scales v clothes

[tranquil_butterfly]

So after my trauma of battling with Walsall Manor I figure they will have to give me a date for my op sooner or later - so I am looking to the future.

I really do not want to develop an obsession of jumping on and off scales once I have been 'done' and have been thinking about how best to monitor things post op. I have piles of clothes ranging in all sizes probably down to size 20 and wondered if I should ditch the scales and just go by how I am getting into clothes.

I have been trying to follow an Atkins type diet for a few months and have been stalling lately but have still lost inches in that clothes are feeling loose. It has helped me to keep going rather than just give up so wondered if this was the way to go once I have had the op. I am going to be weighed by my doc as I am going to have to be closely monitored because of my blood pressure problems. So I am likely to be weighed at least once a month to begin with. Any views?

tranquil

 

[Neen]

I think although I have a ticker for weight loss and obviously weight matters..It is much more satisfying and less upsetting to focus on clothes size.
We are trying to be healthy not be on a diet (and all the obsessive angst that goes with them) so getting an item of clothing in the size down fromthe current one..trying it on every week and or taking your measurements , once a week/fortnight. That might be a much more pleasant and reliable way to monitor your progress x

 

[tranquil_butterfly]

Thanks for the reply Neen. I bought these really snazzy digital scales a few months and I am having a job working them out so they are sitting in the box and I am inclined to leave them there! To be honest having seen so many posts about people being disappointed with losses I just do not want to go there. The idea of having the op is to get off the medication I am on now before they do any more damage. It is a difficult enough journey without adding other pressure and I thought it would be fun to be able to try things on and see how they fit. I have things which I have never worn and with the labels still on. One of the tasks when I am recovering from the op is to sort them all out - so not looking forward to that job!

tranquil

 

[Neen]

I am a bit vague on how often bypassers go back to visit hospital after the op, but perhaps use that weight as the weight measurement and for a weekly check , use the clothing / tape measure??
Weight fluctuates as much as 4lbs in one day sometimes with fluid etc...so it's not always a good way to keep positive..I have knocked myself out all week and got zilch too many times...then you have that happen and run the risk of slipping into bad old habits because you're down and frustrated.
Once you start weighing as your way of charting progress, it's hard to drop it..I wish I could ignore the scales and just go by how I feel and how things fit on me.
Also if you are going to build up your exercise and get toned and good muscle tone (no I don't mean a female Sly Stallone just toned and sleek), your clothes will fit better and you might not necessarily weigh a lot less.

 

[Linski]

I would go for the clohes option Tranquil. I get very, very dissapointed if the scales dont move and when I am bypassed I will get weighed just once a month. It's funny because I have been running all this through my head as I am aware of my usual reaction if the scales do not move. I am thinking ahead trying to think what will work for me when I can no longer binge on sweet things, when I would normally have done pre -op. If I am on a diet and typically I have not deviated and I only lose a pound I head straight for the sweet stuff. Hence why I am opting for the op.
I am going to buy a couple of items (nothing expensive) in smaller sizes once i am actually oin the wait list. Sale items such as leggings, T-shirts etc and use them as my target. Daft things like this will help me and I guess its each to their own. You should sort out a favourite outfit in each size down you have, hang them up and use each one as a target.
I am also purchasing a couple of bypas books of ebay or Amazon for hints and tips. Mind you what you cant find out on this site proberbly isn't worth knowing, but again one of these will become my bible, I know what I am like.

So all we need now is a date and roll on - GIVE US ONE.

You first Tranquil!!!!!!!

Great to see you are forward thinking.

Linski xxxx

 

[tranquil_butterfly]

Thanks both. I think I am going to go by how clothes feel on me. Neen, WM are so bad on appointments for follow up that they cannot be relied on but as my GP will be monitoring my BP I will get weighed at least once a month and that will do for me.

tranquil

 

[Neen]

Sounds like the sane option!!

 

[12dobidog]

Hi guys
You are right clothes are the best option even for us blokes. I set myself small achievable targets. Find something that is a bit tight and give myself a set time to get into it so it fits loosly.
My longer term aim is to be able to get my old bike leather jacket on and jip it up without it being like a second skin.
Something to make you laugh.
I popped over to France yesterday and they still have C&A so I went in as they had a half price sale, I thought I might see something nice for my girls but I saw they had trunks (underware) up to 3xl. I bought some xl trunks and some 2xl slip type briefs. When I tried them on the 2xl are too damn big. and theres my thinking the trunks would be my next target. So if there is anyone whos hubby / partner is in a 2xl brief pb me and I can send them to you FOC, there is 9 pairs in black and grey.
My missus keeps saying my bum has dissapeared, now I see she might be right.
Good luck to you all.
AND NO there are not any photo's of me in them.

 

[Neen]

You are doing awesome B!! It's such a fantastic feeling to get into the new clothes...that's a huge motivation for you to keep going! Hope you are zipping up those leathers very soon x

 

[phatmomma]

Aww Bryan you knew i was coming didn't you

Tranquil, can i throw another option into the equation? One i never took myself and i did regret it a few weeks ago, but something you could do oh so easily and cheaply...

Buy a ball of string! Get Mr TB (lovely man he is) to use the string to measure your essentials, bust (oh he's gonna love me) waist, hips, arms and legs. He can cut the pieces to the right length being very careful.

You can use your clothes to judge but you can also use your pieces of string to see the difference each week. You could measure each piece of string and then put how many inches excess there are each time?

Maybe put them on an excel sheet along with your monthly weigh ins? Be lovely to see the charts as time goes by

Downhill all the way xxx

 

[ditzeeblonde]

People ask me what weight I'd like to get down too & I tell then that it doesn't really matter, I'd just love to be a comfortable size 14, whatever weight that puts me at.

I had alot of stalls whilst doing an Atkins stylee low carb this year but my body kept shrinking whilst not losing weight on those scales!

I'm still trying to stay relatively low carb now as I know that they really trigger cravings for me but I think I'm going to have to go higher than I'm at right now. x

 

[tranquil_butterfly]

Aww Bryan you knew i was coming didn't you

Tranquil, can i throw another option into the equation? One i never took myself and i did regret it a few weeks ago, but something you could do oh so easily and cheaply...

Buy a ball of string! Get Mr TB (lovely man he is) to use the string to measure your essentials, bust (oh he's gonna love me) waist, hips, arms and legs. He can cut the pieces to the right length being very careful.

You can use your clothes to judge but you can also use your pieces of string to see the difference each week. You could measure each piece of string and then put how many inches excess there are each time?

Maybe put them on an excel sheet along with your monthly weigh ins? Be lovely to see the charts as time goes by

Downhill all the way xxx

I managed to find online an extra long tape measure that even goes around me so I will ask Mr TB to help me get measured (he will love that!). Good idea - thanks

tranquil

 

[phatmomma]

Mr TB owes me now xx

 

[tranquil_butterfly]

Mr TB owes me now xx

I will tell him - he will be thrilled

 

[ladylite]

Well I know what you mean about being obsessed with the scales, I solved my problem, I weigh once a week at the mo, and will weigh myself less if I start stalling. The OH then hides them for me for a week (oh he does like to control me), that way I cant cheat and pop on them, which I know I will do.

Regarding the clothes I do get a great more deal of pleasure by getting into something tight than if I lost a couple of pounds.

So I suppose I am saying Clothes are the best guide.

 

[ditzeeblonde]

My OH also hides my scales as I'm a serial scale hopper! Its been really refreshing actually! x