Do you have a rail of clothes in your wardrobe that used to fit and you're hoping it won't be long before you're back into them? Send them to a charity shop right now! Whilst you may believe that seeing these clothes will serve as a reminder of the size you 'could be', they will actually just limit your ability to feel happy about yourself right now, as you are.
If any lasting change is going to happen that brings about weight loss, it won't be through reminding yourself constantly how unhappy you are with your current weight, by seeing clothes that don't fit hanging in your wardrobe all the time. Self-acceptance and loving yourself whatever shape or size you are is key to any changes that might happen regarding your improved relationship with food.
I tried that tactic for year - and I do mean years. I had this minuscule dress in my wardrobe for about 8 years (really) that fitted me for about a nanosecond. I was hoping someday I would wear it again, and that day never arrived. I finally donated it to a charity shop, along with a few other numbers, and decided if I ever did reach that size again I'd just go out a buy a whole new ensemble of fabulous fashionista favourites.
I feel much better now I know that anything I pull from my wardrobe is going to fit me, and I won't be in tears when I try an item on and I'm squeezing into it. We don't need to torment ourselves!
So my advice? Forget hanging on to all your smaller sizes as 'encouragement' to reach a weight that you may never actually get to again, and just get in some clothes that look good and fit well. Go out and buy some great, well-fitting new clothes that are for you just as you. Buy the right size, not one smaller, and cut the labels out if you really must, then you don't need to think about the numbers involved.
'Encouragement' to lose weight does not come in the form of constant reminders of how we keep failing and how far away our goals are. When you can be happy with who you are, and you can sort the emotional crap out, that's when you might find that weight loss comes of its own accord. Or it might not, and you won't give a damn.
I'm Andrea, and am obsessed with creating fabulous food. After I managed to ditch dieting, the reason Chocolate and Beyond was born, it seemed natural to evolve my site into a foodie blog. More so since I also ditched animal produce to be vegan. Now, I love showing how inventive cruelty-free cooking can be. And sometimes I like to rant, too. I wouldn't be myself otherwise :) x 
Oh my! This has the dream of back in skinny jeans written all over it...lol...you're absolutely right on. Part with the old clothes and then buy new ones along the way.
Posted by: Stephanie Quilao | February 27, 2008 at 10:21 PM