Some people love nothing more than to shop for and wear new clothes. But for on-and-off dieters, clothes can be a real source of misery. Their closets may be packed with wardrobes to suit their every size as they travel up and down the scale. Yet on any given day, few items may be wearable, much less appealing. For these women, clothing is a burden right up there with the continual struggle to lose weight.
 |
| A neatly placed wardrobe matching. |
I've talked with ladies whose wide-ranging wardrobes have taken over almost all the closets in their house. A casual observer might assume these women have a lot of clothes because they enjoy them. Not so. Instead, frequently buying and storing clothes shows how out of control they feel, often experiencing anxiety, shame and frustration at their weight fluctuations.
Frequent and significant weight shifts are a common result of "get thin quick" approaches to weight loss. Each diet may cause temporary weight loss, but soon it's time for a different set of clothes. This perpetual up-and-down cycle is costly in terms of money, closet space and mental and physical health.
Smart dieters accept reality and change their lives one step at a time, through increased activity and
nutritious eating as a lifestyle, not a temporary fix.
By definition, a healthful lifestyle change takes time. While you're undertaking that process, here are some of the best ways to approach clothing and different-sized wardrobes.
- Get rid of clothes that are too big. Keeping them
gives you the message that you could easily get back
to that size, weakening your confidence in changing.
- Get rid of clothes that are too small, especially if you
could wear them only during a fleeting and unrealistically rigid dieting period. Such items only
clutter your closet and cause anxiety. Deep inside, we know it's ridiculous to expect that we can get to that
size and stay there. But keep the clothes that are just a bit tight right now and that you really like. You'll need them as you continue your long-term fitness changes.
- Get rid of clothes that fit but are unflattering. A key part of your lifestyle makeover is to feel good everyday. There's no room in your closet for clothes that give negative messages. Don't wear anything that does not reflect happy, fun and comfortable feelings.
- When you shop for new clothes, allow enough time in the fitting room to carefully decide how the clothes feel and look on you. Nothing should pinch. Tight clothes make you constantly focus on your body and
its discomfort. What good is that? As you try on each item, put the "no" clothes on one side of the fitting room and the "yes" or "maybe" clothes on the other side. Then retry the "yes" and "maybe" clothes, selecting only the items most flattering to your body. Trust your first impressions. Or if that's hard for you, bring along a friend who can be both truthful and tactful.
Source: SMH
No comments:
Post a Comment