Fourteen weeks in, I'm suddenly a size M

Size M without tugging is the real milestone. I’m not there yet, but my XL hoodies have quietly become sleep shirts and my belt has entered its “extra hole I didn’t know existed” era.

Dorm protein MVP for me: tuna packet + Greek yogurt + hot sauce, which is either lunch or a cry for help. Sharp question: did your waist shrink first, or did you look at photos and realize your shoulders/face changed before the scale moved?

I’m trying to decide whether to thrift a couple M shirts now or keep wearing the parachute collection until finals.

New here, week one, so I’m taking notes. Did you notice tops loosening before bottoms, or vice versa? I’m trying to track non-scale stuff wthout driving myself nuts: I measured upper arm, thigh, and ring finger because my waist feels like the last place I’ll trust.

Also, is there a point where you finally cleared out the old bigger clothes, or did you keep one piece for comparison? Sorry, very new and full of tiny questions.

The weird one for me was outerwear: my rain shell went from snug to parachute almost overnight. I started measuring monthly instead of weekly because the scale stalled for six weeks while my waist kept creeping down.

There was an old thread here called “Who stole my belt?” — mine ended up on a hole I didn’t know existed. If you have a before shirt, take a photo in the same lighting; the mirror lies less over months than weeks.

Curious whether your lifts are holding steady while the scale slows? That was my cue to keep everything boring and not chase the number.

Congrats — the boring habits are the whole trick. One thing I wish I’d tracked at that stage: neck, chest, and upper arm with a tape, not just waist.

After I hit goal, my weight sat within 2 lb for months, but collars and sleeves kept changing and I landed in a smaller shirt than expected. Also, size M is not universal — I have M tees that fit like L and one that fits like S.

Curious whether your lifts are still adding reps/weight while the scale stalls? That was the tell for me that recomposition was still happening.

I'm a numbers nerd too, so I started logging something weird: belt notches. Went from the 3rd hole to the 6th in 12 weeks, but the real surprise was my resting heart rate dropping from 72 to 64.

Also lost half a shoe size — my running shoes went from snug to slipping. Did you notice any non-clothing measurements shifting like that, or just the tape measure?

Tbh i’m on my second go-round after regaining most of what I lost, so the boring stretch is the one I’m aiming for. One thing that helped me stop trusting the scale alone: same tee,

The travel tell for me was the airplane seatbelt: I used to need the extender, now I’m cinching the regular belt like it’s a rental car. Also, hotel room coffee + 6am lobby oatmeal keeps the protein math boring.

Quick question: did you have a “transitional” belt phase, or did you just punch a new hole and pray? I’m currently on the last notch of a braided belt and weirdly proud of it.

The scale slowing while tags change usually means composition is still shifting: lifting + 120g protein can mask fat loss via glycogen/water and preserved lean mass. Trust tape over tags. I track umbilicus, iliac crest, and mid-thigh; my quads kept dropping after the scale stalled.

Sharp question: are you comparing M across brands? Vanity sizing is real—one brand’s M is another’s L.

If your 33" waist is consistent at the same landmark, that’s the signal, not the letter.

The non-scale stuff is so unhinged. My dorm has a cereal dispenser and I used to treat it like a food group; now I pre-portion Greek yogurt + frozen berries + a scoop of peanut powder in a reused takeout container. ~25g protein for like $1.20. Boring but it works.

The weird one for me: my watch band went from 5th hole to 2nd, and my $10 belt is now a medieval artifact. Did your shoe size change at all? I swear my sneakers got roomier and I’m not emotionally prepared to buy new ones.

I’m on round two after losing 60 and regaining 45. The thing that messes with my head is the scale can flatline while my lifting belt notch moves. Last time I quit right there because I thought it stopped working.

This time I’m tracking a tight pair of shorts and a monthly side photo. Did your lifts go up during the stall? That’s usually my tell.

Three years in, the weirdest milestone for me wasn’t shirts—it was rings and shoes. Around 30 lb down my feet dropped half a size and my wedding band got loose enough to slide off in cold water; nearly lost it in a lake. So before you rebuild the wardrobe, check jewelry and boots.

Also: old XL tees make elite sleep shirts, don’t donate everything yet. There was a thread last spring about “scale stalls but tape keeps moving,” and the tell for me was whether my lifting numbers held. Are yours holding or still creeping up?

this is so encouraging to read as a nervous day-5 person lurking here. Weirdly specific question: did your watch band or rings ever give you an early clue?

I keep checking my watch notch because it’s the only non-scale thing I can obsess over without spiraling. Did that change before or after your clothes sizes dropped? I’m trying to pick one marker to track so I don’t get discouraged when the scale gets boring. Also, “boring habits” made me exhale—thank you.

Man, the size M thing is the real scoreboard. Curious: did your main lifts hold or go up while the waist dropped?

I lift 4x and only trust recomp when my squat/bench stay flat or climb while the tape at the navel drops. I also started logging waist at navel, hips, and thigh monthly instead of daily weigh-ins—scale stalled for 3 weeks while navel went down another 1.5".

If your gym numbers are stable, you're basically editing the frame, not just shrinking. What's your sleep been like? That's the first thing that wrecks my appetite and recovery

That drawer M is the real trophy. I’m on the road most weeks, so my accidental metric became hotel robes: they used to gap like a bad curtain, now they actually overlap.

Also, airport lounge chairs stopped treating me like a packed sardine. Weirdly more honest than the scale.

Question: do you pack a “goal” item when you travel, or just hope the hotel mirror is kind? I’ve started bringing one old tee per trip and testing it at the destination — it’s a dumb little ritual, but it catches changes my home scale misses.

new here and only on week one, so this is aspirational for me. The size M from the back of the drawer made me smile.

Quick nervous question: did you keep a small “maybe someday” pile as you shrank, or did you get rid of bigger stuff fast so you couldn’t slide back into it? I’m weirdly attached to my old favorite hoodie and don’t know what to do with it when/if it gets huge.

Also, the boring habits note is oddly comforting.

The size M thing is such a mind trip. I’ve done the lose-regain rodeo, so I don’t trust the scale much anymore.

The one thing that helps: a cheap fabric tape and a note in my phone on the 1st—waist, hips, upper arm, thigh. Last month my weight was up 1.2 lb but my thigh was down 0.75" and my bra band was looser.

Numbers are boring, but they don’t gaslight me like my brain does. Do you have one non-scale checkpoint you trust more than the scale?

Curious what your height is. I track 7-day avg weight plus chest, waist, and inseam, because shirt size follows chest/shoulders more than waist for me.

Last year my scale moved 18 lb before my shirts changed; waist hit -4" first, then chest -1.75" and suddenly Ms fit. At 33" waist you might be near that crossover depending on frame.

What's your chest measurement now vs 212? That'd tell you if the M is real or just cut generously.

There was a thread last winter about “the scale stalls, the closet catches up” — this is that, exactly. 34 lb over 14 weeks averages ~2.4 lb/week, so a slower stretch on the scale doesn’t surprise me while clothes keep shifting.

One concrete thing I did: kept one non-stretch “benchmark” shirt and pair of jeans, tried them every couple weeks, and ignored daily fit noise. With 3 lifting sessions, also notice whether the M is snug across shoulders/chest but loose at the waist — that tells you more than the tag.

Are sleeves fitting differently than waistbands yet?