That is a great deal. I was just lucky to find that one pair of pants for myself at Value Village. I was looking through the racks for a couple pairs of track pants for my son and was having no luck in the men's section (my son is 5'8" and 180 pounds at the age of 13...14 in June) so I went over to the ladies section for pants and found him a couple pairs of those generic grey sweats in good shape and found that one pair for me.

I wanted to look further to see what else I could fine but he was whining so much to go home it was spoiling my shopping fun so on April 30th I am heading back alone while he is at school to look through the clothing racks in peace. :D

I just did some shopping yesterday and it was so cool. I can walk into the regular section, pull out any size 14 pants and expect them to fit. A few were big in the waist. 12s are hit or miss depending on the cut and the amount of spandex involved.

What really shocked my tho is my bust. Now that the hips, thighs and belly have mostly disappeared, my breasts look *huge*. I look like a freak! Size M and L just scream "Hi, I'm Friday and these are my t1#s", but if I go XL, the shirts just hang on me like I'm wearing my mom's clothes or something. The too big ones don't look good or professional on me, but the ones that 'fit' just seem to scream "Hoochie Mama" even if the cut and style are conservative. How am I ever going to get any respect as a professor? Everybody is going to be starting at my chest! I felt like I should be standing on a street corner.

I did buy two sweaters, and well, hubby loves them and says they look fine, but judging from the size of his eyes, 'fine' is going to cause accidents on the street.

Part of me says 'If you got it, flaunt it" (as long as I don't look trashy). Part of me wants to run and hide.

Any other women have this problem? What do you do?

Cheers,

Friday

Guess what everyone, I bought a size 3X and it fit!
You have to understand that I was nearly in a size 6X!!! I didn't realize until today how big I really was! I was wearing 5X's but they were too tight, today I had to go buy a sweater because I had given away all my larger sized clothes/coats just to have a freak snow storm today so I looked and looked and didn't believe that I could fit into the size 3x's which was the only plus sizes I found at the thrift store.

So, I went to the men's section like I used to do and couldn't find anything there. They had a men's jacket and pants but it was like $18.99 and I'm not paying that in a thrift store, so I went back to the women's section and found a sweater and a few shirts. It was half off day so I decided to try the clothes on in the changing room. Well, wouldn't ya know it but the 3X fit. I got one shirt too that will fit better in a few days. The other two shirts, one would fit in a few days but my stomach and butt are still preventing me from being able to fit it completely so I put that back and the other shirt fit but it was too light so I put it back. When I looked at that size though I did not think I could fit a 3X, I just knew it would be extemely tight on me, but it fit!!!

I also looked at pants but had no ideal what size to buy, they had some 26/28 but I wasn't sure if I could fit it just yet. The stretchier pants were like size 5X and I looked at it shockingly, I could not believe that I used to fit into that and it was tight!!! It was HUGE!!!

I also noticed that the pants I have on now are looking really loose on me and makes me look untidy. But, I'm getting smaller and that's great.

I also noticed that in the mirror, I looked short...that's probably because I'm 5'6 and my body is starting to shift the way I was supposed to look, which is a short person with a small body, instead of a big body on a shorter frame. All I noticed before was my body and now I actually noticed my height.

Can I say, yay!!! I will never, ever let myself get back to being like that again!!!

Well tomorrow is Saturday and what I do is go "shopping" in my closet to pick a dress for Church on Sunday. Then I have to take it in to be ready. I am a professional seamstress, but still some are jsut to much to take in. 45 lbs made be at least 3 maybe 4 sizes less.

I am too cheap to buy more until I get the last 40 off.
So I know about the 2 edged sword, happy for the loss sad that nothing fits!

Since I was slim before I do have smaller clothes as well, but then I take them out of the closet and try them on and then say to myself "Oh My, what was I thinking to have saved/bought this!" Not to mention most are from the 1980s with huge shoulder pads and scary patterns. Oh, well, better than getting poked in the eye with a sharp stick (or so my husband says) LOL

The great thing about being able to wear a 3X or smaller is that clothes are so much easier to find in stores. When I started low carbing, I had to order almost all my clothes from catalogues and the selection was awful in size 4X or 5X. Now, I am thrilled to be able to shop in the plus size department. I keep thinking that all the people complaining about the lack of selection in plus sizes have no idea how lucky they are to be able to buy anything in a store! I'm thrilled at the selection in plus sizes since for years I had no selection at all.

I was shopping a couple of weeks ago and saw a woman who I would guess is a size 4X doing exactly what I used to do -- browsing through the clothes in the store, holding them up against her, hoping that there was a 3X that ran large or was stretchy that she could manage to get in to. She left without trying anything on. I felt so sorry for her and at the same time I was thrilled to realize that lots of the 2Xs were big on me and I had to try on 1Xs. I vowed never to be that woman again. I wanted to say something sympathetic to her, but I had no idea what I could say that would not make her more embarrassed than she probably already was, so I kept my mouth shut.

I know, I want to scream...Come walk with me, try low carb, do this, do that...I kinda wish someone would've done that to me, but then again, would I have hid within myself even more, probably!!!

There are opportunities to spread the word though...I guess we just have to be sensitive. Isn't it funny to start being on the other side???

I weighed the same thing a few years ago, and wore a bigger size. I was trying to figure it out myself, but someone said something about muscle smaller than fat or something, Not sure. I am 5'9 barefoot.

Congratulations, Leasmom. You Are Doing Great!!!!!

I know what you mean and I don't even really consider myself big breasted(I am just a C cup) but my stomach used to be farther out then them now its the other way around
so... I live in sports bra's (and other types that minimize) to try to get rid of them lol and be lucky I didn't end up with GG's like my mother!

LOL..I wish I had that problem. My boobs are a B now, but they become As when I'm smaller...and it takes a long while before my tummy sticks out less than my boobs. Makes my tummy even more noticeable...atleast ya'll have a tummy distraction..hehe :D
(I can understand though how annoying it would be to walk around and all some people would see are your boobs.)

I'm losing all over so I haven't had to buy many new clothes yet. My workout pants (XL) were huge, so I replaced those (L). Also, my work pants (size 18) are getting very huge. I have to dry them on high heat twice so that they may not be big on me for the first few hours I wear them. So I bought some size 16 capris and they fit fairly well.

Also, I saved all my clothes from high school. They should all fit when I weigh between 188 and 199. A lot of them have begun to fit again. One pair of 14 jeans nearly fit again, but I have another pair of 16s that I can barely get on. 188-199 is when I wore all those clothes on a regular basis. Which means when I fall below that, then I'll need a shopping trip. Which, if my calculations are correct, should coincide with fall clothes shopping for school (senior year of college!).

I'm very excited.

I just pulled out a blouse I had packed up-(I'm moving in 4 1/2 wks)-because it wouldn't fit, doesn't fit now, so why pack it away. The other clothes I have packed up though are clothes I got from a free giveaway that this lady does in our community. She gives clothes away to all who needs them and so I got sizes 2X and 1X I can get into but that's a time off yet. But, I'm still in some 4X's and now fitting into some 3X's, so I'll have to buy some more clothes until I can get into the smaller sizes.

Congrats Leasmom, wonderful!!!! I know you must feel GREAT! I can;t wait to get rid of these size 30-32's I have. I do have 2 pair of LB pants in a size 1X that I can get into. (they run big) but, hey--its good for the ego, LOL Anyway, you are doing great!! Keep up the good work!

I went shopping yesterday and out of habit I grabbed a bunch of 3Xs...when I got to the dressing room, they were all too big, so I went and got 2Xs...when I tried them on I realized my mental image has really not yet caught up with my current size...all the 2Xs were too big as well. I went back and got a third set - all 1Xs - and they fit with some room to spare! I am so excited...it's been years since I could fit a 1X anything. The scale has been moving slowly lately, but I am seeing a BIG difference in how my clothes fit and I got further confirmation yesterday. Little by little, I really am slimming down. Still got a ways to go...but I'll get there! :)

I have gone shopping almost each month. Man it gets expensive. Have thought about doing a clothing swap exchange with some other LC folks locally.

It feels great to go to a smaller size! And to have people notice.

I was at a 30/32 in tops and am down to a 26/28 sometimes a bit smaller. And from a 22 to 20 in strech jeans and pants.

I am amazed at how different I feel when I actually buy something that fits and not go back and reach for the larger size out of habit. I think I shopped to early initially. LOL I have some gorgeous tops that I cannot wear and would be hard to have altered.

So.... I stick to inexpensive. Although I did see a girl wearing an outfit that was totally hot and I found myself thinking only 100 more pounds and that is mine! LOL

short flirty skirt tight top and knee boots. It was adorable! At least to me. LOL Something I have never worn and am looking forward to the BLAM look on my hubby's face when he sees it on me. he he he h