December 1, 2009
Dear Readers,
I have been overwhelmed with the response to my blog. Some of your experiences shopping for clothing were funny, others touched
my heart as I have felt the same feelings as I looked into the mirror.
I am inviting you to join me on this journey to looking great and being healthy. We will be discussing tips of all types and with your permission I will be happy to share comments from my readers.
Losing and regaining my weight has been a cycle of more than 15 years. Every week I would buy the Woman’s Day magazine at the supermarket check out. Their lead story is always someone who has lost a ton of weight. I would read the article and put it under my pillow expecting the motivation to jump into my head by osmosis. However, the week before Thanksgiving I was reading the first seven chapters of Living a Longer Healthier Life by Dr. Wayne Scott Anderson. That book was my “aha” moment! I can change NOW, not after the New Year but right now. You can do it too.
I have found that honoring me is part of the process. Take more time with your appearance for no other reason than to feel good about yourself. Find your best asset and accentuate it. Get rid of all those dark, dreary clothing. Introduce some color into your life.
T hanksgiving was my first challenge. Being single, for many years I have found the holidays to be something I just had to get through. If I kept busy enough and surrounded myself with people, perhaps I wouldn’t realize how lonely I was. Being over weight, we are not treated the same way as our thinner sisters. The best thing about these times was that everyone had something good to eat, and for a few minutes that food psychologically satisfied me. This year would be different.
To change the habit of consuming God knows how many calories the night before (even He lost count on how many I consumed in some years). I spent more time the night before getting myself ready for the holiday than I did preparing food. My hair, my nails, face mask and bubble bath filled my evening. Part of my strategy was to volunteer to bring the food I didn’t like. Therefore it was easy for me to call Boston Market, order it and pick it up late Wednesday afternoon and put it in my refrigerator. I chose a high energy red sweater with crazy fringe trim to wear to Thanksgiving dinner. It’s hard to feel sorry for yourself, or hide in a corner when you are dressed in red.
Because of my work schedule I didn’t go home to visit my family but instead spent part of the day with friends. I walked around their home with a beautiful wine glass that I kept filling with water. I put a maraschino cherry in it and a slice of orange over the edge to make the glass look festive. By the time we sat down to dinner, I wasn’t very hungry so it was easy to stop with one helping of the right food.
The other behavior change I made was not to tell anyone (other than you) what I was doing. No one really wants to hear about it anyway. Besides have you ever noticed the almost instinctive reactions of others to the announcement that you are changing your eating habits? People almost automatically put a platter of food in front of you, urging you to eat!
The first day of December means an entire month of festivities. Give your self a present, when you look into the mirror, find something to admire, either your hair, complexion, make up or smile. Every day try to wear a new combination of your clothing, or a different piece of jewelry. Learning to like you more than the tempting calorie laden treats can be a fun a process. Please share with your thoughts, strategies and ideas with the rest of us. Email me at jwood@fashionfit formula.com and indicate whether I can share your thoughts in the column.
Welcome to my BLOG!
Dear Readers,
Please allow me to introduce
myself; I am Janet Wood Cunliffe.
CEO of Fashion Fit Formula,
a Pivotal Edge, Inc. company.
Because Cunliffe is such a hard
name to say and spell over the
phone, I frequently just use Janet Wood.
Early in my 40’s I looked into the mirror and a plus size woman was looking back at me. Where had she come from and how do I get rid of her? I hid in black clothing for years because they made me “look thinner”. Since our company is on the fringe of the “fashion” business, I got away with it. Black is considered the color of ultimate chic. I didn’t notice or chose to ignore, that the color also made my skin look dull, older and ready for CSI to come and dissect the crime scene.
I wish I could recall the “AHA” moment, when I finally realized that it was time to stop. Stop putting off waiting to lose weight; stop hiding; and stop being ashamed of myself. Shortly after that revelation I had another revolutionary awakening! Since I was a full partner in Fashion Fit Formula, I didn’t have to dress in a corporate mode. (I could leave that for my business partner, Kathy!) It was time for the “real me” to come out. Scary!
“To break the mold” I had to buy new clothing! When I got to the Women’s section of a popular department store chain, I felt like I had transformed into Alice as she went through the looking glass! Who was designing these garments and what were they thinking? Big hideous prints that would make an elephant look the size of a barn. Investigation proved that the clothing had been designed for a size 0 to 4 and then just enlarged and enlarged. By the time the outfit had reached the 1X or “woman’s size 14-16 they were a horror. White belts around the hips, horizontal stripes, double breasted buttons, skirts with gathered waistlines! I wanted to scream “Get Real” but Kathy was with me and she would have been mortified.
That’s when I decided to start a blog. While, having your clothing in proportion to your bone structure is the critical element of looking your best. I want this blog to be a forum for sharing ideas about plus size dressing, what stores have the best selections, what styles to wear and how to get the clothes at the lowest price.
I would love to have your input!
Please email me at plussize@fashionfitformula.com
Janet
