[looosingit]

Hey Matt - Congrats on the Gap Jeans! It is a great feeling when you get to finally buy something from one of the "regular" stores! Good work on putting a stop to the binge...I am in the process of doing that right now as well. Congratulations to you...I think that it is the toughest part of loosing weight...when you get off plan, or allow yourself some leeway, it takes a herculean effort to pull yourself back on course! Hats off to you!

Lekker - 2 or 3 choices....Ottawa seems to have Addition-Elle only (and man they are expensive!). The Bay & Sears here seem to believe that your sense of style goes out the window if you are overweight. No thanks to the mumus! Toronto, Montreal, Calgary and Vancouver seem to have better selection for shopping though....

Holly - I keep trying on stuff in the plus sized stores too! Why is that?? You would think that we would both be thrilled to be trying on smaller sizes! Crazy world, eh?

[Athenaphoenix]

I know what you mean about the regular stores thing! Profitts had their big sale a few weeks ago and I picked up a pair of Tommy Girl jeans and slunk with head down into the changing room. I kept expecting to hear, "Oh sweetie, your sizes are over there!!"

Sometimes I picture myself as thin esp now that my collarbone is peeking out, can feel and see ribs at top, and my tummy is getting flatter. I've been overweight all of my life too so it's all new and exciting (esp that tummy thing!) Here at school we walk by a series of mirror everytime we go anywhere and I always have to check myself out in profile. LOL, my coworker told me to stop preening the other day!!

I do that too Crystal! LOL I like check myself out in trophy cases and stuff, lmao.

[rochemist]

I know if I keep working hard and relying on the support of others I will see that Chris again.

Miss Chris

[Daners]

Matt, You made me think of the "broken in jeans" commercial for the GAP. I LOVE that commercial. Way to go!

I have really been struggling with this lately. I know that I am smaller than I was a year ago. I was probably 10-15 pounds away from not being able to shop at Lane Bryant anymore. And now, I can shop in so many stores. Those are the days when it is the most real for me. Salespeople in the regular stores ask if they can help me now, and that hasn't happened since I was in high school.

In the past two months, I have had people I haven't seen in a while not realize it was me they were talking to, and I've been around people who haven't seen me since January and didn't say a word about it. My stepdad's sister thought that I was my little sister. People who really study drivers licences when you show them for ID are starting to do a double take to be sure it's me. Yesterday I discovered these knobby spots where my knees are, then thought sheesh..those are your knees silly. I'm really starting to feel like an alien in my body.

For me, while each instance has been exciting in some way, as a whole, it's incredibly overwhelming and frightening. I've always been a big girl. I guess I never realized how much my weight really was a part of who I am.

Thanks for the great topic, and room to ramble.