Any day of the week, you’ll see me wearing leggings instead of jeans, even while I work as a server two days a week. Why? Because jeans are uncomfortable and not ideal for lounging around at home doing remote classes. But refusing to wear jeans has created a love/hate relationship between us; and I’m sure everyone is on some level of that relationship with jeans. I usually wear jeans on the weekends to look “put together,” but I’ve started to noticed something while putting them on: they are getting a little tight on me!! And you know what? That’s ok! I’ve struggled to accept the fact that working out has its consequences, such as possibly going up a Jean size. But the only thing that is hurting is my bank account.
I recently went Jean shopping to buy a few pairs in the next size up. I was excited to go shopping and buy myself new jeans, but sad because looking in my Jean drawer, there’s hundreds of dollars worth of jeans in there that just don’t fit me anymore! I’ve been doing a lot of strength training workouts and walking around my neighborhood which has lots of hills, so it’s no surprise that my legs have gotten bigger and my butt has a harder time squeezing into those old jeans. But at the end of the day, I want to be confident in my jeans, and for them not to look like they are cutting off my circulation in my calves and butt.
Accepting the fact that you need to go up a size in a particular article of clothing does not come easy. Remember what I said at the beginning, about wearing leggings everyday? Trying to ignore the problem by wearing stretchy pants does not help anything. I want to be comfortable sitting in my jeans and not feeling like I have to unbutton them after going out to dinner on Saturday nights. It’s just life. It means my legs are getting stronger, and with that comes an increase in muscle mass! I’m so happy that what I’m doing seems to be working, and if I have to go buy a few new pairs of jeans and try to get rid of older ones, so be it.
P.S. since I’ve started buying all of my own clothing in high school, I’ve come to appreciate the stores that my teenage self would refuse to walk into and buy clothes. Old Navy has the best jeans. Hands down. They are affordable, come in so many styles and fits, and are so flattering! I also have been loving Target’s jeans, which are sometimes even cheaper than Old Navy! I got some last weekend for $15!! Can’t beat it! The detail on the butt pocket that determines the brand of jeans has no significant meaning to me anymore, while in high school if it wasn’t the American Eagle, Hollister or Abrocrombie, I wouldn’t wear it.
Long story short, since last summer I knew deep down that I should size up in jeans, but it took me a long time to act on that. But no matter how much time it takes, as long as you accept the fact that you need to go up or down in a size, it doesn’t matter! Clothes are clothes, but the most important thing is that you feel comfortable and confidant in whatever size you wear!