Does Fashion Help you Get Fit? - YouLookFab Forum

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Does Fashion Help you Get Fit?

Eva

Angie’s blog today, got me thinking in a different direction. Does being conscience of fashion and looking good in your stylish clothing help you get, or stay, in shape or at a certain weight range? I had a client meeting where I brought tasty pastry treats. While we all munched away, one of the clients said she didn’t want any because, “I’ve invested way to much in my clothing to gain any more weight and not fit them anymore.” (She still looked great!)

I have tried to step up my exercising (I’m more inclined to exercise than eat less) in the last year, partially because I like how I look in my clothes better when I am fit. Several of the YLF members have been successful in losing a lot of weight – congratulations! Does looking good in your new clothing help you stay at your weight?

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15 replies

Latest reply was from Tanya

NCyogini

I'm just getting started with dressing with style, and I've invested a fair bit the last few weeks in good jeans and other nice things, and then had just about everything tailored in addition. If I gain even a little weight, my skinny jeans will be a wistful memory. Those skinny jeans have kept me away from a slice of cake more than once in the last couple weeks. For all the effort and expense I've put into this little venture, I'll be darned if I can't wear it all!

Cheers to you for stepping up your exercising! I too would so much rather exercise more than eat less!

Steffie

Anonymous

Eva, I'd say feeling like you look good often makes you want to look even better and is a motivation for being at a good weight for your body, but you first need to embrace the body you have. My weight loss was a side affect of keeping blood glucose levels down with low carbs and exercise. It probably is most motivational to lose weight for your health and energy level than to do it for a dress size.

Antje

Veteran

Interesting. I think my response is close to Joy's. I made friends with my body, which helps me dress better (accepting where I'll always be curvy etc. and working wtih that, rather than pretending I'd get magically skinny some day.) So knowing more about body shapes and how to dress for them has helped me be fashionable. But fashion in turn also helps motivate me to stay around a certain weight range, since I do want to wear the nice clothes I have.
(And just like you, I choose exercising more to keep my weight stable rather than watching calories too closely; it's more fun for me and more effective as I can stick with exercise much better than with eating less...)

Adrienne

Well now that Im in my 50's I can say I have gone through different phases. somewhere around 47 I gained 40 pounds. Yep it can sneak up on you. Ive lost most of it now in the past 1.5 year. My doctor attributes half of it to menopause and I to giving up on myself. But 1.5 years ago I decided to set a better example for my daughters and I started spiffing up the wardrobe. As I lost weight and changed sizes.The big clothes went out the door. I am more motivated to look good for my daughters, but more importantly for my continued health and the cute clothes help keep me motivated besides it gets expensive to keep having to buy new clothes.

Eva

Cheers to you Steffie!

Joy and Antje, I completely agree with you about embracing the body you have. I am happier with my body today, than I was when I was in my early 20's and I am probably a few pounds heavier. I heard somewhere it is healthier to be a plump fit person than a skinny couch potato. I should have emphasized being fit and in shape in my comments. Having said this, I'm with Steffie and my client, I spent a lot of money on my clothes to have to start all over. (But I don't know if I could pass up chocolate cake!)

shiny

Veteran

Yes, I would say this is true for me. Particularly with the economy right now - I can't afford to buy new clothes if I gain weight. And yet, with the economy, I also can't afford to overeat.

This year I made it through Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas without overeating and overdoing it, and gained no weight. But in the past few weeks - with all the nasty weather we've had (we're at 46 inches of snow and the average for us is 22 inches by this date!) - I've been in this overeating stuff-that-isn't-good-for-me slump. Exercising? Forget it. I don't like exercising indoors, and this weather is so nasty it is hard to get outdoors and take a walk. I've felt extra-squishy as a result, and it's subtle, but I can tell a difference in how my clothes are fitting.

So this past week I've made an effort to curb things a bit. Nothing drastic - just a few less calories here and there, ease up on the sweet treats, eat more veggies. I find it's a lot easier to make minor tweaks than major ones.

The most recent research - if you want to trust in it, and I'm not sure I do - says that diet is more important than exercise, when it comes to weight loss. It's probably misleading because muscle weighs more than fat, but takes up less volume... so yeah... if you lift weights you can stay the exact same weight but shed clothing sizes.

At any rate, I always expect to gain a few pounds over the winter. I think in colder climes like ours, it's inevitable. I think our bodies are designed to pack on a few pounds over the winter, and then shed them when warmer weather hits. It's one of those survival/biology deals. So I'm okay with a few pounds - I know it'll come off when the weather warms up a bit and I can walk outside without breaking my neck slipping on the ice. But not enough weight to necessitate a whole new wardrobe. Make sense? (or am I rambling again...

Amanda

At the same time that I found YLF, I lost a fair amount of weight (working to control high cholesterol with a combination of more exercise and watching what I eat). As a result, I dropped two sizes and I bought a lot of new clothes. They are clothes that I really like and feel good in because of YLF advice. Having clothes that fit well and look good and that I feel good in has helped keep me motivated to continue eating healthily and maintaining an exercise routine. I thoroughly cleaned out my closet so that I don't have the bigger, less stylish clothes to fall back on if I can weight. And I can't afford to buy new clothes if I go up a size. I will say that I am not skinny and I've learned to accept my pouchy stomach so it's not about trying to have the perfect body. For me, it's about being fit and healthy and if my wardrobe helps motivate me to stay that way, it's a good thing. I need all the help I can get to eat healthily and actually getting out and exercising.

Sarah

(website)

Veteran

I too have lost a lot of weight (60 pounds!). I had poor health, and I was in my early 20s. I was terrified that I'd not be around long enough, so I made big changes. I love my curves though, and hope those stick around. My husband would be devestated if they didn't.
I definitely want to stay in shape to keep up with my current wardrobe. It's been hard financially keeping up with size changes...from 16 to 8, currently.
I plan on losing 15 more pounds, so recently I've been sticking to skirts (easy to tailor and can be worn across several sizes), dresses, shoes and accessories lately, and only buying one or two pair of pants at each size.
My motivation for losing the last 15 pounds is a brand new pair of premium denim jeans. So fashion motivates me both ways...not to gain, and to lose.

Nicole

Veteran

I've often thought about this too, Eve. I definitely think fashion or at least, clothing affects my awareness of my weight. If I were wearing sweats or yoga pants all day, I'd never notice 5, 10, 15 pounds. But when I pull on a pair of jeans and I notice a little bulge at the waistline, then I know it's time. I probably know before the jeans are tight that I'm overeating, but it's the wake up call I need to motivate me back into reality.

Kristen

(website)

Veteran

I would say for me fashion does inspire me to *get fit*, if only because I would love to wear all kinds of styles and brands that my current weight doesn't allow for. I got very tired of having such limited shopping choices, which did inspire me in part to lose weight this year. (Also, I was just tired of being heavy and tired and not liking my body anymore.)

And when I get to wear I want to be, I think I would like to swipe your client's comment as my own mantra. Because, yeah, it is expensive to buy a whole new wardrobe at a different weight, and I don't want to have to do it again (after this time, of course)!

Sihaya

Veteran

I am definitely motivated to lose the recent weight I've gained so that I can wear the full range of my wardrobe. I find that recently I"m only wearing my looser clothes since some of the others don't fit right now. And I don't want to lose the investment I have in my clothes, nor do I want to or have time or the money to invest in a whole new wardrobe. So whenever I want to get back into that cute jacket that doesn't button up any more, I make a date with a treadmill.

shana

Veteran

Definitely! I am still struggling to lose weight I gained during my pregnancy. I don't know if it's my apple shape tendencies but I have to work REALLY hard to get rid of it. But I am motivated to get in shape so that I can use more of the clothes in my closet. Although I can just fit into most of my wardrobe, it's neither a comfortable nor flattering fit (i.e. tummy bulge).

Speaking of investments - I wish someone had told me that your feet get bigger after pregnancy. I have some fabulous shoes in my closet that are now too tight after two babies (I seem to have gone from a 5 1/2 to a 6/12 or 7).

Eva

Congrats to all of you who are getting more fit! I think looking good in your clothing is a good inspiration (after being healthy, of course.)

Shiny, I agree, it is hard to stay fit when the snow is piling up outside. I can't believe how much snow you have! I think it is also hard because winter clothes hide so much. I notice any weight gain or loss in my work pants and jeans. Dresses and skirts hide it more. Nicole, you are right, with sweats, you don't notice a thing.

Shana, I wonder if you feel will go back down in size? At least to a size 6. Well, if you decide to post for a swap on your fabulous shoes, my shoe size is 5 1/2....

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I really enjoyed reading the responses to this thread. They were so real and heartfelt. I’m really impressed with all the weight that has been lost on this site as a whole. Well done everybody. This is a marvelously healthy forum!

Shiny, I heard that MA is having an unprecedented amount of snow. Hang in there Bostonians – Spring is on the way.

Shana, you, Maya, Laura and myself wear the same footwear size. Good to know.

Tanya

Veteran

I honestly do not know whether it's helping me get more fit or not. However , my snug fitting jeans are a great indicator of both wight gain and loss, so it' certainly makes me aware of that.