New Years Eve Dress Aid?

Kiarrith

Hello!
A dress I ordered online [I know that's nonideal, but to be frank, I live in the middle of nowhere, and cannot afford store prices anyhow] for a fancy New Year's Eve Bash does not fit. It seems like it's ever so close to doing so though [and the problem is my ribcage/back fat/breasts]. I do have a rather large frame [broad shoulders, large ribcage, wide hips, cannot encircle my wrist with my index finger and thumb].
So I'm trying to get down a half size or size in the next two weeks. Not easy, and not the safe way to do things, I know, but I figure I can get back on track after. I found out about this problem last Thursday, and have foregone all alcohol [a sad thing, as my partner is Italian, and thus is used to having wine with every dinner, and now I am as well], sugar, breadstuffs, etc. We've [my partner is mostly joining me, which is fabulous, and very supportive] been eating lean chicken breasts or tenders, tons of salad with home made dressings, soups, etc. I start each day with a protein shake with fruit and yogurt. I read something about leaving at least 5 hours between meals to allow insulin to decrease and HGH to be produced. It goes against the grazing/snacking theory that used to be popular, and I suspect the scientific studies on it's effectiveness have been done almost exclusively in males, so no idea if it will even help me, but I figured why not give it a try as it is very different from what I used to do.
My calorie intake, while I've not been counting per se [kept a food log, but have not checked calories, as I have not been weighing things], has been restricted. I've been exercising fairly well [a rest day on Saturday, and an hour and a half of yoga Sunday, but no other]: at least somewhat intense (sweaty, effortful) elliptical for 40 days on weekdays, and gym time (body weight exercises, a couple of the weight machines that I had not read could be harmful, rowing machine, treadmill, stretch cage (mmmmmm I stretch cages)) twice a week.
Attempting to not over due or injure, but also be high level.
But in these 5 days, I've only seen a weight decrease of 2 pounds. I read that a dress size is often 10 lbs different. Dunno how true this is on different frames [mine is large, and my job (aspiring farmer) physically demanding, so I have a lot of muscle on me as well].

Anyhow. I'd love to hear others's thoughts and experiences with this sort of thing. I also dread trying to maintain or lose weight over christmas, as we are going to NY to visit my partner's family for most of a week, and they eat and drink, as one is wont to do, quite festively...

Has anyone had any results with diet pills, or are they mostly just caffeine and promises?

I was also reading about people who drink a tsp or two of baking soda dissolved in water before eating, or before exercise, either for weight loss or to counteract the acid build up in muscles during an intense workout. Any results or experiences with either of these things?

I drink lemon water often, but have never noticed it helping me in any way other than to be delicious.

Any advice, encouragement, or stories of experience with anything remotely related would be greatly appreciated in this winter time.

Thanks!
Karen

obscuremusicreference

Meal timing has been debunked, you seem to be correct that diet pills are caffeine and promises, and I have never heard the claim about baking soda.

Your best bet is a caloric deficit (see what MFP gives you for 2 lbs/week) and perhaps Spanx.

Good luck!

obscuremusicreference

I wore this for a wedding, but if your problem is your breasts and not just midsection/back fat, if might be a bad idea.

ETA: This will only help you look better in the dress. If you're unable to zip it, that's just going to be a waste of money.

OrangeBabelfish

2lbs in 5 days is *not* a small loss.

DO NOT go for diet pills. They can be dangerous. Heck, if you're desperate the day before, I'd be inclined to recommend one of those mud wraps over diet pills. Sure, it's just water weight that you lose with them and you put the inches and lbs back on the moment you drink water, but for a temporary quick fix to fit into a dress I'd sure as hell prefer to do that to my body than diet pills!!!! (And I have taken those so I am speaking from experience, you don't want to go there!)

You cannot out exercise a bad diet. So try to eat at a deficit for all the days apart from maybe Christmas day itself, or whatever the most important one is.

segacs

First off, welcome to the forums.

I should say, prepare for a bit of a mess in the replies to your post. I know you're new here and you don't necessarily realize this, but you've touched upon a LOT of things in your post that are either myths, no-nos, or just plain unrelated to weight loss.

The simple truth is that losing weight is about CICO: Calories In < Calories Out. You said you've "not been counting, per se" and that's the biggest telltale right there: You need to count. Get a food scale. Weigh everything you eat. Measure everything you drink. Track and log, log and track. Track your exercise. Get that calorie equation under control.

All the other stuff you mention (eating 'clean', diet pills, lemon water, leaving specific amounts of time between meals) is not going to make any difference, or could well do you harm.

If you've lost 2 pounds in the first week, that's already a great start. Losing 1-2lbs/week is what you can expect at most -- probably less, if you don't have a ton to lose.

There are temporary quick-fix things you can do the day of, just to fit into that dress, like taking a diuretic to drop water weight quickly. They're not particularly safe, nor recommended, but they do exist.

However, I would highly recommend instead that you do this the right way and focus on a slow, steady, sustainable and healthy weight loss.

And in the meantime, send back that online dress for the next size up, or visit a seamstress or tailor in your area to get it let out a little bit.

Lounmoun

My advice is to spend the two weeks getting a bigger dress or getting that dress altered. Don't torture yourself over one dress. Don't try to lose more than 2 pounds a week. Be healthy.
Log what you eat. I find it really helpful to plan and log my whole day in advance.
Drink mostly water. Eat enough food to fuel your body. Eat food you like but smaller portions of higher calorie items. Measure or weigh things. Use a smaller plate.

MoiAussi93

There is no way you can be certain you will lose enough inches to fit into the dress in two weeks, and as others have already pointed out some of what you are considering might not be healthy.

I would either get a different dress, or consider buying a good corset...not the decorative type, the type that really suck you in... or some other type of shapewear. Some of these things can supposedly instantly reduce the problem areas by several inches. However, with what you would spend to buy something like that, you might be able to just buy another dress.

AskTracyAnnK28

Buy a different dress. I'm sure you can get one at a great price this time of year. I recently got one from White House Black Market for 50% off.

lemon629

I think you should return that dress and buy another one that fits the body you have now.
Even if you do manage to lose several pounds between now and New Year's, the dress still may not fit. There is no way of knowing where the excess fat will come off. And from how you describe your body, it sounds like you just have a large frame.

If you are determined to where this dress, try a minimizer bra. I think most minimizers give the breasts a strange unflattering shape, but you might find one you like. That would just help with your bust, though, not your shoulders.

kgeyser

Order the same dress in a larger size. Wear larger dress to NYE. Return smaller dress that does not fit.

TopazCutie

+1 for buy another dress. Even if you somehow get it to barely fit, you probably won't be very comfortable and especially if you're going to be eating/drinking a lot it will get even tighter.

segacs

By the way, you'll always look thinner in a dress that's slightly too loose than in one that's slightly too tight.