Bags of XXX

I've hoarded all my clothes no matter how big or small they were. All the clothes that fit stayed on the right side of the closet, while all these clothes I used to wear a decade or more ago were housed on the left. Why keep all those old non-fitting clothes? Well, I had a plan that someday I would actually get motivated, get smaller, and fit into those old clothes again. In fact some of these clothes have moved multiple times from apartment to apartment throughout the years.

Well, I finally got my shit together and lost some weight, and wouldn't you know it, there needed to be a rearranging of closet space. All the clothes on the right side of the closet were all XXX- or XX-large sized. At one point, not too long ago, those giant threads fit over my frame, but now unless I want to look like a sagging, hiphop wannabe, I needed to get rid of them.

Now I have two big garbage bags full of right-side-of-the-closet too-big-for-me shirts, jeans, and slacks ready to be donated to Goodwill. Tomorrow. And slowly, my attire from the other side of the closet is starting to enjoy life out of retirement.

Luckily, at this stage of my weight loss, I'm back at a place I've been before, so there's clothes I've stored that fit. Was I a forward-thinking frugal master, or just a pack rat? Who knows, but almost certainly a year or so from now, absolutely nothing I own will fit right. I guess it's time to start saving my pennies now for new duds.

What I have been doing to drop the weight

The original pic was taken August 2009, but I was the same weight in October 2009 too. From 10/09 to 01/10 I lost 20 pounds, maintained until 03/09, then I really kicked it up a notch, and in the last 6 months I lost another 55. So, I'm halfway to my goal weight, and so far so good!

What I have been doing to drop the weight:

The first 20 pounds
I made very slight changes to diet and absolutely no changes to exercise. I continued to eat fast food because of my laziness, but I just got the grilled chicken options with a side salad instead of a burger and fries. My exercise went from sedentary to sedentary, so like I said, no change there.

The next 55 pounds
I started exercising regularly and eating right. Pretty simple stuff, really. I had to start SUPER slow with exercising though, because I had really let myself go. My first couple walks were at a snail's pace, and now I'm booking it at over 4.5mph. My minimum was to walk 30 minutes a day in the beginning, but I've started using a pedometer. Now I strive for 10,000 steps a day. I also bike commute to work on Fridays, 20 miles round-trip (until the weather starts to turn garbage). My buddy and I usually go for another bike ride on Sundays too (about 10 miles there). Beyond that, three times a week I get in some calisthenics, and then of course I track the calories on myfitnesspal, so that keeps me on my toes for what I eat.

The next 75 pounds
Who knows. Hopefully more of the same I've been doing for the last 6 months, but I'm sure I'll have to mix it up at some point. Eventually, I'll start running/jogging. Maybe another 20-25 pounds when I feel like my knees can take it.

Oh, and no gym. Screw gyms. I hate those places. And they cost money. I need to save that money for new clothes when I get skinnier! I'm already into my college wardrobe, and soon I'll be through my high school threads. :)