Day 11 - Clothed

While it should be one of the best parts of losing weight, I have found it to be one of the most miserable...

Shopping for clothes.

For years I have had to suffer through the torture of plus size shopping on a budget.  I specify "on a budget" because I have some plus size friends with a better clothing budget, or maybe just a better knack for shopping that dress incredibly cute, but I was never one of them.

The plus size sections of Target and Wal-Mart, my shops of choice most typically are filled with unattractive cuts and tacky gaudy patterns.  In fact as I have been trying to shop since the weight has been coming off it is usually by the colors and patterns thatI notice I have wandered into the "women's" section, not by taking note of sizes on hangers.  And I'm not going to lie, when I discover myself there I exit with what is the cross between a run and a stomp.  I've worked too hard to shop in that section, even if I could find something cute.  Same goes for the maternity section by the way, I found a cute blouse and target that I liked and when I took it off I saw it was a maternity brand - the blouse fit my body pretty well, but my ego just wouldn't fit. (I will give props though that maternity clothing has at least gotten cuter, it wasn't like that when I was having my babies.)

When I was heavy, it was just about finding the least gaudy outfit and being clothed.  When I found something that was acceptable to my tastes I wore it till it wore out because shopping for more just wasn't any fun.

Truth be told I've never been much of a shopper - even when I was a teen and had a pretty hot body, I would make my way through a store passing by racks and if something didn't jump out and grab my attention, I moved on.  I am pretty low key, a jeans and top kind of girl, and on the rare occasion I find something I like (or can live with) I will buy it in at least two, up to four or five different colors.  And if I found an out of the box outfit I like I will wear that until it wears out as well. (Please don't ever inspect me in my clothing too closely, you may find a few tiny laundry holes in my shirts.)

Now as I am almost 55 lbs down from where I was ten months ago, the best thing is my own personal hands me down from a girl who I was skinnier many years ago.  This is where not throwing things away and having pretty neutral tastes finally pays off.   But I don't plan on staying in my decade old size 12s, and let's face it, there are some differences in a 30 something's wardrobe vs. this 40 something's style and tastes. 

I have lovely friends who've offered to help, but let's face it, when does that typically work out?  And hand me downs from other friends cover the nakedness, butt he styles and colors schemes rarely line up beyond a few basics.  I wish I found shopping fun.  I wish I had a budget that took me to better places, but I have a hard time buying a $35 blouse knowing I could buy at least 4 tops for that elsewhere.  At this point I'm thinking, "Darn that Adam and Eve, there would be something to be said for walking around naked..."  Heck, if that were the case, maybe I never would have let myself get so out of shape in the first place !  Wink, wink.

Weight: 192.6 right direction, I'll take it!

Feeling: Pretty good.  My shoulder (after hurting the worst yesterday) actually feels the best it has in a long time.  I got a good workout in yesterday, I'm doing ok in food temptations.  I'm a little tired, but overall in the diet and fitness realm, I'm feeling alright.

Eating: Careful what you wish for.  Today I am feeling very bored with low carb eating - the kind of bored that says "Why bother?"  I am settling on an Atkins frozen meal for lunch today because the flitting cravings of something cheesy and casserole-like couldn't actually land on any actual food that I could put my finger (or my tongue) on.  So yeah, bored with eating, but doing it because I have to.

Moving: Yesterday was a good workout day.  I stretched for 15-20 minutes, I ran for 15 minutes on the tramp and I did 5 songs of Zumba with the Wii.  I did a couple new (to me) songs that were higher intensity and left me a little winded and soaking in sweat.  I've noticed today that my shoulder feels really good, and I noticed that after another Zumba workout, which seems strange to me.  I kept the arms modified, but they are moving.  My own backed into physical therapy?  I don't know... maybe.  I need to do the Zumba more.