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.

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!

BigBallBellyGirl:
The people who caution about aggressive stuffing and hard-core gaining are absolutely right. (Note, I said "caution about", not "caution against".) In an effort to gain back some lost weight and ultimately get to 450-500, I started super-stuffings constantly. I was gaining 10 pounds a week, easily, and never leaving any room in my stomach I didn't immediately fill. I loved the journey and the filled past the limit sensation, but about a month ago, I started to have weird neurological symptoms, like tingling, and skin numbness, as well as severe back and upper belly pain. I'm not abandoning my goal, by any means, but I decided to back off on the extreme stuffings for a while and let my body heal. But guess what? I find eating normal meals almost impossible. Yesterday, my partner and I went to a pub. He ordered a Philly cheesesteak and side salad. I ordered a double mushroom Swiss burger and tater tots, 1200 calories according to the menu. Based on nutritional standards, I had a very large meal, but my body didn't think so. I downed everything, but I didn't even feel like I had eaten at all. He gave me a fourth of his cheesesteak, but I still felt not just unsatisfied, but empty. I ended up getting queso with soft tortillas, adding another 1,800 calories. The fact is, I absolutely wanted more, but I stopped myself, because with beer, I had already exceeded 4,000 calories in a sitting. The fact is, had I been intentionally stuffing, I honestly could have easily had a fast food meal on the way home, but I refrained. The reality is, I think I also was averaging way more calories than I calculated when I was constantly stuffing. I usually documented around 15,000, but that number was likely well over 20,000. And last week, I put on 5 pounds while thinking I was eating conservatively. The appetite is a bizarre thing.

Munchies:
Sounds about right.

I appreciate you making the distinction you made when you said "caution about" versus "caution against."

Extreme weight gain and stuffing are very fun - but only in the short term.

That said, I wish you all the best. You've stretched your stomach out. It will shrink in time, but it will not be comfortable.

That said, there are some things you can do in the meantime. Some foods make you feel fuller for longer. Here's an article for example: myplenity.com/blog/10-foods-that-help-you-feel-fuller-longer

Remember, the goal isn't weight loss. It's just to help you suffer less while you wait for your stomach to recover. You probably won't lose any weight. If anything, you'll gain at a slower rate before eventually maintaining.