I’ll have to buy new clothes

Especially if you have several stone to lose, the journey to your goal weight can be daunting for many reasons – and “I can’t lose weight because I’ll have to buy new clothes” is often an unvoiced one. You’ll either be slopping around in clothes several sizes too big while you’re losing weight, or you’ll need to constantly fork out for new outfits. Even if treating yourself to a whole new wardrobe is your idea of heaven, it’s likely to leave a sizable dent in your bank account.

(Image by Square_Eye)

Keep the cost down

• Scour e-bay for cheap, new or nearly new clothes. It’s a great source of bargains. If you know some clothes are invariably a poor fit for you, go with jumpers, t-shirts, or anything under a fiver…
• Sell your old clothes on e-bay, if they’re in good condition; pocket-money for some new ones!
• Wear belts with baggy jeans to avoid the risk of “builder’s bum”… belts can easily shrink with you.
• If you face a special occasion while you’re en route to your goal weight, consider hiring something rather than buying a new outfit. That size 16 ball-dress won’t be much use when you’re a size 12…
• Try charity shops, both for donating your cast-offs to and for buying clothes for yourself.

Keep your motivation up

• You don’t need to give up shopping altogether whilst losing weight. How about buying accessories rather than clothes: scarves, hats, ties, belts, gloves, etc.
• Treat yourself to one or two nice pieces each time you’ve dropped a size. There’s nothing quite like the feeling of trying on a pair of size 12 jeans in the changing rooms for the first time – and finding that they fit!
• Don’t overhaul your entire style too soon. If you’re a “work in progress” as you march on towards your goal, don’t feel obliged to start dressing in a radically different way. Of course, if it helps your self-esteem, shed those baggy t-shirts and shapeless jogging bottoms. But you might feel most comfortable if you adjust slowly; buy the same brand of jeans but in a size down, and try one or two new pieces rather than a whole new look.