Eminem can be a harsh critic
Workout clothes are a staple in my life. Some days I go through 3 pairs of spandex capris depending on how many spin classes I'm teaching and when I train and coach. I have competition shirts crammed in drawers and tank tops as far as the eye can see. How many pairs of black workout pants do I need? From the looks of it, all of them. But how many pairs of jeans do I need? Apparently just two. And they haven't seen the light of day in eons.
I wouldn't say I'm the ultimate gym rat but I do have an affinity for pepperjack cheese and my mouse hole is the MSWLC facility. From the amount of gym clothes I go through in a day, buying stock in laundry detergent wouldn't be a bad idea. Let's put it this way, when people ask me to do something outside a gym, two things happen: (1) I internally squeal for having social interactions and (2) I ask "Do I have to wear human clothes?"
Whenever I get stressed out, I go through my drawers and my closet and clean it out for charity. It's therapeutic. Sometimes I'll find clothing that reminds me of a certain time period in my life. Some items make me smile: that shirt was the one I wore when I stood on top of the podium, those tights were given me to my a client, and that neon bra has been with me for years. Some items make me cringe and laugh: that tank reminds me of the time I dropped 45# directly on my foot and those shorts remind me of the time I did my first sled workout.
But then there are some clothes that upset me. I'm not just talking about the shirt an ex bought me or the dress I wore when I got stood up. I'm talking about the tank tops and the pants that I wore during the exercise bulimia days. As I was cleaning things out last week I came across one tank in particular that really just triggered me.
It was a pink tank that I just absolutely loved; unfortunately I loved to wear it when I was undereating and overtraining. It was a size 4. I tried it on and a flood of memories and bad thoughts started creeping through my head. "Why doesn't it fit like it used to? You looked better then. You should weigh yourself. You shouldn't eat any more today. You should workout longer today."
Needless to say I did none of those things. Instead, I took the top off and placed it online to find another owner. I LOVED that top. It breathed so well and it really brought out the traps. But I didn't love how the memories attached to it made me feel. I will never hang on to clothes that are too big or too small hoping I will fit into them. So why should I hang on to clothes that make me feel a certain way? I'm happy to report a good friend took the Pink Tank top off my hands and will be lifting and mobilizing like a champion in it.
This video is in honor of my Pink Lululemon top. I direct you to the opening statement and 2:13. You're welcome Amanda
Iron Lesson? Don't hang on to your fitness past and memories. Make new ones. The iron doesn't care what you size you are or what you are wearing (although it may suggest tights so you aren't rubbing your thighs raw). Clean your closet like you clean your weights and who knows: it may just give you an excuse to go buy some more clothes. You know, to show off those traps and that new good self esteem glow.
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