Weekend triggers

I'm coming clean with this post. I've been binging. One recent afternoon, I methodically ate whatever packaged treat I could get my hands on. That was the worst day, but there have been others.

The weekends are the trigger for me. They're usually spent with friends who don't care what they eat. I'm always the odd duck out when it comes to healthy meals. I try to tactfully suggest certain places to eat, but I don't press it too hard if nobody is keen on it. Just because I'm choosing to eat healthier, doesn't mean everyone else should, too. Oftentimes, I'm thrown into situations where the choices are limited to yet another unappetizing salad.

What is it about friends and food that leads me astray? When I avoid gettogethers, I'm not a team player. When I order something healthy or abstain from someone's home cooked food, I'm the alien in the group. When I try and be a part of the group and take a nibble...the nibble leads down the path of no return.

It's been a year-long battle and I've just gotten tired of trying to adjust to all these social situations that keep getting thrown at me. Like the dripdripdrip of water on rock, it's wearing me down.

It's for this reason that I've been giving in a lot lately to the pressures of socializing. Unfortunately, it's led to the binging and a fatalistic attitude. "You've already muffed it, Tiny, might as well eat the whole cupboard."

At the very least, I've been crawling back onto the wagon every single time I go off course. By my teeth and finger nails, clinging on. Thank goodness for my mother who passed down the stubborness gene. I. Will. Not. Give. In.

At least not permanently.

All the ranting aside, social situations aren't going to go away. I just have to accept it and keep working on ways to handle it. Aside from...you know...eating a box of cereal in one sitting.

Clothing rant with a side of bargain

I confess I've been having a hard time shopping for my goal clothes. I've been so long from any sort of serious clothes shopping that I've no idea where to shop, what's appropriate for my age, or even what colours go together. Add that to the fact that I was seriously depressed that, after all this effort, the smallest size I could get into at Reitmans was a size 8.

Yes, despite all my flowery words to the contrary about being happy with my body blah blah blah, I'm still a little shallow in that I want to say "oooh, I'm a [insert ridiculously small size here]!" Yeah, I know. Sucks to be me ;)

But after four shopping trips, I've figured it out. Clothing sizes suck. While I might be a size 8 at Reitmans, I'm a size 6 at Eddie Bauer and MEC, a size 4 at Lululemon, a medium at the Bay, a small at Mark's, and a potpourri of sizes (including XL) at any given store I've been into. No wonder shopping is hard.

Anyways, now that I know clothing sizes are all over the board and I fit into a size 6 at more than one store, I'm a little happier and my closet is less empty now.

But enough ranting. How about some deals? I picked up a few bargain tips that might help other people.

• Retimans: Between now and June 28, 2008, get a $25 savings card for every $50 you spend. The card is good for the month of August (fall shopping alert!) on purchases over $75. More info on their website. If you go in, keep your eyes peeled for the stretch "business" capris. They're comfy and look really classy.
• Mark’s Work Wearhouse: Check out the RedFlagDeals forums for a $30 off coupon. I used it last night without problems. It's good until June 30th. If you sign up for Mark's Rewards Club, you'll get advance notice of coupons automatically. Lastly, there's a 3-day sale coming up. 20% off all women's clothing (pdf link). Mark's is often surprising in their clothing selection. I found a number of really nice work tops there.
• Eddie Bauer: They've got excellent prices on clearance jeans right now. I bought a pair for $20. Sizes can be limited but it's worth a look. Also, if you join their free "friends" club you'll get advance notice of sales and get coupons, too. You can sign up online (though I'm not sure if it also covers Canada) or in-store. Oh, and if you have a small waist like I do, their Shaped Fit jeans are the bee's knees.
• RedFlagDeals.com: It's surprising what you can find if you do a bit of searching at RedFlagDeals. Not only did I find the Mark's coupon I mentioned above, but I also spied in-store coupons for American Eagle, Sport Chek, and Bluenotes. Check the main apparel page, the coupons page, and the hot deals forum before you go shopping. Note: though this is a Canadian site there appears to be a number of online deals that'll work for anyone.

Hopefully these will help snag you at least one good deal. If you're still working your way to goal, get out there and treat yourself to something special. Looking nice has a funny way of making you feel nice, too. And if you feel nice, you look great inside and out :)

I’m 135 lbs...

...on paper that is.

In my province, your weight is listed on your driver's license. When I renewed mine ten years ago, it was the first time I had to do it. Being my first time, I didn't realize that your weight was put on the back. Unfortunately, I had gained weight since first getting my license and the clerk wasn't going to let me forget it. He curled his lip, gave me a long slow look up and down and asked scornfully if I thought I was kidding myself. He went on to berate me and made me feel about two inches tall.

Okay, I get it man. I have to list my proper weight. I understand that. But did you have to let me know in such a rude and condescending "you're a fat chick, I know it, everyone else knows it, but you obviously don't know it" way? Of course I knew I was overweight! And I would've updated my info without question if I had known.

For ten years now, I've been described on that bit of plastic as being 180 lbs. And I always think of that rude clerk whenever I look at it.

So it was such a sweet and triumphant feeling when I went in to renew it again last night. Like a dutiful, law-abiding person, I made sure to let the clerk (a nice lady) know that my weight had changed and gave it as 135 lbs.

Okay, maybe not exactly "law abiding." I may have fudged a little. But I will be there soon and since I'm going to be carrying that bit of plastic around for another five years, I want it to show the weight I'll be at in a few months.

Take that rude license clerk man. Who are you kidding that you're a nice member of the human race? I may have been overweight, but I got skinnier. What's your excuse? Thhhbbbbppp.

Girly little bites

I've never had a stranger comment on my food choices before. That is, until last night. My husband and I went to a friend's birthday celebration. I did pretty good at dinner and even mentally prepared myself for cake. When the cake came, I declined saying I would only take a bite from my husband's plate. And when I finally got around to taking said bite, a guy sitting next to my husband started rudely going on to me about how I was taking a "girly little bite" and maybe I should just go get my own piece of cake. WTF???

First of all, it's one of those prearranged things with my husband and I. He'll often let me take a little bite of whatever he's having so that I don't feel deprived. Second of all, it's no business of anyone else if I want to take a small bite. So, [insert rude gesture here], piss off! I'll have my "girly little bite" if I want to AND I'll count it as an NSV.