A moment (more like 40 minutes) of doubt and panic..

[Essence46 493]

I spent the weekend going thru all of my closets and old clothes trying on stuff to see what I could still wear, what to give away, etc. I created a big pile of “giveaways”. They ranged from sizes 14 to 20. Once I was done, I started having doubts… “maybe I should keep this just in case” or “what if I gain the weight back”. Before I knew it, I had put about 75% of the "giveaways" back into the "keep" pile. So…I finally took a break, sat down and had a heart to heart with myself... ensuring myself that I would never go back to that old person… that this was a lifestyle change… that I was doing great, etc. Even tried on some of the “too big” stuff again to prove to myself that they didn’t fit. Finally, I put everything back in the “giveaway” pile and boxed them up and smiled. For a while there, I thought I had lost it!! The mind is a powerful thing.

[sharonintx 1,275]

I can completely understand. I've had 3 big giveaways. The most recent was just yesterday. i got the remaining big clothes out, threw in the shoes that are too big now, and some purses that I carried when I was bigger. I had to get rid of the 'fat purses' too. Every time I picked one up I felt like a big cow. A messed up mindset but it's all I've got.

It feels good to get rid of the last big clothes! Of course now i don't have near as many options in my closet as I did before but I don't mind. I'll wear the same old smaller clothes every day with a big smile on my face:)

[Essence46 493]

I know that right @@sharonintx!! I will take fewer smaller clothes any day. LOL!

[Babbs 14,680]

Oh my gosh I totally understand! After over 60 pounds and almost 8 months later, I FINALLY cleaned out my closet this weekend because I was putting it off. It was this weird subconscious thing thinking I may need the clothes that don't fit again or something. That and the fact that I had SO MANY nice clothes in larger sizes and seriously have spent tons of money on some of them (I'm a Realtor, so a lot of professional type clothes). Now my huge closet looks so bare!

But now someone else can enjoy them, and I'm going to enjoy going shopping for smaller sizes

[sprocket 104]

It's cathartic getting rid of the fat clothes. Last week I was down to 3 shirts and two pairs of pants, so I gave in and bought a few clothes to keep me for a little while. It was so much more fun buying smaller clothes than bigger clothes. Actually a pleasant experience rather than depressing.

[JamieLogical 8,684]

I am right there with you. I recently went through my closet and made a big pile of the clothes I can't wear anymore and I STILL haven't actually thrown it away or taken it to Good Will. It's all still just sitting in a big pile in the corner. I lost 90 pounds "on my own" back in 2010/11 and I had given away all my clothes on the way down, determined to never need them again. Then as I regained all the weight, I regretting having to buy those bigger sizes all over again. Now, with my sleeve, I know I will never regain the weight this time around, but I can't get it out of my head how defeating it was to have to go out an shop for bigger clothes all over again.

[alwaysvegas 702]

I have a big pile in my closet as well. My head still hasn't caught up (or down?) with my actual size and I think I'm much bigger than I am. It's actually an exhilarating feeling and a very strange thing to try and accept mentally. Yes, I can fit into 32 pants and medium (and even some small) shirts.

There is that niggling in my head that I should keep some of the larger clothes "just in case." No...just no!

These mental battles in my head are rather disturbing when I type them out.

[AvaFern 3,516]

I think a lot of us do this. I do it from both ends of the scale though. I used to be the same size I am now (129 lbs) so I kept all the little clothing in the hopes that one day I would fit back into it. I have half of one of my closets full of size 2's-6's. Now that I fit back into them, I'm not overly interested in wearing them. Some things are out of style, some things are a little too hookerella for me now that I'm older, and some things seem like a few years in the closet made the fabric a little old feeling. When I was at my largest I didn't buy a lot of clothing, but recently I took most of it out of my closet, packed it away in storage totes, and stuck it in another closet I don't use. Could I just give it away? Nooo...what if I need it again? Keep in mind that closet and my garage has a lot of totes like that, none of which I ever go back into and wear anything out of.

Maybe hanging onto the past is my way of controlling the future. The clothes are there if for some reason I need them, and if not, then at some point I can give them away or toss them.

[missmeow 156]

Get rid of it and go buy clothes that fit. There is nothing worse for your brain to have thinner you wearing fatter you clothes. I'm two years out and had a big purge in September-ish.

[cjnorris 103]

Boy can I relate. I have boxed my fat clothes up in boxes. I now have the boxes in my car to go to goodwill. Getting them out of the closet was helpful and even better getting them out of the house. So many head games go with this new life journey. I did keep a couple of my favorite outfits just to saw me how far I have come.

[sharonintx 1,275]

@@alwaysvegas

Haha Amen to that. I'm right there with you.

[sharonintx 1,275]

@@alwaysvegas

Haha I'm right there with you about seeming disturbing when I type it out