“I’m back in my fat clothes,” she said, casually laughing.
“Fat clothes?” I asked.
“Yeah,” she said. “The clothes I used to wear before I lost weight the last time.”
This is a conversation I’ve had with various clients throughout my 12+ years of personal training. But it wasn’t until a couple of weeks when something in the conversation struck me… why are people holding on to these old clothes?
You see, most people aren’t new to this weight loss journey. And although many people achieve weight loss success, keeping it off has become the larger struggle.
Until two weeks ago, it never clicked to me that people have been creating a comfort zone and a safety net by keeping their old clothes in the back of their closets.
As people begin regaining weight, they use “fitting into my old clothes again” as the sign that it’s time to refocus on their health goals.
But you know what else happens?
Because they have a closet full of clothes in a larger size, they also stay at that size longer than they should.
Matter of fact, those old clothes have allowed them to live more comfortably as they continue to backtrack into a size they’ve said they’d never get back to.
Question…
Why are you holding on to these old clothes? (Did your heart just drop into your stomach?)
If you have determined that you can’t live like that anymore and that you’re ready to commit to a lifestyle change, why would you keep clothes around that will allow you to fall back into old patterns and habits without much consequence?
Now, imagine throwing out those larger sizes and only owning the clothes you have in the smaller size.
If you continued regaining weight and your clothes started fitting tighter, you’d start realizing you have two options- you can refocus on your health goals or you have to buy a whole new wardrobe.
Would you want to spend money on clothes that aren’t the size you want to be?
Wouldn’t the realization of having to buy a new wardrobe make you pause and reflect on the changes you need to make IMMEDIATELY so that your current clothes fit more comfortably?
In other words, stop making backtracking more comfortable.
Stop giving yourself a safety net to fall back on.
The problem is, we often exist in two places at once, the future, where our desired change takes place, and the past, which offers us the comfort of a known result, even if it’s the one we don’t want.
So what will it take for you to completely step out of the past and release WHATEVER is holding you back from longer-lasting change, fully rising to the next level?
As long as you know you have old clothes in the closet waiting for your return, you are subconsciously never completely committing to the future you truly desire.
Let this be the week you take inventory of things in your life you’ve allowed to stick around for too long.
Get rid of anything that would allow you to live a life you’re trying to escape.
It’s time to cut the cord and leave the security blanket behind.
Are you up for the challenge?
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