Monday, July 20, 2015

Weighing In: Living With The Constant Weight Changes From Prednisone And Other Steroids

Throughout my life, starting around the age of 12, I have been off and on steroids for my various medical conditions.  Because of this, my weight is always changing and thus my wardrobe is in constant flux.  This can also make maintaining a cute wardrobe difficult, as what pieces you can fit into are also constantly changing.  This post is all about giving you a few tips on how to handle your wardrobe with constantly changing weight and keep everything organized and ready to go!

First off, when your weight changes a lot it is not a good idea to get rid of clothing because chances are you are going to need them again(especially if your chronic illness is very active), even if you think you are going to be a certain weight for awhile.  I have given away tons of nice clothing, thinking I was done with steroids and would be my non-prednisone self for a long time.  Sadly, this was not the best idea as a few months later I was on prednisone again and gained some weight, and was back to having nothing to wear. Doing this a few times, I have learned that when you have a chronic illness and are on a lot of steroids and/or are constantly going up and down on those steroids, throwing away clothing of ANY size is a huge no no. Saving your clothes and putting away ones that don't fit you can help you be prepared for when you may need them again.  This is key to not only being confident with your wardrobe but also not breaking the bank with a new wardrobe every few months.

Another way to make life easier is to have bins and have them labeled by size.  Then place all of your clothes you can't wear at the moment in the appropriate boxes according to size. This will make finding clothes you need when your weight changes easier AND your closet won't be a mess, full of clothes you can't wear at the moment. Whatever size is the one you need at the moment is what you fill your closet with and all the other are stored out of the way!  (NOTE: As a female it is also important to have a few different bra sizes. Whenever I have weight changes the first place I gain or lose is in the chest, and a bra that is the right fit is important.  ALSO, having Crohn's, sometimes it is better to wear a bra that is slightly larger as this can be a lot more comfortable.)

Lastly, a good way to not break the bank when needing new clothes is to check out large thrift stores. Take a look around and be sure to try on everything if that thrift store has a fitting room.  This is always good when funds are tight, because if something ends up not fitting a few months later you did not spend a small fortune on replacing your wardrobe.  With thrift stores it is important to look through everything, because that is the way you find the really cute stuff!

Keeping your clothes, keeping them organized, and having a variety of sizes and types of clothing can really make steroid related weight changes easier to handle.  When you feel like you don't have control over your body it can be devastating, but the key to fighting through that is find solutions to make YOU feel confident. There are a lot of ways to look amazing at any size, and in future post I plan to go into more detail about what types of clothes are best at different sizes.  Having gone from 105 lbs. to 185 lbs. then back down to 110 lbs. in the course of two years has forced me to be creative and really learn what makes me feel beautiful ,and how I can fight against insecurities by looking for solutions to the problems that cause those very insecurities. If anyone else has any tips they want to share please share them in the comments below!

Stay Beautiful!

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