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The good news? You’re losing weight. The bad news? You’re clothes don’t fit right anymore. And since you may be losing weight rapidly, this can create another problem, because it can be costly to buy a lot of things you will only be wearing for a short time.

However, there are some items in your closet that might be worth having altered.

Enter you new best friend, the alterations expert.

Sewing is like a lost art, and many of us just don’t have time to even sew on a button, much less do our own sewing, which is why many dry cleaners offer tailoring services.

Look in your local newspapers, ask your friends or check with a dry cleaner you like, but find someone who does alterations.

These experts know tricks and when they realize you may become a regular customer, you should be able to discuss ways to make your clothes work for you while you are losing weight. Make an appointment and take along some of the things you really like. Make sure you are wearing proper undergarments, particularly the undergarments, like a shaper, that you would be wearing under these items.

Explain to the alterations person you are losing weight fast. Discuss the pros and cons of altering each item. For example a blazer or jacket with a lot of details and a lining might be more costly than say putting some princess seaming in the front and back of a blouse, but either way, may save you money if you can put off purchasing a replacement in a smaller size right away.

Jeans can be expensive to purchase, so get an opinion on ways to take in your jeans a couple of times before you actually buy a smaller size. ( In Los Angeles, where I live, the vintage jean stores make skirts out of recycled denim. Maybe you can get a skirt out of your larger jeans when you have gone down a couple of sizes! )

While this may sound a bit overwhelming, it will be worth it in the long-run, since in the short term, money you save can be used to buy clothes when you reach your goal weight.

Linda Arroz

In-laws, alcohol, desserts- oh my! As the holidays come near, you can still keep the pounds off with just a little tweak to your cooking. Here are just a few tips:

• For dips, sauces and pie toppings use non-fat whipped cream, non-fat Greek yogurt which is usually higher in protein content and very creamy or fat free sour cream.
• Use egg whites or egg substitutes in place of whole eggs.
• Try using Splenda, unsweetened applesauce or half the amount of sugar a recipe usually calls for.
• Try evaporated skim milk instead of whole milk
• Use fat free chicken broth in mashed potatoes in place of butter or margarine to add flavor and lighten up the fat content.
• Add antioxidants to your casserole dishes with a crunch of slivered almonds to replace fried onion rings.
• Choose reduced fat cheeses for salads and casseroles.
• Stuff your turkey with a dose of fiber by replacing packaged stuffing with whole grain bread or wild rice with cranberries.
• Try to fill up your plate with vitamins more commonly found in squash, sweet potato, broccoli, carrots and green beans.

Most importantly be a “mindful eater” by avoiding the extra bites, and filling the plate up with a variety of fruits, vegetables and lean proteins- did you say Turkey ?

Created By,
Sharon Zarabi RD, CDN, CPT
Bariatric Dietitian

Most of us have had this experience when we were three to five months post-op. We are washing our hair and notice that the shower drain has a lot more hair in it than usual. As time goes on, the hair loss increases so that for some of us it can come out in clumps. In a survey that I did of the subscribers to my newsletter, http://www.wlscenter.com/E-Newsletter.htm , I found that 71.4% of patients experience hair loss. It is difficult to go through because for many of us prior to surgery, our hair is the only thing we like about ourselves.

One of the reasons that we experience hair loss is because of a lack of protein. What do you think hair is? It is dead protein. So post-op if you are not getting the protein that you need, it can show up in the months ahead as severely thinning hair.

I was very fortunate. I was one of the lucky ones who did not experience any hair loss. But I was very careful about getting in as much protein as I could.

I would love to hear your comments and experiences about your hair loss. Leave your comments below.

Barbara Thompson
http://www.WLScenter.com