I'm supposed to be limiting my 3FC time, but here I am...

I'm replacing wardrobe today and I hope it's not a mistake. I'm still on the fence about any additional weight loss, my mind changes hourly, but I just cannot wait any longer. I'm 5 lbs under goal and I'm still about the same size. I was a solid 10 with a few 8s in generous brands and now I'm an 8 with 10s in designer and European brands. If I lose another 5 I'm thinking I'll be ok with anything I get today and if not I can get it taken in.

I'm just so frustrated because everyone says you'll know when you hit goal, but I just don't know. 70% of the time I feel AMAZING, but 30% of the time I feel like I want just a little more to see if there will be any progress in those troubled spots. But then I think what for? I'm within healthy range, I look fabulous clothed, I still have some respectable cleavage and a backside to hold up jeans and in the big picture who cares if I have little more tummy than I'd prefer.

I just want to know that this is it. I mean 140-145 for a mom in her early 30s, with a lot of muscle mass who LOVES to eat is pretty good right? It's too much pressure for that same person to maintain 135-140...especially considering 140 is the smallest I ever been.

Oh well, whatever, I get to go shopping!!!

I think you answered yourself there. I can't tell you what is good for you, but I can tell you that weight loss isn't a magical fix for body-flaw finding. Everyone has flaws, no matter how teeny they are.

Ugh! I so want to go shopping!! What season will I be in when I finally say, "Ok, now!!" LOL! I can definitely sympathize on the desire to go shopping bug.

Part of me feels like I'm already there, but the biggest part of me wants to see this thing through to GOAL!

I'm doing a bit of a make over today, mostly in the clothing department, and I'm realizing as a formally obese person I don't really know how to shop for my new body. Part of me wants to embrace these sleek styles of skinny jeans and leggens, high heels and boots, and recapture the 20s I lost to obesity. But I'm a mom in my 30s and I work with a bunch of guys and don't exactly want to be the "office eye candy either".

So anyway, how do you handle establishing your new style after weight loss? I feel like I'm asking how to shop Fortunatly, my physical image and mental image are in sync and I don't see a 268 lb person staring back at me any mor and I'm not afraid of tighter or shorter fits anymore, but I still worry about dressing age appropriate.

I would so totally go for office eye candy. lol

go with a friend who likes to shop or who's style you admire. They will see stuff that you would never try on. Also, I have a friend who is a total fashionista and she taught me just to grab everything that looks even slightly appealing and try it on. You'd be surprised what does and does not look good.

I agree with cherrypie, and yourself "recapture those 20s" I think you have EARNED the right to wear whatever the heck you want! At work, you can remain chic and stylish without going overboard. I think that it is most important to do things for yourself, and not worry about what others will think. After being obese or overweight for so long, it is an accomplishment just to be able to wear any kind of clothing. I wouldn't be bothered if guys oggle you =P just ignore them, blow them off! Revel in the fact that you're looking just that damn good!

ncuneo, go for it! You deserve it! I love skinny jeans. I wore mine with brown slouchy boots out shopping today with my thrifted corduroy jacket. I wore the boots with tights and a just above the knee denim skirt to church this morning. Cherrypie is right--grab anything that catches your eye and try it on. I'm always surprised at what looks good and what looks uggy!

ncuneo, I already responded to your other makeover thread but I forgot something that I should add. When I decided that I was in maintenance, just a little over a year ago, I continued to lose weight. I went from a solid 10 (on the bottom) to 6-8 over the next 3-4 months and a M to Ss on the top. It wasn't so much lbs dropping as I lost inches. Don't buy too much. Just buy enough so that you feel good about what you are wearing. I now have some really nice work pants that I swim in...

ncuneo-I feel your questions in a personal way. You and I are the same height and I started out around the same weight as you. Biggest difference is that I am 46. My boys are grown and I have 2 young granddaughters. I have struggled with my weight since my early 20s. I missed out on years of family fun because I was too overweight to participate in so many things.

If you notice, I have my goal at 127, but I know that is too low for me. I was just going to change it today to 140, and in all honesty, when I lose another 30 lbs. (which I WILL DO!) LOL, I will probably call it good at 145. I mean, afterall, Mia Hamm is 5'6" and 145 and she looks terrific. Granted she's got a lot of muscle, but I am also building muscle as well.

I am wondering if you are having the same inner dialogue in your head that I am? I feel that if I don't put the number low enough, I will be done with the weight loss portion and have to go to maintenance. Maintenance is something I have never been able to do. Lose weight? Yes, absolutely, but like Oprah and so many others, as soon as I would lose it all I would start sliding back almost immediately. However, probably like you, I have done a great deal of homework about maintenance this time around. I read everything i can get my hands on about it. I WILL be successful this time. I have to be. I'm not sure if this is also your concern, but just thought I'd throw that out there.

Change is difficult. We are used to the losing, but not the maintaining. I'm sure that you have thought as yourself as a "loser" for quite some time now and haven't totally considered the idea of being a "maintainer", even with all of the reading.

I have been reading your posts and I can tell that you are going through some difficult issues. No one can tell you whether you should stop now and maintain. Only you can decide that. I will say that you look terrific. Like another poster said, it's possible that you will stop losing and maintain and lose a few more pounds anyway. IMHO, why not try it and continue to enjoy this terrific adventure?

Whatever you decide, best wishes to you. You've done a terrific job! I'm jealous!!

Lately, I have been grabbing things I think are awful and when I try them on they look amazing! LOL! And then I grab things I think will look spectacular and they look just awful! So I'm going with "grab anything" too! LOL! Just grab things of varying styles and see what you like. They look so different on!

I'm such a horrible shopper. I feel like I lost my 20's too. I no longer know what decade I'm in. I feel a little like Rip Van Wrinkle.

Before I started my "shopping spree" from ****, (Well, **** on the check book anyway!) I watched a "What not to Wear" marathon. It really helped. Living were I do, (in VERY rural Nebraska), fashion is something that is hard to just pick up on. Most women wear jeans and Nebraska Cornhusker t-shirts. (Like what I have on in my avatar) LOL I wanted to look nice, but not over the top. I still get a few looks but I don't know if they are because I'm overdressed, or because I'm a 45 year old woman dressing like a 30 year old city slicker....hehe Whatever the case, I buy what looks good...Which is unfortunately almost everything I try on...hehe Being a normal weight is so much fun!

A couple of weeks ago I was visiting a friend in another state. She dragged me to the mall, picked out TONS of clothes, and we spent hours (ok, it felt like hours!) in the dressing rooms trying stuff on and critiquing it. It was both torturous - because I have very low stamina for shopping - and really, really helpful. She made me try on things I never would have picked for myself, and some of those things I really liked.

Don't be afraid to ask the salespeople in the shops you go to for help--a lot of them really enjoy "dressing up" their customers and can give you an honest opinion.

Oh man I cannot tell you how jealous I am of your shopping spree.

Embrace it heartily, I say. Fitted and sleek is a far cry from "trashy" or "age-inappropriate" if that's a concern. Besides, is there REALLY a difference between the thirties and the twenties? If you feel deprived of your twenties go ahead and pick up some pieces you would have loved to wear 10 years ago. I agree with chickybird that asking sales staff is a good idea.

As a former, current and future total clotheshorse, I'd recommend trying on anything you think you might possibly like.

Almost everything is okay to wear, especially if you layer your clothes. A cute pair of skinny jeans/jeggings with a long top and a sweater is super cute. Boots go with mostly everything and don't forget the black tights! Put in a punch of colour or a wide belt, pretty scarf and you are set.
Have fun and congrats on your new body.