No—it isn’t a typo. I’m referring to my current circumstance as Pandemic Weight Gloss it’s a hybrid of “gain+ loss”—Gloss! And this word is being used because you can dress well after the infamous Pandemic Weight Gain and during the weight loss.
A good number of us have had this expression during this pandemic. Weight happens1
First, I’m gonna address the elephant in the room. And although in the present time I may feel as though I’ve got an elephant’s weight, I need to address just what caused this weight gain It was far more than the pandemic that caused it.
Trust me. That elephant is excercising more than I am!
I made a list and studied it. With the exception of my brother’s passing and the state of my eyesight before my cataract surgeries, it came down to the fact that I lost will power. But it isn’t laziness. The current state of being self-contained made most of us lose any will that we had. Am I right?
I made a list. Checked it twice. And realized that I could have had control over quite a few of these excuses!
And it isn’t easy. I don’t know about you, but Weight Watchers isn’t working for me anymore. I tried intermittent fasting and that turns me into a hangry bitch! The other option was Noom but I’ve heard too many mixed reviews and truthfully, I don’t want to spend the money.
There’s a reason Weight Watchers isn’t working at the moment. None of the above is allowed. That’s what I’ve been shoving into my mouth!
The wakeup call came to me in the form of transitioning my summer clothing to winter clothes. A couple of weeks ago, I tackled this transition only to discover that I gained so much weight most of my clothing didn’t fit me. It was so disgusting. My gut not only is a flabby display of overflowing fat, but I swear my belly is larger than my pregnant daughter’s. At least hers is firm.
Honestly–this is ME. I can’t even close most of last year’s pants!
My thighs and ass have expanded and my upper arms, as well as my face, have gotten rounder. It is no surprise that over the course of three seasons, my body puffed up like a kernel of popcorn over the heat!
There’s lots to do. I need to channel my inner willpower and I need to be accountable to myself. Nobody else but me. With a grandchild on the way, I need to get healthy. At my aging proage, I must get healthy. That entails more than dieting. It begins with baby steps. Then wider steps and getting into a routine.
And I’ll get to more of that later. But for now………….
Back to the clothing! Rather than sit around and cry and whine about why most of my clothing didn’t fit, I weeded out the clothes that would work while this extra load is being carried upon my body.
And rather than sit around continuing to stuff my face……
A good number of the pants in my wardrobe have stretch. I tried them on and surprisingly the stretch factor worked in my favor. Granted, the waist was very snug but with panties that suck the tummy in—they work!
Lets Look at Pants–shall we?
A couple of weeks ago, I purchased a pair of “Jamie” pants from J. Crew Factory online. They were a clearance item so at less than twenty bucks, I made the purchase and I’m so glad that I did. The leopard print and wider legs are on trend but not overtly trendy. They are so stinking comfortable that I headed to Factory’s website to find more colors. The only remaining color was sold out in my size. The waist is elasticized but not granny. I have to say, I never thought I would love these pants.
These pants. I didn’t expect to love these as much as I do but I’ll tell you, they drape beautifully. The polyester blend is soft and almost silky in texture. The wider leg is surprisingly flattering and the length is wonderful. I’m wearig a stretchy tee that was purchased at Target about two years ago. At $19.99 these pants are fantastic! And..
….the waistband is elasticized but not in a granny way. These are going to be a favorite during the weight gloss!
I loved the leopard print pants so much, I headed to J. Crew Factory to buy the wide-leg in black. Sadly they were sold out but I purchased a slimmer version. These are wonderful pants!
Here I am in my ever lovin’ J. Crew Pixie pants. I’ve got about 8 pair and have had them for a long time. The stretch component is incredible and the quality is stellar. The Pixie pant has literally been with me through thicker and thinner! It also helps to wear a sweater or top that falls below the waist!
The pants in this photo are about five or six years old! Again, it’s all about the stretch. These are Gap Jeggings and they are ridiculously accodomating for a weight gloss! Worn with black booties, a black top and a camel blazer, the look is polished and flattering . Try to stick with a more monochromatic color palette for a longer look!
My wool pencil skirts? It’s gonna be a while till I shimmy my body into them. However, my favorite three-season leopard print skirt has stretch and the tummy area expands. It still fits!
My favorite skirt–from J. Crew Factory! Granted–it’s a bit snug but the slight stretch contingent aids in the fit. I can zipper it up. Again with the stretch shirt from Target, this is one of my all-time favorite outfits! The shirt is fantastic because it falls at the perfect length. A too-short shirt will cut the body and make it look squat and heavier! Now is not the time for that!
Luckily, this body-con completely stretchy skirt is now a life-saver! It not only stretches but sucks my tummy in! Sticking to a monochromatic color scheme, worn with my favored French Hen sweater from J. Crew, this is a perfect choice for work! The skirt was purchased many moons ago either at TJ Maxx or Marshalls!
I have three kilt skirts with Velcro closure waistbands. These are a Godsend. The skirts, from the brand, Sportkilt.com are fantastic! Comfortable as all get out and the waistband can be closed tighter as the weight comes off.
This is the newest addition to my collection from Sportkilt.com! There’s nothing like a cute kilt no matter what age you are! The great thing is the velcro waist band…
The arrow is pointing to the velcro. You can adjust the waistband whether your waist is expanding or shrinking! THIS is the perfect Thanksgiving/Christmas/Channukah meal skirt!
The skinny on jeans? That’s a tough one. Some jeans fit fine due to the stretch and some I can’t even zipper up. But I do have my stretchy whimsical jeans from Gretchen Scott that are very weight friendly!
The jeans can be daunting during a weight gain because they can feel cumbersome. Many of my jeans are stashed away for leaner times. These jeans from AG Jeans are one of the few pairs that still fit. That is due to a good amount of stretch and the right panties! A half-tuck with a tee shirt helps to disguise added tummy fat!
These “jeans” from Gretchen Scott Designs are fun, colorful and whimsical! And loaded with stretch around the tummy and waist! Purchased on sale–they are wonderful!
Another pair of Gretchen Scott jeans! I’ll tell you, these are fabulous for those of us who need the stretch! The leg is also a tad looser than a true skinny jean so overall, a great fit!
Dresses? For now, the sheath dresses will be in a deep slumber but I have my jersey swing dresses that are perfect for gain-into-loss! These dresses hide a multitude of sinful eating and can be dressed up or down!
These dresses though! Purchased at Old Navy for $17.99 each they are an asset to the weight loss. The fit is definitely looser but still remains flattering. I love the look with boots and each can go dressy with pumps and pearls!
This dress is from a few seasons ago. I reviewed it for Mindful Souls but the company is no longer selling this dress. It was slightly large when I received it but presently, fits beautifully. The layered “slip” adds length and again, looks great with boots!
Running errands? I’ve discovered activewear! Although I much rather get a bit more dressed when I leave the house, these leggings are great for home use. It occurred to me that if I make the feeblest of attempts to look decent at home, the willpower may kick in a bit. Traipsing around in pajamas and a tee shirt or sweatshirt adds to the mental sloppiness that got me into this poundage.
Bra straps notwithstanding, Activewear has warmed the strings of my heart. Although I rarely wear this sort of clothing outside the home. Actually, with a blazer, this just may suffice for casual Fridays! And the fit is friendly while attempting to lose weight!
The key is to feel better about yourself while going through the Weight Gloss journey! And the right clothing can help. Stretch is the key component. That stretch around the thighs and the waistband really help.
And again, the majority of clothing I’m showing you in this post are not new. It’s just that I happen to purchase clothing with a bit of stretch so the fabric can “give” and move with me. The new items were the dresses from Old Navy and the Jamie pants from J. Crew Factory. I love every purchase and that helps. You have to buy what you love or it’ll never get worn!
So that’s it. What do you think? Should I return to a weekly weight post? I’m veering toward it!
It’s a journey for certain. But I want to ask something. A while back, about two year ago, I wrote weekly installments on losing weight. What do you think of doing it again? But this time, we can do it together. Perhaps every Thursday evening I can do a post dedicated to what I cooked, wore, thought during the week of loss. Maybe we can share our strategies.
Let me know what you think and we can do this together!