# My pants are falling off **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 25, 2009, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-pants-are-falling-off/511578 "2009-09-25T21:28:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![wierdaaron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/eada6e/32.png) [@wierdaaron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wierdaaron)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2009, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-pants-are-falling-off/511578/1 "2009-09-25T21:28:42Z")
I’ve been a 36 waist for as long as I can remember. I started a diet in July, I’ve lost ~35 pounds so far. About a month ago, I discovered all my belts were too big, so I got a much smaller one. I could get to the second-loosest notch. Today, I was at a store and saw some nice jeans. On a whim, I picked up a pair in 34, bought them, and wiggled my way into them out in my car. They seemed to fit ok. At my next stop (grocery store), as soon as I got out of the car I noticed the pants were wanting to fall off. I figured they’d sort themselves out. As I walked through the store, they were continually falling down and would have probably fallen to my ankles if I wasn’t holding them up. When I got back to my car, I put on the belt I was wearing at the start of the day, and in doing so I noticed that I’m on the absolute tightest belt notch. This information is hitting my brain like rice pudding against a wall. I don’t know what to do with it. The possibility of me wearing 34-waist pants is challenging in itself, that I might be a muh-fuggin thirty-_two_ just doesn’t compute. I _think_ I was a 32 in 6th grade. ---
**Author:** ![Heart\_of\_Dorkness](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/4bbf92/32.png) [@Heart\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heart_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2009, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-pants-are-falling-off/511578/2 "2009-09-25T21:41:24Z")
Rock on! ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2009, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-pants-are-falling-off/511578/3 "2009-09-25T21:48:08Z")
Water only diet? ---
**Author:** ![gwendee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/35a633/32.png) [@gwendee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gwendee)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2009, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-pants-are-falling-off/511578/4 "2009-09-25T22:14:37Z")
You don’t say how old, or how tall you are. Unless you’re shorter than I am (5’5") a 36" waist is hardly tremendous. If your weight loss is intentional, and you’re consuming a healthy assortment of nutrients then Yay, you! ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2009, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-pants-are-falling-off/511578/5 "2009-09-25T22:50:07Z")
Waitaminute…you bought pants without trying them on, and put them on in your car? Thats…weird! I’m a little bit in the same boat, but I’m going to use different numbers to express the same thing! I started dragon boating a couple of years ago, and joined two teams that train once a week. This summer I added some outrigger canoeing, because it’s damn fun and I need. to. paddle (the season is over, I’m still mourning!). I didn’t actually change anything about my diet, but I lost quite a bit of weight since last summer without really noticing, other than pants that used to be tight were now very loose! I had been wearing 11-12s, and a few years ago I know I even bought a 13 at one point, and when I went to buy jeans a few weeks ago, I bought two different styles, one a 10, and one an 8. They are both stretch fit, though, so they become looser as I wear them, and I’ve come to realise that I probably could have bought an 8 and a freaking SIX!! And like you, I’m having trouble accepting it, though I’m happy about it! At one point late last year I weighed myself and gave up in dejection when the scale hadn’t begun to tip when I hit 175lb. This week, I went to the doctor for a checkup, and discovered that I’m in the 155-160 range (he didn’t have time to let me toy with it to get the _exact_ amount). ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2009, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-pants-are-falling-off/511578/6 "2009-09-25T23:48:08Z")
> [@wierdaaron](#): > > At my next stop (grocery store), as soon as I got out of the car I noticed the pants were wanting to fall off. I figured they’d sort themselves out. . Um, no. Jeans never, ever get tighter through a day of wearing them. The only way they can “sort themselves out” is in the direction of being looser. Congrats on your new svelte beingness. Now that you’ve lost “waist”, remember that width robs length when it comes to pants. Losing weight adds length. People who suddenly lose weight often find their cuffs dragging on the floor when they didn’t use to. You will probably need a shorter inseam now. ---
**Author:** ![wierdaaron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/eada6e/32.png) [@wierdaaron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wierdaaron)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2009, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-pants-are-falling-off/511578/7 "2009-09-26T00:14:37Z")
> [@mnemosyne](#): > > Waitaminute…you bought pants without trying them on, and put them on in your car? Thats…weird! Costco. That should exain everything. Per everyone else, my doctor is aware of my diet and is fine with it. I’m 23 and 6’. I was never a giant fatass, just kinda chunky in a way I hated. ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2009, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-pants-are-falling-off/511578/8 "2009-09-26T01:33:18Z")
I wore 38" pants, but lost my 35 lbs and just picked up some 34 and 35" ones and new belts while I was in the States. Since I’m also 6’, I’ve obviously got some more around my waist, but it feels good to be going down. ---
**Author:** ![emcee2k](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7bcc69/32.png) [@emcee2k](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emcee2k)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2009, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-pants-are-falling-off/511578/9 "2009-09-26T01:45:20Z")
I’m 25, 6’ and about 15 pounds underweight. _I_ wear 32s. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2009, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-pants-are-falling-off/511578/10 "2009-09-26T04:51:28Z")
> [@TokyoPlayer](#): > > I wore 38" pants, but lost my 35 lbs and just picked up some 34 and 35" ones and new belts while I was in the States. > > Since I’m also 6’, I’ve obviously got some more around my waist, but it feels good to be going down. Hah! Here’s a case of someone coming _to_ the U.S. and [losing](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=529494) weight. ---
**Author:** ![Olentzero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90ced4/32.png) [@Olentzero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Olentzero)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2009, 8:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-pants-are-falling-off/511578/11 "2009-09-26T08:46:22Z")
> [@wierdaaron](#): > > I’m 23 and 6’. I was never a giant fatass, just kinda chunky in a way I hated. And you started out at 36?! Jesus Christ, lad. I’m a few weeks from 40, 5’11", and after having dropped from 222 in January to 178 as of this morning, I check in at just under 37. How the hell much do you weigh?! ---
**Author:** ![wierdaaron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/eada6e/32.png) [@wierdaaron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wierdaaron)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2009, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-pants-are-falling-off/511578/12 "2009-09-26T17:45:21Z")
Bodies are weird. I was heavier than you (232 at start of diet) and still am (195 atm). My brother in law, who’s much bigger than I ever was, weighs about the same as me now. My dad is skinnier than me, and wears a 36. People hold their fat in different places. Especially across genders. A woman who’s 20 pounds overweight can look like a whale, while a man 40 pounds overweight can look completely normal. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2009, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-pants-are-falling-off/511578/13 "2009-09-26T22:56:48Z")
I’ve worn size 14, sometimes 16 jeans for the last 10 years until I lost weight. All my old jeans were falling down, too. Finally went into Target and started trying things on. 14? No, definitely not. 12?? No, not right either…OMG - size 10??? I’m a stick!:eek: …my cousin said, congratulations, but don’t throw out your old jeans yet… ---
**Author:** ![The\_Surb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ce73a5/32.png) [@The\_Surb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Surb)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2009, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-pants-are-falling-off/511578/14 "2009-09-27T12:53:09Z")
So I’m the ONLY one that thought this was going to be a thread about Tequila? ---
**Author:** ![bobkitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c67d28/32.png) [@bobkitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobkitty)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2009, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-pants-are-falling-off/511578/15 "2009-09-27T13:38:18Z")
> [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](#): > > People who suddenly lose weight often find their cuffs dragging on the floor when they didn’t use to. You will probably need a shorter inseam now. Gah, where were you a few weeks ago? I’m having to turn up all the cuffs on my pants, and couldn’t for the life of me figure out why. I’m with ya, OP- started in June in a 36/32 (I’m a girl, but wear boy jeans exclusively), finally broke down and bought some 33/32s back in August but had to belt them, and the 32/32s I’m in now still have some room to them. I had to put a new hole in my belt. If keep up the chronic vomiting, I could be back into a 30 by November! 😃 For comparison’s sake, I’m 5’ 6.5" and according to my scale at home in the neighborhood of 165lbs. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2009, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-pants-are-falling-off/511578/16 "2009-09-27T14:24:22Z")
Congratulations. Wishing you continued success. ---
**Author:** ![Imasquare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Imasquare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Imasquare)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2009, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-pants-are-falling-off/511578/17 "2009-09-28T05:26:26Z")
If you have dropped 35 pounds I wouldn’t be surprised that you are down two pants sizes. How did you lose it so quickly? It has taken me since the start of this year to drop 45 pounds. ---
**Author:** ![wierdaaron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/eada6e/32.png) [@wierdaaron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wierdaaron)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2009, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-pants-are-falling-off/511578/18 "2009-11-24T23:27:48Z")
I am casting a spell and bringing this thread back from the dead to announce that I’m wearing a pair of size 32 pants now, having lost 52 pounds total so far. 1. 32 waist. My mind is rejecting the concept still. ---
**Author:** ![Valgard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/7feea3/32.png) [@Valgard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valgard)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2009, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-pants-are-falling-off/511578/19 "2009-11-25T00:40:00Z")
Feels nice, don’t it? I was wearing a 36 “relaxed” fit all through college and up through my early 30s. A few years ago I took off 40 lbs (Weight Watchers and did it sensibly) and have been maintaining it with no problems. I now wear a 32 “straight” fit and if it weren’t for the fact that I’ve got a lot of muscle on my legs (I run and bike a lot) I think I’d be OK in a 31 or 30 waist. I’ve also gone from wearing L and XL shirts to M and S in an athletic cut. Losing the belly has made a big difference. Male, 5’ 10", 170lbs, for reference. ---
**Author:** ![GameHat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ed655f/32.png) [@GameHat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GameHat)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2009, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-pants-are-falling-off/511578/20 "2009-11-25T01:35:25Z")
There is nearly never a problem when pants are coming off. …grats on your impressive weightloss. Now take advantage of it, damn it! /maybe your pants could fall off around some sexy nurses/cheerleaders? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-pants-are-falling-off/511578.md?page=2)