It happened seemingly overnight… though thinking back, it was a long time coming. Choosing looser fit clothing, leggings, long t-shirts, scarves, cozy sweaters… it’s been a long time since I ‘felt’ like wearing those jeans..the skinny pair. That lace blouse looks tiny, how on Earth did I ever fit in that?
Then it occurred to me.
I gained weight.
The truth is, I’ve never been one of those people who could eat anything with immunity. I wasn’t a skinny kid, a tiny teen, and any amount of thinness is a result of a consciously healthy diet and purposeful exercise. As an adult, it’s never been quite consistent, I’ve gone through skinny times and curvy times.
Happiness has never directly corresponded to my dress size, never. Though I’ve generally been happy… there were times at my thinnest, I’ve suffered from depression, and times at my curviest I’ve suffered depression. So why the freak out over not fitting into a dress or a pair of jeans? It may well be five or ten pounds…you might not even notice, but I feel it, and it does effect self-image when clothes don’t fit right, I don’t think I don’t look as good, and self-consciousness starts to seep in.
Is freaking out over five-ten pounds a bad thing? There are two camps on this, some people think it’s better to accept yourself no matter what your size is, and others think if you nip that five pounds in the bud, you won’t gain twenty.
I usually try to do a little of both, and talking with several women on the subject, I have to wonder if tough love is better, or it’s best to take things easy. Everyone seems to be pretty split on this one… so what do you think?
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I’m one of those gals who has to watch it in order to keep in shape too. I was a chubby kid, skinny pre-teen (a fluke, considering how much fast food I ate!), chubby teen, and average adult. I admit, I did suffer from pretty bad anorexia at one point in my early 20s (ironically, being super skinny meant I was a depressed, angry little shrew), which I have thankfully gotten under control. But I still like to keep in shape and eat right! For me, it’s more about keeping the “eating disorder demons” at bay by working out regularly (4 times a week, and I don’t kill myself over it!) and eating a relatively healthy diet, so that when I do start to feel a bit like I’m putting on a few pounds I can keep myself from freaking out because I’ve already got the cornerstones in place of being healthy.
But, at the same time, I’m trying to find a healthy medium where I don’t freak out or beat myself up mentally (a much harder proposition) if I put on some weight. Mostly because (as I try to remind myself): I know how to take it back off (healthily; like cutting back on sweets or adding an extra 10 minutes to my workout). Or, I just try and realize that my body is in constant fluctuation; I actually would not be surprised if it’s changing a bit since I’m hitting my mid twenties.
Sometimes, I think that when we start to feel a bit “chubby”, it’s our bodies way of telling us that a little extra physical activity (or better eating–depending on what I’ve been lazy about) would be *healthy* and a way to shake us out of our wintertime funks.
Anyway, I know I’ve rambled. lol. I think your gorgeous no matter what size you are, Jennine!
♥ Casey
blog | elegantmusings.com
.-= Casey´s last blog ..sweet tea in the afternoon =-.
I go on a “diet” but don’t stress to much on it, I mean mostly when a little weight surprises me it means I’ve been eating waaaay too much nutella and not doing enough exercise, so a little extra walking and less nutella (or other sweets can never give them up entirely) is enough, control is good otherwise if you just buy new clothes one day would realize you’ve turned to size 22
.-= M´s last blog ..Muse =-.
If I have put on a bit of weight (or lost it) and think that it’s just tempoary I put it back in the closet and wait. If it’s more permanent I give it to charity.
If I notice that my clothes have suddenly gotten tight it is usually because of water weight. My size tends to fluctuate a bit. But, if I had nothing in my closet that fit properly I’d really be worried. I tend to keep a range of sizes and have lots of items that fit loosely (and look nice in a relaxed way) but are also super comfy if I’m bloated (bleh). Paying attention to how your clothes fit is a way better way to watch out for weight gain (or appreciate weight loss) than stalking the scale.
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