I've forgotten how my clothes are supposed feel

[Frederic 500]

Lately I've been struggling with the fact none of my clothes feel right.

My pants feel like I'm wearing them too low and my shirts feel way too lose and they probably look pretty baggy; but at the same time if I try on clothes that look like they fit they feel too small and I'm afraid they'l make me look fat again.

I'm still losing 5lbs a month on average and have alot more weight to go so I don't want to buy a ton of clothes but I know I'll need to pick up at least a few items before my goal.

I know it's just something I'm gonna have to work through but I wanted to vent and see if anyone else had any strategies for getting through this phase.

[Pittsburgher 261]

I think your used to buying bigger clothes. So when you try on a smaller size in your mind it should not fit, but it does. I think this is one of the mind tricks are head plays on us. Because sometimes we cant see our weight coming off, but our clothes are smaller and the scale is moving.

Sometimes it takes our heads time to catch up. As far as buying clothes there are thrift stores you can go to to get a few outfits from. I wouldnt buy too much as your body is continuing to lose weight.

[Toddy 758]

Definitely hit the thrift stores. I can really relate to your post. I've had several friends and family tell me I need to quit dressing like the fat me!!

[GoingforGoal 1,734]

Alright I'm just gonna throw this out there...body shapers (yes, even for men)

I relate (and still do) to your experience. You can't stay in your oversized clothes because it makes you feel frumpy and unattractive. This alone can stake the steam out of your engine and potentially set you up for some bad eating choices. But than you don't want to wear anything that reminds you how much more weight you have to lose hahaha. Unfortunately as you lose weight, actually when you have lost alot of weight, skin starts playing a factor for some. I know it did for me. Even at a size 6, if I do not wear a shaper, my stomach does the muffin top and it simply makes me feel overweight and self conscious. But when I wear a shaper everything is where it's supposed to be and I feel perfect and more inclined to wear body tight clothing.

Although it is summer, layers can also help conceal any unsightly curves you don't necessarily want to show off. That way you can buy some smaller sizers without wasting money on clothes you'll soon step out of.

Catching up to your attire is one of the hardest things w/ the LB. You are always chasing the new size and it can be a costly venture. I agree w/ the previous posts. Buy staple items that can be mixed up to create a larger attire and buy cheap. At one point I would borrow friends suits if I had a business appointment because I don't have a need for suits and such on a daily basis and knew that I was not going to be wearing that size for long.

Lastly, I also see people doing clothes swaps on here. If there is a local LB support group in your area, I'd put money on the fact they are doing clothes swaps to get themselves over this hurdle.

[DELETE THIS ACCOUNT! 12,703]

Ugh I know exactly what you're talking about. I've lost a lot of weight over the last 19 months and I still struggle with this a lot. When shopping, I consistently pick up clothes that will be too big for me, but when I try on clothes the proper size they "feel" too small to me. It's really hard to change years (for me, decades) of trying to hide my body under clothes that are too big.

My answer to this problem is bringing someone with me whenever I buy clothes. In my case, it's my daughter. Before I buy anything, I try it on for her. More often than not I'm standing there awkwardly going "are sure this isn't too tight?", but she always tells me honestly if the clothing fits properly or not. She is kind of my reality check for me when shopping because I still gravitate to clothes that are too big when on my own.

Btw- something I've also learned? Properly fitting clothes will actually make you look smaller. Baggy clothes that are too big make you look bigger. (even though the baggy clothes are more comfortable emotionally)

As far as the cost issue, I agree with the others above. It is really costly to try to keep up with clothes. One thing I find myself doing is buying stuff a season in advance. For instance, if you find winter stuff in the store in July, it's from last season. More often than not, it will be marked down big time to get rid of it before this year's stuff comes in. So, I buy it while it's on sale but I buy it a size or two smaller than I'm currently in. I actually just bought 5 nice sweaters for about $50- just one of them would've been $40 if they weren't on sale.

Best wishes and congratulations on your success!