Pregnancy Weeks 14-15: Closet Cleaning
The day has come...to clean out my closet! I’ve spent the last week reorganizing (perhaps I have too many clothes), accepting that squeezing into my pre-pregnancy skinny jeans isn’t happening. Sifting through 20+ pairs of jeans, I discovered a stash of four different sizes and styles. How did I accumulate so many pairs of pants, and in so many sizes?!Like many women, the majority of my closet I don’t wear. First and foremost, I have trouble getting rid of things. I still have the T-shirt I wore on Bid Day 2005 at the University of Wisconsin. It’s so comfy :) Secondly, I often tuck away items, thinking “one day this will fit.” And I’m not alone. Upwards of 85% of women have clothes in their closet that do not fit! On average, we hang on to three different sizes, with the expectation our weight will fluctuate. So, as long as we keep the “thin” clothes around, the motivation to change doesn’t disappear. Crazy right?!Every year when I go through my closet for a bit of spring cleaning, I ask myself the same questions:
- Does this fit now?
- If this piece of clothing does not fit, why?
- Will it fit in the future (realistically)?
- Will I partake in healthy habits to achieve slim fit status once again?
The healthy habits question above is SO important. After my first bikini competition I was a mere 110 pounds and I couldn’t find clothing. Gap was my safe haven with their size 24 denim. Am I ever going to fit into those cute cropped capris again? Probably not. Whittling my body down to size 00 status is not healthy or sustainable. I’ve since donated my post-bikini wardrobe. The reason I bring up closet cleaning now is that going through clothing most recently was extremely difficult. Not one thing fit, and I felt a huge rush of panic and anxiety come over me. As the piles of clothing grew larger, my mind went to, “what am I going to wear? Will I ever wear these things again?” My old mindset took over - fear.
Thirty seconds later I snapped out of it. Pure joy and confidence washed over me. These pants and tops do not fit NOW because my body is growing a human. I am healthy, blessed, and have a new excuse to shop! Bring on the maternity jeans, maxi dresses, and stretchy tops. It’s all about perspective. My body has had its ups and downs over the years, but I’m learning that body love at this stage of my journey is so important. Baby B is growing, he’s strong, and my doctor says I’m right on track with my weight. And once that bump comes in strong, you better believe I’ll be rockin’ it all over town ;)
Try this Exercise Tonight
Think about your wardrobe. Are you holding on to clothes with the “what if” in mind? Take a few moments today and pick out an outfit that makes you feel amazing. Put it on and don’t look at the size. Look in the mirror. Bombshell! You are beautiful. Who cares about a number anyway? All I care about is YOU and that beautiful glow. Xoxo,Erica