Wow. Excuse me while I have this pinch me moment.
Last weekend I went to Old Navy to take advantage of their sales on jeans. Old Navy’s jeans have always fit me well, and for the price I keep coming back. However, when I grabbed my regular size 8s and 6s, they didn’t fit me well. I thought I’d try something crazy and grabbed a few size 4 jeans “just to see.” What happened next came as a shock.
They slipped on. Like, effortlessly. ME. A size FOUR. WUT?? It was a complete 180 from having to buy larger clothes and the self-loathing that often accompanied me in dressing rooms. I remember being ashamed of my weight as young as the age of 10, when my mom fished a photo of me in my school uniform that I threw away because I was chubby. Aside from two other moments in my life, junior year of high school and my senior year of college, I have never had body confidence. Even up until recently I’ve worn skirt-bottoms or board short bottoms to the pool or beach, and even then I’ve always dreaded going. And I love the beach. Having anxiety about an activity that so many others find enjoyment in, just because of my self-image, seemed…cruel.
Oh, but how simple it really is to be happy in your own skin! Diet and exercise. Exercise and diet. These two things together can transform not just your body but your mind, and all it takes is a spark of inspiration. Seeing all of the #bbggirls on Instagram and their transformations since discovering BBG in late August has fueled my motivation to get in the best shape of my life. And yes, I never once in my wildest dreams expected to wear anything smaller than a size 6. I never had a goal size or or weight in mind. All I want is to be lean and strong, and washboard abs. Not much to ask for, huh? Haha.
I am now confident enough to shop for bathing suits online…something I never thought I’d actually look forward to. I am currently lusting over the Albion Fit swimwear line, in particular the Peachy Keen crop top and the Clementine hipster bottoms. The peach stripes are so happy and the hand-painted clementines against the blue is a combo that reminds me of dreamsicles and playing in the sand.
This week marks my 25th week doing BBG. I created an Instagram account just to track my fitness journey. I may still document on my blog handle, but for the most part you’ll see fitness updates on @lisette_fitbbg. I never, ever EVER thought I’d stick with an at-home workout for this long, much less have this success with one. I can finally do push-ups with good form, but since I’m getting stronger, doing all of the moves in Kayla’s circuits is still kicking my butt. After the #12weekchallenge I plan on starting BBG 2.0 and I’m totally psyched!
But tell me…what is your favorite swimwear line?