Look Great while Losing Weight

Today’s guest post comes from Char Dobbs, Owner and Style Consultant at Char Style and Image.  I met Char at a seminar sponsored by another business contact.  I invited her to be a guest post-er for Weightless LLC, because we are both passionate about helping people look as good as they feel!  Enjoy her 5 Tips to help you during weight loss!

Sticking to your new goal to eat healthier and lose weight?  Great job!  I bet the pounds are dropping and the inches are melting away. However, while you love your new results, you seem to have a new problem….nothing fits!  Though this is a “good” problem to have, you don’t want to look like you are wearing your father’s clothes.  Here are a few tips to help you during your weight loss journey:

1. Wear a dress – Take advantage of the flexibility and “give” dresses offer. Not only can they can they be cute & colorful or polished & professional, the ease in some allow for variation in size, without sacrificing fit.  And best of all, they are comfortable!

2. Layer – Try adding a jacket, vest, or light knit sweater to your assemble. This changes the focus from your body to the second layer of clothing. Wear a simple shirt underneath.  Make sure your jacket or sweater falls at least to your waist or longer.  Anything shorter will draw attention to your midsection.

3. Clothes with ease – If you purchase items while losing weight opt for fabrics with some stretch and ease.  The stretch and ease of the fabric will adjust to your body, giving you some “give” in the beginning and also maintain its’ shape when you don’t need the extra stretch.

4. Tailor – Whether you need a hem or jacket taken in, a good tailor can save the life of your clothing.  It is a perfect option for those items you cherish and do not want to give away.  This not only allows you to keep your precious items, but it will now be customized to fit you!  If you are anticipating more weight loss, try this option near the end of your weight-loss journey.  Tailoring multiple times can become pricey.

5. Accessories – Your dress or blouse a little big?  Belt it!  This is a great accessory that can take a now-frumpy dress or blouse to chic.  You can also use necklaces, earrings, and bracelets to instantly uplift your look.

The Numbers Game

Photo credit: wmphoenixopen.com

As a woman, I cringe whenever numbers are discussed.  I think this must be a universal concept for all women everywhere.  Most questions that are asking for a number are generally difficult for women to answer.

• How old are you?

• What size do you wear?

• How much do you weigh?

No matter what you answer is to any of these questions, you may be setting yourself up for disappointment.  The reason for the disappointment is not the reaction of whoever asked you.  More often than not, it is how your answer makes you feel.

Is there any woman alive who feels that any of her “numbers” are good, or even just right?  I know women my age who feel “old”, even though they have years before they hit the dreaded mid-life crisis.  I know beautiful women with the body that I yearn for who are unhappy with their size.  Most of all, just about everyone I know tells me they “could stand to lose 10 pounds”.

The numbers game depends upon perennial dissatisfaction.

What if I told you that not all numbers are bad?  I named my blog and professional speaking business, Weightless, because I feel that the number on the scale should not determine your satisfaction with life.  When you become “weightless”, you are given the freedom to fly in whatever direction you choose.  There are still numbers in your life, but they will not make you feel bad.

Let’s play a new numbers game.  The highest number wins!

♥  How many steps toward better health will you take today?

♥  How many flights of stairs will you climb this week to reach your goal?

♥  How many times will you congratulate yourself for reaching your milestones this month?

Imperfect Model

Before:
A thrill of delicious anticipation raced through my veins as I eagerly submitted my beloved photos through the mail. Lane Bryant was seeking applications and photos to become the next plus size model. Lane Bryant was one of the few stores that not only offered plus size clothing, but also offered acceptable fashions for a young, hip, college student. In preparation, I had carefully chosen my most flattering and feminine ensembles. My sister acted as my photographer, and we chose our front yard as the backdrop for my lighting. I had never considered modeling prior to this. But, the biggest obstacle to my success so far was due to being fat, not ugly. Why couldn’t I be a plus-size model? Weeks later, the silence from Lane Bryant spoke volumes. Maybe, even a plus size model needed to be perfect.

After:

Just a short month ago, another delicious thrill of anticipation raced through my veins as I submitted my photos through email.  First for Women magazine was seeking weight loss success stories for their 2012 New Year’s Eve issue.  Thanks to my friends at Shapefit.com, I was given the opportunity to submit my story for consideration.  I had carefully selected my least flattering “before” photos displaying my highest size.  This time, I was less than confident that I would succeed.  This was a national magazine with over 4 million readers.  Maybe they were looking for someone who had lost more weight than I had?  Or was more perfect in her “after”?  At 98 pounds down, I was no lightweight at weight loss.  Still, I am far from perfect.

Instead of silence, I received a prompt and courteous email that my story was not chosen.  I was sad, but happy for the chance.  One week later, I received another email asking if I still wanted to be in the New Year’s Eve issue.  First wanted to include my story!  Within a couple of days, I had a local photographer, wardrobe stylist, and makeup artist in my living room.  David Ellis, Sarah Cochran and Shannon Darsow proceeded to give me the royal treatment while chatting up my daughter.  While David took what felt like hundreds of photos, Sarah and Shannon told me that I was beautiful and a natural and encouraged me to think of how it felt to lose the weight.  I felt like a glamorous model.  Three hours later, they left.  Had it all been a dream?

Turn to page 35 in First for Women in stores now, and you’ll see a woman in her 30’s smiling confidently at the camera.  I am not the focus of the story, and I am certainly not the biggest loser in the article.  I am not thin or perfect.  But, somewhere in the past decade, I went from an aspiring plus size model to a weight loss success story in a national magazine.  I may not be the new face of Lane Bryant.  But, I can be an imperfect role model for others just like me.

Magazine debut

Going from fat to F.A.T.

Ladies and gents, I am fat.

 Don’t get me wrong- I don’t mean fat as in large and in charge.  And I certainly don’t mean phat as in Pretty, Hot and Tempting.  I mean fat as in capital F.A.T.  Fit & Toned!

 I know what some of you may be thinking.  If she’s so fit and toned, why isn’t she a personal trainer, or a fitness model?  You are absolutely right!  I don’t look amazing in a bikini.  So why should you listen to me about being Fit and Toned?

 One of the best things I love about being an American is we love success stories.  We cherish and crave stories of ordinary people who overcame all odds to achieve success.  I went from being morbidly obese to the average-sized American woman.  My former self would have died to have a body like I do today.

Before

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today is all about being F.A.T.  My idea of Fitness has changed over the years.  I was always active.  In elementary school, I ran track, in junior high, I played on the volleyball team, and my family often took day-long biking or hiking trips.  Fitness was being able to physically do what everyone around me could do.  As you can imagine, I didn’t hang out with fitness models.

 Now my idea of Fitness is being able to do whatever I want to do.  As the weight melted off, I realized that I could do so much more.  I’m a huge fitness class buff.  I’ve taken everything from boot camp to Tabata to hooping.  My absolute favorite is dance!  Turn on some music and I’ll be dancing.

 Toning is the next element of being F.A.T.  I never used to pay attention to building muscle.  It wasn’t until I started using a pair of free weights I had lying around my house that I found my true strength.  I love to feel my muscles work when I lift, and the soreness afterwards.  I know I got a good workout when I’m sore.  Strength comes in many forms.  When you can look in a mirror and see your muscles moving, it’s easier to find other forms of strength.  I may have always been a strong, confident woman, but now everyone can see that!

 So, there you have my story of being F.A.T.  Jean Claude Van Damme once claimed that he could crack a walnut with his butt.  Sorry, folks, I’m no magician.  I may not be a fitness model, but I went from being fat to F.A.T.  Fit and Toned!

Pretty Plus

Flashback:

“Mom,” I groaned, “do I have to go???  I HATE that place!”

“We’re going”.

The place we were going to was an outlet store.  Not the kind of outlet store that offered name brands for less, but déclassé duds for dimes.  Not to mention the infamous Pretty Plus section.  Pretty Plus, symbolized by a smiling head-shot of a presumably overweight girl, was the dreaded basement of clothes that fit girls such as myself.  It was ironic that even the Pretty Plus model was ashamed to show her body.  Pretty Plus was anything but.  Unfortunately, it was the only option for an obese girl like me.

At a size 14 today, I am still technically a plus size girl.  But, times have changed.  The average American woman is a size 12, which means I can quite easily shop for clothes in the previously uncharted territory of “Misses” instead of “Women’s”.  I spent most of my life being miserable at the very idea of clothes shopping.  It took me several years after losing 90 pounds before I really grasped the idea that I should update my wardrobe to reflect my new reality.

One of my greatest triumphs of all was crossing the divide between “Women’s” and “Misses”.  “Women’s” is all about shapeless tunics, stretchy leggings, and outdated, grandma-style patterns that no one in their right mind should wear.  I’ll never forget the amazing freedom of knowing that my fashion wasn’t restricted to the sidelines or basements of my favorite stores.  I’ll always cherish the humbling satisfaction of trying on a size Large instead of an XXL, and having it fall off of my hips!  I’ve never been so empowered in my life as the day I finally bared my arms to the world.  My relationship with my arms was as dysfunctional as some women’s relationship with their bellies or thighs.  I spent my whole lifetime hiding my flabby, stretch-marked arms from anyone’s sight, lest they recoil in horror.  Now, I shop for sleeveless tops, of all things!  Thanks to lifting weights, I actually have enough definition in my arms to look shapely instead of doughy.  I have come to realize that clothes-shopping doesn’t have to be an annual chore to be suffered through, but a weekly pursuit worth enjoying!

Image is very important to self-confidence.  Why else would shows like TLC’s What Not to Wear be popular?  I’ve always been confident in my intelligence and abilities, but never in my image.  Through the years, I’ve slowly replaced my over-sized T-shirts, bulky sweaters and elastic waist pants with short-sleeved blouses, fitted jackets and curve-hugging jeans.  My new wardrobe has not only validated who I am, but also given me glimpses of who I can become.  Just this past Sunday, I had the amazing opportunity to be professionally photographed for a national women’s magazine.  My team of photographer, makeup artist and wardrobe stylist all told me I was a “natural”.  Ten years ago, I never would have been confident enough to pull it off.  Adios, Pretty Plus!