Have you ever opened your closet door to pick out an outfit for the day, only to stare at your clothes in despair? Nothing fits right matches your style. Maybe everything was from a different time in your life when your body was a different size (hello, college jeans). When nothing fits or appeals to you, getting dressed is no fun.
Diet culture teaches us to purchase clothes in smaller sizes, and that we should “strive” to always fit into those clothes. Fad diets promise to get you into “your favorite pair of jeans” (between you and me, your favorite pair of jeans should be one that fits your current body, makes you feel comfortable moving around in, and flatters your body shape).
We live in a world so inundated with dieting messages, that many of us have been stuck in the dieting mindset for most of our lives. Dieting is miserable: it causes us to feel as if we failed, when really, it’s the diet that failed us. Our bodies aren’t meant to restrict and binge then restrict again– a never ending cycle.
When learning to eat intuitively, you’ll listen and reconnect with your body’s hunger and fullness cues, learn to trust yourself to make decisions around what or how much to eat, take back your power around food, and reconnect to your body’s innate wisdom to determine the right amount of food for you.
Intuitive eating is such a journey. Beating diet culture may end up being one of the hardest things you’ll have to overcome in your lifetime: I know it is for me. One thing that can make intuitive eating a little bit easier (and has really helped me make the transition)? Making sure you have clothes that fit properly.
Listening to your body can be really hard if your pants, shirts or even underwear is too tight. When you wear clothes that aren’t right for your body shape, you may feel the urge to restrict and lose weight. Feeling comfortable in your clothes allows you to listen to what your body needs without the distraction of feeling squeezed or out of breath. Enjoying movement is also easier when you aren’t distracted by your clothes.
Throwing out old clothes is a cathartic experience– especially when they’re associated with dieting. Clothes you bought when you were trying to lose weight likely won’t fit your normal body size that’s maintained through intuitive eating and healthy activity. Holding onto these “diet clothes” keeps you stuck in the diet fantasy.
Is it time to take a good, hard look at your clothes? Stand in front of your closet and take everything out that doesn’t make you happy when you see it, that you know only fit when you were at an unreasonably low weight, or fits but is unflattering.
After you’ve removed all of your uncomfortable clothing from your closet, it’s time to go shopping (or slowly replace piece by piece for a budget friendly approach). I personally dislike shopping — putting together outfits and trying to figure out what’s “in style” and what would look good with my body shape (tall with a long torso) can be frustrating.
Since I hate shopping, and I needed some new clothes, I tried Stitch Fix to add some new pieces to my wardrobe– and I can happily say I had a good experience! My stylist worked with me and listened when I told her about my body shape and what kind of clothes I like (comfy to the max). I even made a Pinterest style board with my favorite outfits (notice the casual, relaxed, striped trend?) and sent her the link so she could get a better idea of what I like.
I was sent a super comfy pair of distressed jeans, a striped cardigan that’s the softest thing I’ve ever felt, a green tshirt to wear underneath, this awesome blush pink top with neat bell sleeves, and a charcoal grey top with a criss-cross design on the neck.
I decided to keep all five pieces in this fix! What do you think? The way Stitch Fix works, if you’re not familiar: you pay a $2- styling fee (that you can apply to your purchase) and they send you five pieces. You take three days to try them on and decide which ones you like and send the items back you don’t like. If you keep all five items you get a discount!
If you’re like me and can’t stand shopping, let someone else pick out some pretty new clothes for you. If you use my link, you can get your first fix styling fee waived!
This post is sponsored by Stitch Fix. Thanks for supporting brands that make Zen & Spice possible!
Wow I love your outfits! I have thought about trying stitch fix for a long time but i was afraid they would send me stupid things. After seeing yours , I think I might try it!
I think the key is giving them a Pinterest style board with outfits you like. I can help you put one together if you like :)