dress up - it helps you lose weight

  • My extreme situation highlights a common weight-loss mistake
  • Something important happens when you dress up
  • Tips for shopping second hand & a few of my favourite finds

Dress up? There was NO WAY I’d dress up when I was trying to lose weight.

I thought a nice outfit would suggest I was happy with my body. I also believed punishing myself would inspire me to stick to my diet. Then buying new clothes could be a reward after I lost weight. And I hate waste. Investing in a wardrobe I’d only have for a short time didn’t make sense. Finally, I didn’t dress up because I LOVED dramatic change. I wanted to flick a switch and re-enter life.

dress up - it helps you lose weight

I had a lot to learn.

Refusing to dress up started when I was 14

My first memory of declining new clothes was back-to-school shopping. My family and I had just returned home from driving across Canada. During those 6 weeks we ate hamburgers and fries at cool diners for lunch, sat for hours in the car and I hit puberty.

Rather than coming home and going back to my regular eating and activity routine, I started following diet rules, tips and tricks. I felt an urgency to get back to my healthy body so I could start high school feeling like me again. But dieting lead to a complicated relationship with food and more weight gain; a trend that spanned 10 years of my life. A decade I didn’t dress up.

I didn’t know reaching and maintaining a healthy weight was about building healthy habits.

So I put all my energy behind the (wrong) weight-loss information, whilst wearing black leggings and a baggy top to cover my butt. Then I’d gently loosen the straps of my back pack and lower it to secure coverage. I needed to keep the tail of my top firmly over my bottom. And that was pretty much my high school uniform.

I would not dress up here or there.

I would not dress up anywhere.

Would you?
Could you?
Should you?!

Yes. Actually you should dress up.

dress up - why should I to lose weight

What happens when you don’t dress up

Putting any part of your life on hold when you’re trying to lose weight, or reach any goal, is unhealthy.

For most of high school I was completely confused. I was eating so little, exercising so much and gaining weight. I didn’t realize I was messing around with my metabolism. One day I went home early pretending to have the flu. I decided I’d just stay in bed for a few days and try to eat as little as possible.

At that point trying to lose weight had taken over my life. I’d neglected everything I cared about to focus on losing weight.

This self-defeating strategy is part of my OCD mindset.

Now I understand that taking an all-or-nothing approach sets you up to fail. I also know that you have to lose weight the same way you want to keep it off! Staying in bed and feeling angry at myself would never solve any problem. It would only make things worse.

By the end of that day I was too hungry to keep trying to starve myself. All I accomplished alone in my bed was another day of ingraining bad habits while falling further behind in school.

dress up - don't put your life on hold

The magic of deciding to dress up

A few months ago I was sorting through files when I came across a piece of paper that said:

No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
– Regina Brett, author

Nothing good happens when you’re under the duvet!

It doesn’t matter what you’re trying to get through. Keep a regular routine. Having a shower, putting on clothes you feel good in and getting busy with your interests and the commitments you’ve made, helps you overcome any hurdle and reach your potential. Everything’s interlinked.

One healthy choice leads to another.

For instance, if you’re at school or work, out with friends or volunteering and you’re presenting yourself in a way that makes you feel good, you’re more likely to get engaged in the activity, have fun and excel at the things you care about most.

My last turning point

When I was in teacher’s college I got healthy for good. By then I had collected healthy eating and exercise information. But I was still “on” and “off” diets because I’d tell myself I have to restart “tomorrow” as soon as I made a “mistake”. And I dragged the rest of my life into it, by cancelling the rest of the day as soon as I ate something I regretted (or felt I messed up anything on my growing daily tick-list.) So I was missing a lot of school.

One day early in October my professor said to me:

“If you miss one more day you’ll have to repeat the whole year.” Suddenly showing up was a non-negotiable. And consistently being in class either as a student and student teacher got me really into the course and I fell in love with the students. They were way more interesting than dieting. Suddenly caring for them was more important than if I took one extra bite of something I regretted.

When the lunch bell rang and the kids came back in we got busy with math, science or art. There was no time to look back and worry about what I ate. That year I learned an important lesson. The one I write about in this post. Don’t put problems under a microscope! Focus on the big picture. Keep moving toward your goals with your best foot forward and everything gets easier.

When I stopped making weight-loss such a HUGE focus it was so much easier to lose weight.

Why?

Putting your energy into music, people, hobbies, career goals and anything else important to you will bring you up! Feeling positive makes it easier to reach goals. If you feel good you’ll be more likely to work on building healthy habits than slipping into unhealthy routines.

Dressing up is part of a healthy domino effect.

dress up - one healthy choice leads to another

Example of why I get up, dress up and show up

Recently I had an appointment that was only confirmed 15 minutes before it was to start. Due to the short notice I had the option to re-book.

Despite the allure of staying home and making a cup of coffee, I kept the appointment and ran across town in the rain. (The rain part is true.)

The result? I got good news. Had I put the appointment off there would’ve been weeks of waiting (and worrying). I also felt good my doctor didn’t have an empty appointment. And we ended up having a frank discussion about something completely off topic that’s had a HUGE impact on my life.

None of these wonderful things would have happened had I decided to not show up.

dress up - get up, dress up, show up

You can dress up without a big investment

So we’ve established the importance of making the most of each day. The remaining barrier is the idea that buying clothes you only plan to wear temporarily is a ridiculous way to spend money. Here’s a solution!

There’s lots of ways to dress up without your bank account going down. You can:

1. Purchase new clothes and donate them when they’re loose.
Stop weighing yourself! When your clothes feel roomy, it’s time to update some staples. (And a few frivolous pieces!) Fitted clothing is more flattering.

Where to donate? There’s shelters, organizations that help people re-enter the workforce and tons of stores, like the Salvation Army who rely on donations. If you choose a cause to give to annually, make a clothing bank your beneficiary this year. Help someone dress up who otherwise couldn’t.

2. Plan a clothing swap with friends.
You can also look on-line for groups that do swaps.

3. Buy second hand clothes and resell them when they no longer fit.
There’s high-end, arty, cheap’n cheerful and vintage-y boutiques to choose from. On-line stores like Ebay or Poshmark are also an option.

If you dress up in second hand clothes is it hygienic?

Let’s get this question out of the way.

Do you stay at hotels and eat at restaurants? The sheets and utensils are much more than second hand! They’re constantly used by different people. As long as you wash your purchases, you’re good to go.

I LOVE to dress up in second hand clothes

When I first finished teacher’s college I lived in the UK. The pound was strong, I’d built healthy habits (and thus, lost weight for good) and I was entering a new phase of my life: Adult-ing (!) But I had no idea what to wear. Finding ways to hide my weight had dictated my fashion choices for years.

Supply teaching all over London introduced me to charity shops like Oxfam, Fara, Cancer Research, Red Cross and countless other second hand stores. Quality items were priced from as little as 10 pence (about 20 cents USD or 25 cents Canadian at the time) to 2 pounds (about 4 USD or 5 dollars Canadian). I once found a cute Fendi purse for 50 pence. I hadn’t heard of Fendi at the time. Just thought the zipper was well made and I loved the bright yellow colour.

dress up - the benefits of buying second handAs well, the store you buy from creates jobs, often for marginalized people.

For me, shopping second hand started as a necessity. Now it’s a way of life. I love the hunt! You never know what you’ll find.

Garage sales also help you dress up

One of my favourite places to get second hand clothes is at a garage sale. There’s an annual event in Toronto that has over 100 vendors; people who bring beautiful clothes and bric-a-brac to sell. Not only do you end up with tons of great loot, you have lots of laughs with like-minded locals.

I’m not into name brands. However I LOVE something that’s made well.

Dress Up - Garage sales are good!

Dress Up - Garage sales are good!

New-old things to dress up in!

These are a few of my favourite things. (If you didn’t sing the previous sentence, please try again.)

I got these pieces last weekend and I hope they’ll inspire you to get out there and dress up!

The unexpected (but totally necessary):
Dress Up - Cats Ears Bunting

The indulgence:
Dress Up - Rebecca Minkoff Purse

The practical purchase:
Dress Up - Frye Boots for Dog WalkingI paid: $20
Retail value: $500

The I-didn’t-know-I-needed-it necessity:
Dress Up - Homemade Bunting

The experimental piece:
Dress Up - Basquiat DressI think I’ll wear it over a fitted dress, maybe.

The gem:
Dress Up - Handmade ArtNow she’s an art professor. I think they’re my favourite find.
I paid: 50 cents
Retail value: priceless

The steal:
Dress Up - Helmut LangI paid: $3
Retail value: $650-ish

A collection of curiosities:
Dress Up - Random ShitEach was between 50 cents and a dollar. Who doesn’t need an arrowhead? I’m obsessed with ribbons, pottery and bead work… and dust bags. Even if I don’t have what goes in the dust bag.

The resell piece that pays for all my purchases:
Dress Up - Celine BagI paid: $25
Retail value: $2600 USD

The end-of-day deal:
Dress Up - End of Day DealThis purple coat was 40 dollars. The woman who was packing up said if I bought it she’d include the Lululemon sweatshirt, hand-printed and reversible purple dress, long-sleeved, burnt-pink soft top and a 100% silk sun dress. Then she threw in 2 designer purses. I really should retake this photo. This mash-up doesn’t give this deal justice.
Retail value: $1500+

Tips for second hand shopping

Hopefully you’re ready to dress up while you build healthy habits (and thus, naturally reach a healthy weight). Better yet you’re excited to get in on the hunt or play with your look. You’ve set yourself a budget and decided where to shop. Here’s some things to keep in mind while you’re thrifting.

dress up - garage sale tips

Another tip: bring refreshments:
Dress Up - Rocky Dog

make today count - the10principlesGet started! Each day is a chance to ingrain healthy habits. Dress up today.

Build healthy habits. A healthy weight will follow.

dress up - summary

Next Steps:

Do you dress up each day? How do you go from dressing down to putting on something that makes you feel polished? Here’s the first step.

 

 

  Work with me - 1:1 Coaching Buy Now - It took me 10 years to lose 10 pounds What the F do I eat?

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Sharing what I learned makes the 10 years I STRUGGLED worth it

What’s your favorite way to buy second hand clothing? Please include the name of the store or event and the town or city it’s in. Do you have a go-to outfit you like to dress up in? What does it look like? Where did you find it?!

In Toronto (Canada) I love Common Sort (eclectic pieces) and Fashionably Yours (for a fancy find). Buffalo Exchange is awesome. It’s in Boston, Chicago and other cities across the USA. (There’s 48 stores in 17 states.) In London, England I love Fara in Parson’s Green. The funds raised go to refugees from Romania and the store always has unusual pieces at a fair price. It’s win-win-win.