This past weekend I did some Spring cleaning, and part of that was going through my closet and getting rid of clothes that didn’t fit.  This is something I do every year, getting rid of clothes I no longer wear or don’t fit me very well anymore.   (I give my clothes to charity, in case you were wondering)

 But it can be hard, tough to let go of the clothes I once fit into.

Sometimes the clothes no longer fit due to age, as my body has changed.  Or it could be due to the exercise (or lack of) I’ve done over the year, again changing my shape.  

Years ago, it was due to the constant dieting, re-gaining, dieting again syndrome.

And I used to hold on to my skinny clothes for YEARS.  Like 10 years.

But as I’ve healed my relationship with food and my body, I no longer hang on to clothes that old (or maybe I should check the BACK of my closet to double check!)

Ever notice how sometimes when we wore those “skinny clothes” we thought we were FAT?  And now we’d give anything to fit back into them! 

So it got me thinking: 

Do we really need to hold on to our skinny jeans? 

Does holding on to clothes that no longer fit really motivate people to lose weight OR could it be holding them back?  

I find there are generally Two Schools of Thought:

Part With Skinny Jeans

Some people say that keeping clothes that no longer fit may actually hurt your self-esteem and hinder your weight loss efforts. Why?   Because they become a constant reminder that you’re not at your “ideal” size.  

And there are those who keep their skinny clothes for years and years (like I used to do).  Some say if you hold on to clothes for too long, it can make you depressed and feel sadness for memories of what could never be again.  Once the clothes are gone, they feel they can go forward instead of living in the past.

Retain Possession of Skinny Jeans

Others say keeping some old clothes, like their skinny jeans, actually does motivate them.  Gives them something to work towards and is a reminder of what they’re aiming for.  And then once they DO fit back into them, they feel a sense of pride and accomplishment.

So I’d like to hear from you.  What are your thoughts?

Does holding on to those “skinny jeans” help or hinder your weight-loss efforts?

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