Sometime over the winter, all my dress clothes got too big (yeah, I don't dress up often). I recently discovered this while I was digging through my closet looking for something appropriate to wear to a funeral. So...today I head out to go shopping for a new dress. Out of habit, I grabbed my usual size 18W off the rack and head back to the dressing room to try it on. Too big. I went back out and got a 16W and tried that on. Still too big.
I finally went to the misses department and found a 16P and an 18P and tried them on. THEY FIT! I no longer have to go to the "plus size" department to buy clothes! I haven't worn these sizes since high school.
When I first walked out of the dressing room to look in the mirror, I almost didn't recognize myself. Suddenly, I've got curves in all the right places again and I looked good! I actually looked behind me to see if it was someone else with the same outfit on that I was seeing in the mirror. Strange, I know....but I was really having a hard time getting a handle on the fact that it was ME I was seeing.
I'm sure the sales lady thought I was a little mental or something because I actually got a little teary-eyed. In the past 21 months, I have gone from a size 28W to a size 16P. I'm still stunned.

Mea culpa, Lisa. I've been dealing with this as well - I even made recognizing the new me a new years' resolution.

Congrats on seeing yourself as others do. Time to pick out some more new clothes and pause in front of mirros - keep reminding yourself just what you've accomplished. Body image and self image seem to be more easily adjusted with positive reinforcement

Nat

Yay Lisa...that is an awesome achievement and there is nothing better than being able to shop in amongst the "regular" sizes.

Mirrors and reflective galss have all of a sudden become my friend too...I can't get enough of it Anybody watching me must think I am so damned vain...I just can't help myself.


Remind yourself...yes this is me and I am drop dead gorgeous! Yay you!

L

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Sounds to me like you could benefit from hitting the mall for some retail therapy.

That's so cool, Lisa...

...not the funeral, of course, but the rest of it!

Y'know, this morning as I turned to the side I looked at myself in the bathroom mirror (nekkid) and I liked what I saw! It stopped me dead in my tracks. I'm so used to turning away quickly. And then as I walked down the street to grab a coffee (not nekkid), I caught a glimpse of myself in a store window and immediately noticed that my shape is different. Again, I was happy with how I looked. I quickly realized that the image I have of myself in my head does not match what others are seeing.

What a great WOE This is. HURRAY FOR ALL OF US!

Donald

I got a little teary reading your story!! Lisa, I'm so happy for you! I wish I was there to give you a great big hug !!

I agree with Kristine.... HIT THE MALL!!! WOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

Congratulations, my friend.

...You should have seen the look on my husband's face when I walked into the living room with my new dress on. It's a black stretch velvet cut a little above the knee. I had to remind him to put his tongue back in his mouth and stop drooling as the kids were still up.

Lisa,
What wonderful news. It's time for your mind to catch up with your body change. I can imagine how it feels, even with the few size changes I've had. I still have the same issue of expecting to have to pick out the biggest size. No longer, thank God! You give me hope...size 16, here I come!!! The drooling husband thing made me laugh. Victoria

Take a bow Lisa. But just remember .. the new you didn't "just happen". It took a lot of hard work and determination ... and you did it all.

Congrats!

Doreen

What a wonderful story, lisa! you've done a great job, and are an inspiration.

Newbies, take note! Steady effort, and 21 months later, look what this gal has accomplished!

(Donald, thanks for letting us know you didn't go down the street nekkid! I WAS worried for a second there! )

WTG LISA!!

Can i say me too!?

I went shopping in the city for the first time in 4 months and had a heck of a time finding clothes that fit bc i kept picking clothes that were too big. I dont think the salesgrrl really got it when i said i dont want these size 14 pants because they're TOO BIG!! LOL It felt sooooo goood to be able to say that!!. I was wearing a size 19 last October.

Anyways, i found some clothes that fit, and now i keep walking in front of full length mirrors just to see how good i look. hehe

I need more of that retail therapy!!

These are the stories I love!!

It is an amazing change in a person when they are so used to looking in the mirror and being frustrated and disgusted with their bodies for SO many years (in my case)...

And then one day you look again and you're pretty damned good lookin' if you do say so yourself!!

Back into the world, back into nice clothes, back into health - mental and physical --back into the game, no more standing on the sidelines!!

Congrats to all the hard work and effort...it sure is a life changer, huh?

Thanks for posting this Lisa. What inspiring stories.
I WANT TO FEEL LIKE THAT!

I remember when I lost alot of weight a long time ago, I was amazed at the change in the size of my arms!

You DO need to hit that mall. Just try on everything, even prom gowns, and make yourself feel great!

That is the coolest thing!
And to SEE it.. :-) not just think.. like your old image with the new dress on but to really see it is great!
Sounds like it was a great choice of dress too!
Nedra

Well done Lisa - pretty nice to have to remind hubby to stop drooling

I've just bought some new clothes too - and what a great feeling isn't it, looking good in them! I've gone down two dress sizes and I like how I look now - which is such a change (I had to take clothes back, cos I couldn't believe that I took the smaller size too)

Hurray for all of us for sticking with it and hurray for this WOE which means we never again have to be fat