In a quandary: if you still have LOTS of weight to lose, do you buy new clothes?

[peanut4us]

I'm asking because I am NOT having success at losing weight. And it's because I'm not really trying. I know, I know. I've got to hcange my attitude and just do it. And I will. But I'm having a block for some reason. In the meantime, I wear shorts to work and I have 1 nice pair of black pants.

For some reason ovre the past few days, I have started to put make up on and try to dress a little nicer. i get such a nice reaction from DH and I feel so much better about myself that I want to look nicer more often. But that would require buying some new clothes in my current whale size. Would you do it? I hate to buy stuff in this size because I feel like I am really throwing in the towel and saying "this is where I am at and this is where I am going to stay" KWIM? But by the same token, I don't feel pretty or anything in my current clothes. I was thinking of going to Penneys or somewhere similar and getting a pair or 2 of slacks and a couple of nice button down shirts. Would you do it? Or would you condemning yourself to this weight forever?

[JulieL]

Yes, go for it. Listen it is not good to look at yourself and to hate what you see. I know, been there, so done that myself. But if you are worried buying new clothes is throwing in the towel I have this suggestion. Buy enough to feel fresh, but not enough to settle at your size. It's good to feel confident about yourself and if a couple shirts will do that then that is a good thing.

ok here's another suggestion. Try to walk every evening. Every day walk as far as you can at a good brisk pace. Also when your thirsty drink water instead of highly sugared fruit juices or soda. These two changes will bring a change to you physically for sure. Well keep your head up and enjoy shopping!

[jojo2324]

Joey, I am right there with you. Currently, I wear (in public) one pair of extraordinarily tight jeans (were not tight when I bought them two months ago) and a pair of Abercrombie track pants that shimmy down past my butt. (These are the only non-pj pants I have, and we really don't have to $$ to spend on "transition" clothing.) All of my shirts are mondo tight because of the twins, thus causing them to ride up, exposing all the stretch marks on my belly.

What do I do? I don't leave the house and essentially wear pjs all day long. I feel absolutely disgusting, and am disgusted with myself. I have gained about 8 lbs since Sorrel was born (this after losing all but 8 lbs of my preggo weight), and am heavier now than I have been in years. It's one thing to feel fat, but then to have clothing that only exacerbates that feeling. Not a good combination.

I too don't want to buy clothes, because then I feel like I'm committing to this size. But I have never been an active person. I am content to do nothing all day. I love cake and chocolate. I got lucky nursing Gannon, because he sucked the weight (and then some) right off of me. Sorrel is not so voracious an eater. So it really seems like this time, in order for me to lose weight, I have to DO something about it. I just don't know that I'll be able to do it. I never have before, successfully.

My mom is coming out this weekend to visit, and DH is giving me some money to go clothes shopping with her. She has a knack for fashion, and I have sworn up, down, left and right that I am going to spend this money on ME. Not on Gannon's shorts, or shoes, or bed sheets. Just me. First on the list is a new pair of sneakers, so I can start walking with the kids everyday. (Once this blasted monsoon disappears!) Now that it's starting to get warm out, I really have no excuse.

My hope is that if I start to feel a little better about myself and how I look in clothing, it'll "osmosis" over to my drive to exercise and *really* make me want to look and feel better. I hope it works, and that the better weather puts a spring in my step.

[jk3]

I would and have done it. It will help you feel better about yourself because you deserve some new things even if you won't wear them when you lose the weight. Try Target + Lord + Taylor (if you have one near you) w/their coupons. When I feel like I look okay I am more motivated to stick to healthy eating habits + exercise so it might motivate you too. Have fun shopping! =)

[mamahill]

Definitely. It's important to feel good in your clothes. And there's always your smaller clothes to work toward. Go buy yourself a couple outfits, and be happy that you're dressing up for DH. I'm sure he is! Maybe having the bigger clothes in your closet will serve as incentive to pack them up later. Spend!

[jasabo]

I know what you mean. I have a huge closet full of clothes that I can't fit into anymore. I've not bought any new clothes since I had my boys for the same reason you mentioned - I feel like it'd be throwing in the towel, and I refuse to stay this fat. At the same time, I'm sick of wearing the same 5 or 6 pairs of pants all the time. If you look at the few pictures of me taken in the past 10 months (I rarely even allow my picture to be taken because I look so horrid), I'm always wearing the same one or two shirts because I've only got a few shirts that aren't scroungy T-shirts or sweatshirts that I can wear out of the house. It's pretty sad. But I'm also a SAHM so it's harder for me to rationalize spending money on clothes for myself. If I worked, like you, I probably would.

I think, if it'd make you feel better about yourself, go for it. Buy a few nice outfits. Don't feel like it's condeming yourself to your weight. You're just buying some nice things for yourself because you deserve it!!

Lisa - mom to 10 month old twin boys

[mary b]

Hi Joey, I am in the same boat!
I am at my highest weight ever and truly hate looking at pictures right now. At the same time, I just haven't made the committment yet to exercise. I know i need to and i know it will have a treadmous impact on my life.

in the meantime, I did go and buy some new clothes for spring in the whale size that fit. I am getting compliments that I am losing weight even though I am not, I am just buying bigger! I didn't spent a whole lot of these clothes so hopefully when i can't wear them anymore, it's not that big of deal. I only bought a few shirts, shorts and capris so I will be wearing them over and over, but oh well.


Maybee we could motivate each other. I really need to find someone who understands and can help me.

Let/s talk about it soon!@!!

Mary
mom to Noelle and Lindsey

[justlearning]

I'm the exact same boat as you are. I did try to go shopping recently, though, to find a few things that would make me look good to help me feel better about myself now and guess what?! Instead, I got even more depressed! I couldn't seem to find ANYTHING that made me look good, even after trying on clothes for hours. So, now I'm still without any clothes and even more depressed about my weight--ha ha! I think I hear the gym calling my name...

I hope you have better luck with your shopping trip. :)

[lag555]

I haven't read the other responses yet, but I would say to go buy the clothing. I had a similar situation in which I was really sure that I would lose the weight and I didn't want to spend money on new clothes that I would only need for a short time.

What I found was that the weight was coming off a steady but really slow pace. So it will be a long time of "making do" with clothing that doesn't fit so well. And secondly, it actually made me feel much better to be looking more "decent". It was easier to watch what I ate and be more aggressive exercising because I was getting positive results. Meaning, instead of losing five pounds and my pre-pregnancy clothing still didn't fit, I'd lose five pounds and really see a difference in how my (new) clothing fit. It was a really great feeling.

So again, I would say to buy at least a couple of new things.

HTH!

Aggie

[sdbc]

It's a lot easier to lose weight when you feel good about yourself. I would buy a few new outfits. Don't go overboard, but get a few that you like.

Also, in our town, there is a really great thrift shop that has lots of nice clothes. I tend o donate lots of stuff there, but always end up bringing something really nice home! You might check out something like that, or else a nice consignment shop where you can get clothes that fit you now and that you like, but that don't end up costing a fortune.