# weight loss and clothing



## Use Less

I lost almost 40# between mid-July and January, and am keeping it off. I weighed this in my 30's and early 50's but slowly put weight on. I very much want to stay down. Now I'm struggling with the clothing issue. I can't and don't want to swap out everything. Tops are mostly OK. I am wide-ish in the shoulders, and need room since I play violin professionally. I can't bring myself to unload the jeans, slacks and shorts that slide off even when buttoned. Part of that is that some months before I dropped the weight, I purged everything that was more than a little snug. Now I wish I'd kept more. I don't dress fancy, so out-of-style isn't a big factor. I'm easy on stuff. Is it really bad to keep "fat clothes"??


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## frogmammy

Yes, I think it is *BAD* to keep fat clothes. Manly because it is SO easy to slide right back into them fitting!

Suggest that either a friend who sews alter your favorites to fit the way you are NOW, or, go thrift store shopping to replace the clothing...saves money and you'll have the styles you like.

Mon


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## simplegirl

I'm not sure if it is bad or not. I lost some weight and put all my pants in storage, mostly waiting for a garage sale. Life got crazy.... I gained a little back... and I needed them again. Was VERY grateful not to have to spend money to buy more again.

So, guess it depends if you are financially able to replace them if the weight comes back. If not, pack them away someplace out of sight and hope you don't need them again.


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## countryfied2011

I dont think it is foolish....at least for awhile and maybe not everything. Maybe just some basics.

I lost 50lbs back in 2008, December 2009 i had a car accident, broke my hip and walked around with it broken for 1 1/2 yrs while the doctors tried to get it healed...3 surgeries and finally a total hip replacement I gained the 50lbs back and then 20 more on top of that.....I went from a size 20 down to a 12 and 14 in 2008 and gave all my clothes away...so I had to start buying new ones, I am now back to 18 and 20 but on the way back down again. This time I wont give them away until I know for sure....lol I can pack them away like I did the 12,14, and 16 sizes..lol Now I dont have to buy new clothes when I reach that size again. :thumb:


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## ChristieAcres

When I hit my 40s, I gained weight for the first time, so instantly was out of all my clothing. Good thing I kept my regular sizes. When I discovered Paleo, lost the weight, and as long as I stay fairly consistent, I don't gain the weight back. Now, when I injured my knee, I began gaining weight, but then lost it again. What did I wear? Why, some of the loser clothing I had kept!


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## Terri

I am using my too-large jeans to do yard work in. Fortunately I have a belt because it is annoying to have your hands full and need to hitch up your pants!


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## TxHorseMom

For me, it was a little to easy to slip into those larger jeans. So I got rid of most of them but the more expensive ones I am packing away and putting in the shed so its harder to get to. As I'm going down in sizes, I shop at resale stores so I don't spend a fortune getting to my goal size.


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## plowjockey

Storing "fat" clothes, is and invitation to failure, in my family's experience.

Major weight loss should be CELEBRATED with as many new outfits as you need and can afford. If you are on a roll and really losing a lot of weight fast, just go for a few items, that you can gladly send to Goodwill later.

It's great to look and _feel_ skinnier and walking around in now extremely baggy fat clothes, doesn't cut it.

there is a great physiological effect, of looking better to go with the hard work of your weight loss, especially when other people start to notice.


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## mnn2501

I still have my 'fat' pants in a box in the closet. Its been about a year now so they will be going to Goodwill soon.
My shirts are loose but mostly still fit - They are dress shirts (for work) for the most part and fairly expensive, so I am slowly replacing them with my smaller size.

72# so far in 15 months


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## Ardie/WI

Terri said:


> I am using my too-large jeans to do yard work in. Fortunately I have a belt because it is annoying to have your hands full and need to hitch up your pants!


I do the same thing! My too large pants look like clown pants but who cares around the house and yard. And, if they get too worn out, them they get thrown out.

A funny story though. When I went down two sizes, I wore the pants ane day until I reached up into the cupboard and my pants slide down to my ankles. Good thing I was alone.


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## Use Less

Thanks, all  Kind of answering my own question: with the warmer weather, but taking into consideration the mosquitoes and my sensitivity to the sun, I find myself choosing lightweight long pants that are loose but not falling off. Needed a belt this AM to avoid Ardie's problem, though.


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## haunted

Why not take them up? If you can sew, you can alter the clothes and keep wearing them.


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## Use Less

Haunted, the length isn't that much of an issue, it's extra room around the hips and thighs. Mostly the loose things I'm wearing are jeans and simple slacks. I can turn up for cuffs. Still need a belt.


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## christinarobert

The best and easy way to lose weight is to eat healthy and low calorie food. it will help you in burning your body fat and keeps you healthy as well. If you do this for at least 2 months, you will surely lose weight to a great extent.


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## Tyler520

I used to be overweight, and I second that you should never keep around "fat" clothes.

I've dedicated myself to never allowing myself to EVER go back to that state again.

But now I have the opposite problem. After getting serious about weightlifting, I have to buy shirts that are too big so they'll fit my shoulders and arms, but end up being too long and baggy around the waste, and have to get pants that are too big so they'll fit my legs, but end up being too big in the waste, too.

I know, I know - first-world problems Â¯\_(&#12484_/Â¯

But if you live in a relatively big city, you'll probably have a local place that will do fairly cheap alterations on stuff you'd really like to keep - you can almost always go smaller, but you cannot go bigger.


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## mnn2501

mnn2501 said:


> I still have my 'fat' pants in a box in the closet. Its been about a year now so they will be going to Goodwill soon.
> My shirts are loose but mostly still fit - They are dress shirts (for work) for the most part and fairly expensive, so I am slowly replacing them with my smaller size.
> 
> 72# so far in 15 months


Just an update - the local Goodwill recently got my 'Fat clothes'

18 months now and 85# down. :banana:


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## ronbre

USE LESS...if you wouldn't mind stating the size you are in or going in to at the moment..include inseam please..

I keep taking clothes to the charity nearest when i drop out of them but would rather share..when I lost 60 pounds 10 years ago I sent all my clothes then to a friend in PA

I actually put 8 tops thru hot wash and dryer to shrink them and it worked so I could continue wearing for a while..but I still have about 70 pounds to lose so will be going thru more sizes...if you don't want to post size on here email me
[email protected]


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## Use Less

I sent you an e-mail. That is so generous of you to think of me! Good for you. Much luck for your continued success.


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## Alice Kramden

You can put the jeans/pants on the sewing machine and take tucks in the waistband to pull them in. That's what I was doing until it became impossible to make a size 9 into a size 5. 

Also, along side the leg seam can be taken in, either the inseam or the outside. Some jeans could be taken in along the hip seam, or the back seam. 

I am having trouble finding anything I like, either at the second hand store or yard sales. I need clothes, bad. I gave away all my size 16 stuff, and never want to see anything like that in my closet again. 

I want the flashy, rhinestone studded jeans, and guess I'll just have to take some plain ones and make them look like what I want.


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## MoonRiver

As someone who has lost and regained too many times to count, and thrown the fat clothes out only to have to rebuy them, how about a plan that keeps a few items and tosses the rest. I'm living in shorts and sweats now because I don't want to invest in a full wardrobe when I am relosing the weight. But I do wish I had saved a few items, like a pair of jeans and a couple of decent shirts from last time.

Unfortunately, most people regain the weight within a few years. Hopefully you won't be one of them.


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## Use Less

MoonRiver, I think that is the worry at the back of mind. I did that rebound thing at least once, though it took a lot of years to gain it all back. I try not to obsess on gaining or worrying that I'm eating too much. It is just difficult. I see how & why people just give up. I am holding my weight now starting the third year, which is better than I did before. It being autumn, I have in mind a major try-on, hand-along. A large charity store chain closed here this summer, so I bought more than I likely should have. It's hard to say no to my favorite brand of jeans, Irish sweaters and dressy tee-shirts for a couple dollars, even though I didn't "need" them


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## Janis R

I went from a snug size 26 down to a size 6-8, I got rid of all my clothes as I got smaller.
But I gained back some weight and now wish I would of kept my size 12 clothes. I will now keep any clothes that are within a size or two from my current weight. I am now on a slow weight loss and hope to get in a size 10 and I will be happy since when I was size 6-8 people thought I looked like a scarecrow, but it was also just after my youngest daughter died


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## Use Less

Janis, I am so sorry for your loss. Some major life changes also happened before and as I was losing the weight initially, though it was mostly by design. Looking back, I think exercising extreme control of what & how much I ate was an unacknowledged tactic to stay grounded in the whirl of issues. Continuing to choose wisely and to not overeat are more-positive choices now, perhaps. Wishing you good luck!


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## MoBookworm1957

Can you alter your clothing? Do you sew?You can take the pants up in the the butt.


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## MoBookworm1957

I have lost 13 pounds this week. I alter my clothing because I can sew,quilt. If I can't alter it, it will eventually end up in my quilt scraps basket.


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## summerdaze

All my clothes are really baggy now, and I'm starting to feel sort of sloppy at work, and when I go out. When I get to the size that I'm comfortable at, I plan on buying some nicer clothing. But this week I'm just going to go out thrifting and pick up some clothes that look decent and make me feel better. My work clothes are just jeans and Tshirts, so not hard to shop for. When I get to my desired weight, I am NOT keeping the old stuff.


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## Terri

Many years ago I promised myself a little black dress when I got my weight low enough.

I got it, too, as well as a wine red number that I kept and wore for years. Because the wine red dress was gently snug BELOW the bust, and had an ornamented waist, it looked good on me even if I gained or lost a few pounds. And, I looked GOOD in it, because the eye was drawn to the bust instead of the waist!

I hope you also find clothes that you love!


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## newcolorado

*I have a box of too big pants. My wt is ok for over 6 years now. Finally lost inches too. I got up one morning and got out my good jeans to wear for a picnic. They would not stay up and tried my belt. No go too much. By then I was in tears. Found older smaller pair. I had tossed out all my too small pants suits and blouses, and sweaters . Stuff I had worn for work. Doctor wanted my wt 111 so I keep it from 110 to 112 most all the time. I have swore off buying clothes. Clothes can be a problem. I did not consider 117 to 120 over wt but doctor did. Walk a mile a day he wanted. That slimmed me down more. I need go through my closet again. *


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## MoBookworm1957

You can tailor your T ****s give your T shirts more tailored look hour glass shape. I am now in size 14 regular size pants,jeans are 36x29 inseam. Tops are medium and the larger size I have tailored into hour glass shaped shirts. Took up about 4 inches total off my T shirts. I am training for my first 5k at 58 years old.


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## davidsam77

Wear cotton clothes during summer time. Try to avoid the very tight dress.


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## MoBookworm1957

Ladies, I am so happy! I have maintained my size 36 waist (dad's old jeans) for a month now. Dug a pair of my good jeans out (fellow bought them before he deployed), I didn't have to lay down on bed to zip them up. They make my short legs look long and slimmer size 16 Misses. Not plus size, but Misses!I'm 5'5" tall I can almost stretch my neck out to make me 5'6" tall. But that is a big stretch for me. Been walking a fast 2 minute clip for about 10 days now. Yesterday Strawberry and I walked 5.5 miles.


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## newcolorado

I still controlling wt. I bought a pair of pants at thrift shop late April. Ask DIL to look what size. Said no size. Get home in good light and are 6 short. $1 and nice dark brown. Are jeans from Sirlanka or some such. yeah I can wear them. I am short but not tiny.


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## MoBookworm1957

Went to the doctor on Wednesday, lost another 3 pounds. Just from the first of the month.


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## MoBookworm1957

Despite being on baking spree I have lost another 3 pounds and 2 inches off my backside. Yeah! Just not as hungry as usual. So eat smaller portions.Now if I could lose that pouch of belly fat. But the doctor said that is the hardest part to lose.


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## dixiegal62

Use Less said:


> I lost almost 40# between mid-July and January, and am keeping it off. I weighed this in my 30's and early 50's but slowly put weight on. I very much want to stay down. Now I'm struggling with the clothing issue. I can't and don't want to swap out everything. Tops are mostly OK. I am wide-ish in the shoulders, and need room since I play violin professionally. I can't bring myself to unload the jeans, slacks and shorts that slide off even when buttoned. Part of that is that some months before I dropped the weight, I purged everything that was more than a little snug. Now I wish I'd kept more. I don't dress fancy, so out-of-style isn't a big factor. I'm easy on stuff. Is it really bad to keep "fat clothes"??


As I lost weight I gave away all my loose clothes and did a lot of garage sale and clearance shopping to replace items. I so glad I did! After my mother lost the battle with a long sickness I found myself doing a lot of stress eating but since I didn't have back up "fat jeans" I had no choice but to get it under control to keep my clothing from fitting to uncomfortably. I think that if I could have just pulled out bigger jeans I would have gained a lot more than just a few pounds.


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## newcolorado

I have been trying to pair up pants and tops to wear. Same clothes but trying pair up so look different from last year. I go to some city once a week on senior bus. At home just jeans and tees in summer. I bought a pair of dark brown pants this year, All I plan to buy unless just have to. They were $1 at thrift shop.


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## MoBookworm1957

Still maintaining weight loss, clothes are getting loose in the oddest places. I'm losing about 3 pounds a month. Doctor happy. Makes me more motivated to keep on. Walked yesterday in hot humid weather while walking block and half to get laundry done. Did 3 loads, washed,dried and put away. Bet I sweated buckets of water weight off.Bet I would lose another pound If I had my hair cut and thinned out a bit. It's heavy,natural curly shoulder length.


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