Buy smaller clothes for motivation?

I bought a pair of pants on clearance with a coupon! I could get into them, but they weren't decent. They are now in the box with my smaller size clothes waiting for a couple more pounds to come off. They are, however, a brand/style that always fits me.

NovusDies wrote: »

I have been oddly reluctant to move to smaller sizes unless I was at risk of mooning the neighborhood (again). I have looked (according to my wife) at times ridiculous. In my defense the novelty of clothes being baggy on me is not something I have experienced in a long time. I was about to size up again when I started losing so I was in clothes that felt tight.

I think a good plan requires very little motivation but if it helps I would look at only getting the size you are about to be in. I do have some of those clothes because I am tired of rush ordering things I need to avoid that mooning thing I mentioned.

I had to laugh at this, I kept yanking up my pants not wanting to buy new stuff and waste the old until I was smaller. By the time I went shopping I was down 2-3 sizes, no wonder my pants were so loose!

I personally am waiting to buy new clothes because there's no way to know if something will fit properly at the end goal. I just got to goal so it's time to start my wardrobe.

angf0679 wrote: »

I don't need to buy smaller clothing - I only need to dig them out from the storage tote under my bed, or reach to the back of my closet.

This!

But I've also made a discovery ... sometimes, when I lose weight, I'm a different shape.

I was slender for about 20 years between about 23 and 43. Since then I've gradually increased and decreased a few times. The most recent time I decreased, I was the same weight as I was the last time I wore the clothes I bought between 23 and 43 ............ but the clothes didn't fit well. My shape had changed.

So ... one of the difficulties with buying something in a smaller size is that you just don't know what your smaller shape is going to be.

I’m too picky about how my clothes look to do this. I don’t know what my body will look like at a smaller size so what if I buy a bunch of clothes in a smaller size and reach that size but still don’t like how they look on me? I do a lot of online browsing of clothes I want to buy someday though.

I did buy a new winter coat in a smaller size. Not for motivation though. My winter coat was way too big because I bought it when I was 50 lbs heavier. So I needed a new one but (fingers crossed) I’ll be another 20-30 lbs down next winter and coats are expensive! I don’t want to have to buy one two years in a row. So I bought a size down. It’s a little tight this year but hopefully next year it will be perfect.

No, clothing especially pants even if they fit that doesn't mean mean they will look right on you. I usually have to try on 2-3 pairs of pants that fit to find the right pair.

I did this while I was losing weight. Especially if items were on sale.

It worked really well, because I tried the items on throughout my journey, and could really see the progress. It also meant that when my fat clothes were too big, I had something new and fun to wear. I only bought things I knew would suit me.

I live in those clothes, now, and it’s a great feeling.

I think for me, making the purchase itself is a motivation, so if I bought the clothes before I can fit them, then the clothes themselves wouldn't motivate me.

clafairy1984 wrote: »

Does buying clothes in a smaller size aid motivation for slimming it just make you feel bad?

I don’t buy smaller clothes ahead of time. What if they don’t fit right after you lose the weight? You won’t necessarily have the same contours after weight loss.

I never threw out my smaller clothing. I’m finding that the legs of my old jeans fit but I can’t button them comfortably. Some day.