Did you throw out your big clothes as motivation to never return to your pre-weight, or did you keep your old clothes 'in case' you regained your weight?

I am tempted to throw away my clothes as I (hopefully) lose weight post-procedure but I am worried I'll need them again in the future.

What are your thoughts?!

Edited March 5, 20206 yr by Jon7z

I would love to donate to a women’s shelter. I would love the idea of my nice larger sized clothing helping someone who needs it.

How does one find a women’s shelter?

I was always a clothing fanatic regardless of my size. But it is SO much fun buying in smaller sizes now!

I tend to not throw out clothes. They just get boxed up and put in the shed lol. Because of my habit of not throwing away clothes... I don't have to buy smaller clothes because I have clothes four sizes down from my current size (I've also lost two sizes as it is so I guess technically I have six different sizes of clothes lol). Right now I fit into the clothes I wore in my senior year of high school (15 years ago, if you're curious lol)! Luckily my style is still pretty much the same and I fit into my favorite shirt now that I haven't been able to wear in like 12 years! I have no idea what clothes I have stored a size down though since I have yet to go through them, but at the rate I'm going I'll probably be in the next size down in a month or less so I guess I should start pulling them out! x'D

Threw them out. Well donated them

I’ve done a little bit of both. I donated/consigned sizes 14-26. I Skipped through sizes during the weight loss and kept my sizes 4-8 since I have no idea where I will settle.

I AM NEVER GOING BACK! This was my last chance, and I'm not wasting it. I got rid of every bit of clothing as soon as they were too big. Most were donated (some still had tags) and some were tossed. I keep my size 24 jeans to remind me of why I am never going back!

@pssk: See if there is a "Dress for Success" near you. They are a great way to donate to women in need; and they are always grateful for larger sizes. There is often one for men, too. It helps people who are re-entering the work force with professional clothes for interviews and starts them off with a couple of professional outfits for work.

I am one of those people who pretty rigorously purges my closets; I live in a 100 year old house and storage is limited. I have donated to Dress for Success on my way up...It will be nice to do it on the way down (I hope!)

Younger ladies, if you have formal wear that you are ready to part with, see if there is a place to donate for foster kids to wear to prom. We did a drive at work for an organization that does that, it was amazing. I'm well past the age where my stuff is what they want for prom, but I did donate barely worn dress shoes and I had a rather ridiculous number of fancy clutch purses that went!,,

My support group has a clothing exchange, so I donate stuff. The only thing I’ve held onto is a pair of size 26 capris that I bought back in 2002 (and subsequently ended up having to wear again a few summers ago because I gained a ton of weight back, and then some!). I’m only holding onto those for the picture of me in them once I reach my goal weight. 26 was the largest size I ever wore.

I was just talking about this today. As I outgrow them I’ll give to my cousin. I don’t want them around

I kept one pair of pants, a belt, and one shirt as a reminder of where I'll never be again.

I donated to goodwill and also shopped there for a year, many of the shirts I got at goodwill were donated again a few weeks after I got them as they got too big. At $5-6 a shirt it only made sense. It was sort of like renting

22 minutes ago, JConforti said:

I kept one pair of pants, a belt, and one shirt as a reminder of where I'll never be again.

I donated to goodwill and also shopped there for a year, many of the shirts I got at goodwill were donated again a few weeks after I got them as they got too big. At $5-6 a shirt it only made sense. It was sort of like renting

I've been hitting up our local Goodwill also! Lots more stylish options now that I'm in smaller sizes!

I donated ALL my clothes as soon as I was small enough to not fit in them! I did this each time I was firmly the size below. Surgery in September. Donated my XL in November. Bought workout stretchy clothes first that were a little tight and I shrank more into them quickly. In December I had to buy a few Large outfits for work... but I bought Tunic style with stretchy pants to hold me until I was firmly in the Mediums. By January I was in mediums and got rid of my Larges. Now my closet only has 2 XL sentimental sweatshirts, 1 t-shirt, and 1 pullover that was tight and just fits loose. I also have 1 size 12 dress that was cut small that my husband bought for me and would be upset if I ever donated, even if I can't wear it lol. Everything else in my closet is small or medium! I don't foresee me getting rid of my medium shirts, but if I get small enough to wear the next size pants down I might get rid of my size 8 pants. My "normal" skinny was always size 6 pants and small-medium shirts. I do have some medium shirts that look a little too big, so I might donate those... but most are styles that won't look too big even if they are a little big.

It's funny because I took 9 weeks off work post op (1 was a bonus week because they don't count fall break that everyone gets off). A week later I found an XL polo with our school district log on it sitting in my cabinet that I didn't know was there. I had ordered it before deciding to do weight loss surgery. It was a mans cut and was HUGE on my already, so I was able to trade it for a medium women's cut shirt that was too small for me. That day, I wouldn't have dared to wear it. A week later I tried it on again and it fit perfectly! And now here I am, a few months later, and dare I say it looks a little too big on me

Anyhow... I refuse to allow myself to ever be bigger than a medium again! So no point in keeping the big clothing.

BTW, while shrinking I only bought clothes from discount stores (TJ Maxx, Bealls, Ross, and such)... but now I am willing to shop anywhere again. And having a LOT of fun while I do it! And wearing styles that I would NEVER have worn before, even when I was skinny before. I think I took for granted that I would always be skinny once I lost all my baby weight. I was afraid to try new styles though. Now I am loving it!

Edited March 10, 20206 yr by momof3_angels

Wow! Momof3, What an inspirational post on your journey! Congratulations! and enjoy every moment of your newly healthy, beautiful self!

Our stats going into surgery were/are virtually the same...height/weight. My skinny clothes were always a 6. My closet still has some of the nicer things I was determined to fit into again...yet closet is mostly XL or XXL. I’m determined to be successful with this surgery, yet it’s hard for me to envision watching the sizes go down. Sort of like “this appears to happen to everyone else, but me? Is it possible?...Did you have this mind game?

Again, Congrats and Best Wishes Always!!

I was in size 3x, or 26/28, and had some very nice business casual clothes. It’s tough for people that size to find decent quality, cute clothing, and I wanted to gift it to someone. I would do a purge every month or so, and give away more (mostly though a gift economy FB group). I also gave some to a colleague. I love seeing her get use out of it.

I bought from thrift stores while I was losing, I considered it more like renting clothes than buying, and donated it back out when I shrank out of it. Like MsSSS, I had bins of clothes that I was pulling from as I shrank, until I got down below XLs and 1x’s, that is. Getting below that size was unchartered territory for me. I really hate wearing baggy clothes.

I’m now a size 10-12. I JUST went through my closet today and have a couple of new bags to donate. I tried everything on, and it it’s too big, it’s out. Admittedly it’s because closet space is precious now ?

Edited March 11, 20206 yr by AngieBear

I got rid of my “big clothes” because I made the decision to get rid or my “big” life. It was incredibly freeing to uncover the new slender person underneath. She dresses well, takes care of herself and others, and thoroughly enjoys life. The old clothes wouldn’t fit her body or her personality.

I went from 3X scrubs to SMALL! Yes, it still seems incredible. I look at other people who are wearing the same small scrubs as I am (they are all the same brand and style, as they come out of an automatic dispenser at work), and I still just can't envision myself as being as small as they are. But I am! It truly is a very odd mind game.

Just as odd is that when i was fat, I never thought of myself as being anything but a bit overweight - not morbidly obese. I look at old pictures now and just cringe with embarrassment that I would even go out in public. That was also a mind game. I see patients now who weigh what i used to weigh, with BMI's of 40+, and I still have a hard time believing I was actually that big, but I was. Denial is a very powerful defense mechanism that tries to protect our egos from reality, I suppose.