weight gain how to dress?

[MissAmelina]

The other thing I like to preach about is (slightly off topic...):

Stay off the scale.

Try to go by your measurements....things like water and hormones affect our weight. My weight fluxuates between 2 and 5 pounds EVERY DAY.

As women we get so hooked by that stupid number. If we hop on the scale one morning and see that we've gained four pounds over the weekend we freak out and feel ashamed---and it is *not possible* to gain four pounds of fat in one weekend! But it is possible that water weight has increased, which makes very little difference concerning the state of our health or how our clothing fits.

At one point last year while I was working out more, my weight was up by ten pounds, but my waist was smaller than it had been in years. (I was building muscle, so of course my weight was going to increase). If I had gauged my success by my weight I would have been completely disheartened...and probably would have started eating less, which would have made me gain MORE weight as I messed with my metabolism. Same thing happened to my best friend who weighs more now at a size six than she did at a size ten!

Which is also why we all need to be careful about throwing our numbers around on here.....everyone has a different chemistry (well, not *really* but you know what I mean!) And I do secretly hate that my best friend is smaller than me now.....Shhhh....don't tell her.

 

[Miss 1929]

Staying off the scale works well, if you have some other way of comparing, like the favorite tight jeans or pencil skirt...but whatever you do, don't rely on stretchy clothes to tell you! I speak from sad experience. I only remember to weigh myself once a week or so and am always surprised, one way or another, at what it says, as it never seems to match up with what I feel like! The tape measure is good too.
Yes, the numbers change a lot, for no reason sometimes. But in my case I gained half again my entire weight, so I can't really blame that on water retention...so sometimes, a number really is a big scary number that strikes fear into your heart and salad into your lunchbox.

 

[Miss 1929]

Girlfriend...

You are so beautiful, and I would kill to be that size again.
I know you might feel big, but you sure don't look it!

 

[MissAmelina]

is *THAT* the tiny girl that started this thread?? Sigh....self-image is a wild and wacky beast, is it not? I remember thinking I was fat when I weighed 115 pounds...I look at those photos now and laugh....

LOL...yes...stretchy clothes are not a good judge. Which is why I am taking some on vacation....

 

[Miss 1929]

Food on vacations has no calories!

 

[Lareesie Ladavi]

I agree...Where's the fat? I don't see it.

I guess I can underestand, though. My confidence is great, when the clothes are on...now when they are off, that's a whole other story.
I use to think I was big as a teenager, but after having a c-section and multiple abdominal surgeries, I know I must have been smoking crack to have thought I was big, back then. My stomach was flat...what was I thinking? Now I have scars and... my weight yoyos, depending on if I've had another surgery or some other crappy illness. ugh

 

[Miss Caroline]

SERIOUSLY??!?
I am working so hard even trying to be twice the size of that mere slip of a thing?!?

Girl... You are S.T.U.N.N.I.N.G

 

[Anachronism]

thanks for all the tips guys (well, gals, i should say)
my BMI tells me i'm not overweight, and I guess it's right. I am bigger than I look in my photos because I've spent countless hours figuring out how to make someone look thinner on camera (good friend, wanted to be a model, but wasn't in great shape, and hired me to take a bunch of pictures of her).

I recently went shopping and bought some pants and tops, in a correct size. Plus I just finished sewing a new dress for myself. So I feel a ton more comfortable.

Because i've really tried to cut down on sweets, and because I now have a Wii fit that I make sure to use for 1/2 an hour a day, I sort of feel like I'm able to say "**** it, i'm leading a healthy lifestyle, I can look good"

Btw, I highly recommend the Wii fit, it's tons of fun, and it tracks the amount of time you work out and your weight. I'm never worried that i'm not doing enough now, and I was never able to get myself to go to a gym.

Thank you girls for all the great style tips!!!