It may not appear this way to you, but I wear a large or an extra large in women’s tank’s & t-shirts. I haven’t worn a small since freshman year in high school. I also more-often-than-not fit more comfortably into a size 10 pants, & sometimes even a 12, depending on the cut.
In fact, I took scissors to an old MTV t-shirt that I was about to giveaway because it’s too tight around my arms so I could have just the right hint of the 80’s for the Guns ‘N Roses NOT IN THIS LIFETIME concert at the Met Life Stadium on Saturday night.
Here’s a cutie pic of me & Steve after Lenny finished his set with “Let Love Rule” & we were anxiously awaiting for G’nR to come on…
DAMN! That show was phenomenal. I love me some G’nR. Slash killed it!
Does that mean I’m too bulky? Because I had to cut up an old medium-sized woman's Tee (that never really fit comfortably to begin with)?
Insert sound bite: ohhhh helllllll noooo!
I admit, shopping is not a fun thing for me to do because I have a difficult time finding clothes to fit an athletic build.
But, let me see if I understand this correctly - for many women, shopping is not fun if you do not have an athletic build. There is a slew of criteria that must be met before you feel good in a certain article of clothing.
Ok, now that we got THAT out of the way, & it almost seems like a dammed if you do, dammed if you don’t situation, right?
I have some insight to share if you have a fear of bulking up or you are recognizing that your clothes are feeling tight again, but for other reasons - you are following a fitness program that is WORKING & you are feeling amazing about your progress UNTIL you put on a t-shirt. Or try & slip into a pair of pants.
I have 5 things to share with you to re-frame this in your mind so you don’t fall into the trap of undoing all the good you’ve worked towards because of a fear that may not even be real.
- Stop the size fixation. Small, Medium, Large. Stop letting clothes be your ultimate deciding factor on whether your body is “good” or “bad.”
- Look for lyrca in your clothes. Stretchy means you can move around more easily. I especially look for stretch in my jeans. Check out barbell denim. I love my barbells! & can I get a "hell yeah!" for printed leggings?! It’s about damn time.
- Try wearing styles you’ve never worn before. I love flowy skirts & maxi dresses. I don’t give even ONE THOUGHT to “I feel bulky… or ugh, this is too tight. They are amazingly comfortable & incredibly cute.
- Get rid of the clothes that make you FEEL yucky (or in other words “bulky”) I donate anything that I don’t feel good in…. Maybe it will fit someone else perfectly!
- This is a GOOD problem to have - CONGRATULATIONS! Your body is becoming fuel efficient which means you need less effort to maintain the muscle you’ve built. I wouldn’t trade my “bulk” for the world! I love how strong I am & how my body is shaped because of it.
Is this a stage you are in? Or are you hesitating on lifting weights because you are afraid of getting bulky?
Well, I ask you then, how do you feel about continuing to feel crappy about yourself - as you are living your life right now - because of a fear (False Evidence Appearing Real) you’ve created? Post below. I want to hear from you!
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I love that I am talking about this topic as I also release the 2nd workout of a 3-part series in RealResults called “Heavy HIITer: Super Strong Strength Series” These are 20 minute workouts & are the way I’ve been training lately…. Both me & my sister have taken a liking to this short & intense training. Workouts like these ROCK MY WORLD! HIIT it & QUIT IT, that’s what I say. Join here to get in on the action.
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