The following post is from Rachel of The Minimalist Mom: Should You Keep Your Fat (or Thin) Clothes?
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My husband lost 50 pounds recently.
Ironically, his health quest started almost to the day that I found out I was pregnant with our second child. In six months, he lost 50 pounds by watching his diet, running, and lifting weights.
At 43, he is in the best shape of his life.
It’s been inspiring to see him transform his habits, his health, and his body.
The one negative to this transformation: he needed a whole new wardrobe.
As he replaced his wardrobe, we had to decide what to do with his larger clothing.
Donate it all? Should you pack it away for the possibility that he might be that size again?
Someone told me that one of the ‘maintenance’ steps from a popular weight loss clinic is to give away all of your larger-size clothing. The idea is that you’ll be extra motivated to maintain your new smaller shape when you don’t have any backup clothes in your old size.
Is that the secret to maintaining weight loss? I’m doubtful.
Should you keep your fat or thin clothing?
I gave away my skinny jeans.
I gave them away and carried on trying to eat well, exercise, and get good sleep.
There was no free fall into a vat of Cronuts. I didn’t give away my skinny jeans and gave up all forms of exercise.
At no point in the years since I have given away my skinny jeans have I debated over having a slice of cake and goaded me into eating it by thinking, well, you don’t have your skinny jeans anymore.
Not having a pair of too-small-for-me jeans in my closet has also never been a reason to skip a run or Crossfit workout. Though I’ve had plenty of other excuses…
Donating clothing that is too big or too small for you doesn’t mean you are giving up or giving in.
Just as giving away or loaning out your maternity clothing doesn’t mean you’ll never have another child.
If only weight loss and maintenance were as simple as giving away or keeping clothing.
We decided that the higher-value clothing, mostly formal office attire, would be kept. The rest was donated. We’ll revisit the clothing box again in the next year or two and decide if it’s time to give those items away too.
Giving things away does not end the activity, goal, or dream associated with them.
Just as owning a pair of running shoes doesn’t make you a runner giving away clothes that aren’t your current size doesn’t mean you’ll never be that size again.
Clearing out the unused and unneeded things in our life often gives us the time, space, clarity, and motivation to reengage in our passions. While it might seem counter-intuitive, clearing your closet of clothing that no longer fits could be the start of finding the time to eat well and exercise more.
Have you kept different-sized clothing or given it away?
| Rachel Jonat is a world medalist rower turned marketing professional turned SAHM/writer. At The Minimalist Mom, Rachel writes about living a rich life with less stuff. Currently living on a windswept island in the middle of the Irish Sea, Rachel owns two pairs of jeans, loves taking the bus and is attempting to become a tea drinker. | |
