<p>My prior wardrobe went to Goodwill but hopefully all of you who are shopping are well below those sizes :).</p>
<p>I did find an excellent little cream pitcher for $1 at Goodwill.</p>
<p>Maybe we should do a thread on those that have lost over 20% of their weight as a roll call.</p>
<p>I find jeans with some stretch like the Not Your Daughter’s Jeans can tide you over several changes in sizes. I’ve lost 30 pounds - and have NYDJ’s in 6, 8 and 10. The six is on the snug side, the 8 fits perfectly, and the 10 is only just beginning to look too big. </p>
<p>I’d get a pair of black pants, a pair of jeans and some tops that make you feel good. I agree that if money is an issue there are some surprisingly good deals at Goodwill, Salvation Army and sometimes incredible stuff at the upscale consignment shops.</p>
<p>I LOVE Not your daughter’s jean’s, Mathmom! :)</p>
<p>But as stated earlier…I just bought a larger size 
I found really cute ones at Macy’s (I think they just started selling that brand there) Unfortunately I went from a very comfortable 8 also to a 12. I put my foot down now and will start to take off the 15-20 I just gained. No more Diet cokes. Smaller nibbles of chocolate. I also just bought yesterday the protein shakes as a meal replacement…had a bike ride with H yesterday too…joined a gym and need to go!</p>
<p>My favorite jeans are either Not your daughter’s jeans or the light fabric denim at J Jill, tried & true bootcut are extremely comfortable.</p>
<p>college_query - even with the 20 pounds I have lost, I am waaaay above what I weighed in my 20s and even my 30s. I could easily lose 50 pounds. I have been a yo-yo dieter my entire life, which is one reason why I have so much clothing in so many different sizes.</p>
<p>Turning 50 this year, and decided it would be a better and healthier approach to simply lose 20 pounds and keep it off. If I lose another 10-20, even better, but I am trying to completely change my approach to food, exercise and the entire issue of weight. I thought about keeping my too large clothes for a while, just in cast, and decided that was an admission of future defeat.</p>
<p>Biggest change I have made is to understand that one slip on one day does not mean I have failed and should give up. That used to be my downfall - one bad day turned into a bad week, and so forth. Now if I overindulge, I catch it right away, and just shrug it off and get right back on my plan. I realize that I am in this for the longhaul, and if I regain 1-2 pounds, they can come right back off again. Less drama, less self-recrimination and a much healthier approach. The mental part of losing weight is so important!</p>
<p>Your last sentence - spot on! :)</p>
<p>Like most things, it’s mental. Congratulations on “getting it.”</p>
<p>rockvillemom, slow and steady! It’s taken me three years, and each year I lose less than the year before. I’d like to lose ten more pounds, but am not going to beat myself up if it doesn’t happen, or if it takes a couple more years. I seem to be at a weight right now that I can only maintain if I exercise a little bit more than I usually do, but a lot less than I know I ought to, so I am on a continual journey to figure out how to get out more doing something, anything that I like that burns calories.</p>
<p>33.8% so far!</p>
<p>
So true, rvm. Congratulations on your progress! I am excited to have lost 10 pounds so far this year (I only really need/want to lose about 20 or so). I am a little depressed that I haven’t really noticed much change in how my clothes fit, or been able to fit in my smaller sizes yet. I don’t think it’s coming off in the same order that it went on, KWIM? </p>
<p>It has been really difficult losing this much, as I have to battle a lot of other issues that contribute to overeating/weight gain. But having even a small amount of success has really helped motivate me to more effort. And we’re going on a cruise in July, so I need to get a bathing-suit ready bod! :)</p>
<p>Congratulations on the 10 pounds you have lost! I find that getting started is the hardest part. And the first few pounds lost were not that exciting for me, as they were the same pounds I had lost and regained several times before. But once you get past the first 10 or so, it really does become more noticeable and then it is more rewarding. Keep going!</p>
<p>Also just lost 20 pounds. Fitting into clothes better, so it feels great. Have at least another 20 to go, but I am stuggling to make additional progress. My diet has been great! Very healthy, pretty low cal. Don’t know what I can possibly change here to get passed this plateau. I am, however, rather sedentary. Not doing very much exercise at all. Seems like this is likely the missing piece, but I can’t get myself to do it! So exhausted after work that I have no interest. Really don’t want to give up when I’ve FINALLY seen some results.</p>
<p>Congrats to all!!! It’s not easy to change your habits, but the key for me was making up my mind and caring about myself for a change. The experts say you need 6 months to change a habit, so success doesn’t come all at once. I lost 60 lbs. and have kept it off for 10 years, and I think that new, smaller clothes in dribs and drabs along the way did a lot for me. I am very frugal, so I cinched in those pants for far too long. It was kind of like the maternity clothes you wear for nine months, and you never want to see them again. I wouldn’t buy too much, but spring WILL get here (just not today, where I live) and a few new tops will do the trick. And jeans are a great choice—as they get too big, a quick turn in the washer on hot water and voila!</p>
<p>Don’t give up Mom2009!!</p>
<p>Yes, you should find time for some exercise - ill bet that once you do, you will after a bit find that you are NOT exhausted after work - exercise will give you a second wind.</p>
<p>What types of exercise do you like or are you willing to do? It doesn’t have to be intense and it doesn’t have to be long. Start out with 20 mins, 3 times a week. That’s just 1 hour - do you have one hour a week to spare???</p>
<p>Walking. Bike riding. An exercise video. Walking with a buddy. Jump roping? Climbing stairs at home? Mowing the lawn? It’s your choice - you just have to start somewhere!</p>
<p>If you have lost 20 pounds, you have probably saved at least $100 in food costs (vs. if you did not loose 20 pounds). So, take the savings and buy some clothes. If you go to a thrift shop … but that’s another thread.</p>
<p>Mom2009 - I also seem to have hit a plateau after losing 20 pounds - nothing lost this week and I have been good on my food choices. I walk twice a day - but that’s about it. I have to use my treadmill more regularly - much higher intensity than a walk outside. I continually say I am too tired after work, but I think I am going to have to push through that feeling and just get on there tonight.</p>
<p>Congrats RVM- that is awesome.</p>
<p>I think it’s hard to lose much weight just walking though it’s my favorite activity. I try to throw in stuff like this at least two times a week:</p>
<p>[4-Exercise</a> Ab Workout - YouTube](<a href=“4-Exercise Stability Ball Ab Workout - YouTube”>4-Exercise Stability Ball Ab Workout - YouTube) good ab exercises</p>
<p>[One</a> Month to Muscles : Experience Life](<a href=“http://experiencelife.com/article/one-month-to-muscles/]One”>One Month to Muscles) good basic strength training</p>
<p>[Fitness</a> - Boot Camp Workout 5: Squats, Shoulders and Lifts Exercise - YouTube](<a href=“Fitness - Boot Camp Workout 5: Squats, Shoulders and Lifts Exercise - YouTube”>Fitness - Boot Camp Workout 5: Squats, Shoulders and Lifts Exercise - YouTube) Svetlana is always good for some challenge!</p>
<p>I lost 3 pounds in April even though I didn’t manage much exercise. Now that it’s getting nice out, I’m determined to add more exercise to my week. I’m convinced that one thing that is helping me is that 2 days a week I spend most of the day on campus, eat only a small amount, and come home at 10:30 at night not really wanting to eat more than a modest dinner. When I’m home all day I graze too much in the kitchen.</p>
<p>Diet is a much bigger lever in weight loss than exercise though exercise can certainly make a difference. If you’ve lost significant weight, a plateau may be okay. I’ve gone through this many times and am not as bothered as I used to be about plateaus. It’s a time for focus on making sure that it doesn’t go up. If you have a lot going on in your life, then it can be hard to focus on diet and exercise.</p>