Lost pounds and sizes but not inches ?!

Hey everyone, it's been a while! :)

I was browsing through some of my old posts from a few years (!) back, and found a post where I stated that my measurements were 41-33.5-41, and I was then a size 16. Since I've finally jumped back on the wagon, I measured myself last Sunday and my measurements are now... 40-33-39.5, but I now wear a size 10?! It seems although I've hardly lost any inches (1-0.5-1.5) I've somehow lost six sizes (and some pounds), which seems to be contradicting what I always hear that even if you don't lose pounds you could be losing inches, but my body seems to be in reverse, lol. At first I thought it might be because my pants sat at different places (waist vs. hips) but the 1/2 and 1 1/2 inch don't match the difference of a size 16 to 10 at all on any size chart that I know of.

So, any thoughts? :)

Have you changed the brand of clothing that you predominently buy/wear?  We all know how different the sizes can be! 

Or maybe the part of your body that required a size 16 has shrunk but the rest hasn't.  For example, my massive thighs sometimes required a size or two or three (!) larger than what would fit my waist, hips, and butt.  I almost always have a gap at the waist of my pants while the legs are tight; though it's gotten a lot better since I've reached my goal.  Now my thighs are still larger but more in proportion with the rest of me.

Do you work out? Your body composition may have changed....

I just finished up a 12 week challenge and I lost about 4 inches around the waist/hips/chest but GREW in parts of my legs....cuz I moved some stuff from fat to muscle....I started out wearing a 17/18 but wear about a 10 now...I COULD probably fit waist wise into smaller....but not cuz of my butt haha. So I think it really all depends on what your body is made of vs what size pants!

You probably did not weigh yourself in the same exact spots this time as last time. For example, my thighs can be anywhere from 18-23 inches depending on where I measure them...

It's pretty much impossible to go down 3 pant sizes without losing some inches, unless you were wearing fairly loose 16's and pretty tight 10's now...

They were actually a bit tight 16's and comfortable 10's now .. I may have measured incorrectly, so that is a possibility though I'm pretty sure I measured right.

The first thing that came to mind was that I *did* gain muscle and lose fat, but as I never exercised I couldn't figure out how that would be possible.. but now that I'm thinking about it again, I did go from a totally sedentary lifestyle to being somewhat active with a job that keeps me on my feet all day, so I guess that might have something to do with it as well.

Thanks for all the replies :)

You've lost inches if you are down sizes.  Different sizes use different amounts (in inches) of fabric.  So you just plain wouldn't fit into the clothes without losing the inches, since clothes can't see the numbers on your scale.

I'd say you measured incorrectly.

I totally know what your saying.  Even my trainer measured me and came up with almost the same measurements even though I am down weight and pant sizes.  She measured me several times and no matter what couldn't figure it out.  As long as you look smaller who cares what the tape measure says, that's my philosophy! 

chattynoel: LOL, I am so glad to know I'm not the only one who has had this problem!!