Pears

I can remember sitting in my dad's truck when I was little (we're talking like 6 or 7 years old here) and asking him why my thighs were so fat. At the time he told me that they just looked big because I was sitting down. But the reality is that I was blessed with the thighs of a professional baseball catcher...

I mean, look at those things, they're huge! Back in the day when I was technically obese, it was hard to determine if my thighs were big because I was fat or because that's the way I'd always be. After losing 20% of me, my body began to take shape and....

I am a pear. The thighs are here to stay! There are 4 basic body shapes (as can be seen above). We all have a shape. But I can't help but look at might thighs and butt sometimes and think of the phrase, "once beyond the lips, forever on the hips." I am still learning to accept the body I was given and I've started by trying to learn how to dress to flatters my assets and hide the wobbly bits that I am not so proud of. I have recently come to the conclusion that I am a healthy weight. If I can keep up my exercise and strive to eat healthy foods, I can slip up sometimes and I shouldn't feel guilty. I think since I started my weight loss journey I've been focusing too much on the bottom number and recently that just hasn't been working for me. Instead, I think, if anything it's had the complete opposite effect. Every time I tell myself I'm going to lose those last 10 pounds I end up gaining weight instead!

And while I am still coming to terms with who I am, I do still have 1 big problem. Sadly, as I'm sure Jason Varitek can tell you, big thighs and running don't always mix. One of my biggest issues with running originally was that:

1. I was too fat for spandex

2. I was also too fat for running shorts

So when I first started really working out I wore baggy clothes to the gym. And that was all fine and well until I decided that I was finally going to start running. Baggy and running don't mix because there is nothing that gets your pants sliding down your backside faster than a little jog. And then I had to deal with the fact that my thighs were rubbing together so much that I was afraid that they were going to light my shorts on fire. I swear, every 3 seconds I was pulling my stupid shorts down. And there is nothing that discourages a wannabe runner more than having to deal with a wardrobe malfunction in addition to the "I CAN'T BREATHE" and "MAKE THE PAIN STOP" thoughts racing through your mind.

So I went to Target to try to find something for my bottom half. And it was there that I discovered something amazing. I WASN'T TOO FAT FOR SPANDEX ANYMORE! In fact, I put on a pair of spandex 3/4 length pants, and I LOOKED GOOD!

I mean, look at those legs! Those hot pants squeeze in the wobbly bits and accentuate my hot calves! The only issue I have with these fab pants is that they're pretty flipping hot to run in in the summer. So now that the spring/summer is here, does anyone have any suggestions for summer running clothes? I reattempted the whole running shorts thing the other day and found myself doing the constant reverse wedgie pull the whole time and I'm not sure I'm ready for spandex short shorts...are there any other pears out there who have found a solution to this problem?!