Did you get rid of your bigger clothes?

lightenup2016

Hi--I'm 43, female, and I've yo-yoed a few times over the years, going between 120 and 158 lbs. With my current weight loss (at 137 currently, down from 153), I'm feeling fairly optimistic that I can reach my goal weight of 125 (range +/- a few lbs) and more importantly, maintain it using MFP combined with 16/8 IF. This weight loss effort just feels different, like I've finally figured it out!

However, I find myself having trouble getting rid of my bigger sized clothes that no longer fit me. I've always kept a range of sizes "just in case", and especially for those years when I was having babies with the weight gain and slow postpartum weight loss. But I'm finished having babies, and have a well-laid out plan for weight loss and maintainance. So should I go ahead and just get rid of the bigger clothes now? Or wait until I'm at my goal and see how maintainance goes for a while first? Will keeping them just be a crutch, "allowing" me to get lazy and gain it back?

I'm curious what others have done. Did you feel better tossing the big clothes? Or did you keep them "just in case"?

nvmomketo

I tend to leave one size up until I have been stable for a long time.

avskk

I got rid of them when I lost weight back in 2013/14. I made a series of bad decisions and regained the weight; since I've regained it, I've replaced only what clothes I absolutely have to have to get through a workweek. I'm using my extremely limited wardrobe as a motivational tool to lose the weight again, and I hope the memory of my wardrobe struggle will help me keep it off this time.

I would say, if you tend to yo-yo, maybe keep some of the larger clothes. Pack them away and don't hesitate to buy plenty of new ones. Once you've maintained your goal weight for six months or a year, have a little "throw out the big'uns" party!

rachelr1116

As I've been losing I tend to keep wearing clothes until they get so big they just look sloppy. At that point I put them in a trash bag and put them in the basement. I'll eventually get around to either selling them or donating them. I don't want to keep bigger clothes around as a "just in case" because I feel like it's a motivator to not gain the weight back if I don't have any bigger clothes to wear.

VintageFeline

I mostly get rid but what I buy retains its value so its just a way to raise cash to buy things that fit (vintage and vintage repro). If there was no resale value I'd likely be hoarding loads! Not intentionally though. I've no intention of ever getting back to my biggest.

jemhh

I keep a few clothes one size up because I retain water easily. Other than that, I've gotten rid of bigger clothes. I'm a constant declutterer with no sense of sentimentality though so my take on this could be very different from others' takes on it.

cwolfman13

Yes

queenliz99

It's all gone! Yay!!

glassyo

When I hit a plateau a long time ago after losing 90 pounds, I gave away like 7 bags of clothes that were too big on me. Then I ended up gaining 30 pounds back. I've since lost that 30 pounds and more but now my bedroom is over run with clothing that's too big because I'm superstitious.

kathakraz

I got rid of everything. Like one of the above posters, I kept clothes around and wore them until they were so baggy that pants were literally falling off and friends started making comments about my ridiculous appearance. I don't know how things are going to go for me in the future, but I am absolutely going to ensure I don't regain the whole 70 freaking pounds it would take to put me back in my original wardrobe. Replacing a wardrobe is expensive and having to do it again if I were to regain a lot of weight is motivation to not do so.

I donated that stuff. I'll probably keep around for a while my "in-between" clothes that are a couple sizes too big now but don't fall down while I'm wearing them. The clothes I'm wearing now might become more "in-between" sizes since I don't have an ultimate goal weight/size in mind yet and am not done.

meritage4

I let the big clothes go, donating either to my mother-she is slimming into them, or charity.

not_my_first_rodeo

I did that Marie Kondo organization thing last year. It's changed my perspective on what I keep. If it's falling off of me and it doesn't spark joy with me, it's out of here. I just donated a huge bag of work outfits to a charity for women who need office-appropriate career-wear.

everher

I've yo-yoed pretty much all my life and usually I keep some of the bigger sizes, but this time around I won't be keeping any bigger sizes.

I feel for me it works as a crutch. Once one pair of pants or shirt becomes too tight I already have something larger in my closet I can just pull out and wear. I don't even focus on the fact something I used to be able to wear is too tight I just brush it off, put something else on, and go about my day. In short, I've found it makes me complacent and for me that's the first step in gaining all the weight back.

UpEarly

I took all my big clothes (sizes 16-20) to Goodwill back in 2012. It was scary and liberating, but I've never looked back.

musicfan68

I got rid of clothes as I got smaller. I think keeping bigger clothes is just giving you an excuse to gain weight back. I've kept my weight off for 6--7 years now. If my jeans start getting tight, then I need to start paying attention to what I'm eating.

leejoyce31

lightenup2016 wrote: »

Hi--I'm 43, female, and I've yo-yoed a few times over the years, going between 120 and 158 lbs. With my current weight loss (at 137 currently, down from 153), I'm feeling fairly optimistic that I can reach my goal weight of 125 (range +/- a few lbs) and more importantly, maintain it using MFP combined with 16/8 IF. This weight loss effort just feels different, like I've finally figured it out!

However, I find myself having trouble getting rid of my bigger sized clothes that no longer fit me. I've always kept a range of sizes "just in case", and especially for those years when I was having babies with the weight gain and slow postpartum weight loss. But I'm finished having babies, and have a well-laid out plan for weight loss and maintainance. So should I go ahead and just get rid of the bigger clothes now? Or wait until I'm at my goal and see how maintainance goes for a while first? Will keeping them just be a crutch, "allowing" me to get lazy and gain it back?

I'm curious what others have done. Did you feel better tossing the big clothes? Or did you keep them "just in case"?

You have to answer that question because only you will be responsible for buying more if things take a turn. I have lost 86 pounds and have been maintaining for almost a year and I have not thrown anything away, but that's just me. I know that I don't plan to gain it back, but life happens.

leejoyce31

tamicoil1 wrote: »

I got rid of clothes as I got smaller. I think keeping bigger clothes is just giving you an excuse to gain weight back. I've kept my weight off for 6--7 years now. If my jeans start getting tight, then I need to start paying attention to what I'm eating.

I don't find that it gives me an excuse. I don't even think about the bigger clothes. I purchased a few inexpensive items that I alternate in my wardrobe. Also, I guess because I don't give that much thought to the clothes that I have, it's just not an issue with me. It may be for others though.

ogtmama

I got rid of things as they got TOO big. I have clothes that are a tiny bit loose, some that fit perfectly and some that are a little snug (to keep me motivated and give me a reality check).

ekim2016

right now, as my nice slacks become to large, they are rolled up and stacked on the guest room bed..haha I can't bare to toss them out. I may have them altered later on as clothes cost an arm and a leg now a days.. vintage cords, knakis... nice but 46 waist no fit... I'm sporting 42 right now and still losing!!!

SusanMFindlay

I got rid of all my too-big clothes last time I lost weight - then regretted it a little bit when I got pregnant and had to buy new "bigger" clothes. (Maternity works for when you're *really* pregnant, but you kind of want bigger "regular" clothes when you're only a little pregnant and also postpartum.) But I'm done having babies now so, yes, I plan to get rid of the too-big clothes again once they're in the "falling off me" category. And I'm really looking forward to getting back into my "thin clothes" again.

Gallowmere1984

Gave all of my fat guy clothes to one of my girlfriend's co-workers. Dickies work uniforms last forever (especially the black ones), so I didn't want to just toss them.