Wednesday, October 21, 2009

When Clothes Are Too Big Because of Weight Loss Success

So what do you do when your clothes get too big because you have been successfully losing weight?

  • Do you hang on to them, "just in case?"
  • Do you throw them away? Burn them? Tear them into rags?
  • Or do you give them away?

A "Twitter friend" yesterday sent out a Tweet that she had given away 119 pieces of clothing that are now too big for her. That is so fantastic! She felt really great for her weight loss of course, but she also felt fantastic that because she has been losing weight some other people are benefiting also! She is a great weight loss inspiration--I love that she was willing to give away clothes and that she is willing to help inspire others to succeed and give as well. (Thanks, Stacy--you rock!)

I know it is tempting to hang on to your "big" clothes. We've all been through the ups and downs of yo-yo dieting. When you are dieting you really want to hang onto clothes because you have proven to yourself that you will gain weight back.

That is why it is important to NOT diet. Your weight loss success will be long-term if you refuse to diet, as opposed to the short-lived successes we achieve with diets.

So keep one of your "big" outfits. Just one. Save it for days when you are feeling fat even after you have lost weight. You will be amazed at how good you will feel when you put on that pair of pants that used to be tight...and wow!...there are inches between the pant and you now...or they are falling around your knees!

Use them as a tool to help you remember your success...and take the classic "after" photo of the new you in those old pants--holding out the waistband!

As for the rest of the clothes...divide them into 2 piles.
  1. Anything in good condition
  2. Everything else
Bless someone else with the clothes in the first pile. If you have some items that are in "like new" condition you can consider a consignment shop. Then any money you make from the sale of your old clothes can go to buying new clothes. Donate the rest. You'll feel really good about it.

The second pile--THROW AWAY!

OK, I'm not big into tossing things into the landfill if you can use it. But it is important you don't hang on to these things as clothes...so if you absolutely can't bear to just throw them away then cut (or rip) them up.

In the old days there would have been a "Rag Man" who would collect cotton and linen scraps. I don't think these guys exist any longer, but you can keep some pieces for rags instead of buying cleaning cloths or in place of paper towels.

Or if you are crafty, or a sewer, you might make some quilts or other projects out of them. Use them in a way to celebrate your weight loss success, so every time you look at that piece you bring joy and a sense of victory and accomplishment to mind. Or see if there is a quilting club in your town...you never know, they may be creating quilts for a cause and would be thrilled to receive your squares...

But don't hold onto them "just in case"...that part of your life is behind you. Look ahead to your new, healthy, energetic life.

Congratulations! You deserve it!

2 comments:

Anne Samoilov said...

Oh My Goodness! I totally related to this article. I struggled with my baggy clothes -- we're talking bras too, by the way, that were really not my size anymore. I think I didn't dare to buy a smaller size. Now, I feel so much better with a few key things that really fit me well! I threw away anything that made me look like a hobo and donated some things that were just too big.

Laurie Tossy said...

Awesome Anne!

I had to get new bras, too. Amazing how much better we look (and feel) when we are wearing clothes that actually fit! Too often we think we look thinner if we are in clothes that are too big, but it isn't true.

Congrats on your weight loss success!