What do you about clothes...dropping sizes

[lins]

I am down 3 pants sizes. My jeans were size 16's and I am now in a size 10 Capri pant. I had some clothes in smaller sizes, but I am even starting to out grow those. I have a huge pile of clothes to be given away. I use to wear shirts that were a little looser but now they make me look even bigger so I don't want to wear those anymore. I have 2 pair of Capri's that I bought a few weeks ago but even they are starting to get loose. So I don't know what to do about clothes. I want to lose another 20 lbs so I know that's at least 1 more clothes size. So I don't want to go out and buy new clothes, if I'm not going to wear them for very long. So what do you guys do? Skirts and dresses are probably my best bet because they aren't quite as noticable when you drop a pants size. My underware are even getting big....I never even thought about that.

[porcupine73]

What I do is drop off the old clothes at Goodwill, Salvation Army, or a place like that so that someone else can get some use from them. Also those types of places and church rummage sales, etc., can be good places to look for clothes in smaller sizes that you might not need for very long so you don't have to pay full price for new. The clothing isn't new but usually it has enough life left in it to last a couple months while size is dropping.

[lins]

I have a great place to drop my stuff off called the "Care Center" it's a local organizations that helps people in need. My problem is finding clothes for me to wear. I don't really have a salvation army or goodwill near me.....

[Desert-Rose7]

I take my clothes that are wearable and useful to Buffalo Exchange which is primarily a West Coast store although you can google it and find locations on the East Coast. The clothes that cannot go there go to Salvation Army, St Vincent de Paul, Goodwill and any other thrift shop in the area. If you google thrift shops in your area, I am sure you will find something/someone who can use your items. I bought items at Buffalo Exchange while "downsizing" and they have some great clothes there. I am sure if you search about a bit you will find some great charities and some consignment shops as well as places to find clothing for yourself.

And just a note here: I went from a size 20 to an 8/10 and XL to S/M om tshirts and tanks. That is a lot of clothes that have found good homes.

Jo

[ravenrose]

People have responded to similar questions in the past suggesting yard sales, once you are in the common sizes. If you find someone with the right size, you can get a bunch of stuff for very little money.

[mommy2princesses]

Last week I brought 2 pairs of capris to a seamstress to have them taken in (I've lost 20 pounds, but it was like all of a sudden those pants were HUGE on me which made my butt look just as HUGE in them!). Fortunately, as I gained wait through the years I held on to a lot of my bottoms (always in the hopes of wearing them again). Its just a few of the basics in each size...but my closet is basically equipped from size 20 to size 12! I do have about 5 bottoms to get rid of that are too big, and I plan on bringing them to a local charity center this week. As soon as things get too big, I want them out of the house so I can NEVER wear them again! I also think since I'm a stay-at-home mom I can get away with having less to choose from - my 2 girls don't are if they see me in the same pair of khaki shorts 5 days a week! If I were still teaching, it would be much harder!

Jo - I just want to tell you that I've read many of your posts, and you are an inspiration. To see someone right around the same starting weight as myself, and about at the same goal weight that I hope (no, I WILL) get to...it's nice to see that it CAN be done! I love your saying of do or do not - it's so right. If you don't mind my asking, how long did it take you to lose the weight?

[porcupine73]

Also sometimes I buy used clothes on eBay. There are some bargains to be had there, provided the seller does not abuse you on the shipping charges.

[Ortal]

I go to Marshalls, Khols, and TJ Maxx for cheap, in between sizes clothes. I have a full wardrobe at my desired size from years ago, so Im excited to get to it again

[eptexy]

I just went ahead and spent the money. Is that bad? I don't have to worry about working in a professional environment though. Target and Wal-Mart have decent, classic pieces that I bought for the interim. Jeans especially. Shirts, you can get away with sometimes a few sizes too big depending on the style. Button down tops can be worn with a cami and the sleeves rolled up. With jeans being $20 from Wal-Mart (Levi Strauss brand is pretty flattering actually), I felt silly spending loads of time looking through resale shops.

[eptexy]

Originally Posted by Ortal

I go to Marshalls, Khols, and TJ Maxx for cheap, in between sizes clothes. I have a full wardrobe at my desired size from years ago, so Im excited to get to it again

Going shopping in your closet is the best! I surpassed those sizes though and I have nothing left. I gave away 3 huge lawn bags of clothing recently.

Oh and yes, new bras and underwear are a necessity! Which is a shame... my bras were kind of expensive.

[SonoRoo]

Hmmm, motivation. I'm giving all my xlarge scrubs to one of the girls in radiology who can't afford new ones. I'm going to start trying on what is in my closet and put what doesn't fit into a Goodwill box. As for new clothes, I don't think I need to many just yet but it is difficult having to buy new scrubs. They're expensive. It's what I wear 5 days a week.

[Desert-Rose7]

Mommy2princesses~My starting weight was 262 my goal weight 160 but I am holding at 150-152. I am 5'11" tall. I began the program on December 19, 2008 and made my goal weight the first week of September 2009. I have maintained my goal weight since then with little or no fluctuation. But it really is a lifestyle change that makes the difference and the 100% commitment to that change. It is ongoing. You CAN do this!


Jo

[irabeslim]

Desert-Rose7 - you are an inspiration. I needed to lose 108 lb to reach my goal weight (which I don't even remember when I was at that weight). I lost 76 lb so far since January 2010. I had lost 80 lb pounds before only to gain them back within 5 years. I am confident(!!!) that I can get to my goal weight, hopefully, in 3-4 months (similar to your results) but I really worry about maintenance. I am glad that I found this forum - I will be using it for support going forward.

[mommy2princesses]

Originally Posted by Desert-Rose7

Mommy2princesses~My starting weight was 262 my goal weight 160 but I am holding at 150-152. I am 5'11" tall. I began the program on December 19, 2008 and made my goal weight the first week of September 2009. I have maintained my goal weight since then with little or no fluctuation. But it really is a lifestyle change that makes the difference and the 100% commitment to that change. It is ongoing. You CAN do this!


Jo

Jo - Thanks for your encouragement. I have read so many of your posts, and you always seem to have such good advice. It is so obvious that you adopted the MWL way of life, as your way of life. I completely agree with you that this is a lifestyle change, and not a diet. My husband keeps referring to this as a diet....which strangely he hasn't noticed how ALL of our eating habits have changed in the past 4 weeks. I made this commitment because I want to be the healthy me that I deserve, I want my 2 girls to grow up knowing how to make healthy choices (and to know that treats are just that TREATS - this weekend we took them out for vanilla ice cream....which is now a treat, not something we keep in the house for a nightly dessert). This is the first time that I have stuck to something, it's as if I was finally in the right mindset to make these changes. The past 4 weeks have taught me so much about the type of eater that I was, and the addiction to food that I clearly have and never was willing to admit. I never realized how many calories I ate in a day from my kids' leftovers to mindless snacking each time I walked through the kitchen. I am so scared to go back to that person, even after only 4 weeks.

I mean it when I say you truly are an inspiration - to see that 100% commitment gets you to remain at your "healthy weight" for months now( I don't want to say goal weight, because to me that implies the struggle is over....but its really not). I don't know what your background is, but I know for me food will always be a struggle. Does the struggle get easier throughout maintenance....or is it something that is always there, just further and further in the background? Does it get easier when you are at parties/gatherings/day trips/vacations? Right now I am so afraid of those things - if its not somewhere that I can bring my own meal, its like I don't want to go! (Almonds and Medi bars are always in my bag!).

Thanks for all the insight you provide!

[Desert-Rose7]

~Mommy2princesses~
Going out/vacations/parties....none of it bothers me because I plan ahead for those occasions. If I cannot take food with me, I make sure that I have a good lunch or snack before heading out. I make sure that I drink plenty of water. I began this program right at the beginning of the holiday season...figuring that if I could make it through the holidays, I could make through anything. I lost 11.2 pounds on my first weigh in and it was a loss every week thereafter..sometimes bigger sometimes smaller but always a loss. And I have always walked every day, I just ramped it up, and up to 4-5 miles a day during the week and 7 for each weekend day. I will hop on the treadmill in the fitness, or the bike or the elliptical if I feel a need to burn a few more calories. T am at 1300-1400 calories per day, and can burn anywhere fro 400-600 and up with exercise and I feel good. I keep my carbs at 40 or less, usually less.

Maintenance is a bit of a struggle because you are learning yet again how to make good choices that work for you and not against you. I just will not have anything in the house that is a temptation. I totally cleaned out the pantry when I went on this program and gave all the non medi friendly things to neighbors and friends, and I have never replaced them. I have found choices that work and are low glycemic index as well. I stay away from yellow cheese and keep to the white cheese if I have a yen for cheese. It is truly a series of choices that you make, and MWL gives you all the tools you need to make them. It does get a little easier but it can still be a struggle. You just have to make your peace with it. And during the acute phase, do NOT be afraid of anything, simply make sure you are prepared for any eventuality.

Jo

[Mary T8M]

My husband and I are cleaning out the "too big clothes" weekly. We both saved one pair of pants in our largest size just to have as a reminder! We take at least one bag of clothes to Goodwill every week. I'm fitting into many of my old clothes, but once in a while I find something that was too small, so I didn't wear it, and now it's too big! I gave away two pairs of pants with the tags still on last week!
I love shopping at second hand stores, for wool sweaters (that I washed in HOT water to "felt" and make into recycled bags etc) and I always found so many really cute clothes that were in a small size. It will be fun to shop once I run out of clothes in my own closet!