Using Clothes as Motivation....?

Raspberrynezzie
Raspberrynezzie Posts: 16
in Motivation and Support
Does anyone else do this? I have bought clothes in the size I am projected to be when I am done just to see the day they fit! I have done this each time I lose weight. Example: I was 150 and bought a size 2 dress, now I fit into it (on my birthday to be precise!) And I did it again with jeans this time.
Sometimes this works for me, other times it makes me depressed! Though I try to have a sunny outlook!! :smile:

Also I frequent the mybodygallery.com site and look in my goal range for motivation. Plus I go on here!!

I get freaked keeping big clothes in case I ever have to wear them again!
So just curious if anyone else does the same clothes thing I do!

Replies

  • Crochetluvr
    Crochetluvr Posts: 3,330 Member
    When I first started I did. I had a lot of smaller clothes that I either hadn't worn for years or never wore and still had the tags. Now the only remaining item I can't get into is a pair of jeans....size 13. And I, too, have gotten rid of all my bigger clothes.....no going back! :)
  • Becky_Smith72
    Becky_Smith72 Posts: 161 Member
    When I first started I did this alot. I had certain things that I really wanted to fit into. For me it was a size 8 pair of jeans that I'd had forever and loved.. it was nice hitting that goal but nicer when they were too big. :) Now I use things like playing with my 5 kids and building muscle, but its a great motivation for weight loss!
  • Purplebunnysarah
    Purplebunnysarah Posts: 3,252 Member
    I have a ton of cute pre-pregnancy clothes that I'm hanging on to. I'm not sure I'll ever wear the summer stuff again, but I would really like to fit into the warm stuff this winter. Hopefully the summer stuff will be too big by next summer!
  • JustLindaLou
    JustLindaLou Posts: 376 Member
    I have two swimsuits hanging in my workout area... does that answer your question?? :laugh:
  • Raspberrynezzie
    Raspberrynezzie Posts: 16
    Ahh! Okay good! Hahah My family and friends think its weird! But they say as long as it works for me! Ohhh I should get a swimsuit to hang up! That's a brilliant idea!!! :D
  • KardioKim
    KardioKim Posts: 160 Member
    I do it, too. I have some dresses I want to be able to wear by summer's end.
  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
    Your definitely not alone with this one. I haven't bought anything new, because I have a lot of clothes in my closest from before a gained weight. Some of which were only worn once or twice.

    For example, I have a pair of size 13 (US Juniors) jeans that I was recently able to button up. They aren't comfortable yet, but I'm getting there. I predict once I fit into them, I'll be wearing them for awhile. I have 2 pairs of size 11 jeans, but the rest are all 7's and 9's.

    I am going to keep 1 pair of jeans. They aren't from my highest weight, but from right before I started using MFP. I want to take a picture with them when I get to goal. Everything else though is getting donated as soon as I get to small to wear it.

    And as for family thinking it's weird, my husband never understood why I wouldn't let him get rid of my old clothes. He gets it now that I'm starting to fit into some of it again.
  • Raspberrynezzie
    Raspberrynezzie Posts: 16
    For example, I have a pair of size 13 (US Juniors) jeans that I was recently able to button up. They aren't comfortable yet, but I'm getting there. I predict once I fit into them, I'll be wearing them for awhile. I have 2 pairs of size 11 jeans, but the rest are all 7's and 9's.
    Congrats! I love that feeling! Its the best!!!
  • t1nk6
    t1nk6 Posts: 215
    i do too! but i always buy stretchy tops ha :P
  • melindasuefritz
    melindasuefritz Posts: 3,509 Member
    I haven't but im sur e it w ould be great to do
  • EndorphineReceptive
    EndorphineReceptive Posts: 38
    The day before I began getting into fitness again, my motivation came from realizing that I was going to have to go back up a size in clothes. It was the most uncomfortable feeling, knowing that along with the knowledge I was letting myself go, the choices I had for wardrobe were diminishing.

    Don't get me wrong, I love to shop, but the realization that I was headed for a very uncomfortable body image and clothes size motivated me to take action. As the saying goes, nothing tastes as good as being fit feels.

    With everything that was happening in my life at that time, it was the only choice to make. And I am so glad I did. The benefits are far beyond just how clothes fit.
  • stephenszymanski
    stephenszymanski Posts: 114 Member
    I haven't bought any new clothes for whenever I reach maintenance... but I have a bunch of old clothes that I'm working back into. I'm close on so many of them, can't wait for another month or so! I've had 2 shirts that I've been wanting to get into since I started this journey hanging on my wall... as a reminder. So when I fall, I pick myself up. The shirts won't let me snowball!

    I really don't want to buy new clothes until I'm happy with my body.... but I have a few gift cards waiting to be used for new clothes, so once I get down to large, I'll go out and do some shopping. Being stuck between XL and L sucks. Can't wait for another few weeks so I can start donating my XL stuff.
  • FitGeekery
    FitGeekery Posts: 336 Member
    I have some goal clothes that I bought a loooong time ago which I still have. I haven't really thought about them too much though, to be honest. I think maybe when I get smaller I'll be able to look at them a bit more closely, but for now it seems so far away that I don't want to discourage myself from pushing forward.

    On the flip side, I've had a hard time letting go of clothes that I've shrunk out of. Not because I'm afraid I'll regain, but more because my brain really hasn't caught up that I am in fact... smaller than I was a year ago. I can't keep wearing pants and skirts that are falling off and giving that dreaded "saggy butt" look XD
  • welly5
    welly5 Posts: 293 Member
    I find that works with old, smaller clothes

    However, when i bought new clothes that didn't look right because they were too small, I've found that now that I fit into them they still don't look right! So now I have some dresses and shirts that I've never worn because they just aren't flattering even though they are now the right size
  • Raspberrynezzie
    Raspberrynezzie Posts: 16
    On the flip side, I've had a hard time letting go of clothes that I've shrunk out of. Not because I'm afraid I'll regain, but more because my brain really hasn't caught up that I am in fact... smaller than I was a year ago. I can't keep wearing pants and skirts that are falling off and giving that dreaded "saggy butt" look XD
    Noooo!! Hhaha the dreaded mom butt!! Everytime I say that my mom takes it personally!! I know what you mean though! I have some jeans that I bought a while ago that are just too dang big now and it makes my cinnabons look all saggy haha xD
  • Maaike84
    Maaike84 Posts: 211 Member
    I have this pair of pants from when I was my skinniest that I held onto all through my " fat phase" Now they really almost fit me again (they fit, just not that comfy) but they have kinda gone out of style so I still wouldn't wear them :) still nice to fit into them though!! But the biggest thing for me was buying a new pair of jeans two weeks ago, and loving that I went down at least three sizes. The sales girl had to convince me it was the right size, was really afraid to try them on!!
  • swhiteism
    swhiteism Posts: 71 Member
    I have an old pair of jeans that used to fit, got tight, then got too small, that I plan on measuring my weight loss with. I want them to be too big.
  • berriboobear
    berriboobear Posts: 524 Member
    I have never intentionally bought something that was a size too small... but I have bought things online that have ended up not fitting. Some of these purchases I gave away since it was unrealistically small, but there are several which I have kept for now to see if I will eventually fit (since I love them so much!).
  • HollisGrant
    HollisGrant Posts: 2,022 Member
    Does anyone else do this? I have bought clothes in the size I am projected to be when I am done just to see the day they fit! I have done this each time I lose weight. Example: I was 150 and bought a size 2 dress, now I fit into it (on my birthday to be precise!) And I did it again with jeans this time.
    Sometimes this works for me, other times it makes me depressed! Though I try to have a sunny outlook!! :smile:

    Also I frequent the mybodygallery.com site and look in my goal range for motivation. Plus I go on here!!

    I get freaked keeping big clothes in case I ever have to wear them again!
    So just curious if anyone else does the same clothes thing I do!

    Yes! *Raising my hand* I bought a pair of jeans that I really love and keep them out where I can see them.... a couple of months ago I couldn't even close them, let alone zip them or button them..... this week I can do both (zip and button), but they're still too tight. I figure another 5 pounds or so and I'll be wearing them. :)

    Good motivation tactic, works for me.
  • c50blvdbabe
    c50blvdbabe Posts: 213 Member
    I haven't bought any, but I have half a closet full of clothes that had gotten too small. About two weeks ago, I was able to fit into a dress comfortably that I haven't worn in two years. It felt awesome, even better than going to the store and buying a smaller size.
  • bdruggles
    bdruggles Posts: 14 Member
    Oh yeah. I have clothes I haven't worn in a long while hanging on the closet door. I look at them every morning and remind myself how awesome it will be the day they fit again, even if I deem them too out of fashion to wear out of the house.
  • princesspea234
    princesspea234 Posts: 182 Member
    Size 26 Citizens of Humanity jeans... barely zip... should be comfy by the time I meet my goal. Hopefully, I will be able to wear them by the time my MBA classes start to the first day of class.
  • PinkNinjaLaura
    PinkNinjaLaura Posts: 3,202 Member
    I haven't bought anything at my goal size (still a long way to go), but I try to keep one item of clothing on hand that's one size too small. Last weekend I tried on the shorts I've been staring at since Memorial Day and realized they actually fit comfortably, so it's time to find something a size smaller as my next motivator.
  • april_mesk
    april_mesk Posts: 694 Member
    I have a pair of short shorts that are purple camo print. Used to love them...Keep them on closet door hanging. Don't believe I will get back there...it was almost too small for me..idk...
  • melfitnesspal13
    melfitnesspal13 Posts: 378 Member
    I'm like the others. I gave away and sold many of the nice things I had that had gotten too small, some still with tags (which I majorily regret now). I had a few things that I saved for a friend and now they fit me and are loose! I am sorry for my friend, she'll only get them when I lose more weight. I have a bikini that I wore back in Spain and hope to get back into that by next summer, couldn't part with that one....:blushing:
  • amandabrooke17
    amandabrooke17 Posts: 24 Member
    I used my initial weight goal as the motivator for a new pair of running shoes :) but I already have some skinny clothes from pre-pregnancy, so I didn't need to buy something new in my case. Congrats on getting into your goal clothes!
  • Nutella91
    Nutella91 Posts: 624 Member
    i buy a lot of small clothes and throw out fat pants. so i don't have anything to wear if i don't lose weight. cruel but works.
  • uthatswho
    uthatswho Posts: 34
    Nope, I only keep cloths that I've worn within the last 6 months or so. Closet space is limited.

    Never heard of my body gallery, but I tried my height and weight with weight 140 lbs & 150 lbs and same pictures were on both searches, there was also disclaimer about the age groups.

    How would you know the size you want is realistic, considering how much they vary from manufactures?

Categories