Do you spend a lot of time on the couch binge-watching shows or are lucky enough to occasionally work from home? If so, you know the mandatory outfit: stretchy, comfy, and unconstricted. Maybe it’s just me, but for some reason I find it very hard to wear tight, constricting clothes when I’m in my house – unless I’m working out at home (one of the benefits of having a home gym).
Anyways, for those of us that have the flexibility to work from home regularly, there seems to be a divide between people that wear “real clothes”, and others that stick with comfier outfits. The problem is that sometimes, something as simple as choosing what you’ll wear at home to spend your days in can play a trick on your waistline.
As silly as it may sound, being incredibly comfy for days at a time might take a toll on your sense of proportion. A friend who’s a surgeon once told me that she never realized when she put on weight until it was already too late. She said it’s because she always wears scrubs and the pants are drawstring pants, so she’s able to adjust them and they fit like a breeze even if she went overboard eating pizza or had too many martinis.
This conversation was an eye-opener, and it made me think of those odd things that secretly sabotage our waistline, or why we struggle with putting on our pants on Monday morning when we stayed in our pj’s ordering take-out all weekend.
Here are 5 Secret Waistline Saboteurs in Everyday Life
1. Elastic Waist Pants
I think men and women alike can relate to this one. Wearing elastic waist pants is one of the go-to choices for lounging and relaxing at home. You know, basketball shorts, pajamas, sweatpants, gym clothes. We’ve all done it without regrets. The problem is not doing it just one day; the real problem is letting it become your uniform.
If you do, you’ll wear them every day, but be completely oblivious to the fact that you’re slowly gaining weight. Until, guess what? The day that you have to wear real pants. Reality will cruelly and surely sink in. So enjoy elastic pants occasionally, but don’t abuse them.
2. Robes
If you happen to own a robe and for some reason you get to stay in all day (assuming you don’t have to face the real world under any circumstances) you might be tempted to stay in it. If this happens too often, you’ll be literally in your comfort zone but in a way that could quickly lead down the slippery slope of a stealthily-expanding waistline.
3. Wrap Dresses
Okay, I love wrap dresses. In a sense, they’re like robe pajamas because they let you breathe and move easily. Actually, some pajamas can be styled in a way such that you can leave the house wearing them without people realizing what you’re really wearing. The good thing about wrap dresses is that they’re practical and can take you from desk to dinner.
They don’t require much planning because your entire outfit is in one piece, and with the right fabric you might skip dry cleaning and yep, you guessed it: ironing! However, wrap dresses are dangerous because they offer the flexibility of expanding with your body, accommodating every cupcake you ate on the weekend. Come on, I can’t be the only one facing this on Mondays! LOL.
Yes, there will be a time when you can no longer cross the dress at the top and realize you need to put on a camisole underneath to look presentable, but these dresses are so forgiving it’s hard to tell how much they’re stretching with you until you hit that point where you need the cami underneath. They’re so forgiving that they can even be worn well into a pregnancy without people realizing you’re not wearing maternity clothes. (I actually do that now that I’m well into my pregnancy) 🙂
So yes, while they’re versatile and a great deal for your money, they’re also dangerous and can sabotage your waistline in a blink. So wear them, but space them a week out. 😉
4. Not Having a Full-Length Mirror or Medium-Sized Mirror in the Bathroom
Unbelievably so, bathroom mirrors are your allies. Like it or not, they’re a constant reminder of the state of things. A full-length mirror is not something you’ll usually find in bathrooms at people’s homes. For some reason when you look for bathroom mirrors, seeing the whole picture doesn’t seem intuitive. However, I’ve noticed that whenever I’ve lived in apartments that had full-length bathroom mirrors, I have been at my fittest.
5. Not Owning a Scale
When we moved to Miami, I made the mistake of leaving my scale behind. Bad idea! It took me a while to settle in and finally buy a new one. Had I thought of the immediate consequences, I would’ve gotten one sooner.
I’m not saying you should weigh yourself every day; although some people advocate for that. But in reality, having a scale within eye-view can make you more accountable and aware of your desired weight. Lesson learned!
The Lowdown
So whether you spend your days working from home, or like the rest of us enjoy binge-watching your favorite shows (or the occasional lazy Sunday) be mindful of your wardrobe choices when lounging at home. Even more so if you’re regularly spending your days like this.
That’s my take!
Have any of these odd offenders ever sabotaged your weight goals? Do you have a full-length bathroom mirror? Do you avoid wearing any of these things regularly? Have you found effective ways to avoid losing control of your weight while still being super comfy?
I’m Lily, a lawyer and aspiring Miami fashion entrepreneur sharing life hacks and my favorite tidbits on lifestyle, shopping, fashion, and beauty. GIF enthusiast and lover of making shareable lists.
Lily, I’ve been working on a 5 pound challenge all summer and still have 5 pounds to go. Tom
Now that I have a WFH job, I am definitely guilty of the first one–at least for the part of the day. I tend to get up and throw on some comfortable clothes to start the morning and typically don’t actually get dressed for the day until mid to late morning. Fortunately it has not yet impacted my waist line as I am making a concerted effort to lose some weight.
My wife and I distance run three times a week and play competitive tennis four or five times a week and I really find most of the time I’m losing weight without trying instead of gaining even though I do not weigh ever except at the doctor’s office. But I do have a rule about wearing real clothes even though I am early retired. No stretchy stuff or robes allowed during daylight hours unless I’m sick or injured and then I might allow myself to be pitiful for awhile in an attempt to get some sympathy from my bionic super wife, never works!
Thanks for the reminder that I need to get back to the gym! Haha
I own a scale, but I barely ever use it. I need to lose weight; I’m nearing the most I’ve ever weighed, and don’t want to set a new record.
I agree with you when I worked in the office and put on tight-fitting clothes, my waist was smaller than now when I work at home and wear comfortable clothes. With mirrors, when I go to a full-length mirror, I want to involuntarily pull myself up.