swim and climb

I've been struggling with this, too. People who have never been plus sized don't understand what a weird world you're dropped into when you're no longer only able to shop 2 racks in 4 or 5 stores. I was a size 20 and am now an 8/10 and I found it overwhelming at first to walk into a store and have literally everything available to me. I started going nuts buying more than I could afford or reasonably wear. I'm getting much better, though, and here are some strategies that have worked for me: i realized that much of my overbuying came from the "fat girl clothes" thought process - I almost never found anything that fit me well at a 20 so now if it fits I automatically want to buy it. Regardless of whether I actually like it or not. I've started taking things into the fitting room and asking myself "if I went home without buying this item, would I regret it? Will I wear it more than once a month? Can I think of more than one outfit this will go with?" If yes, I buy it. If I don't absolutely love it and smile in the mirror when I'm trying it on, I put it back. I can always come back if I change my mind. Selling clothes that don't fit me anymore. On eBay or poshmark or a garage sale. Getting some cash back for items in good shape and donating the rest helps. One in, one out. I don't need 5 white tees. If I have a similar item at home but I'm in love with one I want to buy, I sell/donate the old one. Sometimes that's enough to make me not want to buy it in the first place. Setting a monthly budget for shopping, always the same, regardless if you use it every month. Let's say it's $50. If you see something you're dying to have that's $75, wait until next month. If you don't use it one month, roll it over to next month. Realizing that now I can't eat when I'm bored or sad or anxious and that I'm replacing it with the high of shopping. Sounds simple but when you admit to yourself that it's an emotional outlet, it's easier to anticipate when you'll feel the urge. The truth is that we need clothes and most of us are replacing entire wardrobes out of necessity and often cycle through sizes quickly in our losing phase. The key is to identify the emotions that are tied in with shopping and clothes. Most of us have a long painful history with the fitting room and we're not equipped to separate the emotional part from the logical part.

When we feel judgy, it's almost always our personal issues and hang ups that we're projecting onto other people because we recognize something in them that reminds us of parts of ourselves we don't like. Whenever this happens to me, I think about where it's coming from. What about myself do I see in that other person? What fears do I have that are causing me to distance myself from this person by judging them? For example: if I see someone in a certain type of clothing and I immediately think omg no, I ask myself why am I opposed to it? Why do I care what someone else puts on their body if they feel good in it? It's usually because of my own insecurities-their fat rolls are showing and my fear is that my fat rolls still show. Or their thighs jiggle and I'm self conscious about the way my loose skin ripples when I walk. If you're looking at someone who looks the way you used to and you're thinking omg I hope they turn their life around now, it's most likely your own sense of regret from what you perceive as lost time or your fears that you may end up back where you started. Judginess comes from insecurity and the only way to work through it is by identifying your own gaps in confidence. Insecurity is totally normal but it's not other people's responsibility to bear the brunt of it. I know most people aren't voicing these negative thoughts but it still comes out in our faces, body language, and the way we look at people. Practice compassion with yourself and others and focus on how to love yourself fully. Self love is toxic to insecurity.

Like everyone else has said, it's so much harder now. I think part of it is complacency and part of it is our bodies adjusting. Im not having out of control cravings but I'm definitely way hungrier as time goes on.

- Clothes shopping. Almost nobody makes really cute, affordable clothes in 3x - Eating the same things regularly. I used to get so bored but now I like knowing I can depend on certain foods to make up my macros and get me the nutrients I need to feel energized.

I was also starving constantly. I was worried that the surgery wouldn't work for me or I had stretched my sleeve or something like that. Everyone said it was acid but I thought how can it be acid when I'm taking Prilosec every day and have been since a few days before my surgery per doctor's orders?? It's hunger! It feels just like raw gnawing hunger even 20 minutes after eating! But I was willing to try anything so I upped my prilosec and started chewing a gaviscon tablet before and after a meal-lo and behold the hunger was lessened. I went a step further and changed my PPI to Nexium once a day and the hunger is gone. Even if you only try taking/upping/changing your PPI to eliminate the possibility of acid, try it. It may be the same problem.

I feel really great. Probably about 95% back to normal. Today is my first day of purées and I feel brand new eating actual food! Im so glad to hear the 2nd week is easier. Im a week today (Friday) and head hunger/emotions are pretty intense this evening! Glad youre doing better Weirdly, my hunger never went away. It's not as intense as it used to be and of course is satisfied with a bite or two instead of a whole meal. Every day it gets easier and easier. You're still on full liquids? That's the hardest part.

I feel really great. Probably about 95% back to normal. Today is my first day of purées and I feel brand new eating actual food!

Hi all, I was on August 4th, too!