Weight Loss Struggles: Buying Bigger Jeans Sucks

Last updated on January 22nd, 2019 at 02:08 pm

Weight loss goals never end. There is no magic switch that says “I am now this size” and all is right in the world happily ever after.

The scale can be an evil necessity to check your progress. It’s definitely been a love/hate relationship for me over the last 3 years. Last year I recommended you kill your scale and there is a benefit to putting them in a closet somewhere.

Pay attention to how you feel, how clothes are fitting.

Clothes will start getting loose. This is the greatest feeling! The excitement that that pair jeans is now not only easy to button, but has an overlap? Loose clothes are a perfect way to show your progress.

When they start falling down on their own, it’s time to go shopping.

It was about a month after I got my layoff notice this year that it dawned on me that my jeans were cutting me in half. I knew they were feeling tight – tighter than usual – when I put them on. But a couple hours into my work day and they were cutting into my hips so badly I had to unbutton.

Glad I was wearing a longer shirt and jacket.

When those clothes start getting tight again with weight loss struggles, it sucks.

A few hours later that same day I had a chance to reflect and realize that yes, the scale had been creeping up along with my stress level. My waist size went with it. I had to give in and buy a larger pair of jeans.

You would think I would have kept a few pairs around after going through 12 different sizes during my weight loss. Nope. I had donated everything but my largest pair to remind me how far I had come.

The goal is still to never be back there. This is just a small set back.

Even a little backslide during weight loss struggles feels like failure.

I went to Old Navy to grab a pair of the style I knew I liked. Shopping there is fairly easy and less expensive when you are going through sizes regularly. Of course the last thing I wanted to do was to buy a larger size.

Standing in front of the wall of denim I narrowed down the options. Here’s the style, there’s the dark wash I like, and now to find a couple sizes to try on.

Have you noticed no matter what size you are, there are rarely the exact style choices available when you need it?

I picked 1 size up from what I squeezed into from home, and another size up from that, just to be pragmatic. Never mind the fact that this was the least enjoyable shopping excursion I had been on in a long time.

Weight loss struggles tip: The lighting in dressing rooms is evil.

I started with the jeans that were 1 size up. In typical fashion, or fashions typical torture, they fit everywhere but the waist. After age 40 I just can’t bring myself to allow any “muffin top” situation. It’s not great at any age, but that’s my opinion.

The pair that was 2 sizes larger got the waist alright, but had a bit of a saggy butt situation. Not enough to be a deal breaker. Particularly since there was no grabbing around the waist. I could breathe and there was no muffin in sight.

I found my stand in temporary jeans. Now I could focus on getting back into the pile waiting for me at home.

This size of jeans is not the end of the world.

What it came down to was a reality check. I knew the scale had been going up. I was quite aware my eating sucked. There’s only so long you can squeeze into an uncomfortable situation before you know something needs to change.

If you want to read more about dealing with the scale moving up, read my post this week on Fitness Challenge Online “Weight Loss Goals are Only the Beginning”.

Did you give yourself a weight loss struggle reality check this week?

Heather Montgomery
Go get your fit on

 

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