Mixed Feelings About Getting Rid of Old, Big Clothes
 

Hi everyone,

I've been going through my closet and drawers and pulling out shorts, jeans, and pants that are just too big now to wear. I'm trying to decide what to do with them. I am surprised that I really have mixed feelings about donating them/giving them away, especially the jeans. I think it's because I haven't been able to wear the size 12 jeans for about 2 years and I was so looking forward to wearing them again; they're in great condition because I bought them right after I'd lost about 20 pounds on another plan, and then I regained before I could wear them out. They look ridiculous on me now.

When I've lost a lot of weight before (four times before this one), I usually gave my big clothes away immediately after getting to goal weight, only to regret doing that a few months later when I regained and had nothing to wear. Then, I'd be forced to buy bigger clothes.

I've also, in some cases, kept old clothes, regained weight and then was glad to have them to wear because that saved me from having to spend money on bigger clothes.

I feel like I'm in a catch-22 here. If I get rid of them and if I can't keep the weight off after I get to goal, I will have to buy new, bigger clothes, which I really don't want to do. On the other hand, if I keep them, I am afraid that I will subconsciously be giving myself permission to regain the weight, which I also do not want to do. I could be a self-fulfilling prophecy, you know?

Has anyone else experienced this? If so, how did you resolve the dilemma? :?:

Thanks a bunch,

Karen

I was the same way. Yesterday I finally just brought them to a local consignment store. I figure I need them out of my house so I can't go back to them. IF the ones I'm in get tight I will work my butt off to make them fit again. I am also planning on weighing a lot to make sure I'm maintaining and getting it under control before it's too late now that I know what to do. I had a little bit of a stomach ache doing it but I feel so much better now!

I just donated 2 large bags full of clothes that no longer fit. I am determined not to gain any of the weight back that I have lost. I will be weighing myself regularly after I am at goal to make sure I don't start putting the weight back on. I felt that if I would have kept my big clothes, I wouldn't feel so bad about gaining it back. So I suggest that you give away your old clothes. Another thing that I have vowed to do once I am at goal is to only buy pants that can be buttoned, no more stretch pants of any kind. With stretch pants, you don't realize the weight that is creeping back on.

I gave 2 bags to my sis in law and she asked me if I was sure I wanted to do this as I had only been on the plan a few weeks. I can't believe I hesitated a few seconds to think about it, but I said no, I don't want them.

That being said, I had fun today in my smaller sizes closet and can fit into almost all of the size 12's . Woohoo!

Karen, it seems like you are doubting that you can keep the weight off.

Hi,
I am going to take the opposite position. Keeping large clothes in my opinion actually puts me in better control because I always keep the choice. I can eat and gain the weight and go back to them or I can look at my beautiful small clothes and decide which I prefer. It keeps me on track but I guess that is the minority view.

It is an individual matter but my view is that if old clothes remain a temptation they you have not clearly mastered weight maintenance. Control is exactly that control.

Good luck whatever you do.
Sheridan

I felt as you did. I actually just boxed them up by size as I shrunk out of the size. I gave away my 20 and 18 when I was well into my 14 sizes. I gave away 14 and 16 when I hit size 10. I wish I had given away my 12's when I hit the 8's. :) Unfortunately, I did get back into some of my 12's. It was EASY to gain a little, have my new size feel tight, grab something loser and NOT correct my little gain.

I will not make that mistake again.

I look at it this way. I lost 85 pounds and kept it off for a year. I gained a little back and it wasn't inconvenient because I wasn't worried about not having anything to wear, having to buy clothes, and I wasn't listening to my clothes telling me it was time to take action.

If you follow this diet to the end. YOU WILL KEEP IT OFF if you keep following the principles you learned. In any case, don't give yourself the opportunity to excuse a little weight gain by saving to many sizes.

A gain of one size is 15 to 20 pounds in general. You shouldn't need to keep anything that much bigger if you are trying to stay in a manageable maintenance range.

Keep one or so of your bigger items to show you how far you came but, accept the change you are making and the new you. Trust yourself to take care of keeping in check and don't keep clothes bigger than you need.

Just my little opinion based on having been there.

Bargoo, I see you are the same height as me and started at about the same place. I used to be 120 when I was at my slimmest in my early 20s. I haven't even dared to dream of getting to 120 or less because I was thinking it would be too skinny now.

How does it feel to get to that weight. I bet you look wonderful. what size do you take?

You might be a lot younger than me and I guess, according to everyone I know, I must give up on aspiring to that weight at my age.

My coach is having a "swap your old clothes" party at her clinic. This way, you can get rid of your too big clothes, and get clothes in your size in return. It hasnt happened yet, so I dont know how successfull this will be, but it sounds like a good idea.:)

Karen- I also feel the same way. What I decided to do, which is what I have done in the past is just keep some items in one size up from where ever I end up at my goal.

In the past, I was a plus size 14. I was able to lose enough weight to fit into a 10. Once I got to size 10, I consigned most of my bigger clothes but kept a few pairs of size 12 jeans and pants. Fortunately or unfortunately for me, I have always been a medium size top so that was not an issue. Well, the reason I started IP was twofold. 1). Because the 10's in my closet no longer fit and I was wearing those 12's and 2). Because I was never able to get lower than a 10 and IP seemed like it would help me do that.

So my plan is to again consign my bigger clothes once they become unwearable, but hold on to just a few pieces in case there is some weight gain again. It should, hopefully, kick my butt into gear again and lose the weight to get back to goal.

I too am concerned about gaining weight in maintainence. And why shouldn't we be??? We have all lost weight before only to be here on IP. In fact there are many IP's who are "back for another round". It's not that I don't have the confidence in myself or am doubting myself. I do have to say this is unlike anything I have done before and it has really taught me so much about food and my habits with food, and I am fully prepared for the maintainence phase to be my lifestyle, but you never know.

I don't think anyone here can give you the perfect answer to this. However, it sounds like maintenance is your true struggle, not the weight loss itself (at least from what you described in your post). So maybe what will help you the most is putting yourself in your shows in the past where you've hit your goal and then gained back before. What would've been the most helpful to you then? What made you gain the weight back then? Were there any specific triggers? Focus on eliminating those items in your life or dealing with the mental issues of overeating. The clothes you can hang on to until you feel comfortable getting them up. Also check out the maintenance forum here and they probably have some great advice for maintaining. Good luck!

Good posts here! I am getting ready to say goodbye to the bigger clothes and selling them at a yard sale this weekend. They say that this is the "last diet" and I am certain it is for mr. I too have learned so much about food and nutrition and how my body works. I will take a few pictures of my larger items, maybe even on and compared them to my current size 8 capris and size 10 jeans!

IP was my first diet ever, and unfortunately won't be my last. I lost 60 pounds got rid of all my larger clothes, did not phase off properly, gained everything back and have very little to wear. I recommend keeping one size up. I know a lot of people who have maintained after IP and I know a lot of people who haven't. I just think it makes more financial sense to have a back up plan in case of mistakes. Statistically most people who lose weight on a diet plan do not maintain that weight- I don't mean to be a downer...but it's the truth, I think we all know that maintaing a healthy weight is more difficult than losing. I hope this doesn't sound discouraging, I just thought I should share the other side of the situation.

I have difficulty with this too. I think it's because as a big girl I wanted to feel and look good. So I spent a lot of money on my clothes...I seriously have nice clothes they are just too big for me. So I packed them up and put them in the garage. There are three large garbage bags in the garage right now and half a garbage bag in the second bedroom.

I'm debating whether to spend some money on my favourite jeans (2 or 3 pair) to get someone to take them in for me....that way I can get more of a wear out of some of the ones that I bought when I didn't believe I'd loose this much.

What's tough is that the last time I lost weight I offended my sister when I offered her my clothes. Right now, I just see three big garbage bags of money. :/ Her quote was "I don't want your fat clothes"

I also am having a difficult time because I want to buy clothes as my body has changed and I'm getting a little excited to see a waist!!! I won't spend A LOT of money but I did buy a pair of jeans today that could have waited for another three weeks...just cause I could get into them.

Thankfully I have a friend who's recently lost some weight and she asked me if I wanted HER clothes and I said "absodoodaaleelootlee!"

It's an interesting conundrum to have all these clothes that I'm not quite ready to get rid of....the VIP said that I could just wait till I'm ready...it's so simple for him...:) That's why I love him.

So right now, I'll keep them out of the house until I forget what's the in the garbage bags and replace them with other clothes that I love.

Hi Bretley! Nice to see you. I agree with you and I would keep a size up for awhile too. Also, phasing off is important but, like you say maintaining is a challenge and really is the test.

As I read your post I remembered when I was trying to get rid of my clothes. I was so emotionally attached to them. Like you, I shopped for things to make me look good as a big gir.l (who doesn't, and it is a really challenge! pure love goes in that process or masochism not entirely sure which! LOL) I actually remembered why and what event I bought many of the things for! It was a true walk down memory lane as I said good bye! :dizzy: