Out with the Old and in with the New

Clothes that is!

During this quest I have had to go down a few sizes.  Ok, maybe more than a few.

The one thing I have done along the way is as the clothes became too big I have put them in bags for donation.  I don't always take them right away to the donation center as I do suffer from anxiety in getting rid of them.  What if I need them again?  What if I can still get a bit more use out of them?  Trust me, if they are falling down or you can get both your legs in one leg hole or you can take pants off without undoing the zipper, it's time to get rid of them.

As someone who has, in the past, gone from bigger to smaller back to bigger, this is a challenge.  It's expensive to buy new clothes, I get that.  I was smart enough to keep some of my smaller clothes from the last time I had lost weight and this summer enjoyed wearing the clothes I was wearing when I first met Munkee.  It took 7 years for me to get back into them but I did and some I have already had to put in the donate pile.

We all have our favourite clothes we like to wear and are comfortable in but as part of the quest is dressing for your new body.  This can be a challenge.  I have been plus size for many years and had only gotten into "regular" sizes the last time I had lost weight.  When you are plus size you really have 3 stores to shop in unless you want to dress like an old lady.  There is not many options and the sizes are fairly standard.  Not much choice at all but that makes shopping a bit easier.

Now it's a different story.  I recently went shopping with my sister to buy some new fall clothes and I got overwhelmed.  Almost to the point of rocking in a corner!  There are so many options.  So many choices.  So many different sizes!  I got so overwhelmed I just ended up shopping in stores that are familiar to me (Old Navy and Reitmans) and where I know the prices are reasonable.  These aren't my forever clothes and I don't want to spend a lot on them only to donate them in a couple of months.

Part of this quest is changing my thought process.  In the past I have dressed to hide my body, now I have a body that should be shown off.  That is not familiar to me and I do need a push every once in a while to do so.  Just as I have needed a push to put things in the donate pile.  By donating the items it's forcing yourself to accept that this is a forever change not a temporary change.  This quest has been as much of a mental change as it has been an eating and exercise change.  It's the whole package.  I've got the eating and exercise down but I still struggle with the mental stuff.  I've taken baby steps in addressing the mental changes needed and one of those steps has been in getting rid of old clothes and pushing myself to try new things.