Question:
195 pounds and size 12? How can this be?
I went shopping this weekend and I wear a size 12 Yea. But I don't understand how this is possible? I had surgery this past Dec started at 268 pounds and size 22-24 I have been wearing dress's since I shrunk out of my pants till I went shopping and I bought two pairs of shorts a skirt, a pair of jeans and two pairs of capris all size 12 and a comfortable fit. We are getting ready to go on vacation so I had to buy some clothes any way I don't understand why they fit I remember last time I was 195 I was wearing a 16 or 18 why am I so such smaller at this weight now and also when people comment about my weight lose and ask if I plan to loose more they think I'm crazy when I say I want to loose another 50 pounds that would but me at 145 in the normal range — kathy B. (posted on May 13, 2003)
May 13, 2003
How tall are you? If you are tall, it might make a difference in being able
to wear a smaller size. Like, a person that's 5'6 and a person 5'3 seem
very different at the same weight, yanno? Maybe you've just lost a lot of
inches! I was surprised that I can fit into a size 16 at 187lbs. It's a
size smaller than I thought!
— Diana L.
May 13, 2003
I am 170 lbs 5 6 1/2 and fit in a sometimes tight 16. My daughter is 203
5 5 1/2 and fits comfortably in a 16. No answers here.
— faybay
May 13, 2003
I asked my doc the same thing (I'm at 180 wearing a 10 and the last time I
weighed 180-in high school-, I was in a 14) Two possible reasons are:
When you are severely overweight your body has to compensate. First, the
bones become more dense to hold the extra weight and your muscles become
stronger to move the extra weight. Both of these weigh more than fat...
you have to judge your ideal weight by fat percentage as much as those
charts. No one ever said ARNOLD SWARTENEGGER(sp?) was overweight...but I'm
sure he didn't fit in the charts...LOL
— Laurie V.
May 13, 2003
Years of carrying around excess weight has led to increased bone density
and muscle mass, both of which weigh more than fat. Consider that the size
of your body mass and the weight of your body mass can dramatically vary
depending on the amount of muscle and the density of your bones. In other
words, don't worry, be happy...
— merri B.
May 13, 2003
From a "shortie" I am 5'1" and with a nearly 50 lb. wt.
loss. I have gone from a 22 to a comfortable 18 almost ready for 16. Just
goes to show you. I just need to be taller. I don't ever remember wearing
a 12 in my entire life.
— Delores S.
May 13, 2003
Hey girls It does seem strange I agree. I'm 5'9, 247#'s and wearing 18 very
comfortable/16 snug but still a good fit. My goal is 170#'s and a size
10/12 :)
— Ivonne C.
May 13, 2003
Someone posted a question over the weekend about clothing sizes and the
wide variations between brands even. I think the general consensus was
that YES, clothing manufacturers have become more 'generous' (if you can
call it that) over the years, in their sizing, in efforts to boost your
self-esteem and their sales margins and that just because you wear a 10 in
your favorite brand doesn't mean that you won't wear a 6, 8, or 12 in
another.
— eaamc
May 13, 2003
Hey, that's good news for me though. In high school I wore a size 10 at
150# and always hoped to eek into the single digits...maybe now at 150,
I'll be a size 8!
— eaamc
May 14, 2003
I don't understand it either! They may be making the clothes larger, but
that doesn't account for the fact that when I was in high school I remember
distinctly that my hips measured 39". I weighed about 140-145 and wore
a size 13/14 pants 11/12 dress. I had to lay down on the bed to zip the
jeans. Now however, I weigh about 142 (I'm 5'4") and this past weekend
I got two pairs of jeans (different makers one was Hilfiger and one Liz
Claiborne) one pair of capris from JC Penney (Briggs) and one skirt from
Wal-Mart (Faded Glory), all size 4, and they fit! My hips now measure
36". Up until now, I have never worn smaller than a 11/12 in my entire
teen/adult life! But I have weighed less, as low as 120-125. Even if I
never understand it I am still thrilled to think that one year ago I was in
a 22/24. This surgery has just absolutely been successful beyond my wildest
dreams. I thank God every day for it, and I'll never take it for granted.
— Sheryl S.
May 14, 2003
Hi there,Kathy! You should be proud of yourself for being there. I am 189
and still basically in a 20! I am just starting to squeeze into some 18's.
The last time I was near this weight, I was a 14, go figure! Vi. open
RNY 9/23/02 down 134 lbs.
— Vi F.
May 14, 2003
I was in a size 16 then and now I am 148 and wear a 8/9. Just a few pounds
ago at 155 I wore a 12, could not fit a 10 for nothing and now 7 pounds
lighter I skipped the 10!?! Oh well I'm not complaining, but it's because
we lose inches faster than pounds :o) Good for you!!!
— Sandy M.
May 14, 2003
Hi, I own a specialty clothing business and we sew & tailor specialized
clothing for suppliers. I can tell you that the clothing manufacturing
industry periodically changes how they determine size. An old 20 is now a
16 or 18 depending on the manufacturer. The industry does this because
American's have gotten bigger and we don't like to buy larger sizes. Once
women reach certain sizes, they don't buy as many clothes because that
"size" represents something they don't like. By changing the size
measurement standards (in Europe they don't change the standards) every few
years, larger women suddenly wear smaller "number" size clothing.
This in turn stimulates sales. Designer clothing is often cut to European
sizes (smaller), American clothing is cut larger with a smaller size
number. This is why 3 different pairs of slacks with the same size number
can all fit differently. Pattern sizes are still truer to the old sizing
(most of the time) as are ballgowns, wedding dresses etc. Hopefully this
helps to explain some of it. Best regaards,
— M B.
May 14, 2003
I am at 198 and I am in a comfortable fitting 18 bottom and xl top, SOME 16
bottoms dpeneding on the brand, the store, etc... All Fashion Bug size 16
stuff fits perfect but WalMart size 16 is a tad snug for me and heck,
Gitano Size 16 I cant even BUTTON. So it is just wierd how the sizing goes
these days. Very frustrating too because I can't just BUY things anymore,
I have to try on EVERYTHING now.. LOL I have a friend who had this surgery
and she is 190 and a size 10! I don't believe that I will loose 3 sizes
just by loosing 8 pounds and she is the same EXACT height as me too. It
has to be body type as well I guess? I always carried most of my weight
around my middle, hence I haven't lost as many inches in the middle as
elsewhere.. :(
— Amy S.
May 14, 2003
I hope when I get to 195 I am a size 12!! LoL. I am 228 now and I wear an
18 bottom and a 14/16 top. I guess it all depends on the manufacturer as
well. Good quality clothes are more true to size as opposed to cheaply
made clothes.
— Shavonne P.
May 14, 2003
I was in a 12 at 195 too. It could be that since you carried around alot of
weight for a long time, your bones may be denser and weigh more now than
when you were 195 before. I am now in a size 8 (Some 6's) and I weigh 160.
I get told ALL the time that I look more like 140lbs and not too lose
anymore weight. (I've had all my plastics done too) I'd just go with it!
— Kris T.
May 19, 2003
In my opinion your height plays a major role in size. i am 226 lbs and I
can wear a size 14. since my legs are smaller I could probably fit in a 12.
i am 5'10
— tameaka S.
May 19, 2003
It is the increased muscle mass that you have built by carrying the excess
weight. Also, you must be fairly tall! Take my example: When I was smaller
in high school, I weighed 115 and wore a size 12 on a good day. I still
have my measurements and my calculated percent body fat was about 54%, so I
was a "fat thin person." Fast forward to when I weighed 230
pounds. My calculated percent body fat was 57% so, while I had gained
weight, I had gained not only fat, but also muscle. Now I weigh 130 pounds
and wear a size 6. I am at about 23-24% body fat. I did lose some muscle as
I lost weight (about 7 pounds of it) but I worked hard to keep it by eating
high protein and working out with weights. This is why I based my goals on
percent body fat, not weight. If I were to acheive the weight listed for my
height (5'2") by the insurance companies I would either have to give
up some muscle or be at an unhealthy body fat percentage (too little is
just as bad as too much).<p>Bottom line, it sounds like you are doing
great. Set your goals by what you feel, not by some chart. Believe me, when
you are built with a lot of muscle, you can just lie about what you weigh
if you get a lot of grief about it. Most people cannot BELIEVE I weigh as
much as I do!
— ctyst
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