I was on the phone to my mother and mentioned that I've lost almost 30lbs since starting this woe at the end of May. "Great!" she said (she'd been at me to lose weight for some time, and I know she's been worried about my health), "You can get rid of ALL your fat clothes!"

That threw me. What exactly does she think I look like? I haven't seen her for a while, and she must imagine I am already sinewy and lithe, after four months. Naw, I haven't got rid of all my fat clothes; the fattest ones, yes, but many of my old clothes are still there. I'm still fat, just not as fat.

BUT, I'm getting there. Yesterday I wanted another long sleeved lightweight tabard top as I have only one which fits, and the weather is still mild. The one I was wearing was a size 16, but cut large (US size 14). I've had it ages, but never worn it before as it was always too tight. I had to search hard for this not very trendy thing, found it in a budget store, and first tried on their 18, as it didn't look very big. It fitted round my middle but was a bit loose at the top. The 16, however, worked fine!!! (I also got an 18 T shirt, so I'm not really a 16 yet). I was so thrilled I told the check out lady all about it. She looked more impressed when I told her that 4 months back I would have likely gone for their size 24 (22) (which is the biggest they do).

Losing weight this way can be tediously slow, but I read something last night in Dr Charles Clark's Low Carb book (it's British and I don't think available in the US which is a pity). He said that as fat weighs so little compared to muscle, low carbers seem to lose weight more slowly because our woe does not waste muscle tissue the way low calorie dieting does. This explains why smaller clothes seem to fit us although the scales still read 'high'. So if I lose a pound, it's ALL fat, gone from my body, whereas a low calorie dieter loses fat and muscle at the same time. I'm sure this is right, because I have done both - low cal eating has actually made me ill.

I'm sorry, this is a terrible ramble and gruesomly self-indulgent. I have to say that as soon as I realised that the 16 would fit, I decided I must share this on the board! I've been doing the happy dance in my heart ever since.
Clare

Calleva

Not a ramble at all. Dr. Clark's explanation makes a lot of sense. Congratulations on your new size!
Rob
310/250/180

Clare,

What a great read. I too am enjoying replacing some of my wardrobe. Even though my weekly losses have slowed down for the last 6 weeks, I do notice a difference in how things fit. It's a great feeling, isn't it?

Steve
235/183/175??
Since 02/03
Don't believe in miracles, Depend on them.

Clare,

You're doing great! I sense that this is a way of living for you, and not a race to a goal. That will stand you in good stead, through the inevitable "up", "down" and "nuthin happnin here" periods that occur along the way.

Congratulations on your downsizing.

Maggie
5'1" ~~ Atkins since '98 (160)/Maintaining nicely (110) ~~ Redhead until further notice!

Right on, Clare!

And I'm not surprised at your mother's reaction; mine was a bit surprised that I was still in plus sizes after losing 50, but there you go. The good news is that you ARE losing it in all right places and all the right ways, and some day you'll hold up that pair of fat jeans (you did keep one pair, right?) and prove how slender you've become. (I already show off with them...my fat jeans fall to the floor when I slip them on now.)

I'm evidence that Dr. Clark's theory is right; I've gone from a 24W (probably should have been a 26W, but it was at that point when I started LCing) to now a misses 16. That's five dress sizes in less than 90 pounds.

Cheers,
Emelia

"We can only learn to love by loving." - Iris Murdoch, Irish writer
294/208/174 LC since 25-Nov-01

You go Clare! Congrats on your weight loss. Thank you for that information, Which just thinking about it makes a lot of since. TOO bad Dr. Clark's book isn't available here.

Shay
205/192.5/150
Atkins since 8/29/03
~Too blessed to be stressed~

Clare,

That wasn't "gruesomly self-indulgent" to me. But, even if it was, go ahead and be self-indulgent once in a while. That is the beauty of a written forum. We can ramble all we want and no one is compelled to read it (just MNSHO)

I might be inclined to agree with Dr. Clark's assessment. It fits my experience pretty well. Slow is just fine with me though. I didn't get overweight instantly (though it may seem like it). To expect to reduce that weight overnight is unrealistic, and potentially harmful.

YOu know, maybe we shouldn't think of ourselves as fat. Maybe we should view ourselves as people with sufficient raw material to sculpt the body we were meant to have. This WOE is the tool we use to create that masterpiece. I suspect that at the end of the day, we will appreciate and respect the "sinewy and lithe" (or whatever) bodies we create far more than those "fortunate" enough to be naturally so blessed.

Ramble mode off...

--jim

Clare...Ramble away

That is too funny! My mom is the same way, I haven't seen her in awhile (I think she stills sees me at 160) and when I told her I needed to find a diet, she started bombarding me with questions....Then after a month, we were talking and she made me feel bad because she wants to start Low Carbing and wishes I was closer...(she's on one coast and I'm on the other)

I had a small victory last night though...I was getting ready to go out, and the ONLY clean jeans I had were the "shove yourself in, lay on the bed to zip up and find someone to help you stand jeans" and guess what! Up and over the thighs and hips and zipped AND buttoned I might add without the help of another person, or my bed! HEHE They are not loose yet but they are coming around! I might have to go and get those clothes out of the goodwill bags in the trunk of my car! LOL NAH! I will buy new!

Have no fear, we are here, to support 1lb at a time...

222/214/150
Started Atkins 8/19/2003

Congrats!

Isn't it fun to shop for new SMALLER clothing?
There is no better way to reward oneself than that!

Never give up! Never surrender!

Katrin