Is it just me?!
I go through a cycle. The frequency may change from a couple of weeks, to around a month, or if I’m lucky, to several months. But it always repeats, giving me emotional highs and lows, but more often … motivation.
I have three size groupings of jeans in my closet. Smallest. Comfy. Upper End.
Smallest are the ones that I feel my best in. I walk differently in them. I just feel good in them. They are my reward for responsibly eating and exercising.
Comfy are the ones that are a size or so larger than the Smallest. I wear these sometimes when I haven’t done the laundry of the Smallest. I wear these sometimes when I feel monthly bloating. I wear these sometimes when I start to slip from diligently eating well and exercising. I am ok with Comfy … well, some of the time, but wish that I was wearing Smallest.
Upper End. Well, let’s be honest. These are the fat day(s) jeans, several sizes larger than Smallest. They are the ‘warning bell jeans’. I can’t get rid of them, because one way or another, one day or another, I still need them in my closet. “Life” happens. “Well just one more because it’s the holidays” happens. Falling off of the fitness goal wagon happens. Usually “Better take charge of this situation soon” happens shortly thereafter. If I have to buy jeans larger than these, well, that’s a whole other conversation…
Reaching into my closet each day (as I wear jeans most days), I look at the available assortment of clean, folded jeans. I don’t have to look at the pocket, or the label. I know which size they are by the color of the stitching, shade of blue or black or the texture. It never fails. The size grouping that I am currently wearing is usually at low inventory levels, which leads to conversations in my head.
Sometimes it goes like this —
“Dang. Those would look really great with this outfit … but I think they are too small and will force a muffin top to appear. Best to avoid that …”
Sometimes it goes like this —
“It’s OK. I feel better in these Comfy jeans. Besides, the Smallest are all dirty.”
Inevitably, it goes like this —
“Oh, man. All I’ve got left are the Upper End Limit jeans. Time to do laundry!” Secretly inside, however, I know that by putting these on, I will feel good. Synching up the waist with a belt may not enhance the outfit, but it will make me feel good that I am maintaining my goals, even with “life” happening.
Every once in a while, it goes like this –
“Red alert!! Red alert!! Geez. Do these really fit?!? When did that happen? …. Oh, yeah. There haven’t been as many fitness clothes in the laundry lately … Time to reset.”
So as frustrating as it can be to ride the roller coaster of multiple jeans sizes, I take solace in the following:
I am thankful to be healthy. I am thankful to have a supportive fitness community that encourages me to exercise and eat well. I am thankful to sometimes be able to wear Smallest jeans.
I don’t think that I’m the only one …
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