For some months I was having the roughest time, both physically and mentally. I'd come down with a flu bug in January that laid me flat, then had a side effect that left me feeling just absolutely crappy for a few months afterward (this happens to me sometimes). During that time I didn't have the wherewithal to give two hoots about keeping track of my food or how much I was eating, but was just stubborn enough to keep eating low carb (after all, food has never tasted better, and I LOVE food!).

Anyway, a few weeks ago I decided it was time to get with the program and make myself accountable to see if I could get the scales to start moving again. Well, as goes with life we also decided to take a vacation, and while I figured I could LC just fine, again I knew I wouldn't be able to track my food, so was figuring getting really serious would have to wait until we got back home.

During the time before we left, I had worked hard trying to get the scales to look upon me favorably, and it finally seemed to be working and I managed to get down to 208. For a couple of weeks there I kept bouncing between 209 and 214, so 208 was a huge relief! Then we set upon our journey.

When we got home, I weighed the next morning, and sure enough the scales were up--around 210, maybe 210.5. I wasn't too discouraged because for two days before that the only foods I had eaten were fast foods and snacks in the car, and we were doing heavy driving for those two days with only about a 20-minute swim and a short walk in all that time. So I decided I needed to give my body a couple of days to settle down.

Then yesterday morning, I got up and weighed 207.5! That's a long-time low for me--in fact, I don't remember the last time I weighed that--probably somewhere between my third and fourth childrens' births. Somewhere during that time my old scales gave up the ghost and I pitched them and didn't bother buying new ones.

Of course, by now you're probably wondering what on eartht his all has to do with the title, 'Cleaning out the closet', and honestly I'm getting to that, LOL. Funny thing is, this morning I suddenly realized the clothes I bought just before Christmas, that fit me really, really well then are all too big! Now granted, I didn't buy many clothes because I didn't want to spend a lot on clothes to shrink out of, but in addition to the ones I'm wearing now that are too big, my entire closet is full of clothes that are even bigger! I am going to be SOOOOOOOOO happy to clean out that closet!

And on another note, I'd also like to tell everyone who's going through a hard time, either physically, emotionally or what have you--don't let it sway you from this way of eating. Stick with it, and even if you aren't losing, you're still working on being a healthier you. I've spent a good part of my life the past five years with some health problems. They still crop up (hence, the after-flu thing), but one thing I notice for sure is that when I'm feeling better, I am feeling so much better that it's almost unreal!

Congratulations! What a great feeling that must be. Hope the trend continues for you.

Can't wait to throw away my clothes, I don't want to buy a single thread of clothing until I lose at least 25 more lbs.

I bought "new" clothes everytime I went down a size. Not an entire closet full, but at least a new pair of jeans..I shopped at second hand stores!! I went to the Goodwill and would only spend about $3-$4 for jeans, $1-$2 for tops!! It would only take $10 to make my entire week, I used to spend that much on McDonalds or Pizza!! The money went to a good cause too!! I am still cleaning out my closet!! It feels soooo good!!

have you thought about selling those clothes and making money????? thats what i do.. i sell on ebay and make money for my new clothes

I sold a couple of very nice dresses on eBay just before Christmas and honestly, they sold for a pittance. The ones coming out of the closet this week are going into a yard sale my mom-in-law and I are having in a few weeks. I don't generally have name-brand clothing, and that's what sells well on eBay. But it's a great suggestion, anyway. I've sold collectibles (both new and vintage) on eBay off and on now for about four years. The last couple years has been more off than on, though, LOL.



This is what I'll most likely do next time I go down a size.
Problem with our thrift shops is that everything is way over-priced. A pair of pants is at least $5-$7 unless you're lucky enough to find something marked down. I've bought stuff that looked good on the rack, brought it home, washed it and it literally fell apart, so if I can I just buy new. At least I know I'll get a few washings out of it. We have a lot of migrant workers in the area and the shops know they can sell everything they get in at those prices to them. On top of that it's almost impossible to find anything in them that's close to my size--everything's size 14 or below! Before long I should be getting into the right size, though, and that will help.

My nephew's graduating tomorrow night so I wanted something halfway decent to wear so ran into WalMart this evening. For now I bought two pair of pants around $9 each. One's a size 16, which fits!! and the other a size 14 which are snug, but they're going to be my next target pants. I can't believe that at this weight I wear a size 16 (which would've been a size 18 25 years ago, the size I wore at 180 pounds! I also bought a couple pairs men's sweat pants (ladies were sold out) in size medium. They're tight, but they stretch as I wear them, and hopefully I'll have shrunk out of them to the point of ridiculousness before fall.

Nothing like a good clothes trying on session to make you feel like you're making some progress!