The Student Room Group

Buying a smaller size dress as motivation for weight loss

...is this a good idea or am I setting myself up for failure?
I'm currently a size 16 (was a 12-14 for a long while but have put on weight recently). I avoid shopping because I get depressed when I look in the mirror and all I see is fat.
Has anyone who has dieted found this to be a useful motivational tool? I've seen the most amazing dress whilst browsing in John Lewis and not sure whether to get it in that size 10 or not.
Thanks for reading :-)
Reply 1
bump
dont do it.

5 years ago i bought a pair of trousers a size 10.

Suffice to say I still cant fit into them.

You will just waste your money. Unless you have more motivation and willpower than me!! :smile:
I wouldn't go as far as size 10. You never know - you might be happier at a size 12, and would rather stay that way. Then there's always the fact that you will try to wear it when you aren't a size 10, and you
'll feel bigger than you are because it's tight. Buy it in the size you are, and when you do get down to whichever size you want, buy another dress as a treat :smile: Good luck!
Reply 4
I bought a smaller dress for an upcoming occasion, I haven't managed to lose the weight so I'm now having to sell it and buy a new one. Don't do it!
By all means buy the next size down, so a size 14, as motivation to get down to that. Then once you are a 14, buy some things in size 12. Finally when you are size 12, buy somethings in size 10. That way you aren't waiting for ages and ages to try and get down to the things you really want to wear.

But if you buy something at size 10 when you are size 16, chances are you've got a long wait, and you might actually find yourself getting fed up and depressed that it's taking so long.
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 6
Original post by PinkMobilePhone
By all means by the next size down, so a size 14, as motivation to get down to that. Then once you are a 14, buy some things in size 12. Finally when you are size 12, buy somethings in size 10. That way you aren't waiting for ages and ages to try and get down to the things you really want to wear.

But if you buy something at size 10 when you are size 16, chances are you've got a long wait, and you might actually find yourself getting fed up and depressed that it's taking so long.


Was going to pos rep, but out for today :wink:
Reply 7
I can totally sympathise with the OP!!.I was a size 10/12 a year ago then I quit smoking and went up to a size 16/18.I'm still that size now and I HATE it!!!.In the OPs situation I think I'd buy clothes in a size 14 as thats not so much pressure to get to that size where as a much smaller size would be imo.
Reply 8
I'd say it can be good motivation, but maybe just get it a size smaller so it seems a more attainable goal? Unless you're definitely sure you have the willpower to diet to a size 10.
Doing this did actually work for me though. Bought a dress a size smaller than what I was at the time, then slimmed down to fit in it. Although then I actually managed to lose more weight (mostly unintentionally), and now still can't wear the dress because its too big. It was such a nice dress too :sad:
Reply 9
Original post by Annie72
I can totally sympathise with the OP!!.I was a size 10/12 a year ago then I quit smoking and went up to a size 16/18.I'm still that size now and I HATE it!!!.In the OPs situation I think I'd buy clothes in a size 14 as thats not so much pressure to get to that size where as a much smaller size would be imo.


I'm not going to lie, I have been tempted to start smoking for that very reason.
I've yo-yo dieted a lot in the past as I was unhappy being a size 12-14... and then end up putting on a lot more weight than I'd lost. :frown:
I've hardly bought any clothes size my weight shot up, only ever buying the odd item from Primark and H&M because "I won't be this size for long". :rolleyes: :redface:
Reply 10
Original post by PinkMobilePhone
By all means buy the next size down, so a size 14, as motivation to get down to that. Then once you are a 14, buy some things in size 12. Finally when you are size 12, buy somethings in size 10. That way you aren't waiting for ages and ages to try and get down to the things you really want to wear.

But if you buy something at size 10 when you are size 16, chances are you've got a long wait, and you might actually find yourself getting fed up and depressed that it's taking so long.


Thanks. I did consider that, but the dress is £125, which would be too expensive for me to buy if I were to only be a size 14 long enough to wear it once.
:eek: Just seen your weight loss tracker. That's pretty impressive. (:
Original post by Anonymous
Thanks. I did consider that, but the dress is £125, which would be too expensive for me to buy if I were to only be a size 14 long enough to wear it once.
:eek: Just seen your weight loss tracker. That's pretty impressive. (:


ah I see - yeh that's expensive.

Thank you. It's taken a while though. 2 years 3 months to get from size 18 down to a size 10. That's why I said it might be disappointing to you to have to wait a while before you can fit into a size 10. I don't want you to get frustrated that it's not happening as quickly as you would like.
Reply 12
Original post by Anonymous
I'm not going to lie, I have been tempted to start smoking for that very reason.
I've yo-yo dieted a lot in the past as I was unhappy being a size 12-14... and then end up putting on a lot more weight than I'd lost. :frown:
I've hardly bought any clothes size my weight shot up, only ever buying the odd item from Primark and H&M because "I won't be this size for long". :rolleyes: :redface:



I too have thought about starting smoking again, but what happens if the weight doesnt come off?.Not only will I still be big,I'll also be addicted to the fags again :frown:.I think I'll keep trying to lose weight without the fags.
I bought a pair of size 12 shorts years and years ago when I was about 14 to try and spur me into losing weight. Never worked, and they got thrown into the back of the wardrobe.

Started losing weight from a size 22 last Jan, and would buy things one size smaller each time which provided brilliant motivation.

Found the size 12 shorts I'd had in my wardrobe for almost 8 years a few months back and they're TOO BIG. Waste of money ha ha.
Reply 14
I've done this when I was about a 16/14.. And I'm currently a size 18-20..
It doesn't work. I have very little to no motivation depending on what's going on in my life.
I'm currently trying to lose weight again. On day 2 today, and successfully chose an apple and a satsuma instead of a doughnut for breakfast.. but I won't be buying anything in a size smaller until I am a size smaller.

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