When I look at the photos from the last week – and when I look in the mirror or stand on the scales – I notice the extra roll around my middle again.  My eye is always drawn straight to my midsection.  I’ve put on weight, as I often do.  I added this roll while we were in Bali, but we’ve been back for over three weeks now and it’s still there.

Like many people, I “struggle” with my weight, but only in that it goes up and down every few months and that makes it more difficult to decide what size clothes to sew. I’m basically within a healthy weight range (albeit right at the upper end of it) and because health and not vanity is my main motivator for weight loss, I’m finding it hard to motivate myself to lose some kilos. Yes, subjectively I do think I look a bit better when I’m three to five kilos lighter than I am at the moment, and I definitely do feel better when clothing isn’t tight and restrictive around my middle, but the difference isn’t significant enough to prompt me to eat less calories. My diet is basically a healthy and balanced one, but with the added calories of wine, chocolate and caramel slice. And they are part of the pleasures of life for me – in moderation.

I’ve got a few garments on the cutting table, and have decided to stick to stretch fabrics and to make them so they are a fraction snug at the moment but still wearable. Then as winter slowly fades away, and some of my waist/stomach roll decreases, they should fit well. Although they’re winter garments, so that could defeat the purpose. And I’ll do some more sewing for the kids, who are much easier to fit. Does your weight fluctuate? How do you accommodate this in your sewing?