It's a slog, but patience pays off

withervein

I keep seeing more and more posts about spot reducing and "how exactly do I get _(insert very specific goal here)_ FAST?" lately and I wanted to share this.

Saturday I bought three pairs of size ten dress pants. Last year at this time I was in size 16s. Today I am wearing a shirt I had custom tailored in Thailand 4 years ago that I haven't been able to wear for the past three years fear of busting buttons.

I've only had a net loss of around 20-25 pounds. I'm pretty much at my original goal weight, so I lowered it to go from "I'm happy with this" to "Now let's see if I can be a rock star". If I don't get to "rock star" status, I will still be happy because holy crap I am IN THIS SHIRT!

What I really want to say is this:

Keep on trucking toward your goal, but try to forget the particulars of your goal for a while.

I was the most upset with myself while I had a scale. I felt like crying when I tried to put on that shirt every month and it wouldn't go. Once I found the fun in my exercise, I wanted to do it every day. Once I started cooking delicious lean meals, I didn't feel the need to pre-calculate everything into my diary and I enjoyed them more. I just logged them in the evening, and if I was over by a bit once in a while, I let it be okay. I probably needed that beer more than I needed the fraction of an ounce I could have lost a week earlier.

And while I wasn't looking, something amazing happened. The belly fat roll is minimal, the muffin top is gone--even in the brand new size 10 pants that i still feel almost inappropriate wearing. I can't wait for skirt weather. I am starting to really "get" the form for a roundhouse kick. I can almost taste the first pull up.

The best part, I'm more proud of my near-pull up than the number in the waistband of these pants.

deanaimee

Love this!! Good job

annathelu

This is great to hear for you, and it's very inspiring! I think you're correct that we become slaves to our scales and sizes (that aren't even uniform) in clothing. What's been good for me to remember is that our bodies change with things like childbirth, etc., and just because I might not fit into a particular size doesn't mean you aren't going strong at learning the right ways to eat and take care of yourself.

brandyosu

Thanks for sharing some inspiration! It's so easy to get focused on the prize sometimes. But like you, I actually enjoy exercising (I do NOT enjoy getting up early to do it, though!). And congrats on those size 10s!