Changing Body

[odoreater]

Does anyone else have this problem? About 2 or 3 months ago I decided to go on a diet. I've lost about 20 lbs since then and I've gone from a size 44 jacket to a size 42. So, I'm thinking of buying a size 42 suit to have in my collection in case something comes up soon. But, I anticipate gaining weight in the next few months (basically, I'm working out and go on cutting and bulking cycles). So, I'm afraid that I might get too big for the 42. What do you guys recommend doing? I'm thinking of just buying some cheap suit off of ebay for $50 in a 42 and just having it for an emergancy.

 

[DocHolliday]

I think buying an eBay cheapie is a good idea. There's no point in investing in something you might not be able to wear a year from now.

How long do you think you'll continue cutting and bulking?

 

[odoreater]

Originally Posted by DocHolliday

I think buying an eBay cheapie is a good idea. There's no point in investing in something you might not be able to wear a year from now.

How long do you think you'll continue cutting and bulking?

I guess until I reach my desired body type. Though, I think if I go cheap on ebay and buy stuff that ranges from size 42 - 46 I might be okay for a while. I see a bunch of Hart Shafner Marx suits on ebay for like $30. I know they're not the best quality in the world, but I think they'll do for now.

 

[DocHolliday]

Originally Posted by odoreater

I guess until I reach my desired body type. Though, I think if I go cheap on ebay and buy stuff that ranges from size 42 - 46 I might be okay for a while. I see a bunch of Hart Shafner Marx suits on ebay for like $30. I know they're not the best quality in the world, but I think they'll do for now.

As long as you've got a definite goal, I'd say hold off on major purchases. Then you can treat yourself to a new wardrobe, and it will help keep you from backsliding.

In the meantime, you can use the savings to stock up on fine ties and accessories.

 

[matadorpoeta]

i have the opposite problem. for years i've been buying slim fitting mtm dress shirts and now i've gained a lot of weight. i recently turned 30, so i suspect that even if i lose some weight and get back in decent shape, i'm never going to be as thin as i was when i bought all those shirts!

i still like the way my jackets look on me.

 

[demeis]

I have the same problem. I've stopped going to the gym and have since lost, yes lost, 20 pounds and now am a 37R and no longer the 39-40 that i was. I need to start going again to gain back my weight because i'm finding 38R which is the majority of my suits don't fit. Sigh...i'll regret this in 20-30 years when i have the opposite problem

 

[DocHolliday]

Originally Posted by demeis

I have the same problem. I've stopped going to the gym and have since lost, yes lost, 20 pounds and now am a 37R and no longer the 39-40 that i was. I need to start going again to gain back my weight because i'm finding 38R which is the majority of my suits don't fit. Sigh...i'll regret this in 20-30 years when i have the opposite problem

If you've got some Cornelianis in there, I'd be happy to dispose of them for you.

 

[Dapper Dandy]

You should be able to tell roughly what your body is going to look like once you've put on as much muscle as you can, steroid-free. Once you've packed on as much muscle as your body can hold, you should only have relatively minor fluctuations in weight and body shape. I used to be a skinny 135 pounds, and my weight fluctuated pretty rapidly as I gained and cut to get to 175. Now, though, no matter how much or little I eat, my weight stays in a pretty narrow band. Cutting and gaining cycles result in much less dramatic differences once you've neared your peak.

So, given all that, I would buy clothes geared towards where I'm likely to end up. Any competent personal trainer or honest gym rat (friends may soft-peddle you) should be able to tell you, based on your body type, how much more muscle you can pack on before you hit your peak.

I just realized this could be contstrued as recommending buying clothes too big for you. I didn't mean that, only that you shouldn't splurge until you've neared your peak.

 

[Dapper Dandy]

Also, it won't just be jackets that don't fit, but pants, too, if you do legs and work your glutes.

 

[dah328]

I agree that for many mesomorphs, weight tends to remain in a pretty narrow band once they've neared their peak, but I have found that the distribution of that weight can still vary.

 

[Stuttjukken]

My weight is varying year round, and I have trousers in 2 sizes, some in 44" and some in 46". It´s not a problem for me.

 

[odoreater]

Originally Posted by Dapper Dandy

You should be able to tell roughly what your body is going to look like once you've put on as much muscle as you can, steroid-free. Once you've packed on as much muscle as your body can hold, you should only have relatively minor fluctuations in weight and body shape. I used to be a skinny 135 pounds, and my weight fluctuated pretty rapidly as I gained and cut to get to 175. Now, though, no matter how much or little I eat, my weight stays in a pretty narrow band. Cutting and gaining cycles result in much less dramatic differences once you've neared your peak.

So, given all that, I would buy clothes geared towards where I'm likely to end up. Any competent personal trainer or honest gym rat (friends may soft-peddle you) should be able to tell you, based on your body type, how much more muscle you can pack on before you hit your peak.

I just realized this could be contstrued as recommending buying clothes too big for you. I didn't mean that, only that you shouldn't splurge until you've neared your peak.

Yeah, I don't plan on cutting and bulking forever, just until I reach my desired level of musculature. The good thing is that I have all of my 44L suits and blazers, so now I'm looking on ebay for stuff that is 42L and 43L to basically give me a range of things that I can wear.

The good thing is that my office is business casual and my dress shirts still fit pretty well (in spite of all the cutting, my neck and shoulders have more or less stayed the same). So all I really need is a couple of 42L or 43L blazers to add to my 44L blazers and maybe 1 42L suit for court appearances or client meetings.

As for trousers, before I started cutting I was an inbetween size so I would buy size 38 trousers and have them taken in 1" to be a size 37. Now I'm about a size 36 so must of my trousers still fit relatively well (they used to be a little tight at 37 now they're a little loose at 36 - maybe 1/2", no big deal).

 

[odoreater]

Originally Posted by Dapper Dandy

Also, it won't just be jackets that don't fit, but pants, too, if you do legs and work your glutes.


The good thing is that since I've started working out and dieting I've lost a lot of fat on my legs but I've gained a lot of size on my quads and hams. So the size of my leg is more or less the same, it's only the composition that has changed so far. However, a lot of my friends that have been lifting for a lot longer than me have told me that their legs have gotten so big that OTR trousers no longer fit them. This is actually good news, another excuse to get MTM or bespoke suits