Hi Folks,

Please bear with my little story:

Buying clothes or receiving them as gifts has always been a hassle for me and, in the very least, just reminded me of my weight problem. I shopped out of necessity when the current chosen few articles from the closet that fit no longer did. This established at least three sets of clothing I needed as I tried the endless ways of eating over the last 35 years. You know, the skinny set, the normal set and the fat set, all of which were really designed to fit a person who was still at least two feet taller than me by the height/weight chart statistics. When ever I was given clothing as a present it was always too small and the event, like Christmas or a birthday, always seemed to highlight my on going weight problem. Being a guy, and either teaching or being self employed, I had flexibility in my attire and did not have to keep up with style and my wife has also been very forgiving of my sometimes unorthodox look.

Two weeks ago I finally went to that closet that has haunted me for so long to find a pair of pants that were smaller…yes smaller. Perhaps that new pair of jeans I bought four years ago and never wore because they were too tight when I bought them. This time even they were too loose, as well as all of the dress slacks. I discovered that I had also gone from an x-large to a large in a dress shirt. For the first time in my life there was only one set of clothes in that closet and they were best described as all TOO BIG!!!

What a day that was.

Last week I went to a new men’s store that had opened in the mall and I was like a squirrel in a nut factory. I tried on sizes smaller than the smallest in my closet and I looked good! I quickly learned why my slim and beautiful bride loves to shop for clothing. This was all new to me….this “good” feeling when shopping.

Today I burned all the bridges and have left no escape route. I boxed up all of the old clothes and made a ceremonious drive to the Goodwill collection center.

What a cleansing experience this was.

I now have a very empty closet and a very happy wife who is really excited to help me acquire new duds. I would still like to trim down another 10 pounds or so, and will put off any serious purchase of things like tailored suits until fall, when it will mark a full year on Atkins and celebrate my achievement.

Patience and perseverance pay off.

I have never worked so hard at a WOE as I have this time, nor have I exercised so much to improve my body. I am now exercising as much as three hours some days and 6 days a week. In many ways I feel half my age when I was starting to feel twice that a year ago. I know I have made a lifetime commitment to look and feel as good as I can and it is working.

Right now I have the need to reaffirm to you who are doing this that it is very worth all of your efforts and to assure you that there is a wonderful payoff waiting for us all.

Best wishes for a great holiday,
T.

What an inspirational story! Congrats to you and I think I might need to burn some bridges myself! Way to go and good for you! I applaud your efforts and your story!

Best of luck and continue to do what you are doing!

how wonderful for you, tes! you should be proud of yourself for all your hard work and dedication - your story is certainly all the more inspiring. while i have not made that drastic a change as of yet, it is happening. and i look forward to my year anniversary when i will go out and buy myself 2 things that i haven't worn in almost 10 years -- a dress and a swim suit.

congratulations to you! have fun shopping!!

Hi Tes!

I always enjoy your posts, you have done great on this WOE and the optimism is in everything you write! Thank you for taking your time to write about this. I know exctly how you feel - the impossible is right here and we need some time to realize it. I still take my old size at the store sometimes....old habit. What a feeling to ask for a smaller size!

So - congratulations and I would like to see that suit when it's ready!

Take care!

Alina

Hey T
GOOD FOR YOU!!!!!

Consider yourself lucky with those gifts though - I always received clothes that were made for someone much larger. I'm usually a large or Xlarge (depending on where the weight is) and I constantly get presents from in-law women that are 1x, 2x, 3x. No joke but it rather is! I'd be insulted but usually just don't care enough to care

T, you are a true inspiration!!! Congratulation on everything


L

Good for you! That's one of the happiest stories I've heard!!

My husband was recently able to do something similar. He's lost 40 pounds, through a new WOE and LOTS of exercise, and for the first time in many years cares about his appearance. Mainly he shops over the internet, and new clothes in smaller and smaller sizes arrive weekly. It may be breaking our budget, but what a wonderful change!

Best of luck with your continuing story, TES.

That is so great, TES! I am so sincerely happy for you! My mother did the same thing three years ago, after losing 60 pounds. She hasn't put back a single pound, thank G-d. Burning your bridges is the ultimate good feeling! Good luck, forever!

This put a big smile on my face. I just recently had a minorly similar experience. I had been wearing 24 jeans (what had been my "fat" jeans) and they have been gradually getting looser and looser, but I had tried on the 22 jeans (what had been my normal size for a long time) in my closet and they still felt tight, so I had been somewhat frustrated with being between sizes. Right before I went out of town this past weekend, I tried on a pair of the 22's and was thrilled that they fit perfectly. Later, I went to pick up some capri's at the store and got 22's. Well, I got them home and guess what, they were actually too big!!! I had to exchange them for a size 20. I guess the jeans and capri's are made differently, but I was still thrilled to take something back because it was too big!

I even bought a dress for the first time in ages. I know I am still big, but some of those areas that used to have too much jiggle are firming up a bit and I feel more confident about myself, even my posture is improving by leaps and bounds. And Lord knows, with the "girls" I need good posture.

Hey there T-Man!

WOW...how SWEET is THAT!
THANK YOU for taking the time to give us all the inspiration...the hope...the knowledge that we too, can "achieve"!

I went to my closet this morning to look for a smaller pair of jeans...and pulled out a pair of new ones, that are two sizes smaller. SWEET! Those jeans told me that I am "on my way" in the proper direction! I have three sets of clothes also. And Like you, I can't wait to donate them to goodwill.

THANKS AGAIN T, and
Very best regards to you and Mrs T!
Jake

but little tears welled up in my eyes. I can't wait for that day to come for myself. I am so glad you shared this with us - such inspirationa AND motivation! You should feel GREAT! Not to mention that bride of yours would probably say you LOOK GREAT also!

Shari

What a great story!! Gives me loads of motivation!!

I laughed after I read the story--thinking--he could have burned his britches too!!!

Congratulations again!

The other "T"

I too have boxed up all my cloths and took them to friends, goodwill and the battered womens shelter. There is no turning back, not that I ever want to be where I was. This way of eating is the only way to go.

what terrific news TES! You have done great!

Keep up the bulletin board posts, we enjoy success stories.

Jan