A new day, a new closet

Well, it’s not actually a new closet, but most of the clothes are new. When we embark on this journey, our goal is to find a healthy weight. If you are just trying to lose those pesky 5 holiday pounds, you probably won’t need a new wardrobe. But if you are like many people on LoseIt (and elsewhere) you may have a goal of 25, 50 or 100 pounds. You will need to buy new clothes.

However, as I noted yesterday, we all live in a world of budgets, both calorie and financial. Shopping for new clothes is not one of my hobbies and I am not a fan of spending a lot of money. But that is not much of a problem when you have sources. My wife and I are fans of resale shops. Not consignment shops where prices are only marginally less than the original price tag, but shops that are used to benefit social causes. Saint Vincent de Paul is a national organization, and Green Bay has two resale shops that they run. Another national service is Goodwill.  Both have stores that offer clothing, household good, books, and other items. The only way of finding what they have to to go there on a regular basis because their selections are constantly changing. And there are many smaller stores that are only local. Search them out and you can find treasures.

Some people that I work with refuse to shop at any store which is not name brand. And if that works for them, great! But I would rather spend money at a service organization to help others and still get quality goods at yard sale prices. Yesterday, I managed to find a suit, two tweed blazers, 11 dress shirts, t3 sweaters, 3 casual shirts, and 8 dress pants, for less than $60. Some of the brands were Dockers, Land’s End, and Van Heusen. 

So, step one, get new clothes. Now, step two is even more important. PURGE the old stuff. Get rid of the big things. Don’t “save them, in case I gain my weight back”, because I guarantee if you think like that, you WILL regain the weight. (And then give them back to the stores where you purchased your new outfits, to help them reach their social goals. And it might be a tax deduction for you, too!)

Always look ahead with optimist. Assume you will succeed. Act as though success is already evident. Baseball great Satchel Paige is quoted as saying, “Don’t look back. Something might be gaining on you.” In this case, he’s right. It’s your butt! (Or gut, or wherever you store the excess fat.) Don’t look back. Look forward to a new you. To a new summer in that swim suit that has been hanging in your closet for years. Or that suit that you need to wear for an upcoming event. Or to the walk on the Caribbean beach resort.

We do not act out of fear of failure but out of confidence of success. That does not mean success is guaranteed, and it certainly does not mean success is easy. But it is within our control.

My next post (a little later today) will have three new recipes, and will also include photos of my first attempt at from-scratch bread from my new cookbook.