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Post by dkramer on Jan 4, 2012 12:24:47 GMT -5
I know I talked about this a few months ago but I was still in the healing stage but now I'm still frustrated.
I'm four months out and I'm eating correctly and have just started working out. I have lost approximately 60-65 lbs (depending on the day) and you would think that I would have gone down at least a size or two. I haven't! I started as a 26-28 and I'm still wearing a 26-28. They are looser but if I try to go down lower all my fat gets in the way and I have a huge muffin top and camel toe (TMI...LOL).
Do you think the working out will help or do you think it's a skin problem?
TIA,
Dawn
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Post by Gail R on Jan 4, 2012 13:07:47 GMT -5
I found during the first year, while I was rapidly loosing weight, that my "flab" was more of a problem. Exercise is always good for you but will not tighten up skin or the fat attached to it. The longer out I am the better it lays on my frame. (maybe I am just getting used to it. LOL) It really helped me to feel better about myself to wear a camisole shaper of some sort. I got a long one that smooths all the way down to my hips. It sure feels good to warm up on these cold days too.
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Post by jillybean720 on Jan 4, 2012 21:37:22 GMT -5
I lost more than 60 pounds before I Went down a pants size. It's frustrating. Also, the larger/heavier you are to begin with, typically the more you need to lose to drop a size. You say you've lost 60-65 pounds, but that's irrelevant without knowing where you started. 60 pounds from a starting weight of 400 likely wouldn't make much difference, whereas 60 pounds from a starting weight of 250 hopefully would. I started at 308.5 and didn't buy any new/smaller clothes until I was down to about 250 (maybe even a bit lower).
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Post by Joanne on Jan 4, 2012 22:20:54 GMT -5
Hang in there. I agree with what the others have said. The larger sizes have lots of give in them and it really takes some time to start dropping sizes. My experience was close to Jillybeans. I started in a 24W and had to lose at least 50 pounds or so until I wore a 22W.
The lower you go, the less pounds there are between sizes. I dont think any amount of exercise helps loose skin. At this point your body is going to lose weight and drop inches wherever it wants, but as you go down the scale your shape will start to even out and it catches up. But try not to worry, you're not going to be wearing those 26/28's much longer.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Jan 4, 2012 22:26:10 GMT -5
I know I talked about this a few months ago but I was still in the healing stage but now I'm still frustrated. I'm four months out and I'm eating correctly and have just started working out. I have lost approximately 60-65 lbs (depending on the day) and you would think that I would have gone down at least a size or two. I haven't! I started as a 26-28 and I'm still wearing a 26-28. They are looser but if I try to go down lower all my fat gets in the way and I have a huge muffin top and camel toe (TMI...LOL). Do you think the working out will help or do you think it's a skin problem? TIA, Dawn I think you need to go shopping with someone who will scrutinize your clothing fit better. I'll bet money that you have a very skewed perception of clothing fit and need someone with a practiced eye to go with you and speak the word on fit. I've seen this happen with a number of people--as in, in person. I've gone clothes shopping with them and MADE them put on clothes that fit correctly. Some of them believed me and others didn't. We all have trouble seeing proper fit of at least some things, I think. I remember the first 3d DS party I attended, about 7-8 months out, soooo happy with the fit of the clothes I was wearing. Someone kindly told me to get rid of them because they were clown clothes LOL. I look back at the pictures now and they were RIGHT. |
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Post by bb212 on Jan 4, 2012 22:27:21 GMT -5
Count me in with Joanne and Jilly. It seemed like ages before I was able to get into a 24, it was around 50-60 lbs. After that the intervals between sizes really began to speed up. A month after fitting into 24's I was down to 22's, then 18's, and now I'm VERY loose at a 16 but a little tight in a 14 because of the loose skin- but it took 120 lbs to get me from a 26 to a 14. I'm still on the knife edge between plus and regular sizes.
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Post by Happy DSr on Jan 4, 2012 23:05:19 GMT -5
during the early weight loss phase, I leaned towards more elastic waists, unstructured items and stretch fabrics to maximize length of time I could wear the items. I even took in darts at the waist, or used safety pins on under layers while I transitions between sizes. I didn't want to waste money on new clothes I knew would be temporary. Then I bought just a few staple pieces as I shrunk. Some folks purchase from thrift stores to help on the wy through (no decent ones in my neck of the woods)
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huskerchad
Full Member
Gentleman. Scholar. DS'er.
Posts: 194
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Post by huskerchad on Jan 5, 2012 0:13:53 GMT -5
Yes, I agree with both of these points: It takes a lot of pounds lost for a higher BMI to lose sizes, and it's hard for you to judge what your correct size is when you are losing weight. To this day as I pull shirts out of the closet, I swear they won't fit, that they're too small. I put them on and I feel like they are so tight that I can't breathe. Then I look in the mirror and see that it's actually almost too big. It takes a long time to get used to all of this.
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Post by bb212 on Jan 5, 2012 12:46:14 GMT -5
during the early weight loss phase, I leaned towards more elastic waists, unstructured items and stretch fabrics to maximize length of time I could wear the items. I even took in darts at the waist, or used safety pins on under layers while I transitions between sizes. I didn't want to waste money on new clothes I knew would be temporary. Then I bought just a few staple pieces as I shrunk. Some folks purchase from thrift stores to help on the wy through (no decent ones in my neck of the woods) I bought the cheapest, basic t-shirts at old navy when they were on sale but only when my tops were so big they were falling off my shoulders. Same for the PJs- the draw string belt ones make it easier to cinch so they stay up even if they're too big. When ever my tops would get too big I'd just use them for pajama tops or for house-clothes while doing chores where they'd get cooking stains and beat to a threadbare pulp. What can I say I'm cheap... erm.. Frugal! Yes, frugal... |
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Post by Gail R on Jan 5, 2012 14:12:58 GMT -5
Yeah, Me too! I wear my old tee shirts as coveralls when working outdoors, cooking or painting. (I tend to be messy LOL)
Also, about differences in sizes, it only took five pounds gain for my size eight suit to get too small! It took over a 50 pound loss for me to get rid of some clothes....
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Post by valgroce on Jan 5, 2012 16:22:48 GMT -5
#1 - Plus sizes definitely have more wiggle room. Once you cross the threshold to Misses sizes, you'll find the need for a new wardrobe for every 5-10 lbs, which will be every 4-6 weeks.
#2 - Definitely seek a second opinion when considering a good fit...or not....especially if you're dressing up for work. This goes two ways for people...either they are wearing stuff that they should have discarded weeks or months ago - or they find something in their size that is NOT flattering. Just because they make something in your size, doesn't necessarily mean that you ought to wear it. A good friend with an objective and honest opinion is a great asset.
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Post by valgroce on Jan 5, 2012 16:24:03 GMT -5
Another thing I wanted to mention is how bizarre the losing process was for me. I did NOT always lose in a symmetrical fashion, and that too was very frustrating. Sometimes clothes just didn't look right. This is perfectly normal, too.
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Post by dkramer on Jan 5, 2012 16:49:41 GMT -5
Thanks for all the responses. I think it's a little bit of everything that everyone mentioned.
For background: I weighed 294 on surgery day and now weigh 234. I notice more room in the pants that I typically wear.
I think part of the problems are: 1) I literally wear pjs almost all day, unless I leave the house, because I work from home so I'm used to the roomy fit, 2) The jeans I've been using as an indicator for the next size down are actually more of a low-rise fit and they buckle at my widest point, 3) I've always worn my clothes too big thinking that somehow that will cover up the fact that I'm fat so it's a hard habit to break.
Good news is, today I randomly picked out a pair of 24 crop pants just to see and they fit, so I can honestly say I've gone down a size, it just seems to depend on the clothes. Yeah!!!
Thanks guys!
Dawn
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Post by dkramer on Jan 5, 2012 18:18:42 GMT -5
My sister came over (she's very honest...brutally) and made me try on every piece of clothing I own. We tossed out tons that were too large, I have tons that now fit and I'm happy to say they are a size smaller (22/24) and I have a small amount that I will shrink into (18/20).
I still hate the way they cling to my body but I'm going to force myself to wear them and get used to people seeing me for what I am, a beautiful work in progress!!
Dawn
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Post by callmeEJ on Jan 5, 2012 19:13:19 GMT -5
It's really weird to wear form-fitting clothes after so much time wearing things that are loose! I put on a XXL sweater a couple of mornings ago, and it took my husband about 5 minutes to convince me that it was way too big. Because what do guys know about fashion, right? But when he demonstrated all the extra fabric under the arms, I relented and changed shirts.
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Psyche
Full Member
DS ♦ 08/06/2009
Posts: 118
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Post by Psyche on Jan 5, 2012 19:46:53 GMT -5
Yay for an honest and brutal sister... sometimes. Congratulations on shrinking!
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Post by Happy DSr on Jan 6, 2012 0:01:24 GMT -5
you may find that you lose from the top down. I've seen many posts where others, like me, have lost firstly in the face, then the shoulders/chest, then only later on do we lose the stomach/hips. So the shirt sizes went down much more quickly than the pants.
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Post by ModestoK on Jan 6, 2012 15:04:29 GMT -5
I'm another top down loser.
I think you need to bring along your honest sister and hit some thrift stores. Out with the frumpy clothes, in with more fitting ones that show off your hard work.
You deserve to have clothing that fits and flatters your smaller body!
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Post by jjthejetplane on Jan 6, 2012 16:00:23 GMT -5
Make sure your undergarments fit you perfectly and you will feel good no matter what else you have on. I am wearing this crap til it falls off my ass. Ive lost over 100 and I am still in the same size. But I have gone down 4 sizes in underoos! When I have somewhere important to go I find something smaller in the closet but until then I will wear it till in drops down. :-)
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Post by Gail R on Jan 6, 2012 16:37:55 GMT -5
Remember to save a couple of your biggest outfits. I can be a real eye opener when you are experiencing dis-morphia. I still can't see myself as slim. Last night I wore a pair of my old PJ's. They would have been very snug at my highest weight. I was literally swimming in them and had to roll up the sleeves. It is mind bending to pull all that fabric away from your body and try to imagine that I once filled it tightly. You are just starting on the wild ride-enjoy it.
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