Waist Not, Want Not

My waistline is sort of like a natural weight barometer for me -- I can tell about where I'm 'at' according to how my waist 'feels'. When I'm feeling bloated and puffy about the waist, or it doesn't flatten out in that old familiar, comforting way when I lie on my back, I know I'm in trouble....

My general body shape is thus: I am extremely loooong in the torso, with comically short legs. My waistline is high, man -- I mean way up there (I recall when I was pregnant and excited and so impatient to 'show' -- and it taking forever, because apparently the babies had so much abdominal cavity to wallow in before they were forced to actually start growing out). So, as such, much of my excess weight tends to settle on my hips, butt, and thick thighs -- most ESPECIALLY my butt which, truly, is a force to be reckoned with. But I'm not exactly pear-shaped either, because of my broad shoulders. The full effect is basically hour glass. In proportion to the rest of me, my waist is quite small. That's proportionally speaking. Never mind the loose, protruding potbelly of my lower abdomen, or the flab bubbling a little over my bra straps above -- No, I'm talking WAIST here.

Buying pants has been a challenge my whole life, because of my curvy shape. Often to get them to fit in comfortably through the hips, the waist ended up loose and baggy. Conversely, typically if the pants were to fit my waist, I wouldn't be able to get them above my knees. I've FINALLY found happiness in L.L.Bean Women's Relaxed Fit Wide Leg Jeans, so I'm all set (and the problem was much more pronounced when I was thinner anyway)-- but before that, back in the late 80's and early 90's, I gave up wearing pants altogether because I just couldn't find any to fit, particularly with that straight-legged style that was so popular then. Instead I took to wearing dresses and skirts, all the time, any season, any occaision. And it was a good look for me really, when I was slim, as it showed off my best asset (waist), while downplaying my least (hips/butt/thighs) -- though it was not always practical. Like, going canoeing for instance. Plus people who did not know me well sometimes mistook me for being conservative Christian....

The fact of the matter is, I have a love/hate relationship with my waist. It's typically the last place I gain weight, and the first place I lose it. When my pants start to fit snug and feel tight in through the waist, it's absolutely the Worst Feeling in the world for me and I don't want to get out of bed. On the other hand, when the ol' waist 'feels' flatter and smaller? -- makes me feel almost positively skinny, even at 245 or whatever the heck pounds I am right now (have no scale at home remember? --by choice). Well, my waistbands were all TIGHT several weeks ago. And now...they're not....

What a feeling of relief that is.....