I Wanna Know.....

Hi I would like to ask all the Marchers a question Please! What can we realisticaly expect as far as weight loss in about a 4 month time period? I am worried ladies !!!!!!! The reason I am asking is because I am getting Married at the end of July to my best friend I just recieved my dress about 3 weeks ago, and it is a size 20, seems more like a lg. 18... And I am so worried now that I just might not fit into it by my Wedding date!I am on a liquid diet and have been waking 2 miles, three times a week and the only thing I see shrinking is my Boobs!! what do you all think???? please tell me if it is possible to go from a size 28 to a 20 in 4 months, I am not worried about the bottom of the dress because it has an empire waistline.....It is the zipper part and the arms that are making me with worry, all I can imagine is on my wedding day I go to put it on and can't close it!!!! P.s. Just so you all know I got my dress on e-bay very cheep, it was over a thousand dollars new,(Oleg Casinni) but I won it for 150.00 thats why I got it in a size 20!!!! Is there any hope out there!!!!! Hugz to all! Mary

I think you have a good shot - just have a backup plan so you won't stress. I'd start looking now (and saving the money) for a dress you can afford and it's availability in sizes 26-22. I realize you'd rather fit into the dress you have, but you'll stress much less if you know you have a backup plan if you cant. (I'm all about risk mitigation - it's the programmer in me). If you do make it down to a size 20 by your wedding day, then you can use the money you saved for a backup dress for the honeymoon!

Hi Mary, It is my thought that the dress just may be a little to big by 4 months out! But that wouldn't be too much of a problem, I wouldn't think. I just bet it will be just fine. Betty

Mary - Congratulations on getting to marry your best friend. I did too, and I don't regret it a moment!!! On the dress, I think there is a good chance you can get into it, as already stated, have a backup plan. I have been looking around and most folks my weight and higher have lost 100 lbs or more 4 months out, but NOT ALL. My incentive is to lose 100 lbs in 4 months by my birthday, so I'm not going to pu**** and cheat/deviate from the rules at all. Yet, I still realize it may not happen for me, and that's okay too. I know what I want, but I'm willing to accept that it may come off slow for me (dieting it does at least). I was 265 when I got married and I believe I wore a size 22 dress. Now, if you find yourself in need of a dress around that size about that time, look me up and I'll send you mine. I know it's not a dream dress, but it was pretty (but also ivory...the white made me look dead). So the offer is there to help maybe get you out of a pinch if need be. The other alternative is to rent a dress since that is a popular thing nowdays. You could maybe do an exchange with the dress rental company, or just sell the one you bought and get back out what you paid. But you have a great chance of getting into that dress. We'll be rooting for you! And if worse comes to worse, you might be able to have it professionally altered. Dina

Hey Mary, In my mind, your going to need to have the dress altered, as you will be smaller than a 20 in 4 months. In one support group that I attend (My Doctor's) patients that are just 2 to 3 weeks post-op have lost an average of 40 lbs. 10-15lbs per size, you can do the math. So needing to make the dress smaller would absolutely make me for JOY!!!! Don't let the little "your too fat" gremlin on your shoulder win this debate!!!!!!! Don't worry you'll be gorgeous. Va 9 sunrises until my new life begins Offishal Paper Monkey and Secretary Extraordinaire Offishal Squirrel Wrangler (willing to share this title)

Mary, Make sure you follow your doctor's instructions and that you EAT enough to lose. Many of use are so used to 'starving' ourselves that we don't get enough nutrition for weight loss after surgery. I hear that constantly at my support group meetings. I have met a sizeable number of my doctor's patients now and the weight loss varies. Unfortunately, the men seem to lose it faster, but there is one gal, who in 6 months time has lost 96.9 pounds. I completely understand the dress thing though. I was losing weight 25 years ago before my wedding, and I didn't buy my dress until 3 weeks before the wedding because I had no idea what was going to fit. Hugs, Mo (doin' the 29 day boogie )

You all are so sweet! thank you from the bottom of my lil; fat heart... this is the best board on the site! Their is so much love and genuine concern here I can feel it! I worry about everyone of you and say a prayer every night for the Marchers! God Bless You All! I just wanna ((((((((((((((((hug you all))))))))))))))))))))) Mary just makes me wanna meet you all next March even more!

Mary, I have heard as a rule of thumb that most WLS patients lose 10% of their body weight in the first month. For those of us who are lightweights, that is 20+ lbs., for others with more to lose, it is even more. Probably 5% of the remaining weight per month is reasonable to expect after that for the first year. Remember that is a DECLINING BALANCE-- Hooray! Also, bear in mind that wedding dresses are made in such a way that they can be altered, especially smaller. Look inside the dress at the seams to see if the seam margins are deep enough to allow it to be altered larger. If the dress is new, and there is enough fabric to do so, it should not show. If the places you want to lose are arms and waist, be sure to focus exercise there. Most of lose from the top down anyway, so that should help. Congratulations! Joy

CONGRAUTULATIONS!!! I think you will well be able to fit into it and it might be too big! ~Nicole

Thanks for making me feel better everyone!!