Transformation: Swap & Commit

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I did it. I started the pile. I am committed to swapping out all my old, frumpy clothes, for smaller sizes that fit me and flatter me better now. I just can’t wear clothes that look big on me. I have earned the right to wear fitted clothes and to show off my new curves. I want to feel sexy again.

This past weekend, I ventured off to Tanger Outlets (Kanaka) and scored some major deals on: a new pair of white jeans, a new pair of jean shorts and a jean jacket. I had to get used to picking out smaller sizes for myself… Also, it’s nice not being disappointed in the change room.

“It fits!” She hollered from the fitting room.

It’s really difficult to let go, especially if you love your wardrobe and have taken so much time and effort to build it. Some are key basics, some pieces are from my travels. But really, it’s just clothes. I have to learn to let go of them.

It seems glamorous to have a fashion blog, but I purchase everything that you see on here. And trust me, it gets expensive! I wish I was at the point where people were throwing things at me in exchange for a little product review or a shout out.

I am no charity case, but I am writing this post to announce that I would like to sell my gently used favorites for an exceptional price. I’m talking $5 a piece kinda deals.

Keep an eye out on my Facebook album where I’ll be selling my stuff online. If you’re looking for clothes between sizes14 and 16, or XL, this might be a nice way to get some new pieces in your closet for a fraction of the price!

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Transformation: My 6 Month Weigh-In

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Remember back in March, when I exposed myself with my Transformation: A Weight loss journey post? Well, it’s been 3 months since my last confession. I bet you are excited to see the dramatic new me? My tight flat abs, my bulging biceps and new rock hard glutes…

Nope, this is the current me. An ordinary 185 lbs woman, trying to stay active and being aware of what goes into my body. Do I wish I was thinner? Yes. Do I wish I was TIGHTER? Of course. Am-I happy with the results? Abso-freeken-lutely!

Chantal Sarkisian Plus-size Fashion Blog Ottawa weightloss story
Here I am, on June 26, 2015 weighing in at a leaner 185 lbs!

I have a new mindset this far into the game. I want to keep the weight off. If I lose more, that would be wonderful. But I can’t go backwards, I just can’t. I spent too much time, effort and money (on my new clothes) that I am not willing to give it all up. As you will see, I only lost an additional 3 lbs since March, but you can tell that my body looks different (right?). I didn’t lose that many more inches, but my muscles have gotten more toned and defined. I did plateau, get lazy and gave myself a bit of a break the last few months, but I am really trying to step up my game now. I was on weight loss vacation and now I have to get back to work.

Let me tell you something about body image, it’s funny how your brain gets used to the new normal. I look in the mirror and although I know I have kept off the weight, I still look at my belly in the mirror and think “God, I wish that pooch was flatter, have I even lost anything?”. I look at my inner thighs and want to gag. I look at my flabby arms and feel like a failure. Yup, we are our own worse critic, and I just lost 17 lbs for god sakes!! Can’t I cut myself a bit of slack? I try on my old clothes and feel relieved that they are falling off. I am fine.This insanity is all in my head.

These toxic thoughts are what will motivate me to keep going until I have reached a new level of transformation. Turn the ugly, into something beautiful! Like when you can see some nice lines on my back, and when my back chubs are gone, that’s when I will feel more confident. In the meantime, here is the 6 months progression of my weight loss. (Notice how in the background the pictures go from winter, spring and summer! That’s sort of cool right?).

6 months resultsPlease feel free to share this post with your friends if you think it will help them keep going. The 6 month mark is hard and you can easily get bored with your routine. Sometimes all you need is a little motivational story to help you keep going. Humans are funny, they love a good transformation but are so impatient with time. This post didn’t take me long to write, but the work that has gone into getting these pictures did.

So, what are your thoughts? Are you going through the same journey as me? I would love to know!

6 month update

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Transformation: Tailored and hemmed

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I really struggled to find a cute pun for the title of this post, but these late nights and this cold I am fighting are eating away at my creativity. Sorry.

So, here I am now 17.5 lbs lighter than I was about 17 weeks ago. People are really noticing it in my face, my stomach, my butt and my legs. I still can’t get those arms to shrink though (PS- my nickname in high school was “Pipes”… how feminine). With my busted shoulder it’s hard to get in a decent upper body workout. I just really want to fix it already so I can play volleyball again.

That being said, at 17 lbs lost and down two sizes, my clothes obviously don’t fit properly anymore. I know “that’s a great problem to have!”… except when you have amazing clothes that you have been curating over the years through consignment shopping, online sales and souvenirs brought back from multiple vacations. There was a point in my life, about 1.5 years ago, where I decided to accept the size I was (XL to 1X) and embrace the fashion behind this new shape I had to work with. I discovered great online stores like ASOS (Curve & Plus Size), who offered gorgeous plus size clothing made in the UK. Small fortune to have shipped, but worth looking fab.

Last week, I made the executive decision to get some key clothing items tailored and hemmed according to my new body’s measurements. I brought in 2 black slacks, a black pencil skirt and my favourite white skirt. I picked them up today, and “wow” is all I can say! It cost me over $100, but was worth the investment to be able to keep my expensive and high quality office staples. Not only have the clothes been taken in, they are now adjusted to my body shape and never fit better. They look and feel amazing! I recommend doing this, whether you have lost weight or just looking to have your garments fit better.

This is me sneaking a quick pic inside the tiny change room in my tailor’s workshop. I go to Hillary’s on Bank Street (Old Ottawa South). The ladies there are very talented and work out of a small room next to the dry cleaners. The clothes also get dry cleaned which is a nice touch.

This journey has been a real eye opener for me. It’s amazing how much time, effort, energy and money i spent distracting myself from the real issue. “Just lose some weight, and you can wear pretty much all the clothes that you want!” this is what I wish I could have told myself, rather than finding creative and expensive ways to look fashionable.

I am looking forward to my new Proutfits that I will be putting together with these clothes. I hope I can snap up some pics and share them soon.

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Transformation: My clothes tell my story

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This is a picture of my favourite belt, sadly it’s also my “fat belt”. It’s a men’s XL from Danier. When I say fat belt, it’s not to insult myself, it’s just an unfortunate term that perfectly describes my story. The good news is, I need to make new holes or get a new belt all together!

Wearing a belt with pants is the best way to keep yourself in check if you are watching your waistline. It’s actually a method that professionals use for obese patients to control their eating. I intuitively started doing it, and it’s helped me immensely.

There used to be a time where tights and flowy tops dominated the fashion scene. Not much motivation to keep our weight in check. Now, we’re seeing crop tops and cutoff shorts making their way into our repertoire and encouraging us to look (and feel) our best. What a great time to play with new clothes!

The style and size of your clothes mark a moment in your past.

What does this mean? Well, whether you need to tighten or loosen a notch on your belt, you are marking this moment in your fashion history. If you are getting rid of tight clothes, you are accepting your new larger weight. 

Often times we hear people say “how did I let this happen to me? It was such a slow progression, I never saw it coming”. Really it wasn’t. Changing your clothes and moving your belt are concrete actions that can lead you to more trouble in the weight department. So, if you’re seeing a trend in your habits, take note and start making changes to steer you in the right direction.

As for my belt story, well it tells my story in more ways than one. I’ve seen myself tighten my belt over the last few months and I see the notches to prove it! I’ve also rediscovered some old clothes that fit me better now than ever! Remembering a time when I had to ditch the small clothes makes me want to preserve my smaller size even more now.

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