^ Oh, I don’t think it’s that clear cut. Please don’t take offense.
There are all kinds of reasons one might hang on to clothes in a variety of sizes, other than the ones you mention.
Personally I have cleared my closet and dresser drawers more than once. There’s something VERY freeing about releasing those items that no longer serve their purpose for me. Bundle the good stuff and see about consigning - bundle the rest and donate to a worthy local charity (we have a women’s center that takes clean clothing that someone can wear to a job interview/work. Be kind to yourself and enjoy the process of letting go.
After a year with the Weight Loss of Dummies thread, I was delighted to give away all of my women’s size clothes (the 16X and 18X, and even one or two 20X). I swore I would never shop in that department again! And I really liked some of the clothes but they couldn’t be tailored down. I did gain some of that 50 pounds back (no more than half at most) and have fluctuated in about a 15 pound range for the last few years. So I have a bigger wardrobe than currently fits at any time.
I would recommend getting rid of anything more than two sizes higher for now - don’t want to jinx yourself!
@rockvillemom right there with you about stress eating! College application time is the absolute worst! I would (and have) definitely save one or two pieces of oversized pants to show just how far you have come. It is a motivator on those days were you just say "It is only one or…nah I don’t want to do that!. Congrats on your hard work!!!
I could have written post #16 @rockvillemom I, too, have buckets of clothes from size 8 to 14 and, at any given time, might fit into them. I also had a very stressful fall and am wearing the largest of the clothes with the goal of getting back to at least mid-line (10 I hope) by the end of May. Would be great to wear some of those tagged clothes in my closet that I bought in September thinking I’d be wearing them by now and yet I’m approximately the same size as I was then, darnnit!
I had a good friend who dropped 75 pounds, went from a W22 to a size 6 and gave me all the clothes size 8/10/12/14. She is back to a W18 and had to repurchase new clothes along the way back to her larger size. So, over a two year period, she has literally purchased two new complete wardrobes. Careful.
The OP question could have easily been written by Oprah Winfrey at the time after she had lost about the same amount of weight. She has a lot of expensive clothes in different sizes and she really wants to believe that she will never be able to fit in them again. What to do?
The question could also have been asked from the opposite end - how long do you keep clothes that you don’t fit in anymore? There will always be voices that say “Forget about it, you will never get down to that weight again”. Should you not to try to lose the extra weight, because you are afraid you will just gain it back again?
CORRECT ANSWER: Try to lose extra weight and then try even harder to keep it off. (Keep the clothes.)
Like the OP I’ve been in the process of dropping a significant amount of weight. My weight has fluctuated over the past 6 or 7 years as I’ve had a natural weight gain, dropped a lot of weight due to chemotherapy, gained that back and then some due to meds, then gained a lot due to stress eating over some serious family illnesses. This summer I realized how heavy and out of shape I was and started exercising and restricting calories.
I’m now down over 40 pounds with another 5 or so to go. I have 3 shelves of pants-too big, too small, and just right. At first the too big shelf was empty and the too small was crammed. As the population of the too big shelf has grown I’ve winnowed the piles by donating anything that doesn’t fit well even when it’s my size, anything I never felt I looked good in, or anything truly out of style. Everything else I plan to hold on to for a year or two to make sure my weight stabilizes. I may also keep my last gasp fat pants, the ones that helped inspire my weight loss when they started getting too small months ago. It’s a nice little reward to see how far you’ve come.
No one was calling anyone a “loser” (though losing pounds, YES!).
The science and social aspects of losing/gaining/keeping weight off comes in many forms. We can only share what our form of that life aspect has been. For me, I have not experienced having more than one set of sizes in my closet. That does NOT mean I haven’t had weight fluctuations.
Some are comforted by having many sizes in the closet. Some see that as a crutch to keeping the weight off.
The OP asked a question - asked for opinions. She now has the gamut from one viewpoint side to the other!
OP, I’m curious - what is your thoughts/opinions on the matter after reading these comments??? Do you lean one way or another?
Sue22 - I can sympathize with how chemo therapy affects weight. The first 2 months I couldn’t keep weight on but then when I had to switch over to the second type I gained 10 pounds in 12 weeks while eating nothing! Medication followed and made it worse.
Ive always been a healthy eater and I’ve always worked out - it can be very discouraging. I’m very happy that you’ve done so well!
@abasket - I was responding to the comment above mine. I didn’t have any problem with your comments before, but now I’m starting to.
Weasel words (“Some people say …”). I have had several, actual, weight fluctuation cycles - like Oprah (to make a deliberately over-the-top comparison). The problem with throwing out clothes that no longer fit is that you then have to buy new ones when you go back to that size. Storing them in a closet somewhere is rarely a problem. There is no psychological component, any more than paying good money for a gym membership forces you to work out. All of this is from personal experience. The reasons for weight gain and loss are many, and are not (necessarily) hallmarks of weak character. This is the third time I’ve said this here, but it bears repeating: DON’T THROW OUT YOUR CLOTHES. The only exception might be if you have had some procedure on your stomach where you would be very unlikely to return to a previous weight.
I wonder if Oprah can afford to buy new clothes?
Being someone who HATES clothes shopping (even after losing weight, can’t seem to find the right fit!), it is a deterrent when I start adding a couple of pounds. I do not want to “next size up”. However, everyone has what works for them. Try to figure out which works best for you!
@Leigh22 and @Sue22 hoping everyone is on the road to recovery (remission).
I stand by my “weasel words” in making my point - as is very clear on this thread - that opinions will and do vary on whether anyone should keep clothes that don’t fit in their closet. All based on opinions and individual lifestyles.
Again, congratulations on your weight loss success @maya54 - from reading MANY of your posts the last months you have clearly adopted a new lifestyle in eating and exercise to achieve your weight loss and you should be proud. Wear those new clothes and sizes with pride. EVERYONE deserves to put on clothes and feel good about yourself no matter what your size is - or your friends or neighbors size.
I’ve lost 65 lbs. in the past 14 months, and I’ve gotten rid of anything that was too big as soon as possible. The better things I consigned, but most of it was donated to Goodwill.
@maya54, ditch the clothes that don’t fit. It can be tempting to pull out an old favorite for comfort and pretty soon it’s in regular rotation. Old clothes don’t look good when you’re thinner. They just make you look big again. As I’ve bored many of you over the years with my weight and maintenance struggles I won’t go into all the details but something that has really made a difference for me as I lost weight was treating myself to a clothing item I really wanted and was more expensive than what I would usually spend. I’d pitch 5 or 6 pieces every time I did that. I’m never going back to 250, why keep those clothes?
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Terms like “loser” (out of the weight-loss context) and “weasel words” have no place on this thread, or any other. Personally, I would have thought that there should be no respondents who were less-than-totally-supportive. So let’s all be civil.
Congratulations @Bestfriendsgirl <:-P
I’m sure I’m missing some people who have lost weight or are on that journey. Big, big congratulations <:-P
I’m impressed with all of you who know exactly what size you are. I’ve lost some weight but even when I stay at one weight I wear all different sizes. This has been especially confusing with jeans after weight loss. I own jeans in several sizes but they vary based on age of the jeans (vanity sizing?) and brand. Afer losing 30 pounds I didn’t really go down a size, I just moved into the smaller jeans in the same size. I think I will make my own code and mark the waistbands. I still wear the larger ones when I won’t be seeing anyone so I can save wear and tear on the smaller ones that fit/look better.
If you are in the income bracket where clothing expense is not a budget item, then the discussion is moot. Keep your clothes or throw away/donate them as you see fit. But if you think that getting rid of old clothes will motivate you to keep the weight off, it won’t. (Personal experience.) Motivation has to come from elsewhere. Also, an argument can be made that seeing the old clothes and being reminded “OMG, I used to fit in those” can be a motivator itself.
@Curiousreader, I don’t pay any attention to the size on the label. I just know which pants fit by where I’ve put them in my closet.