The Pants of Hope!
cmw72
Posts: 390 Member
I wound up having to go shopping today for some new clothes. We were a couple hours from home, and I had attempted to fish at this lake we were visiting for the afternoon. I didn't catch any fish, but I did manage to wind up wading out up to my waist in my street clothes. Since everybody wanted to go into town for dinner, I pretty much had no alternative but to buy new clothes in town.
Shopping for clothes used to be such a humiliating experience that I just never did it. Maybe once a year. Otherwise my wife would pick up pants or some shirts for me now or then, and my mother can be counted on to give me a few shirts at X-mas, but that's about it. Shopping was horrible because I literally had no options. I was lucky if I could find one style of pants that fits me, and maybe if I'm lucky, one or two shirts. I never cared about fashion, I just grabbed whatever was available in my size and got out of there.
When I started this ordeal back in January, I was a 4X shirt and 54's for the pants. Today I was able to put together an outfit (ok, pants and a shirt) that was considerably smaller.
I even took a picture ...
Shirt size ... (drum roll please): 2X
I also found some 1X shirts in a different style that fit just as well as this 2X!
Pant size ... (more drumming): 42!
FOURTY-FREAKIN'-TWO!!! :noway: The pants were Levi's, which I haven't been able to find in my size in about a decade. And I bought them NOT because they were my only option ... but because I liked them the best!
My wife asked me if they were too tight, and I'll admit ... they did feel a bit snug on the two hour drive home. But, I explained to her that I had to buy them ... because these were the Pants of Hope!
We wound up subsequently going out to dinner, and I couldn't help but reflecting on how much that meant to me to be able to go buy clothes off the rack like a normal person. I almost felt like a thin person for minute. I could at least imagine myself being thin. It was such an odd feeling, but motivating! Of course ... moments later some dude walked in on me while I was taking pictures of myself in the bathroom and brought me back to reality. :blushing:
Edit:
Just for the sake of comparison, here's the "before" picture:
Shopping for clothes used to be such a humiliating experience that I just never did it. Maybe once a year. Otherwise my wife would pick up pants or some shirts for me now or then, and my mother can be counted on to give me a few shirts at X-mas, but that's about it. Shopping was horrible because I literally had no options. I was lucky if I could find one style of pants that fits me, and maybe if I'm lucky, one or two shirts. I never cared about fashion, I just grabbed whatever was available in my size and got out of there.
When I started this ordeal back in January, I was a 4X shirt and 54's for the pants. Today I was able to put together an outfit (ok, pants and a shirt) that was considerably smaller.
I even took a picture ...
Shirt size ... (drum roll please): 2X
I also found some 1X shirts in a different style that fit just as well as this 2X!
Pant size ... (more drumming): 42!
FOURTY-FREAKIN'-TWO!!! :noway: The pants were Levi's, which I haven't been able to find in my size in about a decade. And I bought them NOT because they were my only option ... but because I liked them the best!
My wife asked me if they were too tight, and I'll admit ... they did feel a bit snug on the two hour drive home. But, I explained to her that I had to buy them ... because these were the Pants of Hope!
We wound up subsequently going out to dinner, and I couldn't help but reflecting on how much that meant to me to be able to go buy clothes off the rack like a normal person. I almost felt like a thin person for minute. I could at least imagine myself being thin. It was such an odd feeling, but motivating! Of course ... moments later some dude walked in on me while I was taking pictures of myself in the bathroom and brought me back to reality. :blushing:
Edit:
Just for the sake of comparison, here's the "before" picture:
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Replies
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So inspiring - way to go!!:happy:0
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You look fabulous! Congratulations!0
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Absolutely amazing!0
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thats awesome!0
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I'm guessing your wife has fallen in love with you---all over again! Have fun with life! :drinker: (water)0
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GREAT JOB!!! i'm happy for you. I've been at this for 2 weeks, and haven't been loosing and just this morning i've found that i've gained 2lbs. So its nice to see that something works for people.0
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That is so AWESOME!!! I am sooooo happy for you!!!!!!0
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This is Wonderful!!! Congratulations!!! You are looking Fantastic!!!
Keep up the Great Work!! :bigsmile: 0 -
Wow! So inspiring!
You are looking good!!!! Keep at it!!!!0 -
Congrats on the new wardrobe. I look forward to the part II of the story when you tell us that these new pants are now too loose.0
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OMG, that's AWESOME You did so great on losing weight! That's a real inspiration!0
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Wow! Keep up the good work. You look great! You certainly will be an inspiration to cheaters like me.0
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Way to Go!!!! I found your story very moving. I am so happy for you and keep up the good work!:happy:0
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That is awesome!!! Congrats!0
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Wow - that is great!!! :flowerforyou:0
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YOU LOOK FABULOUS.. congratulations !!!! Way to go.0
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great job man! So glad you had the moment too........sometimes we miss it.......the moment that says I CAN DO THIS!!
Jeannie
You look great!0 -
Awesome! Isn't it great to see you hard work paying off?0
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Wow! Your story is so fabulous. And I must admit funny....The Pants of Hope...Good job. You look awesome.0
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You are definitely an inspiration. Congrats on such awesome progress.
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You look wonderful. So happy and relaxed. I too am looking forward to pants that fit in a size that is not bestial or middle aged looking. I hate the shopping too, won't try things on bring them home and then feel like crap about myself if they don't fit or make me look like a beauty queen. Well done you, keep on going.0
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You look awesome!!0
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You look like a totally different person. Congrats on the new look.0
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You look absolutely gorgeous!! Keep it up!0
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That is absolutely fabulous! Congratulations!0
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Thats an awesome story!
I'm sitting hear in a XL top from old navy...not even a 2XL, I skipped over that one..haha..I've never been able to shop for XL anything as an adult..unless it was XL plus size....as in the largest they carried..I was almost busting out of a 5XL top when I started this over 10months ago. Now as someone who loves and has always loved fashion its so much more fun to go shopping and haha its nice to get better prices too.0 -
What a great story and terrific accomplishment!0
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your story brings tears of joy to my eyes. i used to wear 2x. it is amazing!
thank you0 -
wtg! very inspiring. keep up the hard work!!!0
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Great job!! :drinker:
And LOVE the thread title! :laugh:0
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