SPANX Update and Goal Question

Hey, Everyone... I could not sleep last night so I popped on the TV and Donnie Duetsch had a special on undergarments. The show highlighted Spanx, Her Look, SassyBax, Nightsweatz, Breezies, and Eve Alexander. You can check out the links for these products on www.CNBC.com Shawneena...Congratulations on your journey as a "mom to be"! The Eve Alexander collection is a materity and nursing collection...and sexy. Molly...Great Job...Size 4....I've never worn such a little size in my entire life...You GO! Since you mentioned sewing, I thought that I'd share how I deal with the muffin-look on jeans. I buy the correct size that fits my stomach roll in jeans and then I taper-in the thigh inseam (and a bit of the crouch, if needed). I am not the greatest at sewing, but the results are slimming. As I replied in your Batman post, I've been wearing V-necks and camisoles with skorts this summer. I am interested in trying on a SassyBax, which conceals the extra skin that bulges on my back (and underarm area) from bras. ????? What's your take on how Goal Weights are set? My goal weight was set at 160 LB, but I've weighed less in the past. I believe that the doctors were giving me a range based on my highest (recorded weight) of 332 LB. I am so happy that I had the WLS. The LB number seems secondary, but is still of interest to me. Thanks. Ro

Hi Ro! Wish I'd caught that program. I'll have to check to see if they are going to repeat it. On those jeans, it was the rise that was the problem. They just needed to be cut at least 2" longer in the crotch-to-waist length. Lately I've been wearing wal-mart jeans size six since their cheapies are cut fairly high in the waist. I'll never be a hip-hugger girl...I didn't even like them the first time they were in style when I was a teenager. That is a very good tip on altering regular jeans. I've noticed as my sizes went down that the first place they'd get loose would be in the butt and thigh but the waist would still be fine and just taking in the size seam would be enough. But I knew I'd be giving the jeans away so I just got the smaller size. (lazy!) My take on how goals are set...it has to do with your age mostly. I thought I should weigh 130 and my doctor thought it was way too low. They wanted to set my goal at 150 and we compromised at 145. I'm 46 and almost 5'5 (5' 4.75 to be exact) and really should not be too heavy but I do have big Germanic bones from my heritage. And from two pregnancies during obesity I do have a lot of extra skin so I know that at least 5-8 pounds of my weight is just extra skin. The lowest I ever weighed as an adult was 125 and it was so hard to maintain...my body was not happy there. Dark circles under my eyes and hungry all the time. I don't know how people who are taller than me get lower than that and look/act happy! Molly...still cookin' today! But NOT grazing!!!

Hi, Molly! You would have really liked the undergarment show. I plan to watch it again if it is replayed. They had panties without elastic that seemed to disappear under pants. One company had different bra inserts to round-out what's "hanging". LOL The Nightsweatz and some of the bras are made out of the fabrics used in jogging clothes so there is hardly any sweat / moisture problem for the wearer. As for my Goal Weight, I am 50 and 5' 1.5" so the 160 LB seemed a bit high to me. I was overweight during my pregnancy 23+ years ago and have a lot of stretch marks and extra skin. About 11 years ago, I started gaining weight rapidly until I hit over 332 LB. Over the past few years, I walked and decreased the amount of food, finally hitting 240...just to bounce back to 270+ again. I decided that I'd have surgery before 50 and you know the rest of the story. I think that my Dr & Nutritionist try to be conservative until they see how much a patient loses in the months following WLS. I will ask for an updated GW at my October appts. Does my GW seem on target, using the method described to you? Thanks for sharing! Ro

It does seem kind of high for your height. My mom is 5'1" and she always felt overweight at 160 but then her pregnancies were at normal weight so she doesn't have the skin issues you and I have. There are only a few inches and years between you and me and I'd guess that if you were in my doctor's practice they'd put you at 145 for GW considering your highest past weight too. I do have to say that since I've lost below my GW, people are commenting that I've lost too much and should put some back on. Personally, I think it is like Terri over on the RNY board commented that it is just that my skin hasn't caught up yet and is looking pretty saggy. I can count the number of individual fat pockets under my eyes now and they make me look tired even when I'm not. (3, if you wanna know ) Things like that are just going to take time to resolve and barring that, they'll just have to be. If I remember correctly, a tall friend of mine who had her VBG before mine lost 200# with her surgery and in just her pannis removal/lower body lift alone lost 12# of skin. She became extremely anemiated after that...it was such a shock to her body to be losing that much skin and blood mass that it took her awhile to get back to producing enough red blood cells. She also ended up having a breast reduction, thigh and upper arm jobs too. Molly ps- You should smell my house...I have a no-pasta zucchini lasagne in the oven baking. Whoa!!!! Heavenly!!!

Molly...Yum...the zucchini lasagna sounds delicious...I love zucs. Have you posted the recipe yet? I'd love to have it! I hope that my Drs will lower my GW#. By the time I see them, I'll already be in the 160 range. I thought that the LB sounded a bit high for my height. Time will tell. Hope that your friend is doing well now. I have a wish list of PS, but will probably wait a bit before going under the knife. As for the "you've lost too much weight" comments, I've heard this a few times over the years. Basically, I was overweight with a few years in the normal range. Every time I would near normal, the comments would be flying..."Your face is too thin..."etc. I ignored the comments and over time, my weight seemed to "shift" or "adjust" just fine. Unfortunately, these were the same people who would tell me that they were glad that I lost weight "because I have such a pretty face". Big compliment...meaning your body was plain ugly. Ultimately, I mentioned that the "pretty face" comment had that down side. They did not get it. You look great! You've just lost an unbelievable amount of weight and the fat pockets and tiredness will pass. Isn't it great to be "our" age because the comments mean so little. I love my RNY too! I feel free from the weight. No one can bring me down about the WLS. I just want to stay healthy and have some fun! Ro