Yes, I have become one with my wall.
It isn’t like me to try to blend in with my surroundings, this dress is the exception to the rule.
I added a little boho lace vest on top because it is a bit too chilly today without it. A couple of days ago it was too hot to sleep, 33 C with the humidex. The weather is all over the place it seems.
This shift dress is another piece I picked up while thrift shopping at Talize.
My expanded waist seems to love this style of dress although I will mention that I am making a concerted effort to lose those extra inches simply because too much of my wardrobe no longer fits. The vast majority of my vintage dresses require a small waist.
They said 50 is when the weight comes piling on and damn if it didn’t happen exactly like that.
My 51st birthday happens in a couple of weeks.
At the tender age of 51 I’m learning that I really can’t have eat it all.
Psycho somatic?
Who knows?
Granted I had to stop running and working out for over six months due to a pinched nerve in my neck causing pain with numbness and loss of feeling in my fingers/hand and arm so I’m sure that didn’t help matters.
This time I’m serious about the effort I’m making to lose the extra padding.
The first time my weight loss diet consisted of no eating after 6 pm, no snacks and reduced dessert.
That didn’t work.
Like, at all.
I gained one pound at the end of that week.
*#&%@#*$%!!!
Now it’s time to get serious.
I’ve done loads of research and began my own super secret diet plan about a week ago.
I can’t follow other people’s diets. As soon as I’m told I can’t have something it is all I think about. I needed something that was dead simple so I made up my own plan.
If it works I’ll be sharing my success with you.
If it fails I’ll pretend it never happened.
Ha! Isn’t that how 99% of diets start and end?
I will give it another few days to see if it is making a difference.
I’m too scared to step on the scale to see that I’ve gained weight yet again so instead I will simply try on one of my favourite vintage dresses next week and see if I can do up the zipper.
Fingers crossed!
Hopefully that’ll be way less traumatizing than stepping on the scale.
If I fail again I plan on crying uncontrollably and ripping up all my vintage dresses in a fit of rage.
Hopefully the pug will stop me.
Probably not.
She has had her own issues to deal with lately. She has an eye ulcer that refuses to heal despite the $700 we dropped at the vet opthamologist.
Poor pug.
I’m preparing myself mentally for disappointment. I’ve never had any luck with diets in the past.
With lots of steadfast determination and some magic beans hopefully in a few days I’ll look like this…
Then I will promptly go ahead and write a best selling diet book and become a millionaire.
That’s my retirement plan folks. Well, that and playing the lottery. Duh.
And you thought this blog post was going to be about how to wear florals over 50.
Gottcha.
I can tell you exactly how to wear florals over 50 in two simple steps.
- Buy yourself something with a floral pattern that you love.
- Wear it.
Ta da!
You’re welcome.
Works for me.
Linking up with the lovely Patti for Visible Monday.
Poor Zoe—it’s no fun to not be able to make them feel better….
As for diets…I just gave up worrying about it. Life is way too short. Because even if your clothing doesn’t fit, I call that a good excuse to go get more (and sell the other ones!!)
XOXO
Jodie
http://www.jtouchofstyle.com
Nope. This is not a solution for me. The pieces I love are one-of-a-kind vintage pieces. I’ll never be able to replace them and I know I will regret their loss should I sell them. I’m seeing some progress already so I haven’t given up.
Good luck on your weight loss goals! You can do it! Not too long ago, I lost 30lbs by using a calorie counting app. You enter your age, weight, gender and it tells you how many calories you need to lose a pound a week. First thing that has ever worked, EVER. I also learned it doesn’t matter *what* you eat. If you eat 4,000 calories a day of healthy, nutritious food, you WILL gain weight. If you eat 1,000 calories of Twinkies a day, you will lose weight. (Seriously, there was a Twinkie study)
Not that I am recommending the Twinkie diet…
Congrats on your weight loss! That is amazing!
That is very true. People often think because they eat healthy they can eat loads. I’m already a vegetarian, don’t drink, the only beverage I drink is water, no dairy and very little bread. Cutting back is where it’s at.
I like the wall matching, I might have to try that. Now what do you suppose would look good with woodchip?
Good luck with your lifestyle changes (I think anything with the D word is doomed to fail…) – you can do it I’m sure! Xx
Ha ha! Yes please do match your wall ; P
I’m not calling it a diet. It is called my “vintage dress solution”.
I seriously love that flower wall! As for expanded waistlines, I know all about them. In the past, whenever things got too tight, I just watched what I ate, and hey presto! Not anymore. Sigh! I try not to snack in the evenings but I often have the munchies in the office. Poor Zoë, though. Hope she gets better soon! xxx
I’ve changed my evening schedule now. Instead of watching TV I head upstairs and work. That way I’m far away from the kitchen and temptation.
Oh poor sweetie Zoe – hope she heals asap (and we just dropped $300 at the vet today for bloodwork, etc. for Gray Cat). Never say diet – although that twinkie plan sounds OK). I think your figure is perfect, but I do understand about those 50’s and 60’s dresses – no stretch! Stay fabulous, xox
-Patti
http://notdeadyetstyle.com
Aren’t furry family members expensive? I do hope Gray Cat is okay.
Poor Zoe! Give her a massive squeeze from me.
Don’t mention the “d” word, it’s a new, improved and even-more-fabulous-you plan. You can do it and get back into your favourite vintage dresses with room to spare. Not that you need improving, you’re gorgeous already! xxx
Zoë appreciated the hug : )
I don’t diet – just try to eat healthily but I have a sweet tooth…anyway, I have read frequently that when you diet the first week or so you gain a pound or two. It doesn’t make sense but it happens; so don’t worry!
I love the dress and I love florals, too.
Your poor little pug – I hope hope her eye gets better soon.
I actually have a very healthy diet, no dairy, vegetarian, no alcohol, only water as a beverage and very little bread. Like you though I also have a sweet tooth I’m trying to tame.
Welcome to the world of the over 50’s Suzanne. At 59 I’m struggling with an extra 6lbs which were 7 a few weeks ago. It’s so painful to drop just a pound when you don’t each chocolate, drink alcohol, eat cake blah, blah, blah. I’m eating less, excising more, so nothing new there. Good luck with your efforts and good luck for Zoe too x
Anna
http://www.annasislandstyle.com
Yes I always comes back to simply eating less and exercising more. In fact 80% of results will be based on what you put in your mouth. Reducing seems to be the best strategy since I’m still not able to properly work out.
Congrats on your 1 lb loss! That is so very much better than going up by a pound!
You are hilarious Suzanne!
I completely get not wanting to know how much the scale says. Sometimes being in denial is psychologically uplifting!! The way ones clothing fits is such a creative measure of extra weight! Any fool can step on a scale!
I hope your super secret plan of action works brilliantly. I also hope that Zoe’s healing woes are resolved. I hope your retirement plan works and that you win the lottery as well. I hope they invent a 5 calorie Twinkie that contains massive nutrients.
Don’t worry Suzanne, there’s no chance you’ll EVER become a wallflower!
Ha ha : P. Thanks Jude.
Great post Suzanne! And good luck with that diet!
And of course, massive healing vibes headed in Zoë’s direction!
Thanks Sue. So far I have seen some results but I’ll be out your way soon and I don’t do well when I eat in restaurants…so much temptation!
I feel your pain. Trying to lose 7 pounds before Greek holiday! Good luck. Great wall matching!
How is it going? Tell me all your secrets please!
I’ve lost 2 pounds this week —- I basically try to eat around 1,000 calories. I had my metabolic rate measured a couple of years ago and to survive I only need 1,400 a day (exercise adds more). So you can see why it takes so long to lose one pound: most diets provide for 1,400 a day. I have to drop below that significantly, and do more exercise. I’m too impatient to do it the slow way. Once I’ve lost it, I’m motivated to keep within 1,400.
I use protein shakes such as Almased for one meal a day and try to eat a lot of protein with veg. Hunger is the problem – but if I can stick to it, it doesn’t take too long.
I’m going to write a longer blog post about it, but only if I succeed with the goal!!
Yikes! That isn’t very many calories!
Congrats for keeping with it.
Poor little Zoe! I hope her eye heals soon. She’s such a sweetie!
I have the same problem with diets – all I want is what I can’t have. If I try to do crunches, the cats think it’s playtime and climb all over me. They look great with big fluffy bellies. Lucky cats.
Ha ha! My pug also climbs all over me or brings me toys.
I figure that in my next life I’m coming back as my dog.
I think you look gorgeous! And with the most wonderful sense of humor. So happy to have met you!
Right back at cha lady! : )
Poor Zoe! I hope she heels soon…
And diets are no fun… I’m also trying to lose some weight. This quarter is super busy, and I’m sitting hours on end grading papers. I know that I also have a tendency to eat when I’m bored or stressed… Not good. Hope you’ve found a plan that works for you!
The floral dress is great!
I agree that stress makes everything so much worse. Yesterday I wanted to throw my computer out the window and the only thing I could think of that would make things better was peanut butter. Don’t ask me how my mind works.
Love your humor and positive attitude. I find it impossible to drop the weight I added after 50. Our metabolisms slow down and diets don’t work. The best one can do is wear clothes as pretty as yours. 🙂
I haven’t throw in the towel yet!
You look fabulous in floral, Suzanne! Between you and the wall, you definitely wore it better. 😉
Hannah | The Outfit Repeater
DAMN!!! That should have been the title of this post! Ha ha!
You are hysterical Suzanne. Love the dress and long vest.
Hate that Zoe has an ulcer in her eye. :+(( Ouch!
I think you look wonderful, but if you write a bestselling book I would not be sad..
You should do that anyway!
xx, Elle
http://www.theellediaries.com/
I’ve had the title picked out for my fashion book ages ago…”Fashion Rocket Science” ; P
Poor pug.. I hope she gets better soon. And she definitely need a weekly/monthly feature on the blog…
As for your advice, brilliant. It also goes for any other “how to wear X after 50” situation we might encounter… I hate those posts: “how to wear something over 40 / 50 /whatever”. I think as bloggers we should normalize wearing whatever we want, whenever we want (whatever age we are), and therefore I refuse to make age a factor in any outfit post. I can’t relate to the idea of there being some sort of age limits when it comes to style. I guess all my life I’ve seen so many older women wearing whatever they want that I can’t imagine why age would limit us in any way.
The expanding waistline, on the other hand… I feel your pain, and I can certainly relate to that. And I hate it that my waistline l´keeps me from wearing what I want…
Yes it really is obvious that people should just wear what they like.
I sometimes still create posts with titles like that just so that Google will rate the page though. It’s sad that is still what people search for.
Hope Zoe is better soon!
Looking forward to your best selling book!
Love the advice on how to wear florals over 50 🙂 ….. should put that in your book!
Thank you for putting a smile on my face!
Yes, I knew that bit of advice would shock everyone. Ha ha!
It seems you are not alone amongst us bloggers over 50 when it comes to the expanding waistline. I never thought it would happen to me because I’ve always been thin, and then POW! WTF??? I’ve learned I can’t just eat whatever I want, which I thought would always be the case, and if I go a week without going to the gym, I feel blah. Nighttime snacking is soooo hard to quit!
Poor little Pug, I hope her ulcer heals soon. I’m sad for her and for your wallet!
We are off to see the specialist again today with fingers and paws crossed. My wallet is stinging in advance.
mwhah, your advice on ‘how to wear florals over 50’ is the best one which I’ve read in ages!, because it totaly works! on anybody!
Love that vest over your floral dress, such a cool layering!
I have no advice on diets, as I never do any of them!. Take care of yourself!
besos
Yes, there will be lots of great advice like that in my book. Along with “dressing bright enough to be spotted from space” and “how to layer your hats”. Ha ha!
Just before Spanx came out I thought I should start a girdle company – everyone was getting sick and tired of exercise. And now those women are kajillionaires. Hahaha. You already know about my pickle fix – when I want a snack at night I have a dill pickle. They crunch like real food, they’re cold, they are somewhat big, and therefore satisfy my nibbly urges. But, yeah, I’d so loooove that Twinkie diet. My clothes were getting tighter this spring too so I hit the pickle jar again. So far, so good. Can’t wait to read your book!!! Hahaha.
I LOVE your tips on how to wear florals 🙂 That’s the best kind of advice! And your dress and vest combo is really lovely.
-Nicole
My latest diet dilemma is I’m supposed to go low cholesterol. I’m kind of relieved — my primary care labs after a five year hiatus revealed high cholesterol and low vitamin D as my only issues. Phew! I’m hoping new eating habits will help with the waistline, but not holding my breath.
All my well-loved 50’s fit-and-flare dresses reside in Upcycle Mountain. They laugh at me, like mean girls.
You are funny!! I laughed over those last lines.
My solution to the expanding waist problem was to have it sucked away. Something I know you are never going to even consider.
Greetje
How do you have it sucked away?
By a plastic surgeon who literally put a sort of vacuum cleaner on my fat cells at my waist and sucked them away, called liposuction. Four hundred grammes. I think each side but I cannot remember.
your advice on wearing florals . . . spot on!!! And thanks ofr making me laugh today, I needed that. As for your waist, stop pounding yourself my friend, you look fabulous. But if you insist on the diet hopefully its just eating smart and healthy, for heavens sake, don’t torcher yourself life is way too short for that. If it makes you feel better I’ll just fly over and help rip some of those old vintage dresses (haha.
Looking fabulous, Suzanne! And I LOVE the Boho fringed “vest” over the dress. And…sigh…those little boots (are they the same ones I’ve seen before and oohed and aahed over? xx
Sending three cheers and a supportive hug for success and health for both you and Zoe. Does it help knowing you both still look sparkly and amazing?
Hugs,
Sherry
Age, hormones, (no) waist….sigh….true for may women. Definitely for me. Dieting sucks:-(
I wear florals just the way you preach: 1. by, 2. wear. I just love florals.
Another entertaining post!
not may, but many. Typo.