Clothes!

[iliachenvaar]

Another bonus of grad school over teaching: I don't have to worry nearly as much about the fact that none of my professional clothing fits! Woo! Although it does still make me kind of sad. I liked some of that clothing, man

Comments

[zimboptoo]

Sometimes, very occasionally, I'm a little bit disappointed that I don't have to dress more formally for work. I look really good in semi-formal wear, but it's rarely worth getting dressed up, especially with all of the frisbee and bike-riding that I do. If I had to get dressed up for work, I would put more effort into building out my wardrobe, and then maybe I'd wear it more often. But I suppose the plus-side is that when I do dress up, it's not expected. I've gotten some good use out of that vest. *grins*

All of which is a lead-up to saying that I feel the same way. I put on nearly 20 lbs over the winter when I wasn't exercising at all, and despite lots of frisbee and biking in the last several months it hasn't gone away. I'm torn between my practiced nonchalance about appearance and body image and such, and my desire to fit better into my old clothes and get rid of the excess weight (which only makes running and biking more work). I'm not supposed to care, but I do. And honestly, I don't think that's actually a bad thing. While there's nothing wrong with my current weight and build, there's also nothing wrong with wanting to be a healthier weight. We needn't be so PC about weight that we ignore the health benefits of losing some weight (naturally, through a healthy diet and exercise). If it means that I occasionally decide to skip desert, or ride my bike to work instead of taking the bus just for the sake of getting in some more exercise, there's nothing wrong with that. I think the main thing is that you have to do it slowly and consistently. Little things, like walking/biking and eating smaller portions or skipping desert sometimes are going to be more effective than trying to cold-turkey the newest health craze. Getting into biking has opened up new worlds for me in that respect.

Now, that's no reason not to update your wardrobe anyway. Thrift stores are wonderful for that sort of thing, really cheap semi-formal wear that you don't feel bad about wearing casually because it was so cheap. Or at least, that's my strategy. Also long floofy skirts, I don't know why goodwill has so many, but Mara (and I, by proxy) reap the benefit.

You're lovely, just the way you are! And if you want to lose some weight, there's nothing wrong with that either! But you have to keep some, for comfortable hugs. *nods* Love!

[iliachenvaar]

Of course I wouldn't do dumb crash diet fads. But it's not so much physical health problems that I'm worried about. The whole skinny ideal thing is closely tied to some really unhealthy mindsets - perhaps more for women than for men, but still - and I do not want to mess with that shit. And beyond that, I don't particularly want to participate in reinforcing the message that looking the way society says you should is a worthwhile way to spend your time and energy. Which even if I didn't intend to, I would be doing. So no. Fuck that shit. I am not going to try to lose weight in any way. I am going to do what I want to do, and if I lose weight, fine. If I don't lose weight, fine. But the beauty ideal, in all its many insidious forms, royally pisses me off, and I am not having anything more to do with it than I have to.

Anyway. End of mini-rant. ^^;

*laugh. You seemed to think I gave good hugs even when I was twenty pounds lighter, and I am sure as hell not getting back down to how much I weighed when I was 16. So I'm not too worried about it. *grin.

Also, thank you for the comments. I appreciate them. ^_^

[nebanebet]

This is really why I am pretty much in love with the HAES movement, even if I am "the fat friend" saying so. lol

[iliachenvaar]

I think the HAES movement is pretty awesome myself, in fact. Even if I am the non-fat friend saying so. *grin.

[nebanebet]

XD

[equivocally_me]

...yeah, I'm all for not having to dress up regularly. It doesn't mean you can't choose to do so (and to good effect), just that you're not required to do so. And probably not going to lose said effect.

Of course, realistically...if I'm not required to dress up, chances are I'll schmuck around in the most comfortable and casual clothes I own, ideally my PJs. Maybe even yesterday's PJs. Oh wait, did I say "dress up" or "get dressed?" Err...