What nobody tells you about losing weight
Replies
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On jeans sizing..this weight/size range definitely rings true. All brands size & shape differently, it seems.
I found it to be encouraging and helpful to find jeans that fit to wear, from anywhere, and I also buy the exact same jeans in one size down. When I can fit into the smaller pair and the larger becomes more loose, then I give the larger away and buy the next size down still to have to wear. It helps me guage in a tangible way how I'm losing, in addition to the scale.
I've done this from 300lbs (size 22W in a specific brand) and as I've lost about 55 lbs I've worked my way down through 20W, 18W, and now in a 16. I just tossed the 18Ws a few weeks back.
I wear the 16s now and have a 14 waiting in my drawer. I try them on occasionally to see how far up I can pull them. Right now it's about to my knees! haha But, from experience with the other sizes, I'll be able to get them over my thighs.. and then all the way.. and then eventually button them. And then eventually button AND breathe in them! Ha!
Interestingly, I have bought 16s in other brands online and some fit but some I can't button yet! I didn't decide to branch out to other brands until I hit size 16.12 -
StephanieLWS wrote: »On jeans sizing..this weight/size range definitely rings true. All brands size & shape differently, it seems.
I found it to be encouraging and helpful to find jeans that fit to wear, from anywhere, and I also buy the exact same jeans in one size down. When I can fit into the smaller pair and the larger becomes more loose, then I give the larger away and buy the next size down still to have to wear. It helps me guage in a tangible way how I'm losing, in addition to the scale.
I've done this from 300lbs (size 22W in a specific brand) and as I've lost about 55 lbs I've worked my way down through 20W, 18W, and now in a 16. I just tossed the 18Ws a few weeks back.
I wear the 16s now and have a 14 waiting in my drawer. I try them on occasionally to see how far up I can pull them. Right now it's about to my knees! haha But, from experience with the other sizes, I'll be able to get them over my thighs.. and then all the way.. and then eventually button them. And then eventually button AND breathe in them! Ha!
Interestingly, I have bought 16s in other brands online and some fit but some I can't button yet! I didn't decide to branch out to other brands until I hit size 16.
My problem is that regardless of how much I weigh, I have a butt. I have lordosis, and while it's not always comfortable, it means I have a butt, had one when I was fat, and I will have one when I am at goal weight. And some jeans are not cut for women with butts. (This is okay. From my observation, some women regardless of size have a flat butt.) So I don't try other brands, because I found one that works for my particular shape. But I do that thing you do. I have two pairs of 14s waiting for me in the drawer. That way on the day that the 16s get just annoyingly too big, I just get those out and it's all good.
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StephanieLWS wrote: »On jeans sizing..this weight/size range definitely rings true. All brands size & shape differently, it seems.
I found it to be encouraging and helpful to find jeans that fit to wear, from anywhere, and I also buy the exact same jeans in one size down. When I can fit into the smaller pair and the larger becomes more loose, then I give the larger away and buy the next size down still to have to wear. It helps me guage in a tangible way how I'm losing, in addition to the scale.
I've done this from 300lbs (size 22W in a specific brand) and as I've lost about 55 lbs I've worked my way down through 20W, 18W, and now in a 16. I just tossed the 18Ws a few weeks back.
I wear the 16s now and have a 14 waiting in my drawer. I try them on occasionally to see how far up I can pull them. Right now it's about to my knees! haha But, from experience with the other sizes, I'll be able to get them over my thighs.. and then all the way.. and then eventually button them. And then eventually button AND breathe in them! Ha!
Interestingly, I have bought 16s in other brands online and some fit but some I can't button yet! I didn't decide to branch out to other brands until I hit size 16.
When I was losing the bulk of the weight, I stuck with one brand of jeans. Because you're right, it is so much easier to determine when it's time to go to the next size down if you're not always dealing with "this one is cut this way, this one is cut that way, etc, etc." It is only now that I've branched out (I only have about 8kg left and they are going so slooooow). I find that sizing tends to be more stable (+/- a size) unless the material changes then everything is in the wind. XD
One of the best things about losing weight was changing sizes. It was a key indicator of progress. I slayed many a dragonpants in my downward spiral, but now... I have to go by fit since my size isn't going to go any lower unless I start shaving bone (ew). So now, it's more about how soft I am and what spills over and if my inner rubber ducky floatie can be seen or not. Which isn't quite as immediately thrilling, but it is thrilling in its own right.13 -
StephanieLWS wrote: »On jeans sizing..this weight/size range definitely rings true. All brands size & shape differently, it seems.
I found it to be encouraging and helpful to find jeans that fit to wear, from anywhere, and I also buy the exact same jeans in one size down. When I can fit into the smaller pair and the larger becomes more loose, then I give the larger away and buy the next size down still to have to wear. It helps me guage in a tangible way how I'm losing, in addition to the scale.
I've done this from 300lbs (size 22W in a specific brand) and as I've lost about 55 lbs I've worked my way down through 20W, 18W, and now in a 16. I just tossed the 18Ws a few weeks back.
I wear the 16s now and have a 14 waiting in my drawer. I try them on occasionally to see how far up I can pull them. Right now it's about to my knees! haha But, from experience with the other sizes, I'll be able to get them over my thighs.. and then all the way.. and then eventually button them. And then eventually button AND breathe in them! Ha!
Interestingly, I have bought 16s in other brands online and some fit but some I can't button yet! I didn't decide to branch out to other brands until I hit size 16.
I can see this as good and bad. My brain automatically goes to "oh you are failing" when I can't get into the next size jeans. I would rather wait until they are literally falling off my hips to even try the next size down. This is a mental issue for me that I need to get over, but it is hard!9 -
I can't afford bariatric surgery and my at my age, I'm not putting myself through it. All the people I know who had the surgery (5 of them) have regained their weight and their stomachs have stretched to their bigger weights. I'm doing it the old-fashioned way, cutting calories, exercise and writing it all down. I haven't always been successful, but this time feels "lucky" and it's going to stick!29
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I'm doing it the old-fashioned way, cutting calories, exercise and writing it all down. I haven't always been successful, but this time feels "lucky" and it's going to stick!
I'm with you. I just turned 50 and am having some health issues. It has taken me so long to feel like I am actually really ready to make that change.
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I can't afford bariatric surgery and my at my age, I'm not putting myself through it. All the people I know who had the surgery (5 of them) have regained their weight and their stomachs have stretched to their bigger weights. I'm doing it the old-fashioned way, cutting calories, exercise and writing it all down. I haven't always been successful, but this time feels "lucky" and it's going to stick!
Yeah, my sister did it, and she's regained about half of it back, and more problematically, I think it set off her rheumatoid arthritis. That's not something I'd wish on ANYONE, and she's got a six year old daughter. There's a lot of stuff they won't be able to do together.
And my boyfriend did it to make his back hurt less and help his apnea, and it has to some degree (He had Schuermann's disease and it left him with a pretty bad hump/scoliosis in his thoracic spine) but it has seriously changed what he can eat and how he eats, and all in all, when I thought about it, I just didn't want to mess with my guts if I could do it with willpower and time.
Given the way I carried my weight I will probably wind up with an abdominoplasty to deal with the loose skin and the diastasis from the babies. I still look six months pregnant, and I'm seriously wanting THAT to go away, knowing that it will probably be the last thing. And of course, unrelated to weight loss I inherited my father's bunions and have a torn ankle tendon and still have midfoot pain so may have to have midfoot fusion eventually. I have quite enough surgeries in my future.
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As you size down the pockets in your trousers size down to. Only half my iPhone fits in my jeans now.24
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AwesomeSquirrel wrote: »As you size down the pockets in your trousers size down to. Only half my iPhone fits in my jeans now.
Lol.1 -
AwesomeSquirrel wrote: »As you size down the pockets in your trousers size down to. Only half my iPhone fits in my jeans now.
Oh the whole pockets on women’s trousers thing frustrates me so much. Even my 6 year old daughter comments on how silly it is that girls trousers have shallow or even fake pockets.
The thing I hadn’t expected or really thought about is how difficult it is to understand your size when you lose weight. Before I knew I was a size 22 (U.K.), I knew which shops I could buy clothes from and what styles would suit me.
Now 33lbs lighter I go into a shop, can’t try anything on because of Covid, and honestly have no idea what size to buy. I look, hold things up against me, but just can’t gauge at all whether something will be too big, too small or just right. I’ve sent back so many clothes recently.11 -
katescurios wrote: »AwesomeSquirrel wrote: »As you size down the pockets in your trousers size down to. Only half my iPhone fits in my jeans now.
Oh the whole pockets on women’s trousers thing frustrates me so much. Even my 6 year old daughter comments on how silly it is that girls trousers have shallow or even fake pockets.
The thing I hadn’t expected or really thought about is how difficult it is to understand your size when you lose weight. Before I knew I was a size 22 (U.K.), I knew which shops I could buy clothes from and what styles would suit me.
Now 33lbs lighter I go into a shop, can’t try anything on because of Covid, and honestly have no idea what size to buy. I look, hold things up against me, but just can’t gauge at all whether something will be too big, too small or just right. I’ve sent back so many clothes recently.
I don't mind shopping online, but I'm running into the same thing. I live in a cold climate, and I'd like some 3/4 sleeve cotton t-shirts to wear around the house, in colors besides white, black, and grey. I didn't THINK that was a big ask. Apparently it is. Of course, when I was fat I could get them in fifteen colors and four or five prints. (sigh) But I'm on the verge of sizing out of that company's line of clothing.
Same thing with my underwear. I love the thick cotton thongs that Cacique makes, but they don't make straight sizes. So when I drop two more pant sizes, I won't fit in their product any more.
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- getting out old clothes you haven't worn in years and trying them on and they fit, it's like magic. My next goal is to fit in my wedding dress again, I'm "only" 7-8kg away
- the reaction some people have to your weight loss. The passive-aggressiveness / false niceness is truly off the charts.
- the comments of "you're so much better now, oh god before you were ....(whatever)..." is so destructive. Just don't remind me of what I was before. I'm better now. That's all that matters.
- For women; my cycle makes my body react differently now (BMI 29.7) compared to when I was BMI 35.6. I'm still overweight by a lot, don't get me wrong, but I can feel a difference already. Anyone else?
- However I am also realising more and more that losing weight is not going to solve other issues, so if my original root cause for obesity was emotional overeating, I still need to work on those issues. Losing weight is only one way of many to love and care for myself better.
Stay strong everyone!
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AlexandraFindsHerself1971 wrote: »katescurios wrote: »AwesomeSquirrel wrote: »As you size down the pockets in your trousers size down to. Only half my iPhone fits in my jeans now.
Oh the whole pockets on women’s trousers thing frustrates me so much. Even my 6 year old daughter comments on how silly it is that girls trousers have shallow or even fake pockets.
The thing I hadn’t expected or really thought about is how difficult it is to understand your size when you lose weight. Before I knew I was a size 22 (U.K.), I knew which shops I could buy clothes from and what styles would suit me.
Now 33lbs lighter I go into a shop, can’t try anything on because of Covid, and honestly have no idea what size to buy. I look, hold things up against me, but just can’t gauge at all whether something will be too big, too small or just right. I’ve sent back so many clothes recently.
I don't mind shopping online, but I'm running into the same thing. I live in a cold climate, and I'd like some 3/4 sleeve cotton t-shirts to wear around the house, in colors besides white, black, and grey. I didn't THINK that was a big ask. Apparently it is. Of course, when I was fat I could get them in fifteen colors and four or five prints. (sigh) But I'm on the verge of sizing out of that company's line of clothing.
Same thing with my underwear. I love the thick cotton thongs that Cacique makes, but they don't make straight sizes. So when I drop two more pant sizes, I won't fit in their product any more.
Do they have Chico’s in the UK? I go to their outlet store for 3/4 sleeve cotton tees in lots of colors. They don’t pill and hold their shape. And because it is the outlet, they aren’t pricey. I also think LLBean carries them. Sorry, I’m not familiar with UK based stores.
That is all I wear on the winter. I Get way too hot to wear sweaters indoors. Good luck!2 -
AlexandraFindsHerself1971 wrote: »katescurios wrote: »AwesomeSquirrel wrote: »As you size down the pockets in your trousers size down to. Only half my iPhone fits in my jeans now.
Oh the whole pockets on women’s trousers thing frustrates me so much. Even my 6 year old daughter comments on how silly it is that girls trousers have shallow or even fake pockets.
The thing I hadn’t expected or really thought about is how difficult it is to understand your size when you lose weight. Before I knew I was a size 22 (U.K.), I knew which shops I could buy clothes from and what styles would suit me.
Now 33lbs lighter I go into a shop, can’t try anything on because of Covid, and honestly have no idea what size to buy. I look, hold things up against me, but just can’t gauge at all whether something will be too big, too small or just right. I’ve sent back so many clothes recently.
I don't mind shopping online, but I'm running into the same thing. I live in a cold climate, and I'd like some 3/4 sleeve cotton t-shirts to wear around the house, in colors besides white, black, and grey. I didn't THINK that was a big ask. Apparently it is. Of course, when I was fat I could get them in fifteen colors and four or five prints. (sigh) But I'm on the verge of sizing out of that company's line of clothing.
Same thing with my underwear. I love the thick cotton thongs that Cacique makes, but they don't make straight sizes. So when I drop two more pant sizes, I won't fit in their product any more.
Do they have Chico’s in the UK? I go to their outlet store for 3/4 sleeve cotton tees in lots of colors. They don’t pill and hold their shape. And because it is the outlet, they aren’t pricey. I also think LLBean carries them. Sorry, I’m not familiar with UK based stores.
That is all I wear on the winter. I Get way too hot to wear sweaters indoors. Good luck!
I'm in the USA, so that helps.2 -
AwesomeSquirrel wrote: »As you size down the pockets in your trousers size down to. Only half my iPhone fits in my jeans now.
I picked up a new with tags still on pair of denim shorts at a second-hand store. They fit fine even though I couldn't figure out the size number. But the pockets were TINY.
I went online to look, and as it turns out it was a boys' size, not a men's size. Go figure. I think they were mislabeled; I shouldn't have fit in them, but I do. But why the tiny pockets?2 -
estherjellybabe wrote: »- For women; my cycle makes my body react differently now (BMI 29.7) compared to when I was BMI 35.6. I'm still overweight by a lot, don't get me wrong, but I can feel a difference already. Anyone else?
Stay strong everyone!
Oh I HATE the tiny jeans pockets. so useless!
My body reacts differently now to my cycle. it sneaks up on me because I don't get the achy breasts or the crampiness I used to. I still get the bloating and the PMS just on a much smaller scale. So I really gotta pay attention to my calendar and had to install an app on my phone for reminders that its coming because a couple of my cycles started and I didnt feel Any of the "warning" signs of the cramps, bloat, etc..
I went skiing today . 1st day of the season. 20 lbs lighter than the end of last season. Wow that threw me for a loop. On top of being rusty from the 7 month break, I was so off balance and awkward. It was like re learning how to ski. by the end I had adjusted and was skiing like 'normal' again. The nice part was my thighs and knees didn't ache afterwards like they used to!!
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AlexandraFindsHerself1971 wrote: »katescurios wrote: »AwesomeSquirrel wrote: »As you size down the pockets in your trousers size down to. Only half my iPhone fits in my jeans now.
Oh the whole pockets on women’s trousers thing frustrates me so much. Even my 6 year old daughter comments on how silly it is that girls trousers have shallow or even fake pockets.
The thing I hadn’t expected or really thought about is how difficult it is to understand your size when you lose weight. Before I knew I was a size 22 (U.K.), I knew which shops I could buy clothes from and what styles would suit me.
Now 33lbs lighter I go into a shop, can’t try anything on because of Covid, and honestly have no idea what size to buy. I look, hold things up against me, but just can’t gauge at all whether something will be too big, too small or just right. I’ve sent back so many clothes recently.
I don't mind shopping online, but I'm running into the same thing. I live in a cold climate, and I'd like some 3/4 sleeve cotton t-shirts to wear around the house, in colors besides white, black, and grey. I didn't THINK that was a big ask. Apparently it is. Of course, when I was fat I could get them in fifteen colors and four or five prints. (sigh) But I'm on the verge of sizing out of that company's line of clothing.
Same thing with my underwear. I love the thick cotton thongs that Cacique makes, but they don't make straight sizes. So when I drop two more pant sizes, I won't fit in their product any more.
Have you tried JC Penney? Their ST John's Bay line of Tees come in both women's and missy sizes and they are very reasonably priced and have frequent sales. I love to buy this line as the Tees, sweaters and jeans are inexpensive, come in many colors and last quite well.1 -
estherjellybabe wrote: »
My body reacts differently now to my cycle. it sneaks up on me because I don't get the achy breasts or the crampiness I used to. I still get the bloating and the PMS just on a much smaller scale. So I really gotta pay attention to my calendar and had to install an app on my phone for reminders that its coming because a couple of my cycles started and I didnt feel Any of the "warning" signs of the cramps, bloat, etc..
I'm at 29 BMI down from 40 - and have noticed less pain and discomfort as well. In fact it's wonderful how much less I have to deal with. I also notice if I lift weights around that time I can't as heavily but cramping is reduced. That's nice.3 -
Sand_TIger wrote: »estherjellybabe wrote: »
My body reacts differently now to my cycle. it sneaks up on me because I don't get the achy breasts or the crampiness I used to. I still get the bloating and the PMS just on a much smaller scale. So I really gotta pay attention to my calendar and had to install an app on my phone for reminders that its coming because a couple of my cycles started and I didnt feel Any of the "warning" signs of the cramps, bloat, etc..
I'm at 29 BMI down from 40 - and have noticed less pain and discomfort as well. In fact it's wonderful how much less I have to deal with. I also notice if I lift weights around that time I can't as heavily but cramping is reduced. That's nice.
I really can't tell changes in my symptoms from weight loss from the changes in my cycle due to perimenopause. Since I turned 40, it's like every month all the symptoms get put in a box and shaken up, and then a certain number (which has been getting less and less over the years) show up at random times during the PMS and actual TOM itself. So I just never know. I'm at the end of the month and spotting so it SHOULD be any time now. Of course, that has no bearing on anything any more. (sigh)2 -
When I haven't quite hit MY goal weight and some (slightly overweight) friends say..........."Don't you think you've lost enough weight now, you looked fine as you were"............
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I don't know if this is universal, but this is my experience: if I need to go down a clothing size, sometimes I will stall out on further loss until I've acquired some smaller clothing which fits better. I bought two new pieces last month and now I'm back on losing again. I always resist it, but it makes a difference for me. I think what's going on is that wearing clothes that fit help me to feel good enough in my body that I want to keep going.11
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Sitting (particularly in baths) and laying (particularly in beds) will become ever increasingly uncomfortable.[/quote]
Why are these things uncomfortable when you lose weight? Curious!2 -
BabyMonkeh wrote: »Sitting (particularly in baths) and laying (particularly in beds) will become ever increasingly uncomfortable.
Why are these things uncomfortable when you lose weight? Curious![/quote]
You lose all the padding you had between your sharp boney spots (like your ischia and your shoulders and iliac crests) and the thing you're sitting on/lying on.
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At the kids bedtime I lay on one of their beds and read on my phone until they're asleep. I used to lay on my stomach and prop up on my elbows. I have gone from 261 to 199 and the loss of gut means this position is no longer an option. The angle of my spine in that position now causes intolerable discomfort within minutes.7
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I've lost about 20 pounds, and while I don't see a difference when looking in the mirror, I can feel a difference when it comes to my bones, especially at my knees. Shaving results in bloody knees and as a side-sleeper I can't fall asleep without a pillow in-between my knees. Plus, I actually have collarbones now!12
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People always talk about hitting a plateau, but I didn't expect it to last so long! In the last two months I've lost 3 pounds. Oh well, I prefer barely losing to any gaining!21
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When I haven't quite hit MY goal weight and some (slightly overweight) friends say..........."Don't you think you've lost enough weight now, you looked fine as you were"............
I’ve had relatives do this to me recently, not all of them are over weight tho. I am a little bit less than 10 pounds to my goal and my goal is not even the smallest in my healthy weight range. My mother in law said several things to me, first starting out saying I look as small as I was on my wedding day(I’m not even close). Then went on to say I shouldn’t get any smaller. It comes across pretty damn insulting like I would hurt/starve myself. ...and I really don’t care to hear her comments or what she thinks of my weight/my body. None of it came across supportive, just really rude. My mom just goes on about how skinny I’ve gotten. I certainly have gotten thinner, lost 62 pounds of a 5’2.5” inch body and it’s gonna look pretty drastic. But I am NOT toothpick thin. And it just makes me uncomfortable with on the comments sometimes. Again they have more of a negative inflection.
Really what it comes down to is I AM happy. I feel great. I’m working on the vanity pounds now and starting my strength routine to start toning up, get more flexible,& feel STRONG. I’m gonna keep doing what I’m doing and ignore all the negative people who don’t have a say about my body and health.......unless they are my doctor.
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theflyingerrow wrote: »People always talk about hitting a plateau, but I didn't expect it to last so long! In the last two months I've lost 3 pounds. Oh well, I prefer barely losing to any gaining!
I went 6 weeks loosing and gaining the same pound before it finally came off for good. Hang in there!11 -
BabyMonkeh wrote: »Sitting (particularly in baths) and laying (particularly in beds) will become ever increasingly uncomfortable.
Why are these things uncomfortable when you lose weight? Curious!
I have had to buy a cushion for my computer chair!7 -
My little nephew climbed up in my lap, and asked me why I had sparkles on my arm. I looked and told him I didn’t see any. He was very insistent about my sparkles.
Finally realized he meant wrinkles.
Those darn weight loss wrinkles. I prefer to think of them as sparkles now.
I just sparkle alllllll over.74
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