The Traveling Pants... and Shirts... and stuff :D

[BebeZed]

I am pleased to say that my oldest daughter came to visit and she's finally clearing out all of the random stuff she left behind, including old clothes. She's gained a bit of weight, however, so a lot of her old clothes no longer fit her, so she started a pile of clothing she's saving for me.

The shocker came in this morning when I tried on a pair of her old jeans. I was reasonably sure I'd not be able to squeeze myself into them but much to my surprise, they slipped right on, zipped without a struggle and the button was done up with ease! This is the first time I've worn pants without an elastic waist for about ten years!

I now have a pile of pants and casual tops (t shirts and such) that make me look relatively normal - I no longer have to resort to wearing stuff that's several sizes too big! The jeans I'm wearing are a size 20 - how is that even possible?!?! They must be cut BIG for the size! Still bigger than I want but soooo close to "normal" sizes that it pleases me no end... and it's MUCH smaller than the 30s or 32s I was wearing just last spring.

I spent all morning trying on clothes and looking in the mirror. STARING into the mirror because I look so different that even *I* can notice it. I feel really good about myself and my progress. I look fat still of course, but a more normal degree of fat instead of "OMG mommy look at the fat lady" kind of fat. The circus will be glad to get their tents back I'm sure

On another note, my arms are starting to deflate rapidly. I can see where a big area that was formerly all puffed out with fat has gone concave and I'm starting to develop those lovely batwings LOL My inner thighs are also starting to look really weird because of the fat going away. I'm starting to be a big glorious mess and I'm totally pleased!

And to think I've really only just begun...

 

[southernlady]

The shocker came in this morning when I tried on a pair of her old jeans. I was reasonably sure I'd not be able to squeeze myself into them but much to my surprise, they slipped right on, zipped without a struggle and the button was done up with ease! This is the first time I've worn pants without an elastic waist for about ten years!

I now have a pile of pants and casual tops (t shirts and such) that make me look relatively normal - I no longer have to resort to wearing stuff that's several sizes too big! The jeans I'm wearing are a size 20 - how is that even possible?!?! They must be cut BIG for the size! Still bigger than I want but soooo close to "normal" sizes that it pleases me no end... and it's MUCH smaller than the 30s or 32s I was wearing just last spring.

I spent all morning trying on clothes and looking in the mirror. STARING into the mirror because I look so different that even *I* can notice it. I feel really good about myself and my progress. I look fat still of course, but a more normal degree of fat instead of "OMG mommy look at the fat lady" kind of fat. The circus will be glad to get their tents back I'm sure

Fantastic NSV!!!!

On another note, my arms are starting to deflate rapidly. I can see where a big area that was formerly all puffed out with fat has gone concave and I'm starting to develop those lovely batwings LOL My inner thighs are also starting to look really weird because of the fat going away. I'm starting to be a big glorious mess and I'm totally pleased!

And to think I've really only just begun...

Oh yeah...the batwings, crepe paper knees, flabby thighs, charter member of the #noassatall club, turkey waddle neck. And I wouldn't trade a BIT of it!

 

[Clematis]

Wonderful! (Well not the floppy skin.) Isn't it fun to try on clothes?

 

[BebeZed]

Wonderful! (Well not the floppy skin.) Isn't it fun to try on clothes?

The floppy skin adds "character" - at least that's what I'm telling myself.
Seriously, I'm so happy about wearing clothes that don't look like typical "fat lady" clothing that I don't even care.

Why oh WHY do they make most plus-size clothing so ugly? Especially the less expensive ones... ewww!

 

[Pugcrazy]

How FABULOUS!!!! I'm thrilled for you BeBeZed! I hope to soon be on the "other side" along with you!!!!

 

[DSRIGGS]

You are doing so well.

Regarding clothes, I bought some dress slacks and jeans from Goodwill for about 4 bucks each and they were in fantastic shape. As I lost I went from size 52 waste down to 34/36 now (depends on maker) so I was going through pants monthly. I wasn't spending $60 on a pair of slacks that were last a month so somebody told me Goodwill had great stuff so I tried it out...it was a great find. So if you have thrift stores in your area and you run through your daughter's size clothes, check them out.

and regarding flappy skin - I think it tends to be worse for you ladies but I have a turkey neck that I try to hide (not very well) with my beard, some loose skin on my face/cheek area, my upper arms are a bit flappy, some loose skin around my inner thighs (and WARNING: close your eyes if you don't want to read this but I have old man droopy scrotal skin now that unless I am careful gets an very unwanted bath - my biggest pet peave with this loss and I have a bunch of loose skin on my groin that I would like to be gone), and of course a bad case of noassatall.....but overall it isn't bad. Sure I would like my face skin to be a little tighter and hopefully it will over time and I would like the loose skin on my groin and lower abdomen gone but I can live with it.

 

[newanatomy]

Yay! New sizes are such a fun time well, when they are going in the right direction anyway. As far as floppy skin, I give all new meaning to "a bag of bones". My bag is huge!

 

[southernlady]

Regarding clothes, I bought some dress slacks and jeans from Goodwill for about 4 bucks each and they were in fantastic shape. As I lost I went from size 52 waste down to 34/36 now (depends on maker) so I was going through pants monthly. I wasn't spending $60 on a pair of slacks that were last a month so somebody told me Goodwill had great stuff so I tried it out...it was a great find. So if you have thrift stores in your area and you run through your daughter's size clothes, check them out.

When dh was dropping sizes, we looked in all the thrift stores in our area. Seldom found men's pants or jeans in decent shape...seem most men wear them out first. We finally resorted to buying the cheapest jeans we could find. Now we get him the good brands but he's been stable for 3/4 years now. (He's 5 years out).

 

[DSRIGGS]

When dh was dropping sizes, we looked in all the thrift stores in our area. Seldom found men's pants or jeans in decent shape...seem most men wear them out first. We finally resorted to buying the cheapest jeans we could find. Now we get him the good brands but he's been stable for 3/4 years now. (He's 5 years out).

I was lucky I guess because the work slacks I found were hardly used Haggar pants and in great shape. I think I found one pair of jeans, but yes I bought cheap jeans from Walmart and they lasted just fine and in fact I still have a pair of those now that I wear all the time when not at work in the fall/winter.

 

[aaa]

 

[Munchkin]

Hooray for you! I still remember the first time I tried on a 14 and it fit! These are the days!

The good news in the skin department is that it will continue to shrink for up to 2 years post massive weight loss. I had cycles. I would look awful and then a bit better. Then awful again! Give it some time after you are done losing to see what you are actually going to end up with!

 

[BebeZed]

You are doing so well.

Regarding clothes, I bought some dress slacks and jeans from Goodwill for about 4 bucks each and they were in fantastic shape. As I lost I went from size 52 waste down to 34/36 now (depends on maker) so I was going through pants monthly. I wasn't spending $60 on a pair of slacks that were last a month so somebody told me Goodwill had great stuff so I tried it out...it was a great find. So if you have thrift stores in your area and you run through your daughter's size clothes, check them out.

and regarding flappy skin - I think it tends to be worse for you ladies but I have a turkey neck that I try to hide (not very well) with my beard, some loose skin on my face/cheek area, my upper arms are a bit flappy, some loose skin around my inner thighs (and WARNING: close your eyes if you don't want to read this but I have old man droopy scrotal skin now that unless I am careful gets an very unwanted bath - my biggest pet peave with this loss and I have a bunch of loose skin on my groin that I would like to be gone), and of course a bad case of noassatall.....but overall it isn't bad. Sure I would like my face skin to be a little tighter and hopefully it will over time and I would like the loose skin on my groin and lower abdomen gone but I can live with it.

Scott, that was one of the most amusing posts EVER!

I will be hitting the thrift stores as soon as the current crop of clothing no longer works. By then I'll be in "normal" sizes so I'll be able to find an abundance of clothing for very little money. I used to get ALL of my wardrobe from our local Salvation Army and Goodwill (good stuff, too!) but then I got too big and wasn't able to find clothing. You don't know how happy I am that I will be able to do that again soon!

 

[DianaCox]

"my oldest daughter came to visit and she's finally clearing out all of the random stuff she left behind, including old clothes. She's gained a bit of weight, however, so a lot of her old clothes no longer fit her, so she started a pile of clothing she's saving for me."

I don't know about you, but I cringed when I read this - I hope you paid attention to the pain this may have caused your daughter - giving you her clothes she's too fat for. Sometimes, in our joy about what we are experiencing, we may unintentionally rub other people's noses in feelings we are very familiar with and should be very sensitive to.

I'm "fortunate" that my daughter is 4" shorter than I am - even though she's probably about the same BMI (~31-32), I will never be wearing her hand-me-downs (nor vice versa). I think that would sting a bit for her.

 

[BebeZed]

"my oldest daughter came to visit and she's finally clearing out all of the random stuff she left behind, including old clothes. She's gained a bit of weight, however, so a lot of her old clothes no longer fit her, so she started a pile of clothing she's saving for me."

I don't know about you, but I cringed when I read this - I hope you paid attention to the pain this may have caused your daughter - giving you her clothes she's too fat for. Sometimes, in our joy about what we are experiencing, we may unintentionally rub other people's noses in feelings we are very familiar with and should be very sensitive to.

I'm "fortunate" that my daughter is 4" shorter than I am - even though she's probably about the same BMI (~31-32), I will never be wearing her hand-me-downs (nor vice versa). I think that would sting a bit for her.

No pain - she and I have been trading clothes since she was a teenager as we both go up and down. She's on her typical winter upswing but she'll be able to wear the clothes again by summer at which point I give them back (including the ones that originated with me, went to her, then just came back). Its just a thing we do, and have for 20 years or so.

Funny thing, we also trade clothes with my youngest son... we all wear the same type of stuff. He saw the workout pants I had on and he made sure to point out that he'd been offered them first but they were just a tad too big for him. I laughed...the boy's a brat

 

[DianaCox]

Oh, OK - it just hit me that way.

My mother is not only 6" taller than me (well, she was, before shrinking as she aged), but was essentially always MO - SMO. At one point, close to 400 lbs. But the year I became obese (age 16) was coincidentally (? or not?) the year she got prescribed amphetamines and got down to a size 16, which was quite slim for someone of her stature. As I got fat, I remember the sting of her trying to give me some of her by then no longer fitting 16s. <<Shudder>>