End of July, only one more month to go! It’s intimidating to post after more virtuous dieters. Far less stellar has my year been. After swearing off not only clothes, but shoes and purses as well, I made a few purchases. All were intentional, not impulse buys. In April, I bought a new dress, shoes, and bag for my son’s May wedding. (We did not know he was marrying during the TGAAD until well into it.) This summer, I replaced my black and white tanks that had become unwearable, and a pair of jeans. I am a horribly messy cook and clumsy eater, and that has been the bane of my TGAAD. I don’t know what it is about me and irremovable grease stains on shirts… and what IS that on the back of my pants?! I should live my life in a lobster bib, better yet, a black Hefty bag! At home, I have learned to (almost) always wear an apron when I cook, and when I eat–but to pull an apron out of my tote at a restaurant would certainly garner strange looks. Also, I should NEVER be allowed to eat in a car! Even without shopping for myself, I did end up with new clothes. My mother was determined that I would have some new things for Christmas, my birthday, etc., but most of those replaced basics, so that’s not so bad.
Reflecting on Sally’s earlier question about who we told about the diet, the answer really is “it depends.” Not everyone, nor no one. I told some of my family, a few close friends, and one or two acquaintances. The reactions varied; the people I know best were very supportive. They expect me to do odd things! My husband and teenage sons were terrific and accompanied me (when it was necessary to go) to the mall so that I would not “get distracted.” Bless their hearts, they hate shopping! I was surprised at the reaction of acquaintances. They were usually along the lines of, “Are you crazy?” “What are you thinking?” And even one, “That’s bad for the economy!” Not one person asked “Why?” By the way, I think the economy was doing fine without me, because the few times I went to the mall for gifts, the parking lot was jammed.
All said, the past near-year has been far less painful than expected, but I am looking forward to picking up a few things come September 1. My husband asked me if I was going to go crazy in September, and was surprised to hear that my number-one-to-buy item is: padded bike shorts for spinning. I have kept a wish list for the past year, and have learned as much from that as from the diet itself. Almost all my “must haves” were crossed off (usually) before the next season arrived, many even earlier. Workout gear was never listed before; it was just a “gimme.”
That has been the problem all along. It’s all been “Ooh, gimme!” Thoughtless buying. The diet has changed my attitude toward shopping, and made me more thoughtful about what I want to purchase. Even the word purchase sounds more intentional than buy. I certainly don’t think about fashion or clothing any less; I still get dressed daily, and I want it to be fun! I am already thought-full about buying, now I want to be thoughtful about it as well.
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