[linJber]

I read in a lot of posts how many of you have old clothes you are trying to get back into. I have been at 250 for at least 20 years and don't have any clothes that I used to fit - they were given away years ago. I never tried to diet in all that time and figured that was probably healthier than yo-yoing every year or so. (Not sure of the truth of that assumption, but that's how it was.) I wear jeans or shorts to work with casual sweaters or nice tees. I had / have very few dressy clothes because there is no need except the occasional wedding. A couple pair of nice slacks filled the gap between jeans and dresses.

When my 252 pound clothes no longer fit - size 22 and 24 pants, size 2X tops, a couple skirts - I gave them all to a friend who kept some and who gave the rest to a Women's outreach center at her church. I altered my jeans so I'd be able to get by without having to get new ones for a while. I gave away all my winter coats and jackets, which was probably the most expensive part of the whole shebang. In telling this to a couple friends, I was told I was crazy to give it all away in case I needed them again someday.

Well, I was hurt at first and then realized they weren't thinking that I gave away my huge clothing, not things that were just a size up from where I want to end up. Then I wondered if I would keep any bigger size clothes at all. I'm in a situation now where I don't have too much that fits because I want to minimize the overall financial damage and have been buying the bare minimum of what I really need. Summer isn't too bad - a few pairs of shorts and one pair of jeans (getting baggy now!) and a number of nice knit tees. The tops will continue to be fine for a long time - good in the shoulders and OK if they are a little loose. The shorts are inexpensive ones from K-Mart.

I bought a bunch of clearance sweaters in February and guessed pretty well at the sizes. All should be great if I lose even just 15 more pounds by the time I need them. I did the same with a fleece jacket and a casual winter coat. I can wait for clearances in the middle of winter to fill out what I still need, as I hope to be at (or very close to) goal by then.

Do you keep the clothes you've outgrown (if that's the correct word - maybe "under-grown" is better!) while losing? It seems like you're setting yourself up for possible failure. Keeping smaller clothes on the way up seems optimistic. Keeping big clothes on the way down seems like you are dooming yourself. I don't have enough stuff that fits to worry about saving, really. I'd have to make sure I only gained in the summer since I have ZERO winter clothes that fit right now! Keeping the stuff from the beginning of this journey would never have been a good idea.

I'm just wondering how everyone else plans on dealing with this. We should set up an exchange!

Lin

[berryblondeboys]

I get rid of it. yes, I did save a few smaller clothes from a weight loss journey I took over a decade ago and hoped to wear those few special pieces again, but the big clothes? Out they went!

I haven't given away my coats and things yet, but I will when the season draws closer.

I simply CANNOT regain this weight for so many reasons - one being my health. It's simply not an option and if I have those old clothes hanging out in the closet, it's too easy to grab them if my current pants start to feel too snug. Much better to notice the snugness and then do somethng about the few pounds versus ignoring the weight gain (again).

Now I say this and I watched my MIL last year give away all her size 14 jeans when she lost weight when she first moved in with us. Guess, what? She was in a size 12 for a minute and had to rebuy all the 14s. In her case - being 75 years old and not active or trying to lose, it was silly for her to get rid of them. She's never dieted a day in her life and doesn't have the discipline to do a lifestyle change of no sweets at 76.

[konfyoozed]

i'm in a rotation with the salvation army haha.

i gave them my 24s, and bought 22s, then gave them back the 22s and bought 20s and 18s... when i get to goal i'll buy clothes that aren't 'pre owned' but right now a $3 pair of old navy jeans that still had the tag on them work just fine for me

[Gale02]

I lost weight in 2007 and got rid of my fat clothes. Then I had 2 kids in 2 years and part of me is wishing I had some of them back. That's the only reason, though. Mostly I'm glad I got rid of them.

[Ruthxxx]

I have a tote full of clothes I've shrunk out of - even a 25 pound loss made my pants too big. I keep putting off taking them to Goodwill. I should because having them around gives me permission to regain and I am determined not to let that happen!

I have kept a gorgeous black linen jacket - flower with some wooden beads on them. One of these days, I'll take them to a dressmaker to see if it can be cut down a bit as it sort of swims on me.

[MrsClaus]

Two years ago when I lost a huge amount of weight, I just boxed up the clothes that didn't fit anymore with the intention of giving them away, but that never happened. I think now that it was a mistake to hang on to them because as someone else said, it was just to easy to go through the boxes when what I was wearing got snug.

This time around, I went through the boxes and picked out just enough to get through the summer and purposely got rid of the rest. I can't afford to replace the bigger size stuff so the incentive to keep losing is there since I already have clothes in the smaller sizes from before.

I do have a pair of jeans that barely fit at my highest weight that I do intend to keep as my reminder jeans.

[QuilterInVA]

If you want to maintain that loss, get rid of them as soon as they become too big. I bought clothes from consignment shops and thrift stores when I was losing. Keep fat clothes subconsciously sends the message you are going to regain all of it.

[Goddess Jessica]

I give away my fat clothes with the exception of some dresses that I had altered because I liked them enough.

After being pregnant, there were times when I wished I had my fat clothes (during and immediately after my pregnancy). However, it's totally worth it to me. I don't have the space for clothes that are too big so it's a good gauge for me to see if I'm staying on plan or not.

[blueheron777]

Always kept my "fat clothes" in case I regained....and it was sooooo easy to bring them out again and grow up into them.

This time I gave everything away as I grew down out of it, and bought from Value Village. Well, "rented" would be a better word, as I kept taking in the bigger things and buying smaller. Just got a whole bunch of great clothes from a Dollar-a Bag event at a church sale today, plus a perfect, beautiful London Fog winter jacket for $2.00.

Clearing out the big clothes felt like getting rid of excess weight, and created more room for smaller clothes.

I am not on a diet, just count calories and exercise moderately. So I think it is a lifestyle that I can maintain. Hope I never see large sizes again!

[Judy Lynn]

I have been on both sides of this fence. In 2000-2002 I had a major weight loss, gave everything away. Maintained that for several years, then had a regain and gained everything I had lost plus more. Had to buy all new clothes along the way.

Fast forward to two years ago, again I lost 50 pounds. This time I put everything in big bins and put them away. Well, guess what? I gained 20 pounds this past winter. Stressful job change, unhappy in new job, S.A.D., blah, blah, doesn't really matter. It happened. Well, I had to go shopping in my closet. And I'm glad I had the stuff because I don't plan to be here long.

If you put the clothes away in bins in the basement, maybe duct taped shut, I don't think that is admitting you are going to regain. Just being practical. Just tell yourself they are not getting opened "No How, No Way".

And, yes, I still have lots of clothes that are too small. I could open my own Goodwill store at my house.

[Trazey34]

It's fun on the way down to go "shopping" in the back of your own closet, that part's kind of awesome LOL After 1 year, I gave all my big clothes away and felt kind of nostalgic and teary doing it, not sure why. A few things that I loved and wanted to keep, the seamstress in me knew they weren't worth the trouble of altering so I gave 'em away too. One piece of fabric from a dress I wore I turned into a little pillow and I notice it once in a while and think how far I've come!

[linJber]

Well, it seems most everyone so far is in agreement. I can see the reasons for keeping things, but am afraid, for me, it might be permission to gain - even if the clothes are duct taped in bins.

Mandy - I like the fact that you are in rotation with the Salvation Army! Cleverly put. Same to you, Blueheron - rented from Value Village is a great way to put it.

I did keep one pair of size 24 jeans as a reminder, along with a big tee shirt. I hope to take apart all my sweatshirts (with my work's logo) and alter them for next winter. I bought them just before I started to lose and spent almost $100, so if I can take them in, I'll be good for work in the winter. I took apart and reassembled a favorite concert tee-shirt, so I think I can do the sweatshirts the same way.

Lin

[Jen516]

Gone, gone, gone!! I don't want to make it ANY easier on myself to gain any of that weight back! Part of it is emotional too -- getting rid of those clothes is somewhat symbolic. I'm done with that lifestyle. I tried to give it away to friends, but could only find bigger or smaller takers. So, I sold some of the nicer stuff on eBay. Made a little profit. And I donated the rest of it to Goodwill and will deduct the donation at tax time!

[lottie63]

I would love to do an exchange. I get rid of mine, I have some left though, cuz I was giving them to a friend, but only pants, I have huge boobs so my tops don't work on her. I don't want to throw them out and I am weird about taking clothes to goodwill after hearing some insulting horror story on here about it.

Anyhow, Maybe I'll take some pics of outfits I have and post them, first come first serve? Maybe a thread for it? I actually have a pair of size 18 dkny jeans from lb that fit like a glove only 2.5 months ago now and I'm in a size 16 now. These are 90$ jeans I can't bear to just throw them out.

I'm glad I work at lb now, the discount REALLY helps with getting new clothes, even if they are temporary.

I vote for an exchange!

[ubergirl]

I got rid of mine, except for one pair of 28s that I held on to to remind myself where I had been.

I'm very glad I got rid of them. I have very few clothes now, since I was in the upper 200s for 20 years. But when the shorts I bought last summer, 14s, started getting to where a few more pounds and they wouldn't fit that was a SERIOUS reality check.

GET RID OF THEM.