Back again with my weight loss story and altering my clothes

[sewhappyrtr]

Hi.... Well most of my sewing this spring/summer has been to take apart my capris and resew them up smaller.. still having a pound or two come off so it will be forever before I can get everything altered!! I haven't tackled any blouses/tops yet, but that will come, cuz I have so many that I love.. and I just won't go out and buy new.. But.. DH understands and lets me take the time to sew.. I can usually get one pair done a day if I have already ripped out the seams and hems and waist.
I did go to Kohl's and look for some new pants because we have a wedding tomorrow... and I could fit in a pair of pants...2 sizes down from what I had worn!!! Yippee for me!!

[LeapFrog Libby]

Karen , Congratulations ! ! I know what a thrill that is, having gone through it a couple of summers ago..I have altered several blouses and lots of my tees, but my pants were just too complicated for me, so I donated them to a friend and bit the bullet and bought a few new pair. Then I found a Connie Crawford pattern I loved for tees and made 8 new ones, and I have a couple of blouses ready to tackle now. I swear Blouses are easier to make than alter.. I only did my very most favorites. Tees are so easy to alter, I have not had to donate any of those with frogs that I love.

[MartySews2]

Congrats, Karen on the weight loss ... good for you I ended up giving away most of my clothes when I lost weight & slowly started rebuilding my wardrobe. It's taken several years but I now have 6 pairs of pants, several tops,10 jackets & 6 skirts. They pretty much cover all of my wardrobe needs. Will look forward to seeing pics of the new, slimmer looking you.
Marty

[Bama]

Way to go Karen! I wish I could do the same. I'm about to clean out closets and get rid of stuff that's too small.

[momquilts]

Good job Karen! Care to share you weight loss secrets? I would love to drop at least one size.

[sewhappyrtr]

Well.... weight loss secret....
a Dr. that understands women (she is a physician assistant) and saw my struggle over the years with trying to lose weight, and she finally (about a year ago) prescribed for me phentermine, which is a controlled substance for wt loss. You have to go every month for blood pressure checks and weight loss checks, and you definately have to exercise, as long as you lose 2 pounds or so a month she will keep you on the pill.. I also walk on our treadmill for an hour every day... except the one day I work at the Dr. offc. I am up to 3.6 speed and 6.0 incline on it for an hour, or more depending on how I am feeling.

So for the last year I have lost....24-26 lbs.. you know how weight can flucuate..
working on getting to the 30 pound mark which would be awesome for me!!!
I also watch what I eat... my breakfast for the last year has been 1 cup of Fiber one cereal with 1 cup of a fruit if I have any (raspberries, blackberries, banana.. whatever) with 1 container of fruited yougurt in it. I absolutely LOVE that cereal and on Weight Watchers 1 cup is 1 point so that is great!!!
Then DH and me eat our noon meal around 1:00 or 2:00 since we have to be at our work by 3:30 and get home around 7:30-7:45.. so I usually fix whatever we are going to eat, and I try to have salad fixings, or something like that.. plus a fruit..
and then when we get home, we shower, and then watch some TV and then to bed, so I am really only eating 2 meals a day..
Its not easy by any means!! and I do slip up... I eat some potatoe chips/doritos/ movie popcorn... but I am also walking most every day..
Plus knowing my clothes are so big on me keeps me going, because I don't ever want to be that heavy again!!!
I have even put a swimsuit on this summer and went to my sister-in-laws backyard pool with DH!!! I haven't put a swimsuit on in probably 2 years!!! I may have to look for a suit on sale now though, because they are a bit loose on me !!!

[sewingmom]

You Go Girl!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That is really an accomplishment to be proud of.

[temom]

Good for you! Congratulations! I took in 2 pair of inexpensive shorts. It worked better than I thought. First I put them on, to see how much they needed to come in, and put a tuck in with a pin. (Center Back) Then I took off the belt keeper that was smack dab in the middle of my tuck. I turned the shorts inside out, and put one leg inside the other (like the step that you do to sew the crotch when making shorts). Starting at the center cross seam, I stitched from there up the back to the pin, following the crotch curve, and flared it, starting from nothing until I had my tuck sewed in. This worked very well. I actually need to open it back up and cut out the extra fabric, but I'm not that concerned about it, I just push the tuck to one side when I get dressed. Besides, I'm hoping to have to take them in again in a few weeks.

[sewhappyrtr]

Good for you! Congratulations! I took in 2 pair of inexpensive shorts. It worked better than I thought. First I put them on, to see how much they needed to come in, and put a tuck in with a pin. (Center Back) Then I took off the belt keeper that was smack dab in the middle of my tuck. I turned the shorts inside out, and put one leg inside the other (like the step that you do to sew the crotch when making shorts). Starting at the center cross seam, I stitched from there up the back to the pin, following the crotch curve, and flared it, starting from nothing until I had my tuck sewed in. This worked very well. I actually need to open it back up and cut out the extra fabric, but I'm not that concerned about it, I just push the tuck to one side when I get dressed. Besides, I'm hoping to have to take them in again in a few weeks.

Ah.. that doesn't work for me... I take my capris and shorts and jeans in about 1 inch or so on each side.. plus I take it up some in the inner leg seam, not an inch though,
( my capris were elastic waist so that was easier!!! not so on jeans : (
I did take apart the waist band on the jeans and cut them out and then tried to sew them back up with a zig zag stitch.. we will have to see how they do..
I then cut down the seam and then hem them again, and then just redo the waist with the elastic. Its slow going!!
This is a little strange... my DS has out grown his shorts and jeans about a year ago., and I just kept his clothes.. well guess what... I can wear his pants although they are a bit big on me, but I wear them for the cleaning job I have and it works out OK.. I did take in the waist on those though just with some darts to make them fit a little better!!
I think I will tackle a blouse or 2 in the weeks coming up.. I will have to see how it goes!!

[sewhappyrtr]

Oh.. and thanks to every one for the kind words of encourgement!!!
Anyone who has struggled with weight loss knows how hard it is!! esp. for a middle-aged women