Bartering, Dieting and Spending Less

True Confessions...

Especially, now, when I don't have any income, I need to barter. A friend offered "altering" and the sewing of new clothes in exchange for my photography skills. Considering that I can't afford to buy new clothes, that's useful.

I just paid ns20, under $5 for fabric for a skirt. Thank G-d a lot of my clothes are getting too big on me. I just took out a bag of sweaters and blouses to give away. I've been told that the smaller, standard, one-size-fits-all are much less expensive than the "women's" larger size clothes.

There's a big problem in the proliferation of stores, designers and departments of fashionable "women's" clothes. It's now so easy to dress well when overweight and obese. It's too easy for sure.

It used to be almost impossible to find gorgeous clothes in large sizes. Now it isn't. I love the wardrobe I've built up over the years. I feel rather stupid saying that it "breaks my heart" to give away some of the clothes, but that's how I feel.

You can rack that up to the reason I was so ambivalent about dieting, trying to lose weight. I knew that a significant weight loss would necessitate a new wardrobe. I guess I sound sort of foolish and stupid saying this.

But I am thankful that the Start Fresh weight loss diet, which is not in any way one of those torture diets, has worked so effortlessly for me. It should G-d willing improve my health. Being a religious person, I do take it as a gift and message from G-d. It's funny that when I first signed up, I threw out for the application a number of pounds I needed to lose without even thinking or planning. Later investigation did show that it would leave me at a decent weight, within the recommended. I'm now almost half-way there. And I've started a Diet Support Group. I do it as a volunteer at this point. Maybe that will be my new profession, but I must lose more weight first.

It's almost 8:30am. On with my day!