T-shirt comparison

I've been struggling with my weight lately. Over the past three months, I've gained about 15 pounds. Ugh. That sucks. No one likes to admit gaining. It's so much better to share you've lost.

So, I've been doing the whole upset I've gained weight, then eating to make myself feel better. Which it doesn't because I only gain more. See where this is going?

Yesterday I was switching over my summer clothes for my winter ones. We're finally getting cooler temperatures and I can finally wear long sleeves again. Yea!

While switching out my clothes, I found one of the first t-shirts I bought when I got to college. It's big. Really big. And it fit when I bought it.

Elizabethtown College located in Elizabethtown, PA 

 

Yea, extra-large...

 

And as I was pulling clothes out to put into the closet, I came across a long-sleeve t-shirt for Penn State (where I earned my M.A.). When I bought it, it was a tad tight, but after my work in the gym in the spring it fits. Kinda surprised, but happily.

I attended Penn State Capital Campus rather than Penn State Main. Closer.

 

 Yea! Smaller.

 

And then I thought this would be fun...

Wow...

 

So, while I'm not happy about those 15 pounds that have come back I have still made progress overall. I have to remember that. I have to remember that the Elizabethtown College shirt could fit, rather than the Penn State one.  And I've lost those 15 pounds once, I can do it again. It's only failure if I chose to give up. And I've been battling this weight thing for years and have not given up. It's taking me longer than I would like, but I'm still making progress. Those two shirts are proof.

 

Over the last few months of running, cardio kickboxing, and my trainer I've realized I've gone down a size.  A few months ago I got a new pair of gray pants from Kohl's in a 12.  I figured it was anomaly.  You know how it is, no manufacturer can stay consistent with their sizing.  I just figured it was a perfect example.

Yesterday, hubby and I hit Old Navy because I was hoping for a pair or two of capris or Bermuda shorts for the summer.  I found some Bermuda shorts at a price I was willing to pay.  The black pair I wanted to try on was not available in a 14, but the brown ones were, so I grabbed a 14 in the brown and a 12 in the black.  In the dressing room, I tried on the 12s first to get the disappointment out of the way.  And then...oddly enough...they fit.  The 12s fit.  I was very surprised.  Especially when I held the 14s up to the 12s and I saw the amount of material difference between the two sizes.  It was shocking.

So, I have no idea if Old Navy pants run large or what, but I'm pretending they run normal.  It makes me feel better to think that...

Sizing

Women's sizing is so arbitrary.  Which is frustrating.  When I was at my highest weight (1998-1999), I was a size 20 (ugh).  I was not happy.  It's actually reaching that size and realizing it was getting a tiny bit tight that I made the decision that I had to lose weight.  And I did.  I am proud to say I've never gone back to that size.

Over the years though, I have a feeling the clothing industry may have done some vanity sizing.  Which sometimes annoys me, other times it makes me happy.  LOL!  What annoys me about it is that I wonder if I'm really wearing something that accurately reflects my size.  Other times it makes me excited to go into a smaller size.

For Christmas, hubby gave me a cold weather shirt for running.  I have one already, which I wear for almost every winter outdoor run.  A second one is AWESOME so I'm not always having to wash one shirt all the time.  What made me laugh was the size tag.

Apparently, in Asia and and especially Japan I would be Godzilla.  LOL!  I do like that in Germany, France, Italy, England, and here in the good US of A, I'm a medium.  I like medium.  But, why are the sizes so varied?

Then last night, I headed out to get a suit.  I'm sure I chatted about the suit debacle in November...  oh yes I did - Frustrating.  I checked Ross, Kohl's, then Burlington Coat Factory.  I found a suit I liked in a 10, which is not a size I'm familiar with wearing.  I still wear a size 14 pants for heavens sake!  But, I tried it on and low and behold the jacket fit!  The skirt did not, it was a tad bit too tight.  But, for $13.99 I was willing to buy the entire suit for the jacket alone.  Then I found another suit jacket on a rack and decided to try it on.  Again, a size 10.  And it also fit.  Wow.  So, I put the suit back and just bought the suit jacket.  I was shocked that the suit jacket is a 10.  I've always heard that you lose weight first in your face, then your upper body, waist, then stomach.  Yup, that's me.  My stomach is always at least one size larger than my waist/upper body.  Frustrating.

And for fun, I also purchased a dress at Ross.  Not what I went in for, but it was green.  How could I not buy it?  It's so hard to find a dress in green and I love green, so I bought it.  It was $13.99.  LOL!  What is funny about this dress is when we got to Burlington Coat Factory they had the exact same one in purple.  I was laughing and then I saw the price tag.  $24.99.  Ha! Gotta love saving money!  Oh, and it's a 12.  It's still weird seeing a 12 on a sizing tag and actually having the dress fit.  And even weirder seeing a size 10 on a tag. 

These two new purchases really have helped make me want to get back on track.  I've been playing with the same 9 pounds since Sept.  I need to get past them.  I'm thinking these two purchases will do it.

Off to my session with the trainer!  Let's see what torture he has in store today.