Does shoe size change with weight loss?

Approximately what is the conversion for pounds lost to change in shoe size?

How many pounds before this occurs?

It really varies. I lost 25 pounds and went down maybe one shoe size, but my sister's shoe size has never changed even though her weight has varied by 50+ pounds over the last several years. Are you concerned about having to buy new shoes, or thinking about a pair of skinny shoes the way some people get skinny jeans?

A bit more of the skinny shoes scenario.

I am in between 8 and 8.5 on a particular pair of ballet flats, and I am trying to decide which way to go. I've lost 10 pounds so far and I plan to lose 30 more. 

I lost between 1-1.5 shoe sizes in the 40+ lbs that I lost, but that could be because I had particularly chubby feet!  I wouldn't worry about it now, in 30 lbs, get yourself a new pair of shoes if they're too big - we all lose from different spots in different patterns, so you may lose a shoe size, you may not.

Shoe size, hat size, watch size, everything. I didn't realize how many clever places my body had found to store fat. I'm surprised my ears didn't shrink.

Sorry to butt in, I'm just curious about this. How can the length of your foot change just from weight loss/gain? Aren't shoe sizes based on length? If you lost weight, wouldn't you perhaps just go from a wide size to a normal or slim shoe size?

Sorry, just curious :-P

there is still extra fat all around the foot

even at the ends

so when the ends go down the length goes down

I lost 30+ pounds and my shoe size remained the same.

I lost 30 pounds.  My shoe size went down a half size from 10 to 9.5.  I gained 10 pounds back.  My shoe size is still 9.5. Thank goodness bc I'd be so disappointed if my shoes didn't fit like my pants don't. 

My shoe size varies a half size (8.5 to 8) depending on weight. I haven't really measured how much weight is between each size.

Original Post by jcl76:

Sorry to butt in, I'm just curious about this. How can the length of your foot change just from weight loss/gain? Aren't shoe sizes based on length? If you lost weight, wouldn't you perhaps just go from a wide size to a normal or slim shoe size?

Sorry, just curious :-P

 

My theory: I wear a 7 wide. Or an 8.5 normal width. So in theory if I lost weight and the fat came off my feet (I can see a little pocket of it running along the edge), I would be a 7 regular, shrinking 1.5 shoe sizes.

this definitely happened to me.  I was always around a 9.5 or 10 depending on the brand, and after losing about 40 lbs, have a closet full of heels that no longer fit.  I have to get at most a 9 now. 

I have lost around 90 lbs and have had to tighten the straps on all of my shoes. Before at my heaviest size 9/9.5 were feeling tight, now I can wear 8.5 or 9 and no longer wide size. It really stinks because right before I started losing weight, I bought 2 pairs of dansko (really expensive) shoes and now I have to tighten the mary-jane strap to the last hole, and may be looking for a new home for them soon. But thats 90 lbs. I don't think unless you have really chubby feet would your shoe size drop that dramatically with 30 or so pounds-besides in the meantime, you want to be as comfortable as possible so that your feet feel good for exercise, so don't buy shoes small thinking that they will fit later.

I've lost and gained a LOT of weight over the years and my shoe size has never changed.

I think it probably depends a lot on your body type and where your body stores fat.  Personally, I tend to gain in my face and around my middle - waist, back, shoulders, upper arms, upper thighs.  I've gone up and down within about a 40lb range throughout time and I have never put on weight in my extremeties, so my wrists, ankles, hands, feet, calves, forearms all pretty much stay the same regardless of weight gain/loss.  If this is you, your shoe size probably won't change much at all.  If you tend to distribute your weight more evenly, and particularly if you tend to gain in places like your ankles and hands, you may experience more or a change.

I wore a women's size 10 when I was 250 lbs. and now that I'm 160, I wear an 8 or 8.5, depending on the shoe. 

You also need to take into consideration whether or not you retain water.  Sometime this has an affect on your shoe size. 

I used to where a size 11/12 sneaker depending on the cut and style.  Now I am finding I can fit into a size 10 adidas running shoe.  I also several heels that now flop on my heel.  I suppose I lost some of my ankle and heel fat.

I lost about 80 lbs. and my shoe size dropped half a size.

i wasn't even very much overweight, but i've gone from an 8 (before i gained) to an 8.5 and back to an 8.

wow, foot fat, this never occured to me.  I'm screwed if my feet shrink, I'm still in girls!!  I'm SOOO not wearing dora velcro'd sneaks