Losing weight after gastric bypass, sleeve gastrectomy or Lap Band surgery happens quickly. While this is great news for your body, it may be a bit stressful for your closet. Some people struggle with buying new clothes after having lost so much weight, while others struggle to part with their old ones.
Either way, adjusting your wardrobe for weight loss is an exciting adventure, but it can be a bit tricky when you’re on a budget or having a hard time letting go of the past. As you begin to drop the pounds after gastric bypass or lap band surgery, avoid wardrobe woes by keeping these tips in mind.
Organize by Size – As your waistline begins to shrink, you’ll find you will more frequently need to reduce the size of clothing you’re wearing. If you have a lot of old clothes that you haven’t fit into for years, then go ahead and get those out of the back of the closet. Instead of wasting time trying to find something that fits spur of the moment, take a day to organize your closet and drawers by size and nothing else—not color, not fabric, not occasion—just size. When you are running late for work and looking for something to wear you can easily switch from one pair of pants to another without searching through your closet.
Get Rid of the Big – One of the greatest feelings when losing weight is dropping a pant size. However, in order to move forward (or down) in size, you have to move forward on your weight loss journey. This means letting go and getting rid of the past. As soon as your clothes are too big, get rid of them. You don’t have to throw them away, just get them out of your closet and into someone’s else’s—donate them to a charity or give them to a thrift store. You are now on a journey to long term weight loss and there’s no need to hold on to painful reminders of the size you once were.
Buy Basics with Stretch – Although the idea of wearing something well-fitted seems scary, it can really help your wardrobe assimilate as you lose weight. After surgery, go out and buy a couple of well-fitted, flattering basic pieces that have some elasticity. Clothing with elastic bands are able to adjust easily as you begin to lose weight. Of course at some point these basic pieces will become too large for you, in which case you may want to buy a few more.
Buying new clothes every time you lose 10 pounds can get a bit pricy so try these money saving tips.
- Shop charity or thrift stores – Finding bargain buys at thrift stores is actually considered “in” these days. Thrift stores are great for purchasing low-priced gently used articles of clothing when you’re on a budget and your wardrobe is constantly changing.
- Auction-based Websites – Using websites that allow you to place bids or purchase auctioned goods is a great way to save some money while adjusting your wardrobe for weight loss. Many sites offer thousands of designer brands at nearly one-third of their original prices.
- Tailor Your Clothes – If you’re really trying to save money, you may want to consider having your old clothes tailored or try tailoring them yourself. Tailoring your clothes allows you to keep articles of clothing you really liked and didn’t want to get rid of with only a tiny adjustment to a hemline or waistline here and there.
Don’t let wardrobe woes get you down. Use some of these helpful tips as you adjust and update your wardrobe for weight loss and remember to stay focused on the big picture!
