Ow ow ow grrr

[trixtah]

Went to the gym, which is the first time I've been back since I went to Hawaii. I'm so slack. So now every muscle of my body is aching, but I suppose it's a "good" ache. There are, however, more fun ways of getting aching muscles, but this is what one has at present, so one has to make do.

I've got a new personal trainer, who I'll see once a fortnight. She seems pretty good, except for one slight niggle. She was asking me for my aim for working out, and my default thing is muscle tone. I said to her specifically that I'm not interested in weightloss per se: if it happens, it happens; otherwise, who the hell cares, so long as I don't get all blobbly. She said, "Oh, that's fine, one of my fittest girls is a big girl, and she's really amazing" blah de blah, for just a wee bit too long.

Hm, you know what? I don't define myself as a "big girl". I'm average. I'm just getting a little bit sick of people calling an average, size-14 woman with tits, but also a waist, "big". I mean, fuck it. Also, fuck the clothing manufacturers who stuff the shops with clothing from sizes 8-12, when, actually, it's the minority of women who are in that size range. Then fuck them for saying "but most of our sales are in those sizes" because you know what? If they actually made appealing clothing for 14-16 and up, for the majority of women who are in fact average or "big", with reasonable quality and for a reasonable price, I'm sure they would find their sales there improving no end. Fuckers.

(Yes, I tried to go shopping for a suitable summer jacket for work yesterday. Idiot me. One linen jacket might have been ok, other than the fact that only sizes 8 and 10 were available, and it was beige. Urk.)

Comments

[kavri.livejournal.com]

Way back when, when I was younger and not over-weight, I was trying on clothes in a store, and per usual, it was impossible to find anything. It was a really slow night at the mall, so the shop clerk told me to go ahead and take as much in as I wanted, rather than bother with the '3 items' rule. I tried on armloads of clothing. At the time, I stood almost 5'11" and weighed around 160lbs and a 36C bra size, somewhat thick of thigh and hip, with a 32-34 waist...I usually wear a size 14. I tried on blouses, sweaters, skirts, tons of pants, it must have been almost every pair in the shop, maybe a good 30 or 40 pairs it seemed. Anyway, when I came out with the last load, she asked if I had had any luck yet...without pausing to think, I said, "no, my legs are too long, my boobs are too big, and my waist is too little"... I suddenly realized what I had just said, and added on, "...you'd think those would be positive things, but they aren't when it comes to buying clothes, everything is made to fit tiny titless teenagers". She just about keeled over laughing.

Unfortunately, there is some truth to 'that is where the market is' because most women who are not packing any extra weight, are in the more common heights of 5'4"-5'8" and therefor are likely to be a 12 and under. Women that size who are overweight might fit into some 14s, and women that are taller but overweight a fair bit, are going to be jumping up to the 16-18s or into the 1x-3x sizes.

The other main reason it is 'where the market is' is that the average woman earning mid-income wages or less, are just NOT going to be slaves to fashion usually, and will often buy at less expensive outlets like Walmart or get items second-hand. One of the biggest sectors with disposable fashion clothing income is teenagers, also with parents that will often indulge them in that annual event known as 'back to school' wardrobe shopping.

*sigh*. For me, the crisis is that I've really packed on a lot of weight in the last two years, so though I have a wonderful wardrobe of size 14 clothes, I haven't fit into any of them for about a year and a half. However, the time has come (when I got my flu shot at the doctor's office, I weighed myself... there is nothing like the shock of seeing the actual number on the scales) I've joined the "Curves" gym, and have already started eating more sane things. Mostly it was just two years of on/off depression, stopping smoking, injured foot, lack of active sex life, and a medication that has a side affect of putting on pounds.

So, here's hoping I can stick with the new routine of eating healthy and exercising, and finally getting my wardrobe back. *wry grin*

[trixtah.livejournal.com]

Wow, I'm only 5'6", and I'm grizzling. But I do really think that clothing designers have a problem with breasts. "Titless teenagers" indeed. If they cut clothes to fit the fact you have them (I'm a DD, btw), they also seem to assume that you have a (large) belly if you're anything over a C. I mean, I could stand to lose a few kilos, but I wouldn't even call myself "chubby". When I say I think I'm pretty average, I really do think I am.

The other problem area is thighs. I have thighs, not matchsticks. However, what I do not have is a big butt. And if trousers are cut to fit my legs, they also seem to assume my butt is about 6 inches wider than it is. *sigh*. I mean, I can guarantee the trouser legs will be about 4 inches too long anyway, but I'm resigned to having short Irish potato-digging legs.

You've hit it on the head with the "disposable fashion" thing. Yes, teenagers will go out and buy tons of crap they will wear about three times before discarding it. But you know, I don't want to buy polyester tent-pants from K-mart either. I like decent fabrics and nice cuts, but the only way to get those seemingly is to pay over $100 for a shirt (here in Australia) - and that's only if you can find the right size.

Still, I hope that getting to the gym more regularly works out well for you. It makes me feel a hell of a lot better if I'm feeling fit and strong. I've kind of resigned myself to not ever seeing size 12 again, but I'm not too fussed about that. Stopping smoking is a biggie, and I have seen through my friends that it can take up to five years for your system to find its equilibrium again. Here's hoping it won't take THAT long!

[kavri.livejournal.com]

Thanks. Yeah, the gym thing is going well, as is eating healthier. I'll be happy to get to the point of giving away some of my 'big' clothes to charity, and fitting back into my own stuff.

Seriously, when I'm in good shape, I'm a size 14, and I still find a lot of 'large' and 'x-large' sizes are too small (partly because in those lines, a 'small' fits a cabbage patch doll). Even at my most healthy and fit, a mere 153 pounds on a toned 5'11" frame, I was only down to a size 12, and was still a C-36, though I didn't fill it out as well (but a B cup was still a bit tight). *sigh*

Stupid clothes manufacturers. *grumble*

[tygerr.livejournal.com]

Nothing useful to add to the actual topic-o-conversation, but...

LUUURRRVE the icon!

(I admit it, I'm shallow; I like to have some sort of visual image to go with the disembodied voices/text on the Net.)

[filkferengi]

The clothes dilemma is truly vexatious [with all 5 vowels]. It seems as if clothes only come in two categories: skinny, in loud, neon colors, with more holes than cloth and large, usually involving tentlike outlines and large, loud flowers. Neither style is exactly appealing. If even I--who have spent the last 25+ years dressing college-student style [i.e., shorts & t-shirts or jeans/sweats and sweaters]--notice, then the problem has reached alarming proportions. Aside from businesses getting whacked with a clue-by-four in the wallet, no solutions, just lots of commiseration.

You don't have to go to the gym, you know. Are there any parks or trails nearby? A walk several times a week is a wonderful way to stay in shape. I tend to use walks as "me" time, to think, make plans, etc.

Also, on the "making do" idea, a **non-work-safe** link from some filker friends [who are, of course, teh evol ;)]: http://www.stockroom.com/c055.htm

Don't say you weren't warned. [weg]