For many years now, I’ve been blogging here at Sadie Seasongoods about my love of secondhand shopping and upcycling projects. But, I’ve come to a crossroads in my life that has to do with something very personal and not something I typically ever address: my weight and my health. And even though my blog is has been completely focused on upcycling ideas for thrifted or vintage treasures, I want my weight loss journey to fit in with my blog’s tagline:
Living a Firsthand Life using Secondhand Things
Why is that important to me? Because I really do want to talk the talk and walk the walk, so to speak. And if I’m encouraging others to shop secondhand whenever possible, then I need to follow suit.
And if I plan to lose a significant amount of weight, then I will be going through a lot of sizes of clothing. And used clothing / thrift store clothes will play a SIGNIFICANT role in my life – more so than ever before.
Not only do I have limited funds to spend during this process, but if I’m changing sizes periodically, then I don’t want to be wasteful in my spending.
But first, let me tell you a little about my current situation and how I got here in the first place.
My Weight Loss Journey
Before my weight loss journey can even begin, I have to take a hard but careful look at how I got to be in the shape I’m in.
And that shape is short, round, and tired.
For nearly 15 years, I worked a typical white-collar corporate job that involved, well, a lot of sitting. Hours upon hours of sitting – at a desk, at my computer, in meetings, on conference calls, even on airplanes just to do MORE SITTING at my destination.
And the fact of the matter is, sitting is the new smoking…when it comes to our health.
Between all of the sitting and my (historically) general apathy towards regular exercise really added up. In pounds. IN LOTS AND LOTS OF POUNDS.
I’m 5′ tall and weigh well over 200 pounds. Sorry for being vague with that number, but I’m simply too ashamed to type it out. Just know that it’s well over 200 and that’s a LOT more than is considered healthy for my frame.
Irony of ironies, I was laid off from my corporate job in August of 2017. Even though I started my blog in 2013, I finally had the chance to work on it full time. But guess what?
THERE IS STILL A LOT OF SITTING FOR A SELF-EMPLOYED BLOGGER.
Maybe less than before, but still a lot of computer work (writing posts, editing photos, working on my social media footprint). And despite having a LOT more flexibility and time, I have still failed to address my weight.
And for those that know me may be curious how losing weight has anything to do with my blog about upcycling, thrifting, and living a firsthand life using secondhand things. Well, funny you should ask…
How does Thrifting Fit Into My Weight Loss Journey?
Up until now, whenever I’ve shopped for thrift store clothes, it’s been for an upcycling idea…one that often involves a flannel shirt from the men’s department.
To be honest, I never really shop for used clothing at thrift stores to actually wear. I mean, when you’re a plus sized woman, clothing shopping isn’t exactly a favorite past time (at least it hasn’t been for me).
On top of that? Thrift stores rarely host a nice selection of plus size clothing (or big and tall clothing for men). If they do, they’re often mixed in with the “normal” sized clothing, which is just depressing.
So, I plan to chronicle my weight loss journey in a way that sensibly connects to my blog. Instead of focusing on pounds lost, minutes of cardio, or the intake of calories, I will look at this through a thrifting lens:
- Shopping for thrift store clothes during weight loss;
- Refashioning used clothing for my changing body (i.e., sewing projects!); and
- Secondhand-related exercise (more on that later).
My Weight Loss Journey – Let’s Do This!
Maybe this is a crazy idea and I don’t expect many people to see or read this. In fact, for the time being, these “Secondhand Slim Down” blog posts will not be emailed to subscribers. However, if you want to be alerted when I publish a new post about my weight loss journey, please leave me a comment or send me an email. I can always create a separate mailing list for these specific posts.
Anyway…this is me: Sarah of Sadie Seasongoods… 43 years old… and weighing well over 200 pounds. Nope, still can’t type out that exact number.
This is a professional photo taken of me at a favorite thrift store when I was interviewed by a local photographer.
Photos never lie, do they?
How about I make a deal with you guys? If I can lose…let’s say 75 pounds…I’ll hire the same photographer to take new photos of me. Maybe even at the same thrift store!
And it may take a couple of years for me to do that, but if I can do it (or come close), I’ll definitely pay for equally pretty photos of a definitely slimmer me.
Thank you for reading this new blog series of mine. By doing this, I hope to not only stay accountable and on track, but to bring comfort to anyone else out there who is ashamed of their body or weight-related health. I am not a doctor or medical professional in any capacity, so everything I blog about during my weight loss journey is simply my own opinion and experience. Please consult a medical or health professional before beginning a weight loss program or for medical related questions.
Keep on keepin’ on,
S
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Sarah Ramberg is the owner of Sadie Seasongoods, a website that celebrates all things secondhand. From upcycling ideas and thrifted decor to vintage-centric travel itineraries, Sadie Seasongoods is a one-stop shop for anyone who loves thrifting and approachable repurposing ideas. Sarah is also the author of “Crafting with Flannel” and has been featured in numerous media outlets and magazines.
I’m trying to cut back as well. The MyFitnessPal app has helped in making better choices. Looking forward to hearing about your journey!
Thank you, Betsy!
I think talking about your weight loss efforts is such a good thing. You will help inspire others in the same situation. If you put the same creative style to your thrift store clothing finds as you do your decorating, your posts may start a brand new trend or even open up a new blog niche, plus find a whole new audience for your blog. I love everything you do! Go for it!
I tried to leave this comment when reading your blog post on my iPhone, but the Akismet mention was covering the bottom portion of the comment area and I could not leave you a comment. I had to go to my laptop.
Sorry about that issue you had on mobile, Diane, but thank you for letting me know!!
Thanks for being BRAVE and sharing this post! I wish you all the best on your journey and look forward to seeing your “Secondhand Slim Down”!
Thank you, Channy!
I think it’s very brav to post about your Journey, here. I wish you much success and perseverance. I keep my fingers crossed for you!
Thank you so much, Daniela!
Please add me to your weight loss emails.
Will do, Carol- thank you!
You are a determined and strong woman! You can do this!
Thank you SO, so much!
You go girl! I have been working on my weight for years, sometimes with purpose, and lots of times without success as I just don’t do what I KNOW I need to do. But, I have shopped thrift for clothes a lot, lucky that one of the shops here puts the petite plus in a section of its own. I did best in a Petite Large, until the last year when now a Petite medium is the best fit. If you are only 5 ft, you might look at that if you can. I follow you on bloglovin, so I’ll see your weight journey posts. Maybe you will inspire me to get back on my journey a bit more seriously.
That’s awesome, Carole- and thank you!
Hey Sarah,
I’ve been following your blog for about 2 years and love all that you share with us all.
I see a very pretty woman who is looking to get health, more than anything else.
I found that I had been mistaking thirst for hunger, so drink a glass of water first.
Play some music while do stuff around the house and dance as you go.
A little saying I keep in my head which I read once ~
“Nothing taste better than what thin Feels”.
You Go Girl!!
Thank you so, so much, Rosann, I really appreciate it!
Congrats for taking this big, important step! I confess that I need to do so as well. I’d like to receive your slim down blog emails as well. I hope it will inspire me to start my own reduction. 🙂
Will do, and thank you so much!
Wishing you the best on your journey, Sarah! Good for you! I often shop for thrift store clothes…found three tops today! I look forward to following along with you!
Thank you so very much, Linda! It’s SO MUCH MORE NERVE WRACKING to blog about this than a project, LOL.
Wishing you all the best on this journey and looking forward to hearing all about it too.
Thank you, Hope!
My journey included bariatric surgery. Dieting didn’t work for me. My surgery had some problems with it which kept me in the hospital for 115 days. {That’s why I’m just seeing this entry now.} I wouldn’t change a thing. My wife had it right before I did, but a different procedure, and she had no trouble. It’s nice when we were finally about to put our arms around each other and clasp our own hands! You go girl! I am going to be happy to follow you and your journey. BTW I am 5’6″, and at my heaviest was 365. I’ve lost over 100 pounds so far, and I have the potential to lose more. Best wishes to you, Sarah.
That’s amazing, Fonda, and I’m so happy for both you and Katie!
You can DO THIS!
I am glad that you are doing this for yourself and your health. I have always admired your blog, and your great eye and mad creative skills. When I thrift, WWSSD (What Would Sadie Seasongoods Do??) runs through my head all the time,and if I ever win the lottery, I would love to apprentice under you in hope that some of that creativity would rub off . I wish you well!!
I love, love, love that – and thank you so much! I just want to be able to keep up with the life I really want to lead!
Love your styling and would love to follow your new journey – I thrift for seconds and recycle/modify clothes as I find it a bonus in not having to wear new fabrics in and usually no-one else is wearing what I’m wearing.
Sarah the needle and thread have also become my best friends. There is simply no point to buying new clothes every time you go down a size number. I totally get that. Again, good luck to you and slow and steady will get you there!
Thanks, Mary!
I want to be part of your slim-down posts! Please add me!
Thanks, Julie – and will do! I can go a couple of weeks (or more) between posts, so no worries if you don’t see anything for a bit!
Add me to your email list to chronical your weight loss journey. See my post on your 3rd installment.
Sarah, I would also like to be added!
Thanks, Susan- done! And don’t fret if you don’t see any emails from me about this series for a while…I post weight loss blog posts a lot less frequently than my normal posts!
I think there are many other women who would be equally interested in your journey. It’s a really hard call to make and we all need to know we are not alone. The first step is the hardest but each day after gets a teeny bit easier. I would love to follow along with you so please add me to your email list. We all can use the support and encouragement from one another.
Thank you, Sheila! I sincerely appreciate it and have added you to the separate mailing list. I’ve written five blog posts about my progress so far, and you can find them all here (if you’re interested): https://www.sadieseasongoods.com/category/secondhand-slim-down/
I stumbled onto #5. So now I am at the beginning. Best of luck to you!!
Thank you, Janet!! It’s easy to end up seeing the most recent update first, but I sincerely appreciate you going back to the beginning!
Don’t know how I missed this original blog but I would love to know how you are doing, and what you are doing. A slow but steady weight gain has been a monkey on my back–no my hips! Thanx for sharing your journey with us!
Hi, Kathy! I actually didn’t send these out to my subscriber list, which is why you may not have seen them. As I’m sure you saw at the bottom of each post (I think there are 7 weight loss posts in the series so far?), I’m keeping a separate subscriber list for these. Thank you so much!