I am so happy that I am losing weight, but I got so frustrated today. My friend who lost 50 pounds last year (has been maintaining for almost a year now) tried on a skirt which I bought in hopes of one day fitting into and it fit her.
She is 5'6" and weighs 160. I am 5'10" and weigh 184. If you say I should weight about 5 pounds more for every inch, her 160 would be my 180. I'm only 4 pounds away from this and yet she wears a freaking 8 and I can barely squeeze into 12's. She can wear the skirt that I am in love with at an equivalent weight of 4 pounds less than my current one, and I can't even dream of fitting into it until I'm at least at 155. It's not fair, it's just not fair! It's not like she has a lot of muscle or a larger frame than me either. She has almost no muscle (like me) and she has the same frame size as me (small). GAH! Why does everyone else seem to have lower pant sizes at higher weights than me? I JUST CAN'T STAND IT!
I know no one can really do anything about this; I kind of just needed to get that off my chest. It's just so gosh darn depressing to me.

sweetie, it is most likely body frame. Your frame will be larger too.--ares where you can't see including hip bones, and pelvis. Don't beat yourself up. Keep that skirt for yourself! It's good to have a goal.

I have clothes that really help me see the difference in my weight loss too.

I have the EXACT same frustrations. And unfortunately, those frustrations make it even harder for me to lose ANYTHING. I don't understand how people who weigh exactly what I do wear 2 sizes smaller. Are they just comfortable being squeezed in places that shouldn't be? Or is it really a frame thing??? Also, how can my best friend, who is as tall as I am and weighs 40 pounds more than I do - FORTY POUNDS MORE - wear one size bigger (I'm in a 12, she's in a 14). Seriously???
Anyway, I didn't mean to rant. I agree with the other poster who says you should keep the skirt and keep plugging away. Regardless of your size, you've done a great thing. Keep it up.

How does your exercise compare to hers? Muscle tone has a lot to do with with it.

Well, how do your measurements proportion out? There's people on this board 100 lbs heavier than me wearing smaller pants... because I carry just about ALL of my weight in my hips, thighs and butt. When I was 9 lbs above goal many years ago I still wore a size 10. For some of us, especially pear shapes, the bottom is the last to go.

SuperGirl - Those size 14s go a looooooooooong way. I wore 14s at my highest (173) and I'm still in them (152) and last time I was smaller I didn't shift down a size until I was 138 lbs... so that's 35 lbs without changing a size.

Boobs weigh a lot... Are these smaller pants/same weight people chesty? Seriously, boobs account for several pounds on some people. Back in college I had a room mate who always wore smaller clothes than I did. I'd see the tag, and be in shock because I though we were the same size. One day she was out and I decided to try on some of her jeans just to see how tight they were...they fit perfectly! I tried on most of her clothes, and even though the tags all said smaller sizes they all fit. Finally we went shopping together and I was amazed at how many of the same size clothes she tried on. She literelly tried on 5 pair of size 14 Levi's until she found one that was miss marked/ ran big. I guess that's how vanity sizing became popular.

I'm 5'4, 179 lbs (no boobs to speak of )and I wear a 'these just fit' GAP 14 or a roomy 16. I also see people on this board who weigh more and are in 10/12's. I don't see edging out of these 14's for another 20lbs or so.
But, it really does even out. At my lowest weight 115(a million yrs ago) I was a 4/6, so I know those sizes do go down.
Its actually pretty amazing how different bodies are.
I have a tiny skinny friend (5', 95lbs) who, when I was at my low weight, has a waist that is two inches bigger then mine, but she wears size zeros, and I wore 4/6.
Go figure. You can't make yourself crazy.

I see ladies on this site who weigh 50+lbs then me and can literally fit into the same size jeans. People have different body structures, and we all carry our weight in different ways. I carry a lot of weight in my hips -- I have huge ones! Jeans fit me perfectly at my hips, but are so loose around my legs, thighs, and my waist!

We're all different. Maybe this will help: heights & weightsl

Ayup. My sister is a few inches shorter than I am, weighs 7 pounds more than I do, and wears a size 10 while I wear a size 14.

It's definitely a body shape thing. She has a size 10 waist, butt and legs. I have a size fourteen waist and size 6-8 legs and butt. It's frustrating as ****, since even skinny jeans look like wide leg jeans on me, but oh well.

I was thinking along the same lines. Would the same hold true if you both were trying on blouses?

I understand this frustration. I have never been small or thin. Yet!!! I'm comin' single digit sizes!!!

Anyhoo.... My best friend currently weight just under 160. She is 5'6". She has a flat stomach, wears a bikini, and looks damn good. I am 5'7" and when I weighed 160 (high school ) I had fat rolls every where, double chins and looked damn bad. Annoying!!!! Of course, my body has changed alot in the 11 years since high school (3 kids, including twins stretching my belly, time passing) I can't wait to find out what i will look like at 160 now!!!!

Your body composition will factor greatly into what size you wear. Case in point, I'm a full pant size smaller (and two less notches on my belt) than I was two months ago, even though I've only lost three pounds. However, I've significantly reduced my body fat % in that time. I can't wear the jeans I bought in April because they hang off of me now, and my body is getting noticeably tighter even without huge scale losses. Eating enough calories, including plenty of protein, and lifting heavy will have that effect.

Unfortunately, the most common approach to weight loss (i.e., big calorie deficit for an extended period with lots of cardio) leads to significant losses of muscle (including heart muscle!), which means that your body will be left with lots of extra fat even at a normal weight. Someone with more lean tissue and less fat will be smaller than you even at the same (or even greater) weight. IMO, the best thing to do is focus on losing fat, not losing weight per se, and hit the weights! You'll definitely be glad you did

A size, is just a number. I mean sometimes I say that to myself when I see someone who can wear like two sizes smaller than me, but you know bodies are shaped individually. Everyone is different.

I'm pear shaped, HUGE butt, huge thunder thighs, huge tummy, but my upper part of my body isn't so bad. So, that means that I could, right now, get a size 22/24 top and have it fit perfectly over my chest, but it would be too tight with my hips. So, I have to get a size bigger, but in the end it is just a number. I care about the fit mostly, but then again I do want to fit into my size 22 jeans. Someday!

When I was at my peak physical shape -- 141# (mostly muscle), worked out 2x a day (cardio and weight training), ate mostly chicken & rice (poor student!) -- I was wearing a size 8. My trainer told me that i'd probably have to shave my bones to get into a size 6. That's just the way it is sometimes.

Hmmm --bone shaving---sounds like we need a new medical procedure! I'm surprised it isn't out there yet...
Personally, I need some flabble shaving...

My mom is 5 foot nothing, and weighs 120 lbs. She is a size 6-8. She is quite, ahem, chesty...there are others at 5 foot nothing who are the same weight and are size 2-4. It all comes down to frame size, proportions, percentage of body fat, and comfort level -- we all know those who squeeze into 2 sizes smaller and seem happy whereas others like a looser fit (and therefore a larger size).

Kira