Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We can't tell you anything based on your dress size, OP. Share your height and weight.

I am 5’3 and 165 pounds. At my smallest (prekids) I was 138-140 and a size 4/6. I wear an 8/10 depending on brand. I am firm, not flabby, and very muscular.

Vanity sizing is at play here.

Do all clothing manufacturers use vanity sizing? Because I am an 8/10 in all brands I own, including luxury brands.

I'm 5'7, 155 and wear an 8. 20 years ago, when I was 158, I wore a 12. I'm 52 and gained 15lbs over the last year and a half after surgery. At 143, I wore a 6.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We can't tell you anything based on your dress size, OP. Share your height and weight.

I am 5’3 and 165 pounds. At my smallest (prekids) I was 138-140 and a size 4/6. I wear an 8/10 depending on brand. I am firm, not flabby, and very muscular.

Vanity sizing is at play here.

Do all clothing manufacturers use vanity sizing? Because I am an 8/10 in all brands I own, including luxury brands.

Anonymous wrote:Keep in mind, it will be much harder to lose the weight in 5 years than now. Late 30s, I was a bit smaller than your size and didn’t do much about it. I felt fit enough, ate a balanced but not restrictive diet, exercised, etc. 10 years later, I’m 20 pounds heavier even though I eat better and exercise more. It’s impossible for me to drop any weight.

If I could, I’d go back to 38 and work on my fitness and lose that bit of baby weight (last kid at 37).

OP here - this is helpful. I’m comfortable at my weight currently but do not want to be larger (was larger post last kid at 37!). I’m working on losing the additional weight so wanted to gut check this inclination. This is a very helpful perspective, thank you.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We can't tell you anything based on your dress size, OP. Share your height and weight.

I am 5’3 and 165 pounds. At my smallest (prekids) I was 138-140 and a size 4/6. I wear an 8/10 depending on brand. I am firm, not flabby, and very muscular.

Vanity sizing is at play here.

Anonymous wrote:Keep in mind, it will be much harder to lose the weight in 5 years than now. Late 30s, I was a bit smaller than your size and didn’t do much about it. I felt fit enough, ate a balanced but not restrictive diet, exercised, etc. 10 years later, I’m 20 pounds heavier even though I eat better and exercise more. It’s impossible for me to drop any weight.

If I could, I’d go back to 38 and work on my fitness and lose that bit of baby weight (last kid at 37).

I am 5 years older than OP and losing weight now (just 10lbs worth of vanity pounds). It is coming off the same way it always was. Calories in vs calories out will always work, before, during and after menopause.

Keep in mind, it will be much harder to lose the weight in 5 years than now. Late 30s, I was a bit smaller than your size and didn’t do much about it. I felt fit enough, ate a balanced but not restrictive diet, exercised, etc. 10 years later, I’m 20 pounds heavier even though I eat better and exercise more. It’s impossible for me to drop any weight.

If I could, I’d go back to 38 and work on my fitness and lose that bit of baby weight (last kid at 37).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:5’-3” and 165 with wide hips, what brand are you a size 8/10? Like old navy stretch pants? That sounds like a size 14 to me. I also am muscular with wide hips and small waist. 5’-5”. 140lb is 8/10 for me. 160lbs 12/14.

A size 14 at that height can look good and healthy but that’s the exception, most of us are healthier at a little leaner than that. At 45 l looked and felt great at a size 10 150lbs, very muscular.

Lots of different brands, including Old Navy (yes) but non-stretchy and lululemon (stretchy). I wear a size ten in business dresses and 6/8 in blazers. I wore a 12/14 at 180-190. I’m super dense/muscular and a person of color.

I would not bother getting smaller if that is not your desire. You sound completely fine and healthy.

Anonymous wrote:My mom’s best friend weighs about 400 lbs and had for 30 years. She has perfect bloodwork. It’s a mystery for sure, but she isn’t healthy. She can’t get up when she falls, she has to call the fire department.

Good thing OP isn’t 400 pounds

Anonymous wrote:5’-3” and 165 with wide hips, what brand are you a size 8/10? Like old navy stretch pants? That sounds like a size 14 to me. I also am muscular with wide hips and small waist. 5’-5”. 140lb is 8/10 for me. 160lbs 12/14.

A size 14 at that height can look good and healthy but that’s the exception, most of us are healthier at a little leaner than that. At 45 l looked and felt great at a size 10 150lbs, very muscular.

Lots of different brands, including Old Navy (yes) but non-stretchy and lululemon (stretchy). I wear a size ten in business dresses and 6/8 in blazers. I wore a 12/14 at 180-190. I’m super dense/muscular and a person of color.

Anonymous wrote:Something doesn’t add up. I am a size 10, 5’10 and 145. I’m not thin, I’m a healthy weight but you aren’t a size 10 just because you can force yourself into clothing. It should fit nicely.

People are built different. I am 5’6” 147lbs and size 2-4 in non-stretchy clothes. How you are shaped and how much fat vs muscle you carry will affect the size of your clothes. We can’t really judge whether OP should lose weight without seeing how she looks and knowing her body fat %.

5’-3” and 165 with wide hips, what brand are you a size 8/10? Like old navy stretch pants? That sounds like a size 14 to me. I also am muscular with wide hips and small waist. 5’-5”. 140lb is 8/10 for me. 160lbs 12/14.

A size 14 at that height can look good and healthy but that’s the exception, most of us are healthier at a little leaner than that. At 45 l looked and felt great at a size 10 150lbs, very muscular.

If it's not too hard to get down to a six, it might be better to be smaller in your late 30s because once you hit your late 40s and 50s, it gets a lot harder to stay trim.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A slightly overweight BMI is actually the healthiest. I am also size 10 but quite fit and although I’d like to be a 6 I’m not sure it’s worth it.

This is OP. This is what I’m asking. I feel comfortable, healthy, fit; my labs and bloodwork are great. I take no prescription drugs and have no chronic health conditions. Do I really need to lose another 20-30 pounds? I remember not eating quite frequently to maintain a size 4/6 physique (pre-kids). Is that really healthier? Better? Why?

OP I’m 48 and also a size 8/10 after 2 kids. Sounds like you’re more fit than I am, but I am also in good health. The only doctor who has ever mentioned my weight was my orthopedic surgeon, who said the fact that I am not overweight is an indicator of good recovery from knee surgery.

The only reason to get to a smaller size is vanity. I’m much happier at the size I am than I would be if I had to starve myself to lose weight. And I look good.

Stop focusing on pant size and the scale number. That’s great that your bloodwork is good, but as others have noted, that doesn’t tell the whole story. Risk of many diseases increases for women who have waist size over 35 because of visceral fat. As you enter your forties, you will notice it’s easier to put on weight and harder to take it off. It’s also important to build muscle now, because it will keep you stronger, happier, and healthier as you age. It’s much harder to build muscle when you are older. So don’t think about how you look, but think about what you need your body to be able to do when you are 80. Work on that goal now.

Anonymous wrote:Something doesn’t add up. I am a size 10, 5’10 and 145. I’m not thin, I’m a healthy weight but you aren’t a size 10 just because you can force yourself into clothing. It should fit nicely.

Agreed. And the use of women’s clothing sizes says nothing, especially with the amount of stretch clothes have and rampant vanity sizing. And plenty of cuts are bigger/looser, which leaves lots of room for growth.

OP doesn’t want to lose weight; fine, it’s her life.

OP, as you get into menopause, that weight will also creep toward your stomach. I get it, I’m a fellow hourglass and it’s a forgiving figure. But don’t be delusional.

A size 10 on 5’ 3” is overweight.