BigSue

I wouldn't jump ahead. They have these food progressions for a reason. You'll be able to have other things soon enough - and at some point, all food restrictions will be lifted. I know it's hard, but just hang in there..

Oh yeah, that’s a good one! I completely forgot about how much I hated the way my hands looked with the dimpled knuckles. Plus, my fingers were always too big for rings. I think I would have needed size 13 and most rings aren’t made that big.

If you have access to therapy, this is something that would be good to address because this mindset of guilt and shame is neither healthy nor productive. I know that not everyone can get therapy, but there are other resources available. Perhaps your clinic has a support group you can join. I highly recommend the podcast, “We Only Look Thin,” which has a lot of great advice relating to mindset.
The bottom line is that no single meal is going to make you regain 36 pounds. Beating yourself up over it isn’t going to accomplish anything. You’re new to post-WLS eating and still learning, so learn for next time. Recognize that you weren’t prepared for the event not having food that meets your needs and learn to be prepared next time. Maybe keep a “just in case” Protein Bar in your car. One of my strategies for an unknown food situation is bringing my own Skinny Girl Salad Dressing and/or a couple of low-carb tortillas, so I can make a salad or wrap out of what’s available. Also, nowadays people are pretty sensitive about dietary restrictions and won’t be offended if you ask what will be served and even request a special meal if you’re comfortable (though I understand not wanting to call attention to your diet).
Having an all-or-nothing mindset where you equate two fries and half an onion ring to failure is really harmful. You made a couple of decisions, in seven whole weeks, that weren’t on track. That’s not going to derail all of your progress. There’s no reason you can’t continue to stay on track aside from those isolated instances. This is a marathon, not a sprint. Don’t quit the race just because your shoe came untied once or twice.

If you have access to therapy, this is something that would be good to address because this mindset of guilt and shame is neither healthy nor productive. I know that not everyone can get therapy, but there are other resources available. Perhaps your clinic has a support group you can join. I highly recommend the podcast, “We Only Look Thin,” which has a lot of great advice relating to mindset.
The bottom line is that no single meal is going to make you regain 36 pounds. Beating yourself up over it isn’t going to accomplish anything. You’re new to post-WLS eating and still learning, so learn for next time. Recognize that you weren’t prepared for the event not having food that meets your needs and learn to be prepared next time. Maybe keep a “just in case” Protein Bar in your car. One of my strategies for an unknown food situation is bringing my own Skinny Girl Salad Dressing and/or a couple of low-carb tortillas, so I can make a salad or wrap out of what’s available. Also, nowadays people are pretty sensitive about dietary restrictions and won’t be offended if you ask what will be served and even request a special meal if you’re comfortable (though I understand not wanting to call attention to your diet).
Having an all-or-nothing mindset where you equate two fries and half an onion ring to failure is really harmful. You made a couple of decisions, in seven whole weeks, that weren’t on track. That’s not going to derail all of your progress. There’s no reason you can’t continue to stay on track aside from those isolated instances. This is a marathon, not a sprint. Don’t quit the race just because your shoe came untied once or twice.

If you have access to therapy, this is something that would be good to address because this mindset of guilt and shame is neither healthy nor productive. I know that not everyone can get therapy, but there are other resources available. Perhaps your clinic has a support group you can join. I highly recommend the podcast, “We Only Look Thin,” which has a lot of great advice relating to mindset.
The bottom line is that no single meal is going to make you regain 36 pounds. Beating yourself up over it isn’t going to accomplish anything. You’re new to post-WLS eating and still learning, so learn for next time. Recognize that you weren’t prepared for the event not having food that meets your needs and learn to be prepared next time. Maybe keep a “just in case” Protein Bar in your car. One of my strategies for an unknown food situation is bringing my own Skinny Girl Salad Dressing and/or a couple of low-carb tortillas, so I can make a salad or wrap out of what’s available. Also, nowadays people are pretty sensitive about dietary restrictions and won’t be offended if you ask what will be served and even request a special meal if you’re comfortable (though I understand not wanting to call attention to your diet).
Having an all-or-nothing mindset where you equate two fries and half an onion ring to failure is really harmful. You made a couple of decisions, in seven whole weeks, that weren’t on track. That’s not going to derail all of your progress. There’s no reason you can’t continue to stay on track aside from those isolated instances. This is a marathon, not a sprint. Don’t quit the race just because your shoe came untied once or twice.

If you have access to therapy, this is something that would be good to address because this mindset of guilt and shame is neither healthy nor productive. I know that not everyone can get therapy, but there are other resources available. Perhaps your clinic has a support group you can join. I highly recommend the podcast, “We Only Look Thin,” which has a lot of great advice relating to mindset.
The bottom line is that no single meal is going to make you regain 36 pounds. Beating yourself up over it isn’t going to accomplish anything. You’re new to post-WLS eating and still learning, so learn for next time. Recognize that you weren’t prepared for the event not having food that meets your needs and learn to be prepared next time. Maybe keep a “just in case” Protein Bar in your car. One of my strategies for an unknown food situation is bringing my own Skinny Girl Salad Dressing and/or a couple of low-carb tortillas, so I can make a salad or wrap out of what’s available. Also, nowadays people are pretty sensitive about dietary restrictions and won’t be offended if you ask what will be served and even request a special meal if you’re comfortable (though I understand not wanting to call attention to your diet).
Having an all-or-nothing mindset where you equate two fries and half an onion ring to failure is really harmful. You made a couple of decisions, in seven whole weeks, that weren’t on track. That’s not going to derail all of your progress. There’s no reason you can’t continue to stay on track aside from those isolated instances. This is a marathon, not a sprint. Don’t quit the race just because your shoe came untied once or twice.

If you have access to therapy, this is something that would be good to address because this mindset of guilt and shame is neither healthy nor productive. I know that not everyone can get therapy, but there are other resources available. Perhaps your clinic has a support group you can join. I highly recommend the podcast, “We Only Look Thin,” which has a lot of great advice relating to mindset.
The bottom line is that no single meal is going to make you regain 36 pounds. Beating yourself up over it isn’t going to accomplish anything. You’re new to post-WLS eating and still learning, so learn for next time. Recognize that you weren’t prepared for the event not having food that meets your needs and learn to be prepared next time. Maybe keep a “just in case” Protein Bar in your car. One of my strategies for an unknown food situation is bringing my own Skinny Girl Salad Dressing and/or a couple of low-carb tortillas, so I can make a salad or wrap out of what’s available. Also, nowadays people are pretty sensitive about dietary restrictions and won’t be offended if you ask what will be served and even request a special meal if you’re comfortable (though I understand not wanting to call attention to your diet).
Having an all-or-nothing mindset where you equate two fries and half an onion ring to failure is really harmful. You made a couple of decisions, in seven whole weeks, that weren’t on track. That’s not going to derail all of your progress. There’s no reason you can’t continue to stay on track aside from those isolated instances. This is a marathon, not a sprint. Don’t quit the race just because your shoe came untied once or twice.

If you have access to therapy, this is something that would be good to address because this mindset of guilt and shame is neither healthy nor productive. I know that not everyone can get therapy, but there are other resources available. Perhaps your clinic has a support group you can join. I highly recommend the podcast, “We Only Look Thin,” which has a lot of great advice relating to mindset.
The bottom line is that no single meal is going to make you regain 36 pounds. Beating yourself up over it isn’t going to accomplish anything. You’re new to post-WLS eating and still learning, so learn for next time. Recognize that you weren’t prepared for the event not having food that meets your needs and learn to be prepared next time. Maybe keep a “just in case” Protein Bar in your car. One of my strategies for an unknown food situation is bringing my own Skinny Girl Salad Dressing and/or a couple of low-carb tortillas, so I can make a salad or wrap out of what’s available. Also, nowadays people are pretty sensitive about dietary restrictions and won’t be offended if you ask what will be served and even request a special meal if you’re comfortable (though I understand not wanting to call attention to your diet).
Having an all-or-nothing mindset where you equate two fries and half an onion ring to failure is really harmful. You made a couple of decisions, in seven whole weeks, that weren’t on track. That’s not going to derail all of your progress. There’s no reason you can’t continue to stay on track aside from those isolated instances. This is a marathon, not a sprint. Don’t quit the race just because your shoe came untied once or twice.

Congratulations and great work! I hope you don’t get too hung up on the number on the scale because holy moly, look at your long list of non-scale victories! If you are happy with the way you feel, the way you look, and your health, I’d call that a win.

Congratulations and great work! I hope you don’t get too hung up on the number on the scale because holy moly, look at your long list of non-scale victories! If you are happy with the way you feel, the way you look, and your health, I’d call that a win.

Wow… I’m not in the UK, so I have no idea what is considered common practice, but this is not only terribly unfair, but also illogical. It’s not like a transplant where they may only have a few hours to get the organ into a recipient; they should be able to give you at least a few hours to respond (and also a way to reach them). They can’t possibly expect you to be ready to answer the phone at a moment’s notice any time, anywhere.
If I had to guess, I would say this is probably not really their policy, but the person who called didn’t want to take the time to call you back or wait for your call and just moved on to the next person because it was easier. That would be a really callous way to handle something so important. I hope you can find someone to correct this so you can get your surgery!

I am so jealous! Only when I started to avoid black clothing did I notice how many things are ONLY available in black.
I was initially frustrated after my color and style analysis because it seemed so difficult to find anything that met my many new "rules", but I eventually came to realize that this is a good thing because it stops me from buying clothes that look good online but end up being unflattering on me. I am a lot more picky with what I buy now, so instead of having a closet full of stuff I never wear, I have a small selection of pieces that suit me well. The clothing rental subscription helps a lot, too, because it allows me to wear new outfits all the time without buying a lot of additional clothes. It's really tempting to go out and buy a whole new wardrobe all at once, but I think I am much better off building it over time.
There's a lot of good info online about how to dress for your body type (Kibbe body type is a pretty common system), if you don't want to go for a professional analysis. I think clothing rental is also a great way to try out new styles outside of your comfort zone.

I am so jealous! Only when I started to avoid black clothing did I notice how many things are ONLY available in black.
I was initially frustrated after my color and style analysis because it seemed so difficult to find anything that met my many new "rules", but I eventually came to realize that this is a good thing because it stops me from buying clothes that look good online but end up being unflattering on me. I am a lot more picky with what I buy now, so instead of having a closet full of stuff I never wear, I have a small selection of pieces that suit me well. The clothing rental subscription helps a lot, too, because it allows me to wear new outfits all the time without buying a lot of additional clothes. It's really tempting to go out and buy a whole new wardrobe all at once, but I think I am much better off building it over time.
There's a lot of good info online about how to dress for your body type (Kibbe body type is a pretty common system), if you don't want to go for a professional analysis. I think clothing rental is also a great way to try out new styles outside of your comfort zone.

I've seen a lot of posts with questions about how to dress and buy clothes during and after significant weight loss. I'm by no means an expert, but there are some things I wish I had realized earlier along the way of my 200-pound weight loss that might be helpful to others.
I spent my entire adult life up to age 39 as morbidly obese. At my heaviest, I wore size 28, and it's difficult to find ANY clothing that size (even stores that say they carry plus sizes often only go up to 24), let alone flattering or stylish clothing. I sought out black and other dark colors because it's slimming, you know? I just wanted clothes that would (a) fit on my body and (b) hide my size as much as possible. Now, I wear size 6-8 in most brands, and I can shop anywhere... Which is nice, but also overwhelming. Here are some things that helped me:
Color analysis - I wish I had done this a long time ago because wearing the most flattering colors helps no matter what size you are. I don't want to endorse any particular company because there are a lot of people who offer this service, but I got mine from a House of Colour consultant after seeing a very informative YouTube video by Sierra Schultzzie about her color analysis. Spoiler alert: black is only recommended for those with a "winter" season.
Style analysis (or "clothing personality") - This was life-changing, and I think it was particularly helpful for me after I lost 200 pounds because my body is so different from what it used to be. For example, I used to be a big-busted lady and now I am not, and I used to worry about how big my butt looked and now it's undesirably flat. Again, there are various systems (I think the most popular is the Kibbe body type), but I went back to House of Colour with the same consultant who did my color analysis. I got a ton of information on how to dress to flatter my body based on my proportions and shape, including things like necklines, rise of pants, length of skirts/dresses, fabrics, embellishments to seek or avoid, pattern shapes and scales, jewelry shapes and sizes, accessory shapes and sizes, and more. This was incredibly useful information, especially after my body changed so significantly. A lot of the recommendations were completely at odds with the way I've dressed for most of my life, and once I started wearing clothing that suited my colors and clothing personality, I started to look stylish. I frequently get compliments on my clothes, which, until recently, I didn't even know actually happens in real life. It almost feels like cheating -- as though I am impersonating a stylish person.
Clothing rental - Do it! I wish I had started this while I was losing weight. It would be incredibly useful to someone who is rapidly changing sizes, since you can change sizes every time you exchange the clothing. Again, there are a lot of services available, but I went with Rent the Runway and I'm pretty happy with it. I didn't start using it until my weight stabilized, but I've found that they are really good at recommending the right size (since sizing can vary a lot between different designers/brands). It's also a great way to try out clothing that fits into my color season and clothing personality since I can just exchange it if I don't like it (but there's an option to purchase it at a discounted price if I want to keep something). They have some pretty high-end clothing, and I get compliments left and right when I wear my Rent the Runway items.
Loose skin - I have a confession: it enrages me when people who haven't even lost any weight are freaking out about the possibility of loose skin. Talk about putting the cart before the horse -- you have to earn loose skin. I literally worked my a$$ off to achieve my saggy butt. I have nothing against anyone who chooses to get plastic surgery to remove the loose skin, but as someone who has lost 200 pounds, I have quite a bit of loose skin and no plans to get plastic surgery. I've accepted that I'll never have a bikini body (and honestly, even with a lot of plastic surgery, I doubt that would be a possibility), but with a combination of Shapewear (I swear by shaping camis to smooth my abdominal region and hold everything in place) and well-fitting clothes, I don't think my loose skin is evident under normal circumstances. I think if you saw me on the street, you would probably consider me to look like an average middle-aged lady -- but a semi-stylish one!
I hope some of this is helpful to those of you in the process of figuring out how to dress your new bodies. I've come a long way, but I'm still a work in progress, so I'd love to hear other people's experiences and tips as well!

I get irrationally excited about having extra room in seats. It used to be a tight squeeze to get my butt into a standard chair, and I dreaded having to sit through a long meeting in a chair with arms that dug into my thighs, but now I fit into any chair with room for accessories! I love getting into the car and being able to put my purse next to me. Or sitting in one of those meeting chairs with arms and having room for my tablet on one side and thermos on the other. Or going to a movie and having plenty of space for my coat. It feels like I'm finding secret hidden compartments everywhere I sit.

I haven't told anyone -- even my family -- that I got surgery. It's none of their business, and people can be really ignorant and judgmental about WLS, and I don't want to debate about it. Sometimes when someone says, "Wow, you look great!" you can divert the conversation away from weight loss just by saying, "Thanks! So do you! It's great to see you; how have you been?"

My go-to answer when people ask me how I lost the weight is, "I made a lot of lifestyle changes..." That alone is often enough to make them lose interest because they're looking for an easy answer. If they press for more information, I'll talk about using MyFitnessPal to track my food, getting a FitBit to track my steps, waking up early to work out before work, finding healthy recipes on Pinterest, incorporating more vegetables into my meals, using grocery delivery to avoid temptation, etc. Which is all true. I'm 3.5 years post-op, and over time, the surgery itself is less of a factor and the "lifestyle changes" (I used to hate that term, but that's what it is) are what matter.
Nowadays, weight loss drugs like Ozempic are pretty socially accepted, more so than surgery. I would be more willing to admit to using Ozempic than getting WLS, except that I haven't used weight loss drugs and I wouldn't lie to say I did (and wouldn't want to have to answer questions about side effects, cost, etc. that would probably follow). But since weight loss drugs are so common, people might just assume.

I've seen a lot of posts with questions about how to dress and buy clothes during and after significant weight loss. I'm by no means an expert, but there are some things I wish I had realized earlier along the way of my 200-pound weight loss that might be helpful to others.
I spent my entire adult life up to age 39 as morbidly obese. At my heaviest, I wore size 28, and it's difficult to find ANY clothing that size (even stores that say they carry plus sizes often only go up to 24), let alone flattering or stylish clothing. I sought out black and other dark colors because it's slimming, you know? I just wanted clothes that would (a) fit on my body and (b) hide my size as much as possible. Now, I wear size 6-8 in most brands, and I can shop anywhere... Which is nice, but also overwhelming. Here are some things that helped me:
Color analysis - I wish I had done this a long time ago because wearing the most flattering colors helps no matter what size you are. I don't want to endorse any particular company because there are a lot of people who offer this service, but I got mine from a House of Colour consultant after seeing a very informative YouTube video by Sierra Schultzzie about her color analysis. Spoiler alert: black is only recommended for those with a "winter" season.
Style analysis (or "clothing personality") - This was life-changing, and I think it was particularly helpful for me after I lost 200 pounds because my body is so different from what it used to be. For example, I used to be a big-busted lady and now I am not, and I used to worry about how big my butt looked and now it's undesirably flat. Again, there are various systems (I think the most popular is the Kibbe body type), but I went back to House of Colour with the same consultant who did my color analysis. I got a ton of information on how to dress to flatter my body based on my proportions and shape, including things like necklines, rise of pants, length of skirts/dresses, fabrics, embellishments to seek or avoid, pattern shapes and scales, jewelry shapes and sizes, accessory shapes and sizes, and more. This was incredibly useful information, especially after my body changed so significantly. A lot of the recommendations were completely at odds with the way I've dressed for most of my life, and once I started wearing clothing that suited my colors and clothing personality, I started to look stylish. I frequently get compliments on my clothes, which, until recently, I didn't even know actually happens in real life. It almost feels like cheating -- as though I am impersonating a stylish person.
Clothing rental - Do it! I wish I had started this while I was losing weight. It would be incredibly useful to someone who is rapidly changing sizes, since you can change sizes every time you exchange the clothing. Again, there are a lot of services available, but I went with Rent the Runway and I'm pretty happy with it. I didn't start using it until my weight stabilized, but I've found that they are really good at recommending the right size (since sizing can vary a lot between different designers/brands). It's also a great way to try out clothing that fits into my color season and clothing personality since I can just exchange it if I don't like it (but there's an option to purchase it at a discounted price if I want to keep something). They have some pretty high-end clothing, and I get compliments left and right when I wear my Rent the Runway items.
Loose skin - I have a confession: it enrages me when people who haven't even lost any weight are freaking out about the possibility of loose skin. Talk about putting the cart before the horse -- you have to earn loose skin. I literally worked my a$$ off to achieve my saggy butt. I have nothing against anyone who chooses to get plastic surgery to remove the loose skin, but as someone who has lost 200 pounds, I have quite a bit of loose skin and no plans to get plastic surgery. I've accepted that I'll never have a bikini body (and honestly, even with a lot of plastic surgery, I doubt that would be a possibility), but with a combination of Shapewear (I swear by shaping camis to smooth my abdominal region and hold everything in place) and well-fitting clothes, I don't think my loose skin is evident under normal circumstances. I think if you saw me on the street, you would probably consider me to look like an average middle-aged lady -- but a semi-stylish one!
I hope some of this is helpful to those of you in the process of figuring out how to dress your new bodies. I've come a long way, but I'm still a work in progress, so I'd love to hear other people's experiences and tips as well!

I've seen a lot of posts with questions about how to dress and buy clothes during and after significant weight loss. I'm by no means an expert, but there are some things I wish I had realized earlier along the way of my 200-pound weight loss that might be helpful to others.
I spent my entire adult life up to age 39 as morbidly obese. At my heaviest, I wore size 28, and it's difficult to find ANY clothing that size (even stores that say they carry plus sizes often only go up to 24), let alone flattering or stylish clothing. I sought out black and other dark colors because it's slimming, you know? I just wanted clothes that would (a) fit on my body and (b) hide my size as much as possible. Now, I wear size 6-8 in most brands, and I can shop anywhere... Which is nice, but also overwhelming. Here are some things that helped me:
Color analysis - I wish I had done this a long time ago because wearing the most flattering colors helps no matter what size you are. I don't want to endorse any particular company because there are a lot of people who offer this service, but I got mine from a House of Colour consultant after seeing a very informative YouTube video by Sierra Schultzzie about her color analysis. Spoiler alert: black is only recommended for those with a "winter" season.
Style analysis (or "clothing personality") - This was life-changing, and I think it was particularly helpful for me after I lost 200 pounds because my body is so different from what it used to be. For example, I used to be a big-busted lady and now I am not, and I used to worry about how big my butt looked and now it's undesirably flat. Again, there are various systems (I think the most popular is the Kibbe body type), but I went back to House of Colour with the same consultant who did my color analysis. I got a ton of information on how to dress to flatter my body based on my proportions and shape, including things like necklines, rise of pants, length of skirts/dresses, fabrics, embellishments to seek or avoid, pattern shapes and scales, jewelry shapes and sizes, accessory shapes and sizes, and more. This was incredibly useful information, especially after my body changed so significantly. A lot of the recommendations were completely at odds with the way I've dressed for most of my life, and once I started wearing clothing that suited my colors and clothing personality, I started to look stylish. I frequently get compliments on my clothes, which, until recently, I didn't even know actually happens in real life. It almost feels like cheating -- as though I am impersonating a stylish person.
Clothing rental - Do it! I wish I had started this while I was losing weight. It would be incredibly useful to someone who is rapidly changing sizes, since you can change sizes every time you exchange the clothing. Again, there are a lot of services available, but I went with Rent the Runway and I'm pretty happy with it. I didn't start using it until my weight stabilized, but I've found that they are really good at recommending the right size (since sizing can vary a lot between different designers/brands). It's also a great way to try out clothing that fits into my color season and clothing personality since I can just exchange it if I don't like it (but there's an option to purchase it at a discounted price if I want to keep something). They have some pretty high-end clothing, and I get compliments left and right when I wear my Rent the Runway items.
Loose skin - I have a confession: it enrages me when people who haven't even lost any weight are freaking out about the possibility of loose skin. Talk about putting the cart before the horse -- you have to earn loose skin. I literally worked my a$$ off to achieve my saggy butt. I have nothing against anyone who chooses to get plastic surgery to remove the loose skin, but as someone who has lost 200 pounds, I have quite a bit of loose skin and no plans to get plastic surgery. I've accepted that I'll never have a bikini body (and honestly, even with a lot of plastic surgery, I doubt that would be a possibility), but with a combination of Shapewear (I swear by shaping camis to smooth my abdominal region and hold everything in place) and well-fitting clothes, I don't think my loose skin is evident under normal circumstances. I think if you saw me on the street, you would probably consider me to look like an average middle-aged lady -- but a semi-stylish one!
I hope some of this is helpful to those of you in the process of figuring out how to dress your new bodies. I've come a long way, but I'm still a work in progress, so I'd love to hear other people's experiences and tips as well!

I get irrationally excited about having extra room in seats. It used to be a tight squeeze to get my butt into a standard chair, and I dreaded having to sit through a long meeting in a chair with arms that dug into my thighs, but now I fit into any chair with room for accessories! I love getting into the car and being able to put my purse next to me. Or sitting in one of those meeting chairs with arms and having room for my tablet on one side and thermos on the other. Or going to a movie and having plenty of space for my coat. It feels like I'm finding secret hidden compartments everywhere I sit.

I've seen a lot of posts with questions about how to dress and buy clothes during and after significant weight loss. I'm by no means an expert, but there are some things I wish I had realized earlier along the way of my 200-pound weight loss that might be helpful to others.
I spent my entire adult life up to age 39 as morbidly obese. At my heaviest, I wore size 28, and it's difficult to find ANY clothing that size (even stores that say they carry plus sizes often only go up to 24), let alone flattering or stylish clothing. I sought out black and other dark colors because it's slimming, you know? I just wanted clothes that would (a) fit on my body and (b) hide my size as much as possible. Now, I wear size 6-8 in most brands, and I can shop anywhere... Which is nice, but also overwhelming. Here are some things that helped me:
Color analysis - I wish I had done this a long time ago because wearing the most flattering colors helps no matter what size you are. I don't want to endorse any particular company because there are a lot of people who offer this service, but I got mine from a House of Colour consultant after seeing a very informative YouTube video by Sierra Schultzzie about her color analysis. Spoiler alert: black is only recommended for those with a "winter" season.
Style analysis (or "clothing personality") - This was life-changing, and I think it was particularly helpful for me after I lost 200 pounds because my body is so different from what it used to be. For example, I used to be a big-busted lady and now I am not, and I used to worry about how big my butt looked and now it's undesirably flat. Again, there are various systems (I think the most popular is the Kibbe body type), but I went back to House of Colour with the same consultant who did my color analysis. I got a ton of information on how to dress to flatter my body based on my proportions and shape, including things like necklines, rise of pants, length of skirts/dresses, fabrics, embellishments to seek or avoid, pattern shapes and scales, jewelry shapes and sizes, accessory shapes and sizes, and more. This was incredibly useful information, especially after my body changed so significantly. A lot of the recommendations were completely at odds with the way I've dressed for most of my life, and once I started wearing clothing that suited my colors and clothing personality, I started to look stylish. I frequently get compliments on my clothes, which, until recently, I didn't even know actually happens in real life. It almost feels like cheating -- as though I am impersonating a stylish person.
Clothing rental - Do it! I wish I had started this while I was losing weight. It would be incredibly useful to someone who is rapidly changing sizes, since you can change sizes every time you exchange the clothing. Again, there are a lot of services available, but I went with Rent the Runway and I'm pretty happy with it. I didn't start using it until my weight stabilized, but I've found that they are really good at recommending the right size (since sizing can vary a lot between different designers/brands). It's also a great way to try out clothing that fits into my color season and clothing personality since I can just exchange it if I don't like it (but there's an option to purchase it at a discounted price if I want to keep something). They have some pretty high-end clothing, and I get compliments left and right when I wear my Rent the Runway items.
Loose skin - I have a confession: it enrages me when people who haven't even lost any weight are freaking out about the possibility of loose skin. Talk about putting the cart before the horse -- you have to earn loose skin. I literally worked my a$$ off to achieve my saggy butt. I have nothing against anyone who chooses to get plastic surgery to remove the loose skin, but as someone who has lost 200 pounds, I have quite a bit of loose skin and no plans to get plastic surgery. I've accepted that I'll never have a bikini body (and honestly, even with a lot of plastic surgery, I doubt that would be a possibility), but with a combination of Shapewear (I swear by shaping camis to smooth my abdominal region and hold everything in place) and well-fitting clothes, I don't think my loose skin is evident under normal circumstances. I think if you saw me on the street, you would probably consider me to look like an average middle-aged lady -- but a semi-stylish one!
I hope some of this is helpful to those of you in the process of figuring out how to dress your new bodies. I've come a long way, but I'm still a work in progress, so I'd love to hear other people's experiences and tips as well!

I've seen a lot of posts with questions about how to dress and buy clothes during and after significant weight loss. I'm by no means an expert, but there are some things I wish I had realized earlier along the way of my 200-pound weight loss that might be helpful to others.
I spent my entire adult life up to age 39 as morbidly obese. At my heaviest, I wore size 28, and it's difficult to find ANY clothing that size (even stores that say they carry plus sizes often only go up to 24), let alone flattering or stylish clothing. I sought out black and other dark colors because it's slimming, you know? I just wanted clothes that would (a) fit on my body and (b) hide my size as much as possible. Now, I wear size 6-8 in most brands, and I can shop anywhere... Which is nice, but also overwhelming. Here are some things that helped me:
Color analysis - I wish I had done this a long time ago because wearing the most flattering colors helps no matter what size you are. I don't want to endorse any particular company because there are a lot of people who offer this service, but I got mine from a House of Colour consultant after seeing a very informative YouTube video by Sierra Schultzzie about her color analysis. Spoiler alert: black is only recommended for those with a "winter" season.
Style analysis (or "clothing personality") - This was life-changing, and I think it was particularly helpful for me after I lost 200 pounds because my body is so different from what it used to be. For example, I used to be a big-busted lady and now I am not, and I used to worry about how big my butt looked and now it's undesirably flat. Again, there are various systems (I think the most popular is the Kibbe body type), but I went back to House of Colour with the same consultant who did my color analysis. I got a ton of information on how to dress to flatter my body based on my proportions and shape, including things like necklines, rise of pants, length of skirts/dresses, fabrics, embellishments to seek or avoid, pattern shapes and scales, jewelry shapes and sizes, accessory shapes and sizes, and more. This was incredibly useful information, especially after my body changed so significantly. A lot of the recommendations were completely at odds with the way I've dressed for most of my life, and once I started wearing clothing that suited my colors and clothing personality, I started to look stylish. I frequently get compliments on my clothes, which, until recently, I didn't even know actually happens in real life. It almost feels like cheating -- as though I am impersonating a stylish person.
Clothing rental - Do it! I wish I had started this while I was losing weight. It would be incredibly useful to someone who is rapidly changing sizes, since you can change sizes every time you exchange the clothing. Again, there are a lot of services available, but I went with Rent the Runway and I'm pretty happy with it. I didn't start using it until my weight stabilized, but I've found that they are really good at recommending the right size (since sizing can vary a lot between different designers/brands). It's also a great way to try out clothing that fits into my color season and clothing personality since I can just exchange it if I don't like it (but there's an option to purchase it at a discounted price if I want to keep something). They have some pretty high-end clothing, and I get compliments left and right when I wear my Rent the Runway items.
Loose skin - I have a confession: it enrages me when people who haven't even lost any weight are freaking out about the possibility of loose skin. Talk about putting the cart before the horse -- you have to earn loose skin. I literally worked my a$$ off to achieve my saggy butt. I have nothing against anyone who chooses to get plastic surgery to remove the loose skin, but as someone who has lost 200 pounds, I have quite a bit of loose skin and no plans to get plastic surgery. I've accepted that I'll never have a bikini body (and honestly, even with a lot of plastic surgery, I doubt that would be a possibility), but with a combination of Shapewear (I swear by shaping camis to smooth my abdominal region and hold everything in place) and well-fitting clothes, I don't think my loose skin is evident under normal circumstances. I think if you saw me on the street, you would probably consider me to look like an average middle-aged lady -- but a semi-stylish one!
I hope some of this is helpful to those of you in the process of figuring out how to dress your new bodies. I've come a long way, but I'm still a work in progress, so I'd love to hear other people's experiences and tips as well!

I get irrationally excited about having extra room in seats. It used to be a tight squeeze to get my butt into a standard chair, and I dreaded having to sit through a long meeting in a chair with arms that dug into my thighs, but now I fit into any chair with room for accessories! I love getting into the car and being able to put my purse next to me. Or sitting in one of those meeting chairs with arms and having room for my tablet on one side and thermos on the other. Or going to a movie and having plenty of space for my coat. It feels like I'm finding secret hidden compartments everywhere I sit.

I've seen a lot of posts with questions about how to dress and buy clothes during and after significant weight loss. I'm by no means an expert, but there are some things I wish I had realized earlier along the way of my 200-pound weight loss that might be helpful to others.
I spent my entire adult life up to age 39 as morbidly obese. At my heaviest, I wore size 28, and it's difficult to find ANY clothing that size (even stores that say they carry plus sizes often only go up to 24), let alone flattering or stylish clothing. I sought out black and other dark colors because it's slimming, you know? I just wanted clothes that would (a) fit on my body and (b) hide my size as much as possible. Now, I wear size 6-8 in most brands, and I can shop anywhere... Which is nice, but also overwhelming. Here are some things that helped me:
Color analysis - I wish I had done this a long time ago because wearing the most flattering colors helps no matter what size you are. I don't want to endorse any particular company because there are a lot of people who offer this service, but I got mine from a House of Colour consultant after seeing a very informative YouTube video by Sierra Schultzzie about her color analysis. Spoiler alert: black is only recommended for those with a "winter" season.
Style analysis (or "clothing personality") - This was life-changing, and I think it was particularly helpful for me after I lost 200 pounds because my body is so different from what it used to be. For example, I used to be a big-busted lady and now I am not, and I used to worry about how big my butt looked and now it's undesirably flat. Again, there are various systems (I think the most popular is the Kibbe body type), but I went back to House of Colour with the same consultant who did my color analysis. I got a ton of information on how to dress to flatter my body based on my proportions and shape, including things like necklines, rise of pants, length of skirts/dresses, fabrics, embellishments to seek or avoid, pattern shapes and scales, jewelry shapes and sizes, accessory shapes and sizes, and more. This was incredibly useful information, especially after my body changed so significantly. A lot of the recommendations were completely at odds with the way I've dressed for most of my life, and once I started wearing clothing that suited my colors and clothing personality, I started to look stylish. I frequently get compliments on my clothes, which, until recently, I didn't even know actually happens in real life. It almost feels like cheating -- as though I am impersonating a stylish person.
Clothing rental - Do it! I wish I had started this while I was losing weight. It would be incredibly useful to someone who is rapidly changing sizes, since you can change sizes every time you exchange the clothing. Again, there are a lot of services available, but I went with Rent the Runway and I'm pretty happy with it. I didn't start using it until my weight stabilized, but I've found that they are really good at recommending the right size (since sizing can vary a lot between different designers/brands). It's also a great way to try out clothing that fits into my color season and clothing personality since I can just exchange it if I don't like it (but there's an option to purchase it at a discounted price if I want to keep something). They have some pretty high-end clothing, and I get compliments left and right when I wear my Rent the Runway items.
Loose skin - I have a confession: it enrages me when people who haven't even lost any weight are freaking out about the possibility of loose skin. Talk about putting the cart before the horse -- you have to earn loose skin. I literally worked my a$$ off to achieve my saggy butt. I have nothing against anyone who chooses to get plastic surgery to remove the loose skin, but as someone who has lost 200 pounds, I have quite a bit of loose skin and no plans to get plastic surgery. I've accepted that I'll never have a bikini body (and honestly, even with a lot of plastic surgery, I doubt that would be a possibility), but with a combination of Shapewear (I swear by shaping camis to smooth my abdominal region and hold everything in place) and well-fitting clothes, I don't think my loose skin is evident under normal circumstances. I think if you saw me on the street, you would probably consider me to look like an average middle-aged lady -- but a semi-stylish one!
I hope some of this is helpful to those of you in the process of figuring out how to dress your new bodies. I've come a long way, but I'm still a work in progress, so I'd love to hear other people's experiences and tips as well!

I've seen a lot of posts with questions about how to dress and buy clothes during and after significant weight loss. I'm by no means an expert, but there are some things I wish I had realized earlier along the way of my 200-pound weight loss that might be helpful to others.
I spent my entire adult life up to age 39 as morbidly obese. At my heaviest, I wore size 28, and it's difficult to find ANY clothing that size (even stores that say they carry plus sizes often only go up to 24), let alone flattering or stylish clothing. I sought out black and other dark colors because it's slimming, you know? I just wanted clothes that would (a) fit on my body and (b) hide my size as much as possible. Now, I wear size 6-8 in most brands, and I can shop anywhere... Which is nice, but also overwhelming. Here are some things that helped me:
Color analysis - I wish I had done this a long time ago because wearing the most flattering colors helps no matter what size you are. I don't want to endorse any particular company because there are a lot of people who offer this service, but I got mine from a House of Colour consultant after seeing a very informative YouTube video by Sierra Schultzzie about her color analysis. Spoiler alert: black is only recommended for those with a "winter" season.
Style analysis (or "clothing personality") - This was life-changing, and I think it was particularly helpful for me after I lost 200 pounds because my body is so different from what it used to be. For example, I used to be a big-busted lady and now I am not, and I used to worry about how big my butt looked and now it's undesirably flat. Again, there are various systems (I think the most popular is the Kibbe body type), but I went back to House of Colour with the same consultant who did my color analysis. I got a ton of information on how to dress to flatter my body based on my proportions and shape, including things like necklines, rise of pants, length of skirts/dresses, fabrics, embellishments to seek or avoid, pattern shapes and scales, jewelry shapes and sizes, accessory shapes and sizes, and more. This was incredibly useful information, especially after my body changed so significantly. A lot of the recommendations were completely at odds with the way I've dressed for most of my life, and once I started wearing clothing that suited my colors and clothing personality, I started to look stylish. I frequently get compliments on my clothes, which, until recently, I didn't even know actually happens in real life. It almost feels like cheating -- as though I am impersonating a stylish person.
Clothing rental - Do it! I wish I had started this while I was losing weight. It would be incredibly useful to someone who is rapidly changing sizes, since you can change sizes every time you exchange the clothing. Again, there are a lot of services available, but I went with Rent the Runway and I'm pretty happy with it. I didn't start using it until my weight stabilized, but I've found that they are really good at recommending the right size (since sizing can vary a lot between different designers/brands). It's also a great way to try out clothing that fits into my color season and clothing personality since I can just exchange it if I don't like it (but there's an option to purchase it at a discounted price if I want to keep something). They have some pretty high-end clothing, and I get compliments left and right when I wear my Rent the Runway items.
Loose skin - I have a confession: it enrages me when people who haven't even lost any weight are freaking out about the possibility of loose skin. Talk about putting the cart before the horse -- you have to earn loose skin. I literally worked my a$$ off to achieve my saggy butt. I have nothing against anyone who chooses to get plastic surgery to remove the loose skin, but as someone who has lost 200 pounds, I have quite a bit of loose skin and no plans to get plastic surgery. I've accepted that I'll never have a bikini body (and honestly, even with a lot of plastic surgery, I doubt that would be a possibility), but with a combination of Shapewear (I swear by shaping camis to smooth my abdominal region and hold everything in place) and well-fitting clothes, I don't think my loose skin is evident under normal circumstances. I think if you saw me on the street, you would probably consider me to look like an average middle-aged lady -- but a semi-stylish one!
I hope some of this is helpful to those of you in the process of figuring out how to dress your new bodies. I've come a long way, but I'm still a work in progress, so I'd love to hear other people's experiences and tips as well!

I've seen a lot of posts with questions about how to dress and buy clothes during and after significant weight loss. I'm by no means an expert, but there are some things I wish I had realized earlier along the way of my 200-pound weight loss that might be helpful to others.
I spent my entire adult life up to age 39 as morbidly obese. At my heaviest, I wore size 28, and it's difficult to find ANY clothing that size (even stores that say they carry plus sizes often only go up to 24), let alone flattering or stylish clothing. I sought out black and other dark colors because it's slimming, you know? I just wanted clothes that would (a) fit on my body and (b) hide my size as much as possible. Now, I wear size 6-8 in most brands, and I can shop anywhere... Which is nice, but also overwhelming. Here are some things that helped me:
Color analysis - I wish I had done this a long time ago because wearing the most flattering colors helps no matter what size you are. I don't want to endorse any particular company because there are a lot of people who offer this service, but I got mine from a House of Colour consultant after seeing a very informative YouTube video by Sierra Schultzzie about her color analysis. Spoiler alert: black is only recommended for those with a "winter" season.
Style analysis (or "clothing personality") - This was life-changing, and I think it was particularly helpful for me after I lost 200 pounds because my body is so different from what it used to be. For example, I used to be a big-busted lady and now I am not, and I used to worry about how big my butt looked and now it's undesirably flat. Again, there are various systems (I think the most popular is the Kibbe body type), but I went back to House of Colour with the same consultant who did my color analysis. I got a ton of information on how to dress to flatter my body based on my proportions and shape, including things like necklines, rise of pants, length of skirts/dresses, fabrics, embellishments to seek or avoid, pattern shapes and scales, jewelry shapes and sizes, accessory shapes and sizes, and more. This was incredibly useful information, especially after my body changed so significantly. A lot of the recommendations were completely at odds with the way I've dressed for most of my life, and once I started wearing clothing that suited my colors and clothing personality, I started to look stylish. I frequently get compliments on my clothes, which, until recently, I didn't even know actually happens in real life. It almost feels like cheating -- as though I am impersonating a stylish person.
Clothing rental - Do it! I wish I had started this while I was losing weight. It would be incredibly useful to someone who is rapidly changing sizes, since you can change sizes every time you exchange the clothing. Again, there are a lot of services available, but I went with Rent the Runway and I'm pretty happy with it. I didn't start using it until my weight stabilized, but I've found that they are really good at recommending the right size (since sizing can vary a lot between different designers/brands). It's also a great way to try out clothing that fits into my color season and clothing personality since I can just exchange it if I don't like it (but there's an option to purchase it at a discounted price if I want to keep something). They have some pretty high-end clothing, and I get compliments left and right when I wear my Rent the Runway items.
Loose skin - I have a confession: it enrages me when people who haven't even lost any weight are freaking out about the possibility of loose skin. Talk about putting the cart before the horse -- you have to earn loose skin. I literally worked my a$$ off to achieve my saggy butt. I have nothing against anyone who chooses to get plastic surgery to remove the loose skin, but as someone who has lost 200 pounds, I have quite a bit of loose skin and no plans to get plastic surgery. I've accepted that I'll never have a bikini body (and honestly, even with a lot of plastic surgery, I doubt that would be a possibility), but with a combination of Shapewear (I swear by shaping camis to smooth my abdominal region and hold everything in place) and well-fitting clothes, I don't think my loose skin is evident under normal circumstances. I think if you saw me on the street, you would probably consider me to look like an average middle-aged lady -- but a semi-stylish one!
I hope some of this is helpful to those of you in the process of figuring out how to dress your new bodies. I've come a long way, but I'm still a work in progress, so I'd love to hear other people's experiences and tips as well!