looly

When I was really obese, I was a fairly obvious pear shape. Everything was big, but my bum and hips were the biggest. However, I knew how to dress to suit a pear shape well. I used to wear lovely empire line dresses and always bootleg trousers. I thought that after surgery, I would lose weight all over and keep the same pear shape, but I haven't. I have lost proportionately much more weight off my bum than anywhere else. My hips and shoulders and chest are now the same width, with my waist somewhat narrower. According to what I've read, this makes me a rectangle or an H shape. This is taking some getting used to, because the types of clothes that used to suit me no longer do anything for me at all. So, I'm having to re-learn how to dress myself completely. I'm not just smaller, I've morphed into a weird new shape, where my shoulders appear strangely prominent. Has anyone else experienced this bizarre body shape change rather than just size change? And has anyone got any tips for dressing a rectangle?

Thanks for the link, healthy_life2. I've looked up clothes for rectangular figures and did come across that site. They do tend to assume that rectangles have an 'athletic body' type with great legs....and I'm still not there yet! However, I have now learnt the difference between a 'high hip' and a 'low hip'(!) I never knew there was a difference - you live and learn!

Thanks GT - that's what I do now - try stuff on and see what looks nice! But it has stopped me buying stuff off the internet, because I can no longer just look at a dress and judge whether it will suit me any more. I suppose it's a nice situation to be in (if a little confusing!).

I did keto for a bit, but my doc told me not to cut out any food group, or I might end up lacking important vitamins or minerals (supplements notwithstanding). So I'm just sticking to the old - but admittedly boring - maxim of 'everything in moderation'. I don't have an addictive personality, so that's OK for me (but I can see that it wouldn't suit everyone).

I paid £10K to Healthier Weight and had my op done at the Spire Hospital in Solihull. Dr Singhal did my surgery. He was excellent and I had no complications. The price includes follow-up and support by a bariatric nurse. I can't tell you about the Hospital Group though.

After WLS, I Gain A Little Weight When I eat red meat for three days in a row, and nothing moves down there (ahem!). A few prunes fix that though! 😉 Also, hitting the red wine on holiday doesn't help me to lose. 😒

I was told to eat when I was hungry and stop when I wasn't - and prioritise protein. And that was it. It seems like I haven't been given much guidance, but on the other hand, I don't have to think obsessively about eating the right food, because the rule is simple. Mentally, that's excellent for me, because I thought about food too much before, but now I don't. Very fatty or sugary foods make me feel a bit nauseous, so eating the right stuff isn't really a struggle. But I pretty much eat what I want, but in very small portions. My weight loss probably hasn't been as fast as some people's, but on the plus side, I don't seem to have too much saggy skin, despite having lost over 100 lbs. Slow weight loss has its advantages. 😉

I just eat pasta, but not very much - and always with protein. I find that eating pasta deals with my pasta cravings very well. 😉

Reflux is not nice, but obesity can cause so many more serious conditions than that. You look fan-bloody-tastic and I bet you feel great too (reflux notwithstanding!). 😃

tuna and some mayonnaise...it was heavenly!

Hysterectomy in 2009, gastric sleeve in May 2018...lost 100 lbs so far.

I don't regret an of it. The recovery after surgery was easy and I was back on normal food after a month. Because I don't cheat on an everyday basis, I can still occasionally have my favourite food and drink - but hardly any and hardly ever. I eat a balanced diet in very small portions 6 or 7 times a day and I have alcohol only on special occasions. Best of all, I don't feel hungry.

I only eat shakes if I'm at work - it's a quick and convenient way to ingest protein and I don't have to rush it. The rest of the time, I eat proper food. I am currently snacking on an apple and a chunk of mature cheddar...mmmm…

I stalled shortly after my op and I've recently stalled at 10 months. My weight didn't shift for a month. The stall broke this week - I lost 2 lbs. I didn't do anything special to break it - I just carried on eating the right stuff and walking, and my body decided to lose again. I don't stress out about it now, I know that if I'm patient (and keep off naughty foods and booze) that the weight will go. - And BTW - I've now lost 100 lbs. Not too shoddy, eh?

I've accepted that there are some times of the year that I will gain weight, like Christmas or a holiday away. If I gain a couple of pounds during those times, I don't panic and give up altogether, I just settle back to my 'new normal' eating habits and lose those couple of pounds again. It's tricky to avoid the "I've messed it up so I'll have a blow out" feeling, but I've learnt to ditch those perfectionist tendencies, because they don't help me in the long run. That was a really hard lesson to learn, actually!

I call it Old Grumbler, because of the weird gurgly noises that emanate from it! 😲

In only had to eat a liquid diet for a couple of weeks, but I suppose you'll have to stick to what your surgeon says. But when I switched to mushy food after two weeks, it felt OK.

Actually, this is a better comparison. My best bud Nicnac found a picture of us ten years ago and put it along side the similar picture of us taken last weekend. They don't look so very different - I'm well chuffed!

I haven't taken selfies, so I've found pictures of me 'before and after' with my best friend. (ps...I was the fat one!) 98 lbs down...only another 40 lbs to go!

I'd just feel sorry for the rude guy. He must feel envious of his friend in some way, or he wouldn't resent his happiness. You've gotta pity the sad twonk!

I can drink low cal fizzy drinks, but they do make me feel bloated. Also, they taste a bit too sweet now, so if I'm going to consume bubbles, I go straight for the Prosecco!

Prunes, prunes and prunes with a side order of prune juice! (And suppositories if the piles pay a visit!).

Like you, I've had a lot of surgery in the past. My VSG was the easiest recovery of the lot. Best decision ever!

The 'old you' could not have been that happy, or you wouldn't have had the surgery. However, any radical change is a shock to the system, so I'm sending you a virtual hug. xx

I can absolutely see the difference when I look in the mirror. However, I sometimes forget that I'm no longer enormous when I'm doing every day things. For instance, I still look for wide parking spaces when I no longer need them. And I forget that I can use the ladder to get out of the pool instead of the sloping steps. And the other day, I was teaching an unfamiliar class of children about healthy eating and I said, "You don't want to end up with a big tummy like me!" - and they just looked puzzled. Old habits die hard, eh?