The MakeMeThinner Support Forum

[dlr2424]

Biki.....I'm sooo glad you enjoyed your shopping trip with your hubby..... ...it's nice to enjoy the day together..... ...I wish you many more enjoyable days together....
Donna...dlr2424

[24KaratGold]

Oooo! I went shopping! Two shopping stories to tell, and I'm not sure which one is better, LOL.

Last week, in Hawaii, I happened to stop in the Macy's in Kona for a little while as my son was doing something else. I just wanted to see what they had that might be different from what the Macy's in LA carries. Nicely, they had a 20 percent discount day going --20 percent off everything -- and also nicely I hadn't used my Macy's card in over a year so they had to reactivate it and gave me an additional 10 percent discount for doing so.

I bought an outfit that was totally different from anything I normally wear. It's from Bali, and the top is ivory, sleeveless with beading work all over the front. Then I bought Bali-made capri pants and a short little matching jacket to wear with it. Black floral print. My best girlfriend (the one who has lost 100 pounds on MF so far!) is giving a voice recital in two weeks, and I'm going to wear it for that. BUT -- the best part is that I DIDN'T buy this in the Macy's Woman department -- I bought it in the plain old regular sizes department! Admittedly it WAS the largest size in that department, but even so.

Then last night self-same best friend and I went out to Lane Bryant since we had discount coupons. I needed some new outfits for starting my new job in a couple of weeks, and I bought three skirt/camisole/shrug sets that I love, one in coral, one in blue, and one in brown. The best part? They're size 14/16! Pretty soon I won't be able to shop at LB anymore; I think that 14/16 is the smallest size they carry.

I've been walking around with a big grin on my face.

[LilMsTexas]

Poor LB..........they're going out of business ONE MF SHAKE AT A TIME!!

And I want to see pictures of you in that Hawaii outfit woman!! I'm wondering if I will ever feel confident enough to wear sleeveless

[dlr2424]

.....24K............I'm so happy for you..........give yourself a hugh hug... .....if it wasn't for YOUR determination you wouldn't be enjoying the treasures right now.........
Donna...dlr2424

[DonicaB]

Good for you 24K. How exciting to move out of the woman's section. I have been toggling back and forth between the woman's section and the "Normal" section. I am kinda right in the middle............but not for long.

Christi, I agree, I don't know if I will ever be brave enough for sleeveless. That wavy flab on my arms just somehow doesn't look appealing to me in a sleeveless shirt. I sure hope I can lose that wavy flab.

DonicaB

[bk]

Woooooooo! Looks like everyone is starting to have some great shopping fun!!

Biki - gotta love the fun panties!!! Me, I have my oscar the grouch ones on today That is some SERIOUS body scrub. The fanciest I get with that stuff is bath & body works! We all have our own particular shopping addictions, though!

24K - looks like you got an AWESOME discount! It sounds so pretty! Isn't it fun to shop in the regular sizes?? There was a very short period for me between girls plus & Lane Bryant where I was sometimes able to find size 16 jeans that were inevitably too tight but I wore them anyways from Penney's. 14/16 is the smallest size that LB carries. You know how happy I was to get out of there!!

Donica - I understand about going back & forth between women's and regular. The journey from size 16W to regular 14 has been a LONG one for me! Remember that it's not just one size between 16W & 14 or 14W & 12, it's really a size and a half!

I've been trying to transition from my 16W jeans into my 14 regular ones for the longest time! I can get them buttoned, and they fit everywhere except the top! They'll fit in no time, so no stress!

I do believe I have a couple weeks of shopping to report! Yes, seriously!

Old Navy: stocked up on some more summer basics on sale. Snagged a couple more layering tanks ($5 right now ladies!), and a really cute tunic camisole that is striped blue & green. Tried it on in my size, it looked adorable, but it is WAY too cold here for that silliness, and then bought it in a medium.

NY&Co: I got a brown off the shoulder drawstring top with cream/yellow/coral embroidery and a mesh/net aqua print tank thingy to wear with a layering camisole underneath, and a black top. I also got 2 15/30$ coupons to use next weekend. then I can take back the stuff I got if I don't love it still!

An inexpensive (<50) handbag that a random stranger just raved over today. It's a metallic one, totally cute.

And today I stopped by Target to scoop up some of their sales. They had a ton of different styles of t-shirts and a lot of athletic stuff on sale, so I picked up 2 tees, 3 pairs of shorts (different sizes), 2 workout shirts, and a jeans skirt on clearance. All dirt cheap, and saving 4-5$ on every piece really puts money back into my pocket!

I expect to be a size small (i'm short people! that's the way i'm supposed to be!) when I'm done, so I need to budget everything very carefully so I have enough clothes to get me there! Of course, I'm not really boo-hooing the fact that I need to buy new things all of the time!

Right, almost forgot, a strapless bra! Some of the layering tanks & over-tops show a little too much bra for my taste, so I have gone to the dark side and gotten myself a strapless bra. Shocking. I can say with absolute confidence that I have never owned one before.

I think I may actually be good on clothes for a while, but as you can see, I just can't help myself!!

Oh yeah, we had a nearly 90 degree day on Wednesday so I took the opportunity to wear a black skirt I picked up on clearance at Target. Too cute! We're not going to have great weather again until next month, so I'm hoping I get a chance to wear it again! I thought for sure I wouldn't really be wearing a size 14 until really late spring/early summer, but I was SO WRONG! I can't remember the last time I liked being wrong so much!!!

Till next time ladies! Keep shopping & don't forget to accessorize (something I had almost completely forgotten how to do!).

bk

[coco]

Shopping....I enjoy it a little too much, hmmm. I've been doing MF for a while, so I bought so many cute skirts and tops that didnt quite fit, expecting to have them fit "really soon," only to cheat cheat and cheat again on the plan, so of course they stiill dont fit. I am ready fix that and go shopping in my own closet. There's that leather skirt I bought on sale. I want to wear it, and say "because I CAN!!"...then there's teh red skirt too, hehe. Well, you get the point. I cant wait to get into these things...many many of them...and then to shrink out of them too, and get to go shopping AGAIN!!!!

[bk]

I have been quite neglectful of my shopping thread as of late, but I can assure you ladies, not of shopping!!

Coco- most of my shopping is for smaller sizes, because it's more exciting to try on the clothes every week and see what fits! It's also a great motivator! Money for medifast AND new clothes is a whole lot of dough! I know you can keep shrinking!! If you stick to plan I PROMISE you those cute clothes WILL fit really soon!

I had kind of a weird shopping week. Last Friday (one week ago), I snagged some cuff denim capris from Old Navy that if you unroll them they are the PERFECT jeans for my height (too short for short sizing!). I was getting out my receipt, because while they were on sale (with a great selection) at the store I bought them at, they were on clearance at another one, so I wanted to get a price adjustment.

To my ABSOLUTE HORROR, I discovered that the cashier rang up TWO pairs TWICE. That was about $45 extra dollars on the bill. I *really* wasn't paying attention (I was buying some other stuff and 4 shirts for a friend too). They had to pull the videotapes and go through a whole rigamarole, but I did finally get my money back, plus the price adjustment. I ended up with 3 perfect pairs of jeans (sizes 12, 10, and for $13 apiece. (Instead of 3 pairs for 110!! [22x5]). I relearned my lesson to ALWAYS PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR RECEIPT AND DOUBLE-CHECK IT BEFORE YOU EVEN THINK ABOUT WALKING OUT THE DOOR! Fortunately all ended well but it just as likely could have ended badly.

Hmm, let's see. After that debacle I definitely needed some retail therapy (also had some roommate crap to deal with earlier in the week that necessitated quite a little spree). I also got a couple cute graphic t-shirts, a really nice dress with embroidery & ruffles (clearance of course!) to wear during the summer, 4 shirts for $32 at NY&Co (black & white striped nauticalesque boatneck, couple of striped polos, and another basic shirt), found the skirt I bought at the gap marked down by another half, so I picked that up (along with a clearance tee to go with) so I can return the other one [One of my biggest tricks is the re-shop & return. Most retailers have a very short price adjustment period but they'll always take back the item with a receipt]. A black skirt on clearance from H&M that was just adorable.

I signed up for an Old Navy credit card and got a major haul online for 20% off -- just basics, nothing fascinating! new panties [had to throw away another trash basket of em!], some tops (basically fancy t-shirts, but they're cute & versatile), a denim skirt, some outerwear [gee, it seems like I get cold way too frequently for spring! WAIT A MINUTE! I don't have as much insulation!!!!], a summer skirt or two, and a pair of really great flipflops (they don't make a flipflop sound, and they're super cute - they're the sneaker flip flops if you want to check those puppies out).

Over the past week I've also ended up with another pair of shoes (absolutely gorgeous - spring green & aqua athletic shoes. Still need to take the time to spray my protector on them before I'm allowed to wear them!), a nice haul of lotions and potions for ye olde bod, self-tanner to show off my legs, some gel inserts for all those high heels, AND MY BILLY IDOL TICKETS!!!!!!!! WOOOOHOOOOOO! We're also hitting Six Flags for some fun & concerts over the next few weeks - I'm really looking forward to it, and I know without a doubt I'll fit into every ride I want!

Happy shopping!!!!

[bikipatra]

Billy Idol! Oh my! I think he is STILL so hot! I always say I have been in love with Bono longer than any man on the planet. But, Billy Idol is a close second! Have a great time.

[bk]

Oh yes, and if you see his new album cover, well let's just say that he's still completely ripped. yumyumyum.

[24KaratGold]

Shopping! I went to Ross today -- I love that I can spend so little money on something there, because I don't want to invest a lot of money in things that I hope won't fit by the Fourth of July!

My last big shoppage was to LB, reported above, where I am wearing their size 14W/16W. I wanted to see what I was wearing in a size that wasn't meant to cover so much distance. I appear to be solidly in a 16 or 16W, although one of the dresses I bought today at Ross was a 14W. I think it fit because it doesn't have sleeves; it's often my upper arms that prevent something from fitting when it fits everywhere else. I think I was in junior high the last time I wore anything that said "14" on it, and that would have been 14 1/2.

I thought of Nancy when I was shopping, because I bought a gorgeous leopard print halter top sun dress. It has large red flowers on it, too. It sounds terrible as described, but it's very cute on -- better on the bod than it is on the rack. The skirt is very full and feminine. And the halter top is fun because it shows that BY GOLLY I HAVE A COLLARBONE! It's still not terribly pronounced, but it's definitely there.

I haven't shopped for shoes yet. I noticed today that my Birkenstock sandals were way too loose, so I took the awl and punched a couple of holes in the straps so that I could make them tighter. I need some new black pumps, so maybe I'll go shopping and see if I still need size 12W or if I've come down at all there. It would be nice to get back to wearning an 11.

[bk]

Oooh shopping!! Your trip (and your new dress!) sound very fun! Congrats on that 14W!! You'll be dropping another size in no time! I spent a LOT of time being aggravated about not fitting into my 14Ps (jeans are my gold standard for sizing) and now only a week or two later they are bagging all over my legs. Of course they will be absolutely ridiculous by the time I get to 12. I'm hoping this will NOT be a problem in the smaller sizes!

You should post a picture of you in your new dress! It sounds very 40s inspired, but with a nice leopardy twist

As for me, I did a bit of unshopping today. Took back a t-shirt to Tarjay that I didn't really need, that skirt back to the gap (that I got for $10 cheaper), and a couple things to NY&Co that I decided weren't worth the price for the amount of time I'd be wearing them [not the shirts that were 4 for $32, but the shopping trip from before that I got the coupons from to get such agreat deal! I'm a sneaky shopper!].

Of course, I then picked up a pretty reversible strapless dress in nice blue & green prints (for the summer) from Target for 7.48, bought a bunch of cat food, diet coke, and pickles, a metric buttload of sunblock [I haven't mentioned it on the board yet but I've been having MASSIVE sun sensitivity due to estrogen/medifast/weight loss - no big deal, but I want to prevent it as much as I can because I have been all leopardy spotted].

Then of course I did another Old Navy order (they're totally my saviors, like 24K's Ross!). They have 1 pc bathing suits as the item of the week, except the sale pricing isn't up yet, but since the 20% off ends tonight, I went ahead and ordered them & should be able to get a price adjustment later. Hopefully they'll (I bought a size L & a size M for later) fit right because we're planning to hit the water park at six flags a bunch of times this summer. If not, I'll have to go (aaaaagh) try on suits at a store!

I see I have clearly neglected my last two shopping trips, which included a nice pair of black suede adidas with pretty purple stripes, and a mini spree at the Chestnut Hill shopping malls (in the swank areas of town - the malls are COMPLETELY DEAD during the day except for rich women with nothing to do except burn cash [totally wish i was one of them!!]). Of course the sales racks there are FANTASTIC because they don't give a darn about whether their clothes cost 10 or 50 apiece. Got 2 great denim skirts from the Gap *super* cheap, a couple more skirts from Ann Taylor Loft (including this gorgeous cream linen pleated number with silvery thread all through it). And a couple things at Sephora. They sell bare escentuals (like on QVC) there now, which I use and LOVE (especially the foundation powder) because it gives great coverage without being makeup-y.

Oh yeah I got my Dr. Scholl's inserts for open shoes. They are wonderful! I love that I can wear pretty shoes & stilettos now (they hurt my feet way too much before) but they were still a little unsquishy for me. These are great & they make them very comfy, and don't affect the fit.

So now I don't really have anything big left on my list (and yes, I do have a list! I actually have a spreadsheet of all my clothes by size, type, description, and store bought at. That way I don't duplicate anything)! Except a swim coverup (sooooo desperately needed!) and some water shoes. But don't you guys worry - I will find any excuse to get cute new things!

Have fun shopping!!!

[Mrsshrinkinglady]

24K,
I LOVE Ross as well and haven't been there in a month or so!
Your sun dress sounds WAY cute!!
I am still also working on those upper arms,they look good in sleeves but not ready for sleeveless as of yet!
I have recently found a LOT of cute summer things at Wally World!
Who'd a thunk it
I have always loved to shop no matter what size I was but it sure is MUCH more fun now!
Shrink aka Mary

[24KaratGold]

I actually have a spreadsheet of all my clothes by size, type, description, and store bought at.

I never knew anybody who did a spreadsheet for their clothes before.

[bk]

oh, i have a spreadsheet for everything! i am MEGA absent-minded it's probably also a geek thing!

but it's great - I can sort it however I want and print it with me before going shopping so I can say yes, I do need this (or I want this and it's okay for me to get this) or no, this would overlap and it's silly to get this since I don't have much time in any particular size - I'm very nearly into large tops and I swear I just got comfortable in my XL ones. I'm also trying to practice wardrobe control - it's soooo exciting that I get to start over, but at the same time I want my clothes to be cohesive (and not just a bunch of black stuff!).

I was just about to end when I saw your post, Mary! Some of my *favorite* shirts have been from Walmart. Loved them to death, and they were some of my best bargains! I was completely sad to see them go. If we had a walmart (it's WAAAAAAAAY out of the way - and we don't have a Ross) I would definitely check it out. Tell us what you got! Don't leave us hanging like that!