If you are trying to lose weight generally or for a special event, you will know how painfully slow the process can be.  Often, you will fail and give up altogether and other times you might find that you’re lucky enough to have lost some weight.  During your journey, there will be many triggers that will either help or hinder you and I believe that wearing ill-fitting clothes can really impact whether you will be successful or not.  Why you may ask but don’t worry because I have written this blog, equipped with my response:

1. They are a constant reminder that you are currently not at the weight you would like to be – I don’t know about you but if I wear something that’s too small for me, it makes me feel uncomfortable all-day long.  I find that I hold my breath unconsciously trying to breathe in my body so that whatever I am wearing won’t cut into my skin.  This means that second by second, minute by minute I am reminded of the fact that I would like to lose weight.

2. They are unflattering – When you wear something that’s too tight, it doesn’t make you appear slimmer. On the contrary, it makes you look larger than you are because it’s obvious that you have tried to squeeze yourself into something that doesn’t fit.  The result is a lumpy dress, trousers, top etc.   This will make you feel self-conscious and drain your confidence faster than a punctured tire loses air.

3. You will feel stressed out – At the end of the day, you will be a stressed-out mess. You will be left with marks on your body and the item that you’ve been wearing will most likely be stretched or the seams will start to split which will also mean that you have wasted money!  The negative affect of this is obvious but let me spell it out anyway.  When you take of the said item/s, the marks on your body will deflate any self-esteem you have been holding on to and seeing the misshapen, creased material can instantly make you feel ashamed, such is the power of clothes!

4. If you are socialising, you won’t enjoy the event – If you’ve decided to prize yourself into an ill-fitting outfit for a night out, you will be reluctant to eat or drink much. This will cause you to feel hungry and dissatisfied.  To add to that, each time you see your reflection in the mirror, you will be reminded of the mistake you have made by wearing it.  When you finally do return home, you may even binge eat from having starved yourself all evening.

5. You may miss opportunities – You will be hesitant if presented with the opportunity to talk to someone new or try out a new activity and you may decide against it because you will feel too self-conscious.

6. They are bad for your health – You may not be aware of it but tight fitting clothes can also be detrimental to your health NetDoctor. Also, Just a quick google search will give you access to numerous health problems that can be related to this subject.

As you can see, ill-fitting clothes and the negative impact they can have on your self-esteem and or health is likely to hinder weight loss because if your confidence is low, the chances of succeeding can also be adversely affected.   On the flip side, imagine that you are wearing clothes that fit you well and are comfortable – what a difference that would make?  So, next time you are in a shop or about to pick an outfit from your wardrobe, keep in mind the above list and dare to opt for something that may be in a larger size but will actually help you to reach your weight loss goal!!

Written by Sherry Taylor

Author of the Anti-Diet Lifestyle