I’m always all about “once I lose this weight, I’ll dress like ‘this’ and wear ‘that’.” I’m also super stubborn, so I refuse to buy new clothes in a bigger size, so when I gained weight, my wardrobe possibilities went from walk-in closet range to these-three-outfits-fit range. And since I work from home, and writer-dress seems to lend itself to baggy sweats and big tee-shirts anyway, I found that along with the weight gain I’ve become a hermity ragmuffin, more often than not.
What did this do for my inspiration to lose weight? Well I still had the whole plan to wear cute clothes to go with my growing collection of gorgeous shoes as soon as I lose weight. But that plan wasn’t doing much to motivate me. I’ve tried Michelle’s suggestion of hanging a perfect outfit on the door as inspiration, but after a couple weeks, the outfit always seems to blend with the wall and I stop seeing it (maybe I should set my shoes out instead... that’d keep my focus!!)
But last month, after we moved into our new house and I’d spent a few solid weeks in sloppy packing/cleaning/moving clothes, I had the urge to dress nice. You know, without the elastic waistband nice. Talk about inspiration!!!
After a couple days, I realized I was more focused on exercise and healthy eating because I was dressing nicer. Yes, I still had sweatpants days –plenty of them. But a couple days a week became ‘nice’ days. Makeup and hair days. Dress like an author instead of a writer days (in my little world, authors dress for book signings, writers dress for hours of slouching over the keyboard). It's made SUCH a difference for me. I feel better. I’m more motivated and as I search through my closet for more cute things that fit, everything I have to pass over encourages me to be able to wear IT soon.
It’s really helping.
How about you? Do you dress for comfort, or dress to feel great in your clothes? Do you find your weight affects your dressing choices?
~~~
Today's progress:
Calorie intake: 1,196.5
Exercise: Lots of walking while shopping, though I didn't time it.
Steps: 18,311 (Holy mall walking, Batman!)
6 comments:
Great post, Tawny. I like that feeling of dressing up, fixing the hair and makeup and putting forth a professional image. Not every day, but periodically. I used to have to do it to some extent (business casual) when I worked full time, but now I'm in shorts or sweats and tees most of the time. That's why I tend to really dress nicely when I go to conferences or book signings. It makes me feel good about myself, and I hope it puts for that professional author image. I have several nice suits I'm hoping to get back into in the next few months.
Trish, thats one of the things I love about conference and any/all other authorly commitments! The dressing up and feeling good thing. I love playing with hair and makeup, and just generally feeling good about what I've got on. It gets so easy to skip all of that when its just home/writing/etc - and that, I really think, is when the pounds start creeping on.
Tawny, I so relate! I have clothes in two different sizes and have been battling the need for a third. I dress to look good if I'm going out. If I'm at home and writing, I wear jeans and an "appropriately decorated t-shirt," to use the dh's phrase.
For me, I eat better if I go to the gym. I don't want to waste all that sweat. *g*
Hey, Nancy, thanks for stopping by. I think I have three sizes of clothes in my closets too. Oh, and lots of those "appropriately decorated T-shirts" I'll be trotting out next week. :)
I will admit I've never enjoyed going to a gym. I was a member of Curves for a year, but then I got so busy that I didn't go. I just hate spending the money when I have a treadmill and stationary bike here and the ability to go walking or hiking. But I know they totally work for some people. Michelle has had great success going to the gym.
Hey Nancy -thats so great that you're staying on top of the dressing thing. I'm a mess most days *g* Of course, most days lately include painting and cabinet building, but still...
I'm in the same multi-sized wardrobe as you. And like you, I refuse to add yet another size. I just won't do it.
Trish, I'm not a gym gal either. My schedule and attention just don't seem to mesh with committing to exercising outside the house. I do have a huge library of exercise videos, as well as some great equipment here at home. That way, I know I have to put in an hour workout everyday, but I'm not committed to WHICH hour, you know?
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