Buy smaller size for motivation/reward

rbfdac

I buy jeans/pants in one size smaller-- they're my motivation clothes as well as the clothes I need to wear in a couple of months. I would never buy anything smaller than the next size down though. Additionally, I don't buy smaller tops because a person can generally wear the same size top for several several pounds, unlike pants/jeans.

NikiChicken

astrose00 wrote: »

Coffee? Roses? Whatever.

There are times when coffee smells much better than roses.... LOL

DarbiB

I definately do the "buy something too small as motivation thing" although it's generally special occassion wear, rather than day-to-day.

2 years ago I bought a dress for NYE. It "fit" (technically) but I looked like a stuffed sausage in it. Also I couldnt move my legs (it was a standing still dress).

Now I can fit it! It will come out to play for the first time this NYE!

astrose00

DarbiB wrote: »

I definately do the "buy something too small as motivation thing" although it's generally special occassion wear, rather than day-to-day.

2 years ago I bought a dress for NYE. It "fit" (technically) but I looked like a stuffed sausage in it. Also I couldnt move my legs (it was a standing still dress).

Now I can fit it! It will come out to play for the first time this NYE!

lol@ stuffed sausage. And thanks for the sausage reference when I've been ODing on chicken breast, ugh. Congrats on the dress! You will have to post a picture on MFP!

obscuremusicreference

I buy things I can stuff into but would look better if I lost weight. But it's been a while since I've shopped a seasonal clearance rack so who knows.

segacs

I just did this with a pair of cycling jeans I bought on post-season sale for next spring. They're a size 10. I'm currently a 12 (down from 14) so I am hoping/expecting to fit into the jeans by April.

I also have a bunch of clothes from before I gained all this weight hanging in my closet, since I tend to keep things a lot longer than I should. Some of it I might wear again, though most of it will likely be out of style by then and I should really get rid of it.

In general, I find the most motivating thing is to buy well fitted, tailored, awesome-looking pieces that fit me now, to help me feel great and give me a self-esteem boost, which helps with weight loss. Trying to squeeze into stuff that's too small just makes a person look bigger, feel bigger, and depressed and unmotivated.

(Still determined to get into those cycling jeans by spring, though.)

astrose00

NikiChicken wrote: »

astrose00 wrote: »

Coffee? Roses? Whatever.

There are times when coffee smells much better than roses.... LOL

I love the smell of coffee!!!

blukitten

Yes, I did this too. Bought a size that should fit at my goal weight and have it hanging on my wall. I don't really notice it though so it doesn't serve the purpose I wanted it to, but every now and then I smile knowing I will get there when I see it.

I actually have a goals/rewards list for every 10 lbs that I lose. Several have been new outfit, some smaller, some like massage, etc. I have found this help me reward myself with items other than food and find it helping me in breaking my emotional ties with food.

HanamiDango

I only buy pants one size down, or I should say something that is a bit tighter because I know in a month or two, it will fit and than it will get to big. Shirts I buy at the correct size. However, I just bought a pair of pants I thought would be to small and they fit. So I am thinking smaller sizes might be harder to do that at and better to buy what size I wear now.

mikesmom1983

When I realized I had given away all my smaller jeans, I went to the thrift store and bought a pair of jeans 1 size smaller. Occasionally I try them on to see how much further I have to go. It gives me added motivation.

DarbiB

astrose00 wrote: »

DarbiB wrote: »

I definately do the "buy something too small as motivation thing" although it's generally special occassion wear, rather than day-to-day.

2 years ago I bought a dress for NYE. It "fit" (technically) but I looked like a stuffed sausage in it. Also I couldnt move my legs (it was a standing still dress).

Now I can fit it! It will come out to play for the first time this NYE!

lol@ stuffed sausage. And thanks for the sausage reference when I've been ODing on chicken breast, ugh. Congrats on the dress! You will have to post a picture on MFP!

Chicken Sausage lady! Its still calorie-concious, but its a nice little treat/break from chicken breast meals.

astrose00

DarbiB wrote: »

astrose00 wrote: »

DarbiB wrote: »

I definately do the "buy something too small as motivation thing" although it's generally special occassion wear, rather than day-to-day.

2 years ago I bought a dress for NYE. It "fit" (technically) but I looked like a stuffed sausage in it. Also I couldnt move my legs (it was a standing still dress).

Now I can fit it! It will come out to play for the first time this NYE!

lol@ stuffed sausage. And thanks for the sausage reference when I've been ODing on chicken breast, ugh. Congrats on the dress! You will have to post a picture on MFP!

Chicken Sausage lady! Its still calorie-concious, but its a nice little treat/break from chicken breast meals.

Good idea. My problem is I buy the bulk chicken and then season and put in fridge. Takes me weeks to eat it all! I will definitely look into the chicken sausage. Will be a nice change from chicken, turkey and fish.

Juvenica

Astrose I have not read all the comments, but I'll tell u my point of view. Honestly I think you should do whatever works for you. I bought a couple of years ago a pair of really cute pants that at the time I couldn't fit into and was mad at myself for a long time , but now that I've lost some weight and they fit perfectly, I love them. Strangely enough the pants know better than me when I've gained weight , even by a pound or two, so they've become like some sort of a scale for me and a wake up call when I think .... nah I haven't gained weight
Although I had about 35 - 40 pounds in total to lose and I'm not even halfway in yet.

IILikeToMoveItMoveIt

I set goals and then when I reach them I claim my reward. For me, I tend to work better with delayed gratification.
I set goals of all kinds at different increments. They get better the closer I get to my goal weight.
Some of my goals? Well, getting a family portrait, laser hair removal, kettle bells...my onderland goal is to fly a plane...

VegasFit

I don't see anything wrong with this. I actually did this for a bridesmaid dress once and it totally kept me on track and I had no problem fitting into it on the day I needed to. My weight has fluctuated in the past so the majority of the clothes I am currently wearing were already in my closet. I actually hung a pair of "goal jeans" up in clear sight in my bedroom and would try them on every couple months to gauge my progress. Now they are just in regular rotation in my closet.

astrose00

Juvenica wrote: »

Astrose I have not read all the comments, but I'll tell u my point of view. Honestly I think you should do whatever works for you. I bought a couple of years ago a pair of really cute pants that at the time I couldn't fit into and was mad at myself for a long time , but now that I've lost some weight and they fit perfectly, I love them. Strangely enough the pants know better than me when I've gained weight , even by a pound or two, so they've become like some sort of a scale for me and a wake up call when I think .... nah I haven't gained weight
Although I had about 35 - 40 pounds in total to lose and I'm not even halfway in yet.

Thanks. I still find motivation in the dangling carrot but I also realize (partly from this thread and comments from friends/family) that I need to praise myself for what I've done so far. The good thing is that there are PLENTY of old clothes in my closet that I am fitting into more and more each day. So I am getting a little satisfaction every day. I already know I'm much smaller than I was at this time last year because of how things are fitting. But getting into those size 6s that looks so itty-bitty right now will help me gain perspective when that happens. I always see myself as the same - even when I was gaining weight I didn't see it as clearly. But looking at those pants, they are small. About 3 years ago I was in a 8 and looked amazing. I yo-yo'd and never made it to the size 6. So this time, I'm going for it and determined to get there.

VegasFit

Astrose00 what I also did was buy the clothing dividers so I could rotate my clothes as they starting fitting again. I tabbed them Now, Almost and Too big.

astrose00

VegasFit, good idea. Right now, I play russian roulette every morning with the clothes: Does this fit? No. How about this? Yup. Then I'm lucky if I can find a top and bottom that match! Might make sense for me to actually organize it. Thanks!

arditarose

No. I don't have money to buy things I will fit into later. I need things now.

SoulOfRusalka

I have all the 00s and children's sizes I used to fit into -_- those were my favorite jeans, dammit.

wonderfullymadebyhim

I do it... mostly at thrift shops because it usually saves me big $$ or places I can return for 90 days because I've bought stuff too small and don't like the fit later (i.e. too high-waisted). I love boxing up old clothing and revealing a new wardrobe waiting for me or trying on a jacket and see it progressively get better fitting and then finally fit. I've only got 20 lbs left (out of 50 to lose) so now I'm going to wait until spring fashions and buy at my goal size when I hit my goal in March.

girlviernes

Occasionally I will buy something that is bit too tight but clearly will look good in about a month of weight loss. I definitely would not buy more than a size smaller as there is no way to really know how the thing is going to fit. I also have smaller clothes from before so I am trying them on every couple of months. When they fit again it feels great!

wonderfullymadebyhim

And I can't buy too many clothes in sizes in between because my pant size seems to drop so fast I barely get to wear them before they are too big. I gave away 5 full garbage bags full of clothing a couple of weeks ago to a very happy aunt and cousin. I had a large wardrobe waiting for me from years past but now I am looking at barely anything to wear when I drop the next 20 lbs. Not a bad problem to have though.

court_alacarte

girlviernes wrote: »

Occasionally I will buy something that is bit too tight but clearly will look good in about a month of weight loss. I definitely would not buy more than a size smaller as there is no way to really know how the thing is going to fit. I also have smaller clothes from before so I am trying them on every couple of months. When they fit again it feels great!

i do/have done this. and then it has hung in my closet for years because it's even tighter than before after many failed weight-loss attempts LOL. so what i do is just keep it around to remind me that i've been at that size before and i can do it again. i still have some jeans hanging around that i bought late high school/early college years that have been goal pants. one day!!

middlehaitch

Ooh, I couldn't buy pants a few sizes smaller. I have a hard time liking the fit of pants in my size. (bottomless wonder) I would probably hit the size and hate the fit.
Dresses, that is another matter.
There is a family dress that got to be mine when I turned 40. ( for some reason it keeps being passed on to whoever it fits). I then put on 30ish pounds. I hung it up, so I could see it from the bed, and it acted as my weight loss goal.

Here I am wearing it; it fits better than when I was 40. An inspirational piece can work!




Me, after losing my menopausal 30lb gain, turning 60.

Cheers, h.

HealthyVitamins

I don't buy smaller sizes but I do try them on every so often to see how close I am to fitting into them

demarii06

I do this but not in such extreme size differences its usually 1 or maybe two sizes too small.

mmgavitt

jgnatca wrote: »

No.
I celebrate after hitting a milestone by going shopping.
I personally don't work well with deprivation motivation, which this would be for me (stare at it and can't have it).
How about getting yourself a shopping gift card to be used when you hit goal?

I'm totally the same. I need to celebrate when I hit it. Every time I have tried this it helped for a couple weeks and then I got annoyed seeing it because I couldn't have it and ate my feelings. Doesn't work for me.

Beanogirl

VeryKatie wrote: »

I would hesitate to do that in case once it fits it could be out of style or I don't like it any more.

I have made this mistake. I am wearing a quite expensive dress for work today that I bought 3 sizes to small. It fits me now and is probably a little bit too big but it is the wrong shape and doesn't suit me. I hate wearing it for work but decided to at least get a little bit of wear out of it before it goes in the charity bag.

dammitjanet0161

I would never buy anything even one size smaller, mainly because I have a slightly odd body type (broad shoulders, big ribs and muscular thighs) so I couldn't guarantee that said item would fit in the smaller size even after losing the scale weight, if that makes sense.

(and as one of the posters above said about her sausage dress lol, just because you can get it on doesn't mean it fits!)

That said, I do keep a one or two items eg a pair of jeans that once fit me better and looked good as inspiration and a goal. But I'm too cheap to risk buying new clothes in a smaller size!