Monday, January 28, 2013

Perspective

There's been several great posts on perspective from blogger friends lately, and I thought I'd add my lighthearted post to the mix...

Diet happiness is:  Putting on a pair of pants and realizing that they are finally too big.  Oh the thrill of knowing that you've lose so much weight that your pants don't fit - I never got tired of it!  And considering that I was busting out of my size 24s when I started my diet, I had LOTS of thrilling moments on my way down.

Maintenance happiness is:  Putting on a pair of pants from a different season and having them still fit.  I'll be honest - every time I pull a pair of pants out from my closet that I haven't worn in months, I have the fear that they will be too small.  It's not entirely unfounded, considering that it used to be my norm for too many years.  But this fall I pulled out my jeans from last year and they fit - whew!  And last week I pulled out my capris from last summer (it was warm enough to need them) and they fit!  Not only did they fit, but they were really comfortable...I won't go so far as to say they were loose, but they felt very good.  Wow!

Diet happiness is:  Trying on clothes and discovering that you are a new, smaller size.  After being stuck in the largest size tops that Lane Bryant carried, it was incredible to fit into smaller sizes - and eventually, "undergrow" all the clothes in the plus-size stores!

Maintenance happiness is:  Staying the same size.  I recently went shopping for some sweaters - and even though I know I'm almost always a medium, I grabbed size large to try on.  They fit, and looked OK.  I walked around the store with those sweaters, ready to buy them, when I finally forced myself to try on the medium sizes.  They fit much better and I felt great in them.  Sometimes, I still can't get over that I'm not getting bigger.  I'm the same size today that I was six months ago, and a year ago, and two years ago.  Maintenance...so this is what it's like!

Diet happiness is:  Seeing your reflection in a store window, not recognizing the thinner person staring back at you...and being thrilled when you realize that it's YOU.

Maintenance happiness is:  Seeing your reflection in a store window, recognizing that you are the thinner person staring back at you, and still being thrilled.  And I hope I never lose the excitement of being this new me.

22 comments:

  1. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE THIS POST!

    About the size thing, I bought a new winter coat last Saturday because my old own had a broken zipper. And I immediately took the size my old coat had and it was too big. Indeed a great feeling that I could buy a smaller size.

    Capri's? Girl if I had worn capri's last week I would miss two legs right now because they would have frozen off LOL Funny how different the weather can be where you and I live, right?

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    1. Woohoo, congrats on having to buy a smaller sized coat!!! Happy day, indeed! :)

      I have to say, capri weather here, in January, felt strange...but it was 80 degrees and I was sweating like a fool in my jeans, so I caved.

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  2. "being thrilled when you realize it's you"
    YES
    THIS
    in all all all aspects of life.

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  3. Awesome post Shelley! What a wonderfully positive way to start your week. Hugs!

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  4. So good! This week I am enjoying some of that diet happiness along with my 'normal' maintenance happiness. My pants were too big yesterday!

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    1. What a great combination! Congrats on the pants!!!

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  5. This post is exactly why we need maintenance bloggers! The rest of us need to be reminded of the happiness that can be found during the process as well as the lasting happiness of maintenance!

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  6. This is such an awesome post! I get the same way pulling out clothes from last season. Even if my weight hasn't changed, I always hold my breath a bit thinking the clothes won't fit!

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    1. Good to hear I'm not alone with those "will it still fit" moments...wonder if they will ever go away?

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  7. What a fantastic post Shelley!!! Thank you so much for your wisdom and perspective. And for introducing me to a new word "undergrow"! Love it. Have a great Monday.

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  8. I can't wait til that's me! I'm on the way down now, so I'm experiencing the everything is new on me and it's FUN... I will love getting to the stage you are at! :-)

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  9. Definitely keep getting excited about this! You've worked so hard, so you should be so proud of all you've accomplished every time you catch a glimpse of yourself in the mirror.

    Someone recently took a picture of me that I totally didn't recognize as me, and it is a pretty cool feeling. In my experience, any time it stopped being exciting that I was a smaller size is when I started letting things go a little, and backsliding, so I hope that I keep thinking it's cool too :)

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  10. I stumbled across your blog recently and LOVED it :)You have such a happy vibe about you and a great smile :) Following you already :)

    Loved today's post. Its really motivating to read about life on the other side of fence ;)

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  11. I agree with every point! Really enjoy your blog. Thank you!

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  12. Love love love love this! You always manage to remind me WHY I want to get my act together and get the weight gone -- and why maintenance is the goal, not the loss itself.

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