Eating way more than you realize

Has anyone else started using a calorie counter app (for a variety of reasons), only to realize you're putting away far more calories than you realized? I have to get my blood pressure under control and avoid putting too much strain on my back. About 6 weeks ago, I decided to put my gaining on pause. Still, though I'm eating a fraction of what I used to eat, I have gained 16 lb in 6 weeks. (Noting here I had reached a point where through hardcore stuffing, I was gaining about 10 lb a week, so I've definitely slowed down.)

Last Wednesday, I downloaded a calorie counter app and paid for a basic subscription. I started logging things faithfully and learned I'm still eating more than 6,000 calories a day. I'm absolutely shocked, because I haven't walked away from a meal full in weeks, and I'm constantly repressing cravings, or so I thought.

Has anyone else started tracking calories, either to stabilize (as is my case) or gain, and realized you're eating way more than you thought? It is certainly a cautionary tale for anyone who thinks they'll be able to curb the appetite easily.
1 year

Belly belts/obesity bands?

BigBallBellyGirl:
Has anyone with a supersized belly used an obesity belt to alleviate back pain? I'm not looking for a bariatric compression belt like the ones people use after bariatric surgery. I'm hoping to find something that takes the pressure off my lower back, hips, and upper belly. The largest maternity belt I found extended to 70 inches. I'm about 80 inches around standing, but I thought it still might work. It definitely didn't. When I tried to sit, the hook and eye closures broke immediately.

How do my fellow big-bellied super-sized folks relieve back pain and support those tummies?

Munchies:
Do I personally know anyone? No. But I've worked in health insurance. I am not sure if they make them in your size (90 inches sitting iirc) but I can look.

That said, it will be expensive. If you do have health insurance, check to see if they have a bariatric coverage.

As for the obesity belts themselves? Your milage may vary. Some people love theirs while others find them too uncomfortable to be worth it.

BigBallBellyGirl:
I do have insurance, and I believe if it was prescribed, I could get coverage. You're right, though, I haven't been able to find one my size at all. Would love to know if you happen to hear of a company that makes them. Thank you!

Munchies:
After diligently searching, the biggest ones I could find supported girths up to 75 inches. However, I found something else.



I found this on Etsy It's called a womb wrap. etsy.com/listing/983212985/custom-colors-womb-wraps-custom-order

I have no idea if it's big enough for you, but I think that if it's not, you could make one yourself.


That's exactly what I was thinking! It looks like making one, or having one made, wouldn't be rocket science. Thank you for the recommendation!
1 year

Belly belts/obesity bands?

BigBallBellyGirl:
Has anyone with a supersized belly used an obesity belt to alleviate back pain? I'm not looking for a bariatric compression belt like the ones people use after bariatric surgery. I'm hoping to find something that takes the pressure off my lower back, hips, and upper belly. The largest maternity belt I found extended to 70 inches. I'm about 80 inches around standing, but I thought it still might work. It definitely didn't. When I tried to sit, the hook and eye closures broke immediately.

How do my fellow big-bellied super-sized folks relieve back pain and support those tummies?

Munchies:
Do I personally know anyone? No. But I've worked in health insurance. I am not sure if they make them in your size (90 inches sitting iirc) but I can look.

That said, it will be expensive. If you do have health insurance, check to see if they have a bariatric coverage.

As for the obesity belts themselves? Your milage may vary. Some people love theirs while others find them too uncomfortable to be worth it.


I do have insurance, and I believe if it was prescribed, I could get coverage. You're right, though, I haven't been able to find one my size at all. Would love to know if you happen to hear of a company that makes them. Thank you!
1 year

Same restaurant how many times???

Jiggle Junkie:
Envision a small town (population 957) with only a few eating out options. Take a strong preference for fountain soft drinks over canned or bottled equivalents, plus a desire to get out/away from home and work to just go somewhere, even when there’s not much time to do so.

My Love goes to the local Dairy Queen typically once a day, often several times a day, at a minimum for a drink refill (in her brought-in reusable big cup). She and her siblings have worked at nearly every food establishment in town, and in her opinion DQ has the best sodas (she calls them. I call them soft drinks. She prefers Coca-Cola unless it’s late in the day and the caffeine might keep her awake). Indeed her younger sister years ago managed this DQ location.

She has the DQ app and is always scanning receipts to earn red spoon credits. Then we need to use those $5 (typically) credits before they expire, which often entails a meal, desserts, or both. Many a date evening/night we’ve spent there, talking for hours, with at least her eating and getting multiple beverage refills.

She’s in there so often that she’s become somewhat of a celebrity. We know most of the employees by name, greet them, check in with how they’re doing (when appropriate), etc. Most of them know and like/love her (and some really like me). They like her so much that the manager gave her a standing offer of a job there, should she choose to come work there. Also, they stopped charging her for refills. I’m guessing this is because refills aren’t much of a money maker for them, the


Very cool! I'm glad they appreciate her and her business! I have a local pub where they all know not only my name (cue Cheers theme) but also that I will order more than one entree. I had to take a gaining break for a bit (even though the pounds are still coming, I've been eating much less), and a couple of the servers have said, "What else?" or "Nothing else today?" assuming I would order more, even though I already had an appetizer and big entree. Plus, I have a couple of Door dash drivers who know me well for my large orders (and I'm friendly and tip well too for their efforts!) It's fun when your reputation as a hungry fatty precedes you!
1 year

Belly belts/obesity bands?

Has anyone with a supersized belly used an obesity belt to alleviate back pain? I'm not looking for a bariatric compression belt like the ones people use after bariatric surgery. I'm hoping to find something that takes the pressure off my lower back, hips, and upper belly. The largest maternity belt I found extended to 70 inches. I'm about 80 inches around standing, but I thought it still might work. It definitely didn't. When I tried to sit, the hook and eye closures broke immediately.

How do my fellow big-bellied super-sized folks relieve back pain and support those tummies?
1 year

Regain feeling different?

WeightAndSee:
So recently I found myself (accidentally!) regaining a bunch of the Quarantine-Fun-Time I had gained and then lost.

The thing is, I’m not yet back to my max weight but my belly feels quite substantial. I don’t remember this sensation even when I was much fatter. My guts just feel like heavy. And my belly feels really in the way. Has anyone else experienced different sensations when gaining weight at different times in their life?

Or maybe I just forgot what this was like and I’ll get used to it. Either way thought I’d ask and see if other people had thoughts.


I completely relate to this! I was around 370, lost down to around 195 or so, and then blew back up to 420. I had always been overweight, but previously, I had wide hips, a soft back side, and ample thighs in addition to a fat belly. When I regained, I got a thick ball gut, enormous muffin top, and big fat bulges on my back. My weight is disproportionately concentrated in my mid section, and my belly feels tight even when I'm not full. I often hear people who say they are softer and jigglier after regain, but that's definitely not the case with me.
1 year

Girth increasing exponentially when sitting

MoreOfMe:
[quote]Sweetfattie:
I second the recommendation for high waisted dresses. Also look for full skirts, so your belly has plenty of room to expand. For those of us with non-standard body shapes, I highly recommend Love Your Peaches. They're pricey, but that's because everything is handmade to order in the US. Janelle, the owner, is an absolute sweetheart and will customize your clothes to fit you exactly if you email her with your measurements and clothing issues.

I have huge thighs and wide hips with a comparatively narrow waist and smaller lower belly than what most plus size pants and shorts are made for. So the legs are skin tight while there's loose fabric bunched around my belly and the waist is too big. Janelle took my measurements and made the best fitting shorts I've ever worn. She did the same with a dress for me, I'm a size bigger on the bottom than I am on top. I'm sure she can make you some cute and comfy dresses that fit your magnificent belly![/quote

Sounds like a good go to! I need expansion room without feeling tight!


I like the reference to nonstandard body types, as that's entirely my issue. I'm around 415, which means I'm obese, but by no means the fattest person in the world. It's the concentration of fat in my midsection. My partner helped me get measurements both standing/sitting so I can look for a better fit.

Upper arms: 21"/21"
Bust: 53"/54"
Waist: 79.5"/92"
Hips & Lower Belly: 52"/68"
Thighs: 31"/impossible to measure when sitting
Biggest part of my calves: 20"/20"

When I sit, and the weight in my torso has nowhere to go but to spread out, I have issues with clothing that fits fine while standing. I've even gotten up to find I split a seam in leggings before. It's a challenge.

Some great advice though! I'll definitely be checking out these recommendations.
1 year

Stages of getting fat (body types)

I think, somewhere in the last 30 pounds of my gain, I've become an 8. My atypical body shape (very round, heavy belly, width, and big pillows of back fat) compound my difficulty with mobility and struggled with chairs, booths, small cars, etc. Still able to drive my own though, but thank goodness for backup and side sensors, because I'm completely unable to turn around.
1 year

Girth increasing exponentially when sitting

In the past 16 months, I regained 170 pounds of lost weight, plus 40 past my previous highest. Most of my weight with this regain settled in my belly, which has a pronounced yoga ball shape, side rolls, muffin top, and back. Obviously, breasts, buttocks, arms, and thighs grew significantly as well, but I'm very round, and my midsection is my biggest area. Because of this, when I sit, my girth expands exponentially, and I'm swimming in fat. I measure about 77 inches around standing, but more than 90 sitting. This poses major issues with clothing, particularly anything that has a waistband. Even the most elasticized leggings become very uncomfortable when sitting, and I find myself constantly rearranging. As a result, everything is ill-fitting. Any clothing recommendations?
1 year

Any supersized folks who have successfully inflated?

I used to have a lot of fun inflating. At my lowest adult weight, I was briefly just under 200 pounds. At that size, I had amazing inflation results with an aquarium pump and could increase my girth by seven to eight inches. At 400+, there are obvious logistical challenges to air inflation, and even if my partner and I deal with those, I just don't see a notable difference. Any super-sized folks here who have had success at say, 350+?
1 year