Do you keep your 'fat' clothes?

[owhynot 0]

Hello everyone,

I had my surgeon appointment on Jan 16, surgery on Feb 3, and since that appointment on the 16th I am down 33 pounds. No surprise that my clothes are starting to look too big on me, since I am down about 2 pant sizes. Fortunately, I have always kept some of my favorite 'someday when I lose the weight' clothes packed away, so I at least have something to wear that fits!

Now, here is the problem. In the past whenever I started a new diet and lost a bunch of weight, I still hung onto my best 'fat' clothes in case the weight came back. And of course it always did! But this time is different, right? I am still trying to wrap my mind around the concept that I don't have to keep the back-up clothes on hand, because the weight is NOT going to come back this time, as long as I am vigilant about eating properly and following the band rules.

Did anyone else go through this sort of clothing crisis?

It just feels strange to be so sure that the weight will stay off, since it never has in the past.

Even so, I have a big bag of clothes ready to donate to Goodwill, and plan to bid them all farewell today.

I'd love to hear your stories, if you've encountered this issue yourself, and how long it took to move beyond it.

thanks!

o.

[kmytime2008 0]

hi, first of all congrats on your loss! That is great! I gave my clothes away to a relative. Luckily I have a friend who had the lap band before me and I am lucky enough to buy her clothes as she is about 2 sizes ahead of me now since she had her surgery a year before me. I only kept one pair of my "big" jeans so that when I am through, I can take a picture and see how much I really did lose. Also, so that I won't ever forget how important this surgery really was for me and my family. So I see get rid of them. Give them to friends or sell them or take to Salvation Army. Keep up the good work!

[gingerbug 3]

All my fat clothes go away the INSTANT they start to not fit me! When I shop I keep an eye out for clearance clothes and I try on my current size then try to get a size down as well.

[owhynot 0]

hi, first of all congrats on your loss! That is great! I gave my clothes away to a relative. Luckily I have a friend who had the lap band before me and I am lucky enough to buy her clothes as she is about 2 sizes ahead of me now since she had her surgery a year before me. I only kept one pair of my "big" jeans so that when I am through, I can take a picture and see how much I really did lose. Also, so that I won't ever forget how important this surgery really was for me and my family. So I see get rid of them. Give them to friends or sell them or take to Salvation Army. Keep up the good work!

Thanks for well wishes, and for reminding me I should keep one pair of jeans for a 'before and after' moment!!! I know just the pair- I have always loved the color of the denim, and I am a little sad that they look like clown pants on me now. They will be the perfect pair to keep, just as you have suggested.

I will give away the rest of the clothes as soon as possible.

thanks for your support!!

[footballmom104 0]

I gave away my "uber-fat" size 20 pants to Goodwill last week and am now wearing some 16's I had. They're tight but tolerable. I am going to hang on to one pair of jeans, though.

[SueAZ 3]

My doctors office is starting a clothes closet in one of his spare rooms. After support group meetings or doctors visits you can drop off your stuff and try something in a smaller size. It's a win win for everyone.

[georgia girl 35]

My doctors office is starting a clothes closet in one of his spare rooms. After support group meetings or doctors visits you can drop off your stuff and try something in a smaller size. It's a win win for everyone.

That is a great idea!! I wish my surgeon had something like that.

I usually just donate mine. I use to keep my old fat clothes when I did diets before, but not this time. This time is different!

[WOWOX7 0]

First of all, Congrats on your loss so far, you are doing wonderful. I, like most people had a closet full of cloths. My EXTRA closet ranged from size 26/3x to 18/xl. this was stuff over the years that I just could not part with.

Following the many diets, regains.. I had quite a few cloths.

I took pictures the day before I started my liquid diet. I saved the jeans I wore in that picture, plus a pair of 3x scrubs that I was currently wearing. Since that time, I have given away all of my to big cloths. It has been such a joy to be able to go downstairs to my "cloths Closet" try on cloths from years past... Wash them, hang them in my "currently wearing " closet. I have long gone through that closet downstairs and now buying ALL new.

What a joy, and so much fun. I am now wearing size 12 jeans,"started at 26", and wearing MEDIUM scrubs.. from a size 3x.

I have taken monthly pictures of my progress, in the same pose.. front and a side view. I carry them with me in my purse, so I can look and remind myself how far I have come in the 14 months in my journey. I also show family and interested friends these pics. What a journey.

The one thing that I wish I had done was to measure myself at the begining and each month since. But , I did not do this. Maybe you could do this.

Bottom line, get rid of the old cloths with an exception of a few pieces. You will NEVER fit into them again... kiss them goodbye....

Keep us posted...

Lois

[MONEL 0]

I have kept one set of original clothes. A pair of size 32w jeans and a oversize 28w sweater. Everything else has been given away. Every other month I take a picture in the original clothes. I can now put both legs in 1 leg of those jeans. I now wear size 16 jeans and 14-16 shirts. I love not shopping for clothes that don't have a "w" in the size.

[owhynot 0]

Wow, thanks for all of the encouraging replies!!!

It helps to reinforce the fact that I really won't be needing these clothes again, like I have so many times in the past.....

I've already done one purge, and look forward to more!

Once I get past the next size range, I will be out of back-up clothes and will be FORCED to buy replacements. DH works for Goodwill, so I am looking forward to giving his employee discount a workout! I also do a lot of sewing, which means I can alter my existing clothes to get more time out of them. Making my own clothes is fun too, and helps save $$.

I still marvel at the weight loss, at how good I feel, at how ready I am to keep on this path. This October I'm going on a cruise with my mom and sister, so that is helping a lot in terms of incentive....

thanks again everyone!!

o. :wink:

[It's_Christine 0]

Double the blessing of your weight loss and donate those clothes as soon as they are too big. Someone needs them and you never will again!

[owhynot 0]

Double the blessing of your weight loss and donate those clothes as soon as they are too big. Someone needs them and you never will again!

You are so right!

I just learned that someone from my interpreting community has suffered a great misfortune- her house caught fire and is a total loss. She is a big girl, about my old size, so I am going to send the clothes her way.

Funny how things seem to work out, isn't it??

[CapitolChick 1]

Ohwhynot, isn't just a BIZARRE feeling: knowing that those are that items you won't need again. In the past..I aways kept my clothes..I would just rotate boxes around: skinny in or out, super jumbo clothes in or out..etc.

Post band: My clothes looked so clown like I ended up over 7 months having an empty closet with just undershirts (tank tops)..I have to go to the goodwill nearly everyday!

[Annabell1 0]

Hey guys. I am very proud of all of us. In the past I did keep my clothes but with the surgery they are gone as soon as I go down. I am in a 12 dress and pants and so excited. I hope to get to an 8 but a 10 will be great for me too. I think sizes are a little bigger now a days because before at this weight I couldnt wear a 12. I really think that exercise is the biggest key. I have spent about 1400 dollars on new clothes but I feel I am worth it since I didnt buy very many before when I was heavier. Yeah us!!!

[healthierme8 0]

Honestly? I've kept one small box of my favorites. But, I'm thinking about having kids some day, so it's quite possible I'll fit back into at least some of them for a period of time. I do agree with the other poster that it can be liberating (and helpful for others in need) to get rid of the clothes you no longer need!