The Jeans

Posted: September 20, 2011 at 12:47 pm

Well, looks like my blogging mojo is back in full swing…but that workout mojo is still alluding me. Sigh. I had my clothes on and a plan to hit up spin class, but then this happened.

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Makenzie and I both got back into our pajamas to snuggle with some books instead.

A lot of you mentioned last night that when you face the workout blahs it’s usually because you need some rest, so you choose to ride it out. I think that is what is going on here. I know this isn’t typical for me, so I’m giving in and laying low for the time being. I trust I’ll be ready and raring to go again soon. I know myself and I know I won’t “fall of the wagon” too long.

Even though I don’t have the motivation to get to the gym…I do feel off without it. In order to keep from feeling that exercise guilt I experienced last week, I am choosing to focus on the positives. I choose to think about how far I have come and that, while I lack motivation for a few days, I still go after and achieve my goals on the whole.

I had a reminder of that this weekend, so I will focus on that instead. The jeans.

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As I mentioned in my last Body After Baby progress update, I have reached my happy weight and no longer plan to track my progress as meticulously. I still plan to do one last set of “progress pictures” at the year mark and perhaps one other set, but that was the last of Body After Baby I planned on sharing.

I feel a little silly posting about these jeans, but they were honestly a benchmark in my progress I wondered if I would ever reach. I have owned those jeans for almost two years. This weekend I got to take the tags off and wear them for the first time ever.

It kind of rocked. So I’m sharing.

I got those jeans, along with another pair, about a week after my fitness competition two years ago. I was at my “happy weight”, but thanks to the stresses of the show on my body, I had to gain weight in order to get pregnant. I couldn’t return the jeans, so they retired to the back of my closet and I wondered if I would ever get to wear them.

I refused to do anything crazy to get into them, so I figured they would never fit. I told myself if they didn’t fit one year after B was born, I would sell both pairs on ebay. I didn’t allow fitting in the jeans to consume me.

I would only occasionally try them on to see, but each time they would either barely button or fit too uncomfortably. Until this weekend.

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I gave them a try. They fit just right. I didn’t kill myself to wear them again. I just did my thing and let my body go where it would.. I can remember how far I have come…and know nothing will stop me from keeping on my healthy path.

I know that fitting into a pair of jeans isn’t the be all of a fit lifestyle, but it still feels good to have that tangible sign of my progress. It’s a form of motivation that doesn’t play mind games with me like a scale could. It’s a suitable way for me to gauge my habits without obsession.

And they help me know that a short lull won’t overtake my habits because I am determined to care for my body and work hard in the gym. That reminder will stay with me, as I plan on wearing these jeans, along with the more casual pair I got at the same time, for a long time to come.

  • What's a tangible way you like to track your progress? Are you a go by how the clothes fit gal?

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53 Comments to “The Jeans”
  1. katie says:

    Ow Ow! Looking good in those jeans!

    Its so great that you have made that amazing progress girl! Body after Baby ! Woot Woot!

    You rock ; )

    <3

  2. I usually weigh myself once a week (down from 7 days a week), but am using my clothes now to gauge where I am. The pants are tight right now and I’m trying to be diligent with my eating to get them to fit right again. I have too many cute pants to not be able to wear them!

  3. Don’t feel silly for sharing your jeans story! I definitely go on the way clothes make me feel (versus scale, etc) on progress. 🙂

  4. Jess says:

    YES!!! HOT STUFF – those jeans look awesome on you!!! How awesome does it feel?? I am so happy for you!!

    For me- same boat. Jeans, pants fitting better is huge. OR, even going down a size which I did recently – and even bought two pairs of jeans as a reward this weekend and was amazed at how comfortable those jeans were despite being smaller sized and more fitted than what I had been wearing. It felt so good to see visual proof of my hard work paying off. Sexy jeans is a great motivator, not gonna lie! 🙂

    • jobo says:

      Well, clearly, I am going to go ahead and give a ‘cosign’ to Jess’s comment…totally agree. You look HOT in those jeans! What brand, may I ask? And it’s not a silly story whatsoever, I find that downright inspiring. A pair of jeans that have never fit now do without you completely killing yourself either, but allowing your body to get to its happy weight with consistency! GO YOU!

  5. Congrats on the jeans. You look amazing!

    I use weight and how I look in clothes. Since I’m trying to lose the baby weight, I am looking at the scale but the ultimate indicator will be fitting in pre-preggo jeans. I’d rather spend the money on cute stuff for the lil one and not new pants 🙂

  6. Looking spiffy!! Haha love the outfit 🙂

  7. Jill says:

    This is exactly where I am with measuring my weightloss, only in reverse; if that makes sense?! Last year I lost around 40 lbs and all of my clothes were too small so I got to buy single digit size jeans for the first time! Well, the weightloss plan was just for rapid weight loss and didn’t teach me anything about maintaining and healthy living. Big BOO!! to that plan. Since then those pants haven’t fit. So instead of living and dying the scale I’m working on healthy food choices and working out to one day get back into my single digit jeans!

  8. Way to go, hot mama!!! You look so beautiful and happy and refreshed and smokin’ in those jeans! Way to go for getting there healthily…and enjoying the process! HUGS! 🙂

  9. lindsay says:

    don’t ever feel odd about posting those jeans because you worked hard for them and look GREAT!

  10. HOT MAMA! You look great. Don’t be so hard on yourself. A few days away from the gym is a good thing! I know you know this, but really believe it! I’ve had many days away lately and it’s surprising to realize that my body doesn’t fall apart in a week (or two or three)

  11. You look awesome in those jeans!

  12. You look smokin’! I definitely go by the clothes. I’m glad you’re feeling great today Tina!

  13. I definitely can tell the changes taking place with my body by how my clothes fit. This summer, when I was full-force in triathlon mode, all my pants and shorts were tight in the thighs. The extra muscle was in the way!

    I am pretty much the same “happy weight” all the time now, but I find it shifts around my body depending on what I’m doing as far as physical activity at the time. It’s kind of strange when I notice it. The scale doesn’t change but my body sure does.

    (By the way, I love those jeans on you! SO cute.)

  14. It seems they were worth the wait – you’re rockin’ those jeans! Woohoo! 🙂 They look great on you; you should be proud of your progress.

  15. Khushboo says:

    Girl, you are working it ;)! I gave up on my scales a long time ago- as long as my skinnes are comfortably buttoning up, I must be doing something right!

  16. You look amazing in those jeans! I have a pair of jeans that barely fit me and I’m hopping to fit comfortably in them one day soon!

  17. You look GREAT! Love the jeans!

    I also love your overall outlook on life and health. You have such a healthy balance and approach things with such a good mindset 🙂

  18. Amy Lauren says:

    You look great and you should be proud of being able to fit into the jeans- you did it through hard work and being healthy and not some kind of crazy crash diet and that is something else to be proud of.

  19. How great that you were able to fit into the jeans…without doing anything crazy or unhealthy!!! Such a great lesson in healthy living!

  20. You are ROCKING those jeans! I am a HUGE clothes fit person, esp since the clothing industry has changed sizes so many times over the years to make people feel better about not taking care of themselves, etc. I have a pair of shorts from 8 years ago from the Limited – size 8 – just recently got them to fit again. However, I bought a pair of shorts from the Limited this year – size 4 — They are the same size….crazy isn’t it?
    xoxo from Trinidad

  21. Gosh Tina you inspire me each and everyday! First of all, you look hawt in those jeans 🙂 And second, I love that you reached this point without any crazy diets, restrictions, or excessive exercising! Love ya lady 😀

  22. Gosh Tina you inspire me each and everyday! First of all, you look hawt in those jeans 🙂 And second, I love that you reached this point without any crazy diets, restrictions, or excessive exercising! Love ya lady 😀 xo

  23. Tina you look great!

    I definitely go by how my clothes feel — when they fit just right I know I’m in a good place with food/exercise.

  24. Ericaer says:

    Glad youre enjoying the rest!! And ah! You look so fabulous in those jeans!! My progress has slowed a bit, so im making some changes to try and fire it back up!!!

  25. You look HOT, Tina!!! Awesome, awesome job! Really!
    After my two pregnancies, I definitely used the jeans method. Except that my hips will never be the same. The rest of me is actually smaller now than before I got pregnant, but my hips definitely widened a tiny bit. Totally worth it!

  26. You are rocking those jeans!!! You look fantastic. I never weigh myself, so I always go by how the clothes fit. It’s less stressful for me!

  27. Jenny says:

    So exciting about the jeans – what an accomplishment!! You should be so proud of yourself!! One hot mamma!!! 🙂

  28. I have a few factors I go by. How I feel in my clothes, what I see in the mirror, how healthy my body feels. There are so many different ways to gage you weight without actually weighing yourself. Mainly I go by the numbers both scale and measurement, but that’s because I have a long way to go weight wise! Great accomplishment Tina!

  29. Love that you go by fit rather than numbers and measurements. I try to go by how clothes fit too. Much less stressful I think.

  30. teresa says:

    I love your attitude. This is a good post to remember.

  31. Ow ow! Lookin’ good in those jeans! The best part is that you’ve got your confidence back! Work it girl! 🙂

  32. Girl, those jeans look AMAZING on you! You should be so proud of your progress and all of the work you’ve put into it.

    On a side note…are those Hudson jeans by any chance?? They look very similar to a pair that I have…which is one of my favorites but currently does not fit me. Ooof.

  33. Tina- those jeans are fabulous nad you look amazing in them. I’m totally a “how my clothes fit” kind of gal. 🙂 I can relate to have jeans in my closet for a couple years too. 🙂
    Awesome that you’ve come so far! 🙂 Wear those jeans proudly! 🙂

  34. I just found your blog and I love it!

    Thanks for sharing such an inspirational post!

  35. You look fabulous Tina!!! You are so inspirational! I don’t really like to rely too much on the scale because I don’t want to become consumed by the numbers- I prefer to go by how my clothes fit. It’s hard for me to complain that I’ve “gained weight” when I can still wear jeans that I bought in high school haha.

  36. […] don’t know what did it, but I actually got moving this afternoon! Perhaps my afternoon post on “the jeans” lit a fire underneath me? Or my lunch reminded me of my pre-run fuel so that I got the sudden […]

  37. JJ says:

    Hey! I fully know all about the workout blahs! I think you’re doing the best thing by riding it out. I too know myself enough to know that I won’t stay sidelined for long, but when I need a break (be it from emotions and a crazy life or from plain old body fatigue) I allow myself to take it. I enjoy it. And it’s never too long before I hear the little voice say, “let’s get back to it!”

    The jeans look great! I try to be inspired by you (no TRY, I AM) and remind myself that each healthy choice leads to the kind of results you’ve achieved, but I seem to find myself taking one step forward and two steps back. I’m working on it though and progress is being made. 🙂

    Thanks for the pumpkin ideas!

  38. You are looking absolutely awesome and stunning in those jeans, way to rock ’em girl! In with what I’m going through with needing to reduce exercise and thus gaining a lil weight to get pregnant, I so appreciate this post and I just love how you’ve shown us that you can get your pre-baby body back without deprivation and throughout all this you were patient and enjoyed life. It helps remind me that getting pregnant is most important to me right now and I’ll get back into those jeans next year 😉

    Btw, can you tell my blogging mojo is on fire right now, I think I’ve commented on 3 of your posts all in a row, haha!

  39. Yay!! Go you! That is so awesome! Sometimes I wish I didn’t get rid of jeans that were too big on me last year.. because umm, I need them now.

  40. Lauren says:

    And you look AMAZING in them!!! 🙂 Congrats sweetie. 🙂

  41. Charissa says:

    Hey, that’s awesome! You’re inspiring!

  42. […] few things will help set me back on my feet. And I can’t forget the support from you all about “The Jeans” and my two new races I […]

  43. Sarah says:

    I LOVE when my favorite pair of jeans fit. Definitely worth celebrating! 🙂

  44. Meghan says:

    You are amazing, I hope next year after I have our little one that I can get back into my goal jeans after a 8 months! My plan is kick back into my running as soon as I am cleared and register for races for my motivation.

  45. Brittany says:

    I love that you used the jeans as a way to track your progress and I’m super excited that they fit this weekend – that’s awesome lady!!

  46. Nikki says:

    This is kind of inspiring to me!! I gained twenty pounds in the past few years, and have been trying really hard to fit back into the jeans I used to wear. This just goes to show that I can do it!!

    • Tina says:

      You definitely can! I find that focusing on healthy habits I can stay consistent with always adds up to the biggest changes. 🙂

  47. […] Featured Personal Post: The Jeans […]

  48. A couple of years ago I invested into a few pairs (about 4-5) of really nice Seven jeans. When I got pregnant, I cried as I put them away, wondering if we’d ever meet again. After I gave birth, at least once every couple of weeks I would pull them out and try them on (barely making it past the knees), and then I would just cry. I’m not even sure if it was about the weight or about my jeans. Then, miraculously, just before I went back to work, they all fit again!!!! I couldn’t be happier. I think jeans is totally the way I “weigh” myself, especially since I broke my scale the week after I gave birth (no, not on purpose).

    • Tina says:

      I remember mine only getting to my knees too. Isn’t it amazing how the body can change? And getting into old favorite jeans is MUCH more rewarding in my book. 🙂

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