Getting rid of old friends

I have some old friends I've had for years now. They have been part of all those memorable events in life, prizegivings, weddings, parties and I love them. Tonight though, I got rid of my old friends, at great pain to myself. My clothes...yes my old friends, the clothes I have loved so dearly (and paid so dearly for in some cases) , are in bags in the spare room, to give away...

Three people in the last 3 days have told me I need to stop wearing my baggy old clothes and give them away, to show my new shape (remember I have now lost just over 30 kg). Not wanting to do this really as I just loved many of them and they were not cheap (you pay big money for "sexy"/nice "fat girl" clothes - ie clothes that are not the usual sacks fat people have to wear). Some have a very strong emotional connection for me, but when I tried them on, the material was gathering up by the bunch full at the back and sides. I almost thought I could cope with it loose like that when my husband pulled them in tight at the back and the new hourglassy waist suddenly appeared from uner all the fabric and looked impressively awesome to me in the mirror. He said you've got shape now, you need to show it, not wear sacks that hide your shape. So that was the death knell for those clothes. We went through and 18 things bit the dust.

There are mixed feelings. Elation at knowing I've lost the weight and I really love my hourglass shape. Excitement at the prospect of one day buying new clothes that will look even better than I thought the old ones did. Slight anxiety at  the potential price of such replacements when we are on a budget. And also just the psyschological thing of accepting that I really have lost a lot of weight so far. Although I did it, expected it and planned it each and every day for the past year, it still sometimes surprises me to look in the mirror and look different! Without the old clothes, I think it will help that paradigm shift move forward. It is also a permanent step to permanent weightloss, *knowing* with absolute certainty that I will never fit these clothes again, so I dont need them. No need to hide favourites in the back of the wardrobe just in case...So this has been an interesting experience, quite powerful and one I am still going over in my head with interest. I am doing the physcial work required, but I do need to keep up with the brain work required too, so spending time considering all this and learning to "let go" the weight physically and psychologically. I read Magda Subritzy say that the first half of your weight loss is physical, the second half, psychcological. It is feeling that way for me too.