Buy a New Belt

I’ve been following the advice and comments from social media groups for gastrectomy and CDH1 mutations. I received a lot of helpful advice but I would put one item on the priority list that no one had mentioned to me. The weight comes off quickly and I’m surprised at how quickly 5-10 lbs can disappear if I get sick for a few days. One of the reasons I don’t like looking in the mirror is seeing the oversized clothes drooping off of me. I have been waiting for my weight to stabilize before going out for new clothes. So what do you do in the interim? BUY A NEW BELT. Interestingly, no one had suggested this. Perhaps I’m in the minority and most people are happy to rush out and buy new clothes. Or maybe their old belts had enough extra holes. For those who are more like me, my advice… start with a new belt. It helped to extend the life of the clothes I had in the beginning. It may not have looked great but the clothes felt better and my shirt tails stopped pulling out. Eventually, there is only so much you can let your waist line fold and cinch before it starts looking real bad. Not to mention all that fabric that at one time just surrounded my thighs but now hangs in an empty space. And my shirt collars are sagging. So when is a good time to invest in new clothes? For me it was when my son mentioned that I was “Rockin’ the baggy look”. I started with some new clothes for work. Three inches smaller at the waistline and a half size less for shirts, fitted vs. regular fit, and I’m no longer carrying all that extra fabric. While I still have trouble recognizing the person on the other side of the mirror, at least he is dressing better. I will be looking out for those Labor Day/Back to School sales this weekend.