To feel unhappy with being a uk size 12?

[lazysloth]

First of all this is not intended to be 'fat shaming' in any way. I know lots of ladies who look fabulous (and most importantly feel it) in larger sizes.
In my late teens and early-mid twenties I was always a slight size ten (not small enough to feel comfortable in an 8 but more like a size 9). I feel comfortable, happy, confident and healthy at this size.
I am now late 20s and seemingly out of nowhere I am a size 12, bordering on a 14. I tried on some size 12 jeans today in River Island and whilst they fit they really did not look any good!
I am not eating any more or doing any less excercise. Do you have to try harder at this stuff once you hit late twenties/ early 30's? I am really not happy with my body and feel like I need to cover up .
Everyone else says I look fine and this is a normal and healthy size.I am wondering if I shouldn't be so worried about it and it's all in my head? But I'm feeling like I need to go on some sort of diet. I've never been able to diet properly ever and I really hate the gym.

I think people are just using sizes as a shortcut - with vanity sizing I'm unlikely to find that size 12 fits anywhere if I'm presently size 6-10. I'd need to put on a good bit of weight, and if I did I'd look awful. Each to their own, we're all very different.

I'm not sure it is as all it does is lead to women associating a random label in some clothes with how good their self esteem is.

It's not great, is it. I am a healthy weight for my height (8st, 5ft2). But I am a size 12 in some shops. If I was unhappy with that based on this arbitrary label and tried to lose weight on the basis of that I would be heading towards unhealthy.

However, I do come from a culture which sees "curves" on women as desirable (and I know that is as problematic as a culture which sees waif-like women as desirable), so I daresay that has influenced my thinking.

E.g. if you shop on, say, ASOS, it has a size chart for each brand. Usually a 12 will be an international M or L.

I feel fat which is a completely different thing but I know I'm not.

Yes, you have hit the nail on the head there.

I am 5’7 and I don’t like it when I creep up towards a size 12 either. I much prefer to be a small size 10. This was easy as a teenager but yes, from my mid-twenties onwards I had to work at it. Perfectly possible to stay the size I prefer through eating healthily and going to the gym/regular exercise. Do both these things and you’ll be fine. If not, accept being a 12, which is fine - but if it’s not your preference then yes you have to put some effort in once your metabolism slows down.

Really depends on your 'look'. If you like sleek trousers and a tucked in little shirt and a belt, that's not going to look great in size 12. If you're a jeans and big jumper type of person, then it matters less.

I feel better with a flat stomach (or as flat as it can be in menopause). Don't know how much is due to self esteem, or how much is down to comfort - in your 50s excess weight tends to settle around your middle and it's really hard to find clothes to fit properly if you allow it to stay there.

Haha. Take a long hard look at that sentence

enough with the patronising posts. Why is it not acceptable that someone is uncomfortable with going up a dress size? Are we living in such a fat environment that no one under a size 22 is allowed to complain or feel uncomfortable?
If you have been a size 6 all your life, a size 10 feels fat, so what. If people are jealous,then they can just loose weight.

I am bored of the posters who are so narrow-minded and try to stop anyone daring to express something.

Haha. Take a long hard look at that sentence.

What’s the problem, exactly?

in your 50s excess weight tends to settle around your middle

This really isn't true for everyone. I'm 57 and still an hourglass.

Can the people who think they are 'fat' at a size 12 give their measurements? ie bust/waist/hips? Because I'm another who doesn't feel fat at a size 12 and thinks its quite slim IMO, unless you are quite short.

I'm slimmer than most people I meet but do remember being in a changing room and a young woman asking for a 12 in the dress she wanted and she was easily at least a stone heavier than I am, quite padded looking so perhaps some people wear there clothes tighter so a 12 could=being a bit chubby if they are squashed into them.

I find it goes on my arms, legs and bum.

Can the people who think they are 'fat' at a size 12 give their measurements? ie bust/waist/hips?

I have no idea what my measurements are & don’t have a tape measure handy. I only know I’m 5’11” and a 12 and I’d consider myself slim but not skinny. I feel fat at a 14, for sure. So I can easily imagine someone a lot shorter feeling fat at a 12 (if that makes sense?)

I 5 “8 and a size 12. I feel overweight because I had an eating disorder so being this size is uncomfortable for me. But in reality I do look slim. Everyone I know says so.

Did say 'tends to' SerenDippitty, not everyone will be the same. Most women will see their waist thicken. Weirdly mine hasn't as my waist is much higher than my stomach so still have hourglass, it just wouldn't be a bit weird at the bottom half ;)

I don't know my measurements either, but I am 5'7'' and I feel bloated if I need a size 12. I bought size 14 and 16 in Primark when I was pregnant.
I don't care what sizes other people wear, I can't guess them anyway, you notice if people are wearing ill-fitted clothes, the actual sizes don't matter. I know what feels uncomfortable for me.
If I go up a size, it means I have to do something about it, what's wrong with that.

I'm 5'6 and while I'm not 'fat' as such at size 12, I look miles better at size 10. I swear there's about a pound difference between being slim and being able to wear anything without worrying it's not flattering, and suddenly having a belly, back fat and funny rolls and bumps where they do not need to be.

@HuskyMcClusky If it helps I am 38" bust , 29" waist and 37 hips

Oops I meant @MrsPMT

I was 6-8 and after baby I'm a 10-12... Im much shorter than you so I feel your pain :(

Next sizing has a size 12 as 35" bust, 29" waist and 39" hips. Their sizes are pretty big as I'm a 6 there (same size as a traditional size 10 in the 1990s) but I'd have a high percentage of body fat if I personally was that size.

I'm a 38 bust, 27 waist and 37 hip. Ridiculously top heavy.

@LyndaSnellsFeet Funny how we're both 5 ft 2, 8 stone and I'm 32, 25, 35 - just shows you the difference body shape makes and how meaningless it is to compare ourselves to others.

Well great Linda count yourself in a very (fortunate ?) minority

Most people have to work at it . Or don’t given recent threads