Saying 'Goodbye' to last of my oversized clothes

Hanfordrose

I have donated more than 12 large garbage bags full of my clothes to a local church clothing ministry in the past 2 years. The first donations were easy, as I quickly dropped sizes and bought new clothes; but I just kept hanging on to my old 4X sweatshirts, despite the fact that I am currently a size 12 in tops and sweatshirts.

Why were those big, old, baggy sweatshirts so important? Sure I could wear them, if I rolled up the sleeves and didn't care that these shirts hung to my knees. I justified 'hoarding' these old sweats, by saying..."There so warm and comfy." However, I now have about a dozen new, warm, comfy sweatshirts in my closet that actually fit me.

Yep. It is time to finally donate the last of my 'fat clothes'. With the move to our new home, I won't have a walk-in closet with enough space in the back corner to hide my hoard of oversized sweatshirts. As I took those 'faithful friends' that had covered up my 280+ pound body in the old days from the closet, I felt so tempted to 'just keep one for old times sake'.

I remembered, when I had that green one custom lettered with the 'HILLTOP' across the chest, like a letterman's shirt from my old high school days. I had been wearing it every winter since 2004, when I first moved to Nevada and married Ed. Part of me wanted to justify holding back that one shirt; but then, I realized, "It's time...time to cut the ties to my past...my fat, old self".

These shirts were the last connection to those days, when I was obscenely obese. The medical term is 'morbidly obese'. I am no longer 'morbidly' anything. I have no wish to be associated with 'death by fat'. :noway:

I have moved on to life in a newer, thinner, healthier body. I don't need any fat clothes taking up space in the closet of my new home. That would just be a waste of space in my closet and my new life.

P.S. I am also packing up my favorite, old, winter coat. I don't need a coat for snow country that is HUGE, when I am planning to spend the rest of my life in sunny Central California as a slim senior citizen.

How about you? Are you hoarding old, fat clothes? Why?

NK1112

No, and well, yes ... maybe.
At my heaviest, I work a woman's size 24 top and 24 pants. I got rid of all the tops but some of the pants are still hear because they are 22-24. My shirt size is a Womans 22 now ... and I can fit into some size 20 pants but not all styles. I actually have some smaller sized clothes that I saved ... but most of those have been long gone. The one dress I don't want to get rid of is a size 20. I'm working towards that one being too big someday.

twooliver

I read an article once that talked about the psychological reasons that women buy lots of sweaters, winter clothes... related it to nurturing needs. I suspect that's what being fat does for a lot of us and our clothes hug us in ways that we didn't get hugged growing up... well at least for me...

Love your story... gives me such hope that you've accomplished so much at your age... what an inspiration!

Party and celebrate getting rid of the last of the fat clothes! You are awesome!!!

Tammy

JenRunTriHappyGirl

I have 3-4 tupperware containers in my attic of my fat clothes. I have been holding onto them "just in case." I thought for a little while m y husband and I were going to try to have another baby, and I wanted to hold onto them so that as I lost baby weight I would not have to buy all new things. But, that's not happening. And hasn't been for awhile. So now, I am just holding them You have inspired me though. So I think that I might just go ahead and get rid of them. I do not plan on fitting in them ever again.

KathyPBiles

What a great story! I don't have a lot of clothes, because I do not like to shop at all. I have been donating my clothes as they get too big for me. I really need to buy some new, but going to wait a bit.

Salford_IT_Help

I have only been losing wait for ~ 3 months and have now found many of my old clothes are baggy. I tend to use the bright ones for cycling. I do need buy some new ones, but I still am loosing weight quite quickly and had some big clothes that were still in the wrapper that I've tried to get as much use out of before I can't get away with using them.

I normally wear track suit bottoms as I commute to work by bike and the flexibility of looser clothes is beneficial. I realised this morning I am < 1 lbs away from my 1/2 way point to my goal (having a BMI of overweight, rather than Obese) . It's about time I order a few smaller items, that are Winter friendly. With these and the many clothes that were a bit tight I can stretch the clothing budget a little further.

AnneCarolOne

I saved all my thinner clothes in case I found my way back there. As I come back to some, I get rid of My "fat" clothes. It can be tough though, if it is a favourite outfit. But I tell myself that I am an adult and I don't have to hoard my "security blanket".

fitness4life78

THAT IS SO AWESOME!!

makingmylifebetter

The ones I have a hard time getting rid of are my thin clothes. Even though I've let go of a lot of them, I have bins full of clothes in every size from 10 up to 24 (which I currently wear). Some of these clothes I have had for well over a decade. I schlep them around with me whenever I move, and currently, in the tiny place I live in, they consume way too much of my space. I have just always felt that getting rid of my thin clothes would symbolize getting rid of hope. I'm determined to fit into them again someday soon, and hopefully they won't be too out of style-- but jeans and shirts and sweaters usually don't go out of style. Besides, I don't have the money for a new wardrobe. I have lots of shoes that don't fit me right now, either, but hopefully will soon.

sfsoccermom2

Absolutely wonderful and inspiring. I've been slowly donating my clothes that don't fit. Still wearing alot that are so baggy that my friends keep reminding me. When I have to hold my pants up with a hair tie, I really should get rid of them. I just don't see myself yet as thinner so I am so afraid to let go.

blc1971

First of all, you totally ROCK Hanfordrose! I'm so proud to call you one of my MFPeeps! As to my oversized clothes, I never...ever...ever got rid of clothes that were too big during previous attempts to "diet"!! I would occasionally weed out clothes that were too small, but I had never gotten rid of oversized stuff before. When I started losing on this journey, in September, 2012, my new husband (and biggest cheerleader!!) encouraged me to get rid of the old stuff and buy new things that fit. As things got too big to wear, I put them in a plastic bin and, eventually big lawn bags. When I had 4 or 5 of them, my hubby and I loaded up the car and took them to a charity shop. It was surprisingly difficult to let go!!! I nearly cried driving away from the store after unloading everything. I felt like I was losing old friends and the rug was being pulled out from under me. What would I do if I got fat again??? It was literally "baggage" that I had never released before. I realized I had to let go of the past, just as you said, and focus on the future and a whole new life. I've steadily purged my closet over the last 2 years and made countless doations to charity, which made me feel really good. I pray that lots of other women will get enjoyment from those clothes and may be encouraged to start their own journey!!

I did keep a pair of jeans, my biggest, for comparison. When I feel like I'm not making progress, I slip them on and it makes me realize how far I've come!! It also reminds me of a life I never want to go back to.

hmrambling

Sunday I listed several pairs of jeans on ebay. Many were new with tags. The jeans that were hardly worn were listed, too. I also listed a pair of Dockers. Most of my clothes have been donated or given to my sister for her and her kids to go through. I still have oversized clothes on hand, though.

awolf2011

That is AWESOME!!! You have done a GREAT job for yourself. I understand the emotional side of hanging onto comfy, larger clothes. I just had my youngest boy 10 months ago and I'm now finding myself getting rid of my fat clothes for good. I hung onto them due to me having children, but now that I won't be having anymore, it is time. It is very emotional and I still think "what happens if I need them again". I wish I wouldn't think that, but I do. It is hard not too. My journey is beginning once again and you are well into your journey. This is a very inspiring story and we are all proud of you!!!

2thesexydress

I did a complete pack the fat clothes in charity bags just 2 weeks ago, then i realised i had nothing to actually wear haha!

But i have been hoarding my skinny clothes for quite some years now, they are more like antique relics but that era of 80s clothes will come back and i will be thin and popular haha!

Great work lovely lady xx

Hanfordrose

I saved all my thinner clothes in case I found my way back there. As I come back to some, I get rid of My "fat" clothes. It can be tough though, if it is a favourite outfit. But I tell myself that I am an adult and I don't have to hoard my "security blanket".

Putting some smaller size clothes into your closet makes sense. They are there to keep you reaching for a better weight. I have 6 tops that I bought on sale for $7.00 each. They are still in the packages that they came in, because they are one size too small. I expect to be wearing them within the next month or two. Then, their larger counterparts will be given to my sister-in-law Vivian who is just a bit bigger than me. She wants to lose some weight, and these 'still nearly new tops' will help to inspire her.

FindingAmy77

I am keeping one pair of pants. they are size 18 and were tight on me so bad that they split the seems three times and had to be sewn back three times. lol. now I am in a size 6/9 depending on the brand and I have put them on here and there to see how far I have come and how much I do not want to ever ever get back to that weight again. I have donated the rest as I keep dropping sizes. I have more to get rid of right now in a box in my closet. the box keeps growing and my drawers keep getting more empty but that is a great thing. good for you for getting rid of the clothes crutches as I like to call them.

WDA4655

There are really only two things I'm holding onto and one of them...my very huge winter coat which is like a great big blanket on me, I keep saying I've got to bring it to the clothing bank at our church. But it's in back of the closet that is in our bathroom and I always forget it because that's not our main closet. We have another closet in our bedroom. The other piece of clothing I'm holding onto is a pair of capri pants that are the largest I've ever had and I split them twice! I'm holding onto the for the last before and after photos.

Thanks Sue for another great blog/post and HURRAY for getting rid of the past for you!