Nikasio

I may have different gripes since I was on the higher end of things and couldn't even shop int he plus size section of most stores. I had to get my clothes from Woman Within, Catherines, and other online retailers.

1. Dumb embellishments on so many larger plus size clothes. Really cheesy prints and embroidering and sequins and... bleh. Catherine's is especially guilty of this.
2. No creative cuts/buttons/shape(!!!)/cable or other types of fancy knitting/etc. Yes, I really want to look like I just threw a solid-color tablecloth over myself. I don't need shape or buttons or anything cute/classy (not embellished/shiny) to distract from the mile of fabric I'm wearing.
3. Sleeves Part 1. Why do I have to pay 45 dollars for a shirt and I only get 1 inch of sleeve? Might as well wear a tank top!
4. Price. Wow is it expensive to be a plus size lady. One thing I really look forward to is being able to buy cheap clothes. (That are 10x cuter than anything available in the store.)
5. Color choices part 1. Why does this pair of pants come in 10 different colors, but only 2 in my size? Black and Grey (or black and brown, or JUST BLACK.)
6. Color choices part 2. Just a general lack of creativity and originality in color options for plus size clothing overall. Especially when it comes to subtle color choices.
7. Nothing youthful. I've been overweight since the 2nd grade and have been wearing "old lady clothes" (no disrespect to anyone who self-identifies as an old lady) since I've been an adult. I'm probably going to go through a "dresses too young" phase once I can buy stuff from regular stores.
8. Sleeves Part 2. Maybe this is not just a plus-size problem, but in winter, why are so many plus size tops 3/4 length? Even bulky sweaters! I guess the ends of my arms don't get cold like normal people's. It's my superpower.
9. Neck holes. Maybe this is just because I have those aforementioned narrow shoulders. But nothing beats finding a top that is actually cute (or that I can at least tolerate) only to find that I can't keep it from falling off my shoulders. What is that about??


That being said, there are a handful of pretty cool options that I sadly didn't discover until it was (mostly) too late:

1. modcloth.com (only online) -- I've known about them for years, but only realized about a year or so ago that they carry up to a 4x!! Have gotten a couple cute dresses and sweaters from here.
2. eShakti.com (not sure if they have storefronts) -- Just discovered these guys several weeks ago. They have really cute stuff. Their dresses rival (but don't 100% match) the cuteness of Modcloth, and they go up to a 6x and also offer CUSTOM SIZES at only an additional $7.50 per item. Well worth the upcharge for something that fits you PERFECTLY. (Especially for the girl with big hips/butt and super narrow shoulders!!)
3. torrid.com (and in stores) -- Even though their styles are more urban-ish than I usually wear, I was able to buy a Johnny Cash t-shirt here recently. Even with losing as much weight as I have, graphic Ts are hard to come by for the plus-size crowd. I have worn the Cash shirt twice and have gotten easily a dozen compliments each time.

@@Nikasio that was hilarious! My husband threatens this from time to time. And here's a joke for you: person walks up to the guy in kilt and says, "is anything worn under there." Man in kilt, "Nay, lassie, everything's in perfect working order!"
Now for my rant on the fashion industry: what the hell are those maxi-length sleeveless dresses about? My legs are the one thing I want to show off -- not the arms. And the fabrics are so cheap and flimsy. Eeek.

I agree with the other commenters. This has been my struggle so I definitely understand. You aren't eating enough calories so your body is holding on to everything for dear life. LOL! Plus you are only 10 weeks out which is still early. I would suggest eating something every two hours. Yogurt. fruit. Protein bars. Nuts. Jerky. Boiled eggs. Veggies. I know it is hard while still trying to get in your Water though. Good luck.

"Working out" at this early stage just means walking. You are pushing way too hard too fast for the amount of calories you can consume right now. Babbs is 100% right that you will quickly put yourself in starvation mode at this rate (if you haven't already). I'd also like to point out that burning more calories through exercise than you eat is a form of anorexia called "anorexia athletica". While it's true that you need to create a calorie deficit in order to lose weight, you need to remember that the majority of the calories you burn are just through basic bodily functions. If you add excessive exercise on top of that, your metabolism will slow drastically and your body will resort to burning muscle stores for energy.
EDIT: Just want to say that exercise is very important and you should ABSOLUTELY include it, but be mindful to not push your body beyond what it can sustain right now. As you are able to increase your calorie intake, you can work on increasing your intensity.

You're probably not eating enough to compensate for the amount of exercise you're doing. You're only 10 weeks out, so I'd imagine you can only eat up to 800 calories? Is it possible to eat more? If not, back off a little on the exercise. You are gaining muscle, too, so that will slow things down. I exercise like a maniac, too, and I had to up my calories to 1100 to even continue to lose because my body flat out was holding on to everything. You are far too early out for that I'm sure.

I do notice on these boards that once people get within our weight range, they tend to slow down and stall a lot. You just have to tweak things to figure out how to get things going again! Good Luck!

@@byebyedarkpassenger Chub Rub, AKA fire crotch, is why I have to pay extra for suits. For guys, the solution is to get your tailor to sew in a couple of triangles of cloth in the crotch of the trousers. These will absorb the brunt of the wear and tear and can then be removed and replaced as need be. I also get the inside pants liner so some of the friction is taken up there. The problem is that unless you go to a tailor who also makes suits the selection of material for those triangles is limited. The thicker the material or wool blend, the longer my pants' crotch survives.
The alternative would be:

@@LousPeachy LOL. That makes about as much sense as putting the handicap parking at the farthest end of the parking lot 'cause they need the exercise. I remember taking my mom shopping and the look of terror on her face as she attempted the escalators when the elevators were broken. Her Parkinson's made it difficult for her to walk let alone take an escalator to get to the women's section on the third floor. If women do most of the shopping then why do they make them work for it? Is it cause they think they'll pickup a toy for the child and underwear for the husband?

I worked retail for 26 years. I can't figure WHY they put PLUS Sizes on the second or third floor! Yeah, we all probably need the exercise. What we DON'T need to be so out of breath and sweaty that we can't try on clothes even if we wanted too.
I came to the conclusion that a bunch of stuffy male executives wearing $1000 suits came up with that one. :-(

@@CanyonBaby I am jealous It seems these infused flavors have not hit the nutrition wasteland I live in. So far I have been using lemon juice, Frank's Red Hot, and Worcestershire sauce to give the bland broths some flavor.
Your suggestion to use a cheesecloth bag is 'food Network' ingenious.
The cheesecloth will give me a chance to try a bay leaf, chopped parsley and cilantro without worrying about stray bits in the broth.
Thank you.

@@LipstickLady oh no you are being stalked I think I have posted enough for one night and will head back to my Rosetta Stone Spanish Lessons.

What don’t I dislike about the fashion industry? That would be a little quicker…
But okay, a few of the problems I have:
I would have a lot more options if I were taller. Sorry, I’m only 5’7.” Does that mean I don’t deserve to wear clothes that fit? Sizes are inconsistent between brands. I have no idea how big or small something will be without trying it on, and I don’t like clothes shopping. Shapes, and proportions…apparently mine aren’t the same as the clothes’.

@@Proud2BMe
So I started to answer, then got called out! Sorry! Are you using canned broth, or making your own? Have you had your surgery yet, or is this for your pre-op diet? Or both? To "beef" up the flavor, you can use meat, cooked or raw, just simmer it in a sauce pan, or in a crock pot (for longer periods), if using raw meat, make sure the meat is fully cooked before removing it from the broth. While you're doing this, add seasonings/spices that you prefer. It sounds like maybe you did not add enough of the spices you did use, or maybe didn't cook it long enough, or both. Be careful of pepper, it can get out of hand in a hurry!
For beef broth, I like to add black pepper, garlic, and onion. For chicken, I like thyme, rosemary, sage, and marjoram (if you use a good poultry seasoning blend like McCormicks, it has a great blend of these spices), onion and black pepper.
If you are just wanting broth without bits in it, strain it before using it. You could use whole peppercorns instead of ground pepper, and fresh herbs instead of dried, then tie them up in some cheesecloth, and throw it in the broth to steep for awhile. The longer it sits in there, the stronger the flavor. Then remove the bag before using the broth. Same thing with veggies and meat, strain them out of the broth.
Hopefully this will help. Spices are like gold to me. They add so much interest to what you are cooking. You can change one recipe so many ways just by changing the spices. If you are interested in different spice blends, Penzey's Spices has a catalog (and website), and they make their own blends. Seriously awesome spices! Good luck to you on you endeavors!

My gripe is shoes! Why do all the cute shoes have to have 3 1/2"-6" high? It makes it so hard those of us who want to look classy to do so. I try these types of shoes on and I feel like I'm going to tip over. Walking in them is a joke to me!! Just can't and won't subject myself to such pain!!

My gripe is jeans with bling and splash and stuff on the back patch pockets! My rear is large enough without dressing it up like a movie marquee!! I'm also 53 and those just look silly on me in most circumstances I'd wear nice jeans.

I also hate that SO many pants I try on have higher waists than mine. I know it's how I'm shaped, but at 5'4" I'm not THAT oddly proportioned I don't think.

And ditto that high heel gripe--dang!

my gripes are the ridiculously high cost for decent clothes & black pants.. as a single mom, I live on a pretty tight budget.. I used to be able to find affordable clothes, but that seems to be unheard of now.. I'm a little bigger than the sizes carried at stores like walmart.. maybe it's just me, but I can't stand spending more than 20-25 on a nice blouse.. don't get me started on jeans! lol u know.. old navy had a petition against them for charging considerably higher prices for women's plus than for the big & tall men's..
black pants..... why is it that I can try on every color of one style & the black pair is always one or two sizes smaller? lol what's up with that??

@@Italian Gal You are so right. Somehow the industry doesn't use plus size gals like Klyker, but would instead just put on the smallest size on a slightly meaty gal. The US industry should seriously consider doing what they are starting to do in the EU, self regulate to use bigger models that aren't size 0 or face the possibility of the government (e.g. Italy) passing a law that forces them to use common sense. Maybe then fewer teenage girls will develop terrible eating disorders from the constant bombardment of unrealistic body image. Sorry if I made this rant a little too serious.

I saw the price and asked the ladies about them. Their advice about possible nipple irritation is to use talcum powder. At 78 dollars a pop, the Spanx brand name is a bit pricey. I might as well wait until I get nearer my goal weight. By then my flapjacks will need them because the boys will be saggy instead of perky.

How about the ads for plus size clothes featuring a skinny model????
Oh and what about the designs they put on plus sized models????
And....sleeveless tops!
Can't wait till this is something I no longer have to worry about!!!!

The weeks before surgery are usually a challenge for everyone I talk with. Don't obsess about it, because after surgery it gets easier. The purpose of the pre-op diet is to (1) help shrink your liver to make surgery easier for the surgeon (2) see if you can tolerate and stick to a liquid Protein diet. Don't obsess if you catch yourself cheating 'cause tomorrow is another day. Too many people sneak in those 'one last meal' big dinners while they are on pre-op diet. Don't do that to yourself, because it defeats purpose No. 1 Every day is a brand new day, an opportunity to make changes and improve ones life. Having been a human clothes rack when shopping with friends and family at Plus stores like Lane Bryant I can testify to how much happier women become when they can shop at "regular stores." Good luck.

Lord forbid I have to suddenly lunge forward in my jeans. As I got bigger all my favorite brands would just bust my balls. I had to buy some Duluth ballroom pants 'cause even my Wrangler loose fitting jeans didn't like my butt anymore.

I have one on my back and one on my hip. They look bigger now that I'm smaller
Other than that I haven't seen a difference.

food funerals. I would prefer a good old Irish wake instead. Things get said, alcohol is consumed and deceased is bad mouthed as much as they are praised. So here is a toast to my old friend pizza. You were delicious and had so many of the bad ingredients. Sugary sauces, processed wheat, salty pepperoni, and questionable mafia cheese. You will be missed you old sod.

Horizontal stripes! On what planet do horizontal stripes look good on a plus sized person?

For what I use it for, it works great. I buy it at Walmart. They also make a women's product. The comedian Larry the Cable Guy popularized it on one of his shows. The version for men doesn't smell perfumed like some other brands.

Their website is http://www.antimonkeybutt.com/products/

@ A little less 4 now on So far from the posts I've read, it gets better. The post-VSG blues are normal. Once you get to the point where you are exercising, supplementing and progressing on the liquid diet you will start to feel better. I am only 4 weeks out from having the VSG and have gradually been feeling better. I too am wondering about that pouch brain disconnect about hunger. Others have reassured me that the conditioning improves over time and with proper Protein and Water intake. Walked by my nemesis KFC today and did not feel a need to check out the menu.