How not to have a meltdown when trying on summer clothes
It’s been awhile since we’ve talked… I know, I know. As you know, Happy Valley Nutrition has been growing and I have spent all my time growing a kick-ass anti-diet, fat positive group practice and seeing private clients. That doesn’t leave much time to write to you, dear friend, but that’s going to change. PROMISE! Especially because I have something big I’m working on for you– more details on that in due time.
So it’s May, and with that, the arrival of warmer weather. Cue the vulnerability and fear around trying on last year’s seasonal clothes AND being seen in public. I get it, I feel this so hard. And my clients do too, so if this resonates, I promise you aren’t alone.
Here are 3 ways to get through trying on your clothes from last year that may be helpful:
1. Use the scale (and NO, not that type of scale) to see if you’re ready to start
My advice is to only try on clothes when you are in a positive frame of mind to do so. Pissed off at your partner or had a bad day at work? Then do NOT, I repeat, do NOT attempt to try on clothes. Instead, scale your readiness from 1-10 (1=heck yes, let’;s do this; 10=I’d rather get a root canal) to determine if you’re feeling solid enough to take this on. If you score yourself from a 1-5, then proceed. Anything higher on this scale- save it for another time.
*Feel free to scale in the middle of trying on clothes, too! I’ve started the process but then realized I needed to stop halfway through and pick it up another time*
2. Practice being a neutral observer
Does this sound like you? You try on the pants (or whichever article of clothing), they’re too tight, and then cue the downward shame spiral about how the problem is YOU and that you’re worthless and how could anyone love you. Oh, that’s just me? I didn’t think so. Recognize that what’s happening is that a STORY is being created about what it means that your clothes are too small, and we can get lost in this story quite easily. If this happens, take the role of the neutral observer and narrate what is going on: “I am in my room trying on clothes. The pants are too tight. I will give them away.” No story going on there, just a period at the end of a short sentence- and then we move on.
3. Your clothes are meant to fit you- not the other way around.
Our body will change- and it’s not fair to expect that it hasn’t or won’t in the future. You are not a failure if your clothes are too small this year. Let me repeat that for the back row. You are not a failure if your clothes are too small this year. And you deserve to have clothes that fit you, are comfortable, and help you express the bad-ass that you are. And…you are allowed, and should, take time to honor the grief that will inevitably show up around this. That’s totally ok.
Have you tried on your clothes from last summer yet? How did it go?
