Call It A Clothes Call

I’ve mentioned before that I don’t like to use bathroom scales. Not because of what they’ll tell me, but because I don’t believe they are an accurate way to measure weight and progress. I prefer a tape measure and the clothes test. The tape measure never lies. If your waist is two inches bigger than it was the last time you checked, you’ve probably gained a little tonnage. A tape measure is also helpful for tracking any size gains for weight lifters. It’s a pretty accurate tool if used properly. The old clothes test, on the other hand, is pretty simple. If the jeans you used to wear last fall fit a little tight on you now, trust me, it’s not because they were washed in hot water. It’s another sign you’ve added some tonnage to your overall cargo. The changing seasons are sort of like Christmas for me. There’s bins of winter clothes we put away last spring that may or may not fit anymore. It’s anybody’s guess and sometimes I’m pleasantly surprised and other times, well, I discover I’ve added some tonnage. Lucky for me, I’ve keep a pretty stable weight over the past couple of years, so most of the surprises I get these days are in the territory of “I wondered where that shirt ended up” or “now I remember why I didn’t wear that (fill in the blank) much last year” discoveries. I also don’t purposely add to my wardrobe things in sizes way too big for me just in case I end up squeezing into them next year. I think that sort of defeats the whole purpose of weight control. If anything, the few clothing items I buy myself, I’ll buy to fit me now with hopes of them looking a little big on me this time next year. That would be the ideal mind-set if you asked me. Now if I could find those missing socks that disappeared in the dryer last year I may finally match a few ‘singles’ sitting in my sock drawer waiting for a mate.