Monday, February 27, 2012

Love me some closet shopping

When I surpassed the Mr weight wise, it wasn't my finest hour.  When we started losing, I was losing faster than he was in the beginning then when we hit a speed bump, I gained back 15 lbs, giving up my lead.  He, being a dude, of course surpassed me as I hit plateaus and the like and at one point was 44 lbs ahead of me.  It amazes me how you hold your weight differently when you regain.  Well, shirts that fit me fine at the weight I was at before were now fitting awkwardly as I'd have what I called "a 3x top and a 4x gut."  The Mr suffered the same fate.  Our stomachs just really loved to hang on to that stuff this time around.  When he passed me on the weight loss, I knew he'd be able to fit into some shirts that I couldn't at the same time.  I was about a size above him for most of the ride.  We both have been able to get into some shirts from about 8-10 years ago that we love.

Over the weekend, I really noticed that the Mr seemed to have one of his thin outs up top where all of a sudden he looks completely different.  I knew a closet clean out was inevitable.  We went clothes shopping for Hawaii and knew all of our bottoms would need replaced from last years trip to San Fran and not many shirt wise because of the next ones we'd inherited from "keep bins" from years ago.  I did the same and went through my closet getting rid of the last of the 3x's...hopefully never to be seen again. I tried on some 18/20's I bought at the end of last season hoping I'd be firmly in them by the time the trip rolled around.  I'm pretty much there but we're washing all of our clothes to see how they fit after they've gone through the dryer.  Nothing worse than getting new clothes, not washing them prior and getting to your destination and bein' all "uh say, wasn't this longer at home?"

I told him to start trying on every shirt in his closet.  Man, some of my favorites were in there, namely a few Hawaii shirts from another lifetime.  As he put them on and sulked that they were too big for him, I'd smile and perk up and say "oh!  That's too bad!" as he threw them at my face knowing I'd just inherited some good ones.  I do have to say when I bought his Life is Good shirt last year for our anniversary trip, I couldn't wait until I could fit into it.  That time is now.  :-)    Looove me some closet shopping!

Do you keep clothes you've either outgrown or bought the next size down on sale in hopes that you'll be able to do some closet shopping as you lose weight?

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19 comments:

  1. I absolutely keep all my clothes now; I have no intention of buying anything larger and the ones that are in the closet now are reviewed regularly to find some motivation outfits. Every month I choose a new outfit that "almost fits" and put a goal date on it (usually one month down the road.)

    You know, I think I just found my Capital-C chore for today; Spring is coming!! (Although not this week . . . )

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  2. It is great to be able to fit into things again. I love closet shopping!

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  3. Was it supposed to say "The Mr suffered the same fat." or was the 'fat' supposed to be fate? I thought you were being pun-ny (and funny).

    18/20s!!!! That's amazing. Do you remember when I was giving away 18/20 skirts and you said that you had no need for them at all...you'd need them now!

    I always put off washing my jeans. Is that gross? You're not really supposed to wash them regularly anyway, but I hate the way that they're so tight when they come out of the washer.

    I get rid of most of my big clothes - I usually save them up and donate them during BonTon Goodwill days so that I can get coupons for new stuff.

    Mostly so I won't get complacent. I do have a pair of 'period jeans' (TMI?) that I pull out when I'm bloated.

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  4. Kathi- YAY! Yep, the second something is too big, it's outta there. We have our obligatory "fat outfit" but everything else goes because there is no "just in case." I love those "almost fits" outfits because there's nothing better than when they finally fit properly!

    Debbie- Closet shopping rocks!

    Lindsay- I would love to say that I was being punny funny but I was half delirious with fatigue at the time. Damn! Unfortunately 18/20 skirts still wouldn't fit, I'm a solid 22/24 on bottom right now but 18/20's up top. I will seriously be SO over the moon when I hit 18's on the bottom you'll probably hear a sonic boom! LOL

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  5. I had one dress I hung ontoo until it fit me (whihc is now). And last year when I was soooo close to my goal size in pants, I bought some cheap goal size pants at ebay to occasionally try whether they would fit. I have worn the largest one maybe three times since (I keep bouncing around the threshold, it seems), and I cannot wait to throw out the larger ones and only wear goal size pants!

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  6. Oh so not only did you score some of my favorite shirts but you also get to blog about it? Sheesh!

    Just kidding. I couldn't be prouder for both of us actually. I don't mind closet shopping either. It reinforces your thinking and can help one refocus on their goals because there is no denying if a shirt fits or just plain doesn't fit!

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  7. It's funny how we weigh more than our hubbies, then the same, and I remember the day I got below hubby in weight! KA-CHING! IT WILL HAPPEN I PROMISE! I remember before--washing his jeans and thinking--gosh it must be nice to fit into these--and they were
    38's, not awfully small, but when you're wearing 50+'s, 38 seems tiny. Now that I can wear size 8 slacks and size 10 jeans, I'm almost 100 lbs. lighter than him and that's fun. I haven't ever tried on those 38's of his, but pretty sure they would fall right off of me now.

    I also have two closets full of clothes that are too big and which I'm afraid to let go of. I did give away most of the 5x's from 180lbs. ago, but these clothes are mostly from the way down the scale. As I lost weight, I couldn't wait to go shopping and SHOP I DID! Now that even those clothes are too big, I fear throwing them out, anticipating the inevitable climb back UP the scale. I pray with my most fervent hope that I never do that, but NEVER SAY NEVER.

    I LOVED fitting in smaller stuff all along the way down (shopping at regular stores--what FUN!), although I had nothing smaller in my closet at the time, because I had been over 300 lbs. for close to 30 years. That's why I went shopping OUTSIDE my closet, and have the credit card balances and the bulging closets to prove it.

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  8. I've never bought clothes one size down, but I did hang on to a few (3 or 4 pieces) classic favorites from one size up. I figure as I age, my body will change, and they may look good again. :)

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  9. As I gained, I hung onto favorites that I hoped to wear again, even after I decided I wouldn't diet ever again. When we put everything in storage except what we would need for a six-week temp assignment, I still saved those things. 9 months later when I had found SP and started releasing the weight, we still weren't anywhere near home and I had to start buying things to wear as my 'fat clothes' were falling off. By the time I got to closet shop, six months after my journey began, I had released 40 lbs and many of those closet finds were too big! Unfortunately my husband's clothes aren't an option as he is a foot taller than me...although I did take some of his shrunken 2x's at my heaviest. Now they're too big for both of us, but still too short for him, lol.

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  10. I don't buy "goal clothes" meaning things that do not fit in the store. Though I will buy things that are snug and use that snuggness to motivate me (but the item has to look ok and be wearable to be bought).

    I cull my pants faster than my shirts. Especially if the shirts are long sleeved (I can use them for layering in cold weather). But I do buy smaller shirts as I fit into them. I cull shirts when they get too worn out or I just decide I hate them.

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  11. I love closet shopping! I've gone up and down the scale for over 40 years now and have gone (as a adult) from a size 10-12 to a size 22-24/3X. I'm slowing making my way back down and now my 2x's are getting loose and I tried on some 1x shirts the other day and I think in about 10 lbs they will be good to wear. It's great to re-discover things that fit in your own closet. I must say, I did - regretfully - finally donate a ton of old 10/12 and "M" items as they were from the early 1990's! But I was sad to see them go, remembering how great I felt at the time! But this time, the "fat" clothes will GO when they don't fit because I'm taking it real slow and trying to change my eating habits and exercise habits for GOOD before I get to the big "60"!

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  12. I'm totally closet shopping right now. The Roommate officially weighs less than me (by about 15 pounds) and I've been poaching his shirts like crazy. The only thing I needed to buy was shoes because apparently my feet have gotten smaller. :)

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  13. Closet shopping sounds fantastic! I should do that more often. ;) ;)
    I see from your last post that you lost 7lbs, that is crazy!!!

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  14. I found your blog on PW and was intrigued by the title. Congrats on your amazing success and I look forward to following you through you journey.

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  15. Yay for closet shopping--and snagging the Mr.'s shirts like that. I didn't hang onto much that I had outgrown because I had given up hope I'd ever get thin enough to wear them again. I did recently buy one pair of pants that are too snug to wear out in public without maybe a sweatshirt over them because of the muffin top; generally I'm one to buy things that fit and not trust that I'll someday be able to wear them. That feels like an invitation to trouble somehow, LOL!

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  16. When I started WW, my husband started eating healthier by default. So, not even trying at all, he lost 50 pounds. And he's kept it off. It's monumentally unfair how guys are able to lose weight so easily! But it's not a competition, right? (RIGHT?)

    It always feels so good to fit into something you've been waiting to wear. Or, in your case, your husband's hand-me-downs. ;) In my closet, I have more too-small clothes than too-big or just-right ones, but I'm hoping that changes this year!

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  17. I am a Goodwill shopper, but sometimes treat myself to a nice dress that I know I can get altered in the future :)

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  18. I love closet shopping. I have what I call my "hope" pile - as in I hope I will get to wear it again someday.

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