I really can’t afford or justify a new purchase so have decided to go with one of the many dresses I own. I am not a dress kinda girl. Or a skirt kinda girl. I blame my Mother for this as she put me in LOTS of dresses and shiny shoes as a kid when all I really wanted to wear pants and sneakers. So in my 30’s it seems I am still rebelling!
So of course I had to enlist my BFF to help me choose. My dilemma started because although it is Spring here in Perth it is still quite cool and has been a bit wet too. All my dresses are short sleeve/shoe string strap dresses so was scared I was going to freeze my butt off. AB (said BFF) has the solution in owning a rainbow selection of pashminas so bought them over for me to try with different dresses.
After a small fashion parade we settled on my favourite LBD (Little Black Dress). Teamed with my red heels, red pashmina (which was also mine, the only colour AB didn’t have!) and cute little red cluch bag. Gorge! I feel great in the dress, have worn it to quite few weddings and formal dinners and is always a winner (I wonder why I bought all the other dresses!!) So I was feeling happy.
But what I was most happy about was the fact that the said LBD was originally bought for Hubby’s and mine Engagement Party. 7 YEARS AGO!!! So after 7 years and 2 kids later it still fits and looks good. Yay for me!
Hubby & Me at our Engagement Party August 2002
And that was where today’s post was going to end.
Until this morning when in the shower I began thinking. The fact that the dress still fits me (and did I mention looks good) after 7 years means (and I calculated) that for the past 7 years my weight has only really fluctuated about 9 kilos/20 lbs, apart from when I was obviously pregnant. I realized my dress size has been pretty much the same for the past 7 years too. So does that mean that this is the size I am supposed to be?
When I started getting fitted for my wedding dress I remember the dressmaker saying that I will probably loose quite a bit of weight before the wedding. I clearly remember telling her that actually I probably would just stay pretty much the same. Even though I was watching what I was eating and working out nearly 5 times a week at the gym I really just toned up rather than slimmed down. So when the final fitting came there really wasn’t that much to alter much to the dressmaker’s surprise, but obviously not to mine.
There is no doubting myself that I probably need to be at the lower part of that 9 kilo/20lbs to be healthier and at the moment they are around the middle third of my body, which health wise is not good. In July I blogged about my Weight Debate as I had just started weight watchers for the umpteenth time. I am currently no longer attending now as my weight loss was up and down even if I had the most angelic of weeks.
I think I actually eat pretty well nutrition wise. I eat whole grains, fruit and lots of vegetables. Takeaway is not a staple in our house and I make a majority of my meals from scratch. But I have suddenly realized that what I really need to do is exercise. I really don’t do enough (read any!). When I was going to the gym the 6 months before I got married I really toned up and felt good even though there was no dramatic weight loss.
I have also had a look at my family tree. My mum has 6 sisters & 1 brother. My mum and all her sisters have exactly the same body shape, the same one I have inherited. Most of my girl cousins are the same (and some of the boys too). I have to think that some of the blame has to be genetics so I have realized I will always have the same body shape.
So what does this all mean? I don’t think it is a get out of jail free card that’s for sure but I am a little relieved at my revelations. Mostly I think it means I need to move my butt and get some exercise to tone up and give the muffin top back to the muffin man. I still think I need to eat in moderation and watch my portion size.
But mostly I think I just need to smile and be happy with myself because if the genes/jeans fit (or in this case the LBD) then that’s OK by me!!
