A Tale of Two Red Dresses.
mogletdeluxe
Posts: 623 Member
Happy New Year, folks. Welcome to the month of Mondays that is otherwise known as January.
I don't know about you, but this time of year can take a running jump as far as I'm concerned. Coughs and colds, drizzle, post-festive comedown, and generally that awful perpetual morning-after-the-night-before that comes after a party season. FUN FUN FUN and then...oh. Real life.
Pile that on top of the general festive impact on eating and exercise habits and it's pretty rubbish. I'm just looking forward to having three meals a day, rather than adding mince pies as a new food group. And thank God the gym is open again - I came awfully close to camping outside and offering leftover roast dinner for a spell on the treadmill. Goodness knows what I would have done for a session in the free weights section.
Anyway. Like so many other peeps at this time of year, I stepped on the scale this morning and rolled my eyes a little. Yes, a little partying pudge. Nothing major - 2lb gain - but it was more the way I felt. Lethargic, sluggish, tired. Days that would normally be spent kicking my own behind in the gym were joyfully spent catching up with old friends and the associated munchie goodness. And I wouldn't be without them, but it's the equivalent of waking up in the morning with your head pounding and wondering who you let inside you the night before. Reeeeally wish you'd kept a bit more control over things. And, if you're anything like me, a Catholic guilt to rival all others descends and you're tempted to smash the glass digital scale and carve apologies into your skin.
So. I decided to do what I always do when I have one of my scale freak outs (they're less frequent these days, but occasional rear their ugly head). I decided to dig out photos from a year ago.
My zumba class has an annual (duh) Christmas party. Much food, drink and merriment ensues.
In 2011, I had lost the majority of the weight I had set out to lose. I was feeling damn good. I treated myself to a va-va-voom red dress for the party and felt comfortable, proud and a bit foxy (God bless you, Gok Wan for Sainsburys). The dress was a UK size 14 - a size I'd not been since I was actually 14. I saw the photos afterwards and was incredibly happy with them. I weighed just under 150lb back then.
In 2012, I went balls to the wall festive. Short, red, sequinned, sparkly. Nowhere to hide. A real 'look at me' dress, which for someone who would happily be not-so-little-black-dress wallflower in the past was no mean feat. The dress was a UK size 10. I saw the photos afterwards and was quietly proud. I saw a fit, toned, happy looking girl. I weighed about 7lb less than the same time in 2011.
I think we - and I plonk myself right in the middle of that 'we' - sometimes need to remember that the scale isn't the be all and end all. I know there are many posts on the subject - most much more coherent and less brainfarty than this one! - but this is a particularly scale-centric time of year, and bloody miserable enough as it is. So.
Progress photos; the tape measure; clothes; how bangin' your calf muscles look. All much more loyal friends than that treacherous digital square in the corner of the bathroom.
2011, around 150lb
2012, around 142lb
I don't know about you, but this time of year can take a running jump as far as I'm concerned. Coughs and colds, drizzle, post-festive comedown, and generally that awful perpetual morning-after-the-night-before that comes after a party season. FUN FUN FUN and then...oh. Real life.
Pile that on top of the general festive impact on eating and exercise habits and it's pretty rubbish. I'm just looking forward to having three meals a day, rather than adding mince pies as a new food group. And thank God the gym is open again - I came awfully close to camping outside and offering leftover roast dinner for a spell on the treadmill. Goodness knows what I would have done for a session in the free weights section.
Anyway. Like so many other peeps at this time of year, I stepped on the scale this morning and rolled my eyes a little. Yes, a little partying pudge. Nothing major - 2lb gain - but it was more the way I felt. Lethargic, sluggish, tired. Days that would normally be spent kicking my own behind in the gym were joyfully spent catching up with old friends and the associated munchie goodness. And I wouldn't be without them, but it's the equivalent of waking up in the morning with your head pounding and wondering who you let inside you the night before. Reeeeally wish you'd kept a bit more control over things. And, if you're anything like me, a Catholic guilt to rival all others descends and you're tempted to smash the glass digital scale and carve apologies into your skin.
So. I decided to do what I always do when I have one of my scale freak outs (they're less frequent these days, but occasional rear their ugly head). I decided to dig out photos from a year ago.
My zumba class has an annual (duh) Christmas party. Much food, drink and merriment ensues.
In 2011, I had lost the majority of the weight I had set out to lose. I was feeling damn good. I treated myself to a va-va-voom red dress for the party and felt comfortable, proud and a bit foxy (God bless you, Gok Wan for Sainsburys). The dress was a UK size 14 - a size I'd not been since I was actually 14. I saw the photos afterwards and was incredibly happy with them. I weighed just under 150lb back then.
In 2012, I went balls to the wall festive. Short, red, sequinned, sparkly. Nowhere to hide. A real 'look at me' dress, which for someone who would happily be not-so-little-black-dress wallflower in the past was no mean feat. The dress was a UK size 10. I saw the photos afterwards and was quietly proud. I saw a fit, toned, happy looking girl. I weighed about 7lb less than the same time in 2011.
I think we - and I plonk myself right in the middle of that 'we' - sometimes need to remember that the scale isn't the be all and end all. I know there are many posts on the subject - most much more coherent and less brainfarty than this one! - but this is a particularly scale-centric time of year, and bloody miserable enough as it is. So.
Progress photos; the tape measure; clothes; how bangin' your calf muscles look. All much more loyal friends than that treacherous digital square in the corner of the bathroom.
2011, around 150lb
2012, around 142lb
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Replies
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Gorgeous!0
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You look amazing! Also soooo jealous of that second pic dress!0
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Fabulous!
Do you write a blog? If not, you should consider it. Your writing style is interesting, fun, and easy to read.0 -
Oh how i have missed you bootiful lady!! fabulous and well said x x x x :flowerforyou:0
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Looking good Mrs. Your dresses look fabulous on you, you can really see the tone and definition. I had a sequin dress once, but I got scratches all up my arms - by the end of the night I looked like a serious self harmer!
... I am back to MFP and although still hacking up a lung, ready to go for it in the New Year. One of the first stops is your profile and writings because they are always so motivational. Lets do this shizz!0 -
Thank you all so much
marathon_mama - thank you! I do, but I don't update it anywhere near as often as I should. http://russianweightsandsmallerplates.wordpress.com
FAF - these were GIANT sequins and therefore somehow non-scratchy. However, I did shed sequins all over the bloody shop, like a sort of camp Gretel. And welcome back - kick the crap out of 2013
xxx0 -
wow ... impressive ! happy new year0
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Great job, congrats! I love the sparkley dress, you look beautiful! 0
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Awesome! Kudos on your success!0
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http://russianweightsandsmallerplates.wordpress.com --> "add to favorites"0
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Wow! Nice work!0
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You look fantastic! You can really see in the second pic how good you feel in that dress!0
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You are too cute and too funny!! Great job.0
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wow!
the difference is amazing!
and i loved the whole post!0 -
Great work and dedication. Well done you.0
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Wow, look at you! You look great 0
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What a bloody marvellous post! You look fabulous and very much prove the point that the digital square is evil, very well done and continue with what you're doing as it obviously works! Marvellous! :drinker: :drinker: :drinker:0
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So glad I took the time to read this!!! You are so funny and true to the core.
You looked great in the first pic:flowerforyou: . but the second was AMAZING!!!!
Be proud you have earned it!!!0 -
Aww, peeps. I'm stuffed full of cold and January blues (honestly. The Monday of the year; believe) and your replies are making my day. Thank you so much xxx0
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You look fabulous, well done. 0
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Fabulous!0
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Fabulous!
Do you write a blog? If not, you should consider it. Your writing style is interesting, fun, and easy to read.
^^^^ this! I loved reading your post! And amazing work....you look killer in that sparkly red dress. You should be so proud.0 -
beautiful! job well done!0
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Wow well done and you look so fab in that second dress, what a fab dress! Have you any tips to pass on as I get so far then seem to give up but seeing you in that second picture has really spurred me on. Also what exercise do you do?0
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Hi Cathy!
I know what you mean - sometimes this can feel like the hardest thing in the world, and I've had more false starts than hot dinners (and as an ex-fatty, that's a lot of hot dinners).
Exercise-wise, I started off as a cardio freak before progressing almost exclusively onto zumba and kettlebells. Over the past six months or so, I've started trimming the last bits with heavy lifting. I exercise 6 - 7 times a week (let's not mention Christmas...ahem).
Spur you on? Have a photo of me from 2010!
Plainly put, I never wanted to be that unhappy again - and I knew that only I could lift myself out of it. I could acquire my freedom from fat and misery, basically - so I did!
Please drop me a line if you want to know any more, always happy to help! x0 -
I pretty much LOVE that sparkly red dress and red lipstick!!! You look fab!!!!0
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Beautiful! Luv the red sequin dress! Thanks for sharing!0
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AMAZING!!! You must lift weights because even though you look great in both pics it definitely looks like lost alot more than just 8lbs. Fantastic job! :drinker:
:flowerforyou: 0 -
Awesome post and great progress. You look awesome.0
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Another vote here for the red sequin dress, you are just oozing confidence in that photo.0
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