in any brand right now & 6's with belts cause there getting too big And was in a 20 W(A 22 more or less to a 4) I have lost 106.1 pounds so Averaged if u count Jr sizes~I have went through ~18 sizes~But I still weigh 153 & thats naked & I am 5' & 5.5" and most people in there 130's my height are in 4's or aiming to get to them still or so they say And All I can figure is It depends on our shapes I believe. GOODLUCK!!!!! HANG IN THERE & A NEW SIZE WILL COME SOON!
(thank God Of whatever shape I am Cause I Never dreamed I would get down to this size so quickly ~Crossing my fingers your the same shape!)

Hmmmm, so hard to say...I hate this subject lol....I'm losing inches more rapidly than pounds. At 308...I stated at about a size 24 (about..I wore lots of lounge pants & stretch waists to avoid the size game...I didnt really want to know)....There were 10-11lbs & about 3 weeks from a size 20 to an 18 for me....but I'm doing cardio like a madwoman...so I'm not really confident to suggest that this is typical since I don't know the average what others my exact height, weight & frame are experiencing & there's no way to control where the weight will fall off from. Guesstimating...from trying to pull on size 14 shorts..I have about approximately 10-12" to take off my hips to fit into them. I cant even guess in pounds what it'll take for me to get there....just know how many inches I have to work off...sorry I couldn't be much help..