Pants for Women with Tummies

I dearly wish that it was not necessary to write about a subject matter such as "Pants For Women With Tummies", but I must confess that such a need exists...for myself.

Luckily, my legs and hips are holding up just fine, fitting into the size 10 or 12 range.  But my belly?  (Don't you just hate that word, 'belly'?)  Well, my tummy has taken a turn for the worse over the last few years (years!) and I may often be found residing in a pair of comfy work-out pants.  You know the kind of work-out pants I'm talking about; stretchy, boot cut pants almost always in a shade of black.

Don't get me wrong, I do indeed work out, and therefore have earned the right to wear exercise pants.  Yet, I find more frequently that I look upon my stretchy exercise-style pants as a uniform of sorts.  Stretchy pants, if you will, are my "go to" garb of choice for the lower body.  However, the concept of wearing these stretchy slacks all day long is taking a toll on my psyche.  Where is my pride?  Why do I no longer wear fashionable clothing?  Should I blame it on my rotund torso?

Well, for your information, I do blame my lack of fashion-conscious attire on my waist circumference (a much nicer word than "girth", isn't it?)  Clothing options for women with average thigh and hip sizes who are also carrying an extra couple pounds in the waist have very few choices when it comes to clothes that fit well and look fashion-forward.  (Much like the dilemma a gal with plump arms faces, but that's a different story.)

I used to be fashionable, trust me.  What else would you call a women in her 20's wearing a black bra exposed under a tank top a' la' Madonna?  Of course, that was in the 1980's.  I once wore a size 8, had a sweet golden tan, and carried a giant can of hair spray in my purse just like the other 20-somethings.  But then I had kids in my 30's and everything went to hell.  Not my life, you understand, just my body and desire to look "hot".  Who cares about feeling sexy playing with the kids at the park?  Hubby never said a word, so onward I marched, deeper into mommy hood and the fashion pitfalls it secretly wields

Sure, not all moms are like me, caving in to comfort versus style.  I have friends with kids who are fabulously decked out no matter what time of day or night it may be.  I even have one friend who serves as a style consultant to refined women (which explains why she has never offered her services to me.)

My new mission, as of late, is to search for pants that will show that I can wear fashion-forward clothes and still be comfortable.  Because, if there's one thing a gal with a hefty (another hated word) waist needs, it's a flexible waistband she can breath - I mean feel comfortable - in.

While searching for pants for women with tummies, I realized a few important "DON'TS" for women with thicker middles:

1. Avoid Crop Pants.  If you have a generous waist, you will look like a squished marshmallow; short and stubby with a soft middle if you pull on a pair of these pants designed for clam-digging.  Trust me.

2.  Ban The Belt.  I don't care what anyone says, slap a belt around a burgeoning torso and that's right where someone's eyes will fall.  Belts attract attention to your middle and that's all there is to it - try it sometime, you'll see that I'm correct.

Okay, so what pants for women with tummies are a good bet?  Glad you asked.

1. Slip on jeans.  Do not laugh.  Jeans with trim stitched in the manner of regular jeans, such as those by Peck & Peck are comfortable slip-on jeans without buttons or zippers.  The waistband of slip on jeans is gentle and forgiving and well-designed slip on jeans such as those by Peck & Peck do not resemble maternity jeans as so many types of slip on jeans for women do.  I really like Peck & Peck jeans and purchased mine at Stein Mart.

2. Skirts.  Sure, a skirt is not a pair of pants, but they can be very comfortable and flattering.  If your legs have seen better days, wear tights under a skirt, or try wearing a pair of snug cotton leggings.  You'll look trendy and feel sassy.  Short gals need to avoid skirts that are too long and tall women can get away with any length of skirt, you lucky ladies!

3.  Drawstring pants.  Old Navy carries cotton drawstring pants in the summer that are comfortable and look nice.  Avoid drawstring pants that hike toward your armpits to keep a frumpy look at bay.

4.  Exercise pants.  Yes, you heard me correctly.  "But," you may ask, "aren't you trying to avoid wearing exercise pants?"  The answer is "Yes, and no" because I know that I cannot let go of my love of comfy, stretchy pants created with just a touch of Lycra or Spandex to help to keep my junk from jiggling (or so I like to think).  The key to buying exercise pants is to seek out those with fashionable colors such as purple, pink, or perhaps white.  Victoria's Secret offers cute casual pants with graphics that are alluring.  Additionally, BCBG carries several lines of casual gym-style pants with embellishments.

March on and seek out new ways to rock the fashion world, ladies!  Comfort and style can work together if you put your thinking cap on.

Lose That Menopause Weight

It's no secret that gaining weight after fifty is easy to do.  Nor is it a surprise that losing weight after fifty seems difficult, if not downright impossible, for some. For women over 50, there is a particular challenge to successfully lose menopause pounds which are attributed to side effects of going through "the change."

Men, too, have difficulty losing weight after a certain age.  Consider actor Alex Baldwin, for example, who strutted a less-than svelte form in the film, "It's Complicated."  However, look at him now...his middle-age tummy has taken on a youthful look and his entire body appears transformed as well.  To what does Mr. Baldwin owe his success?  Possibly to his wife, Hilaria, who has a background as a Yoga instructor and more.

While it is obvious that Mr. Baldwin did not have to go through menopause, perhaps he went through "Manopause" and has transformed into a studly new man thanks to his interest in Yoga (and likely a dietary makeover.)

  YOGA AND PILATES can help you lose menopause pounds.  Here's how.

1. Yoga creates body self awareness.  It is a pretty crummy feeling to not be able to hold a certain yoga pose because your belly is in the way (we know this from experience).  Yoga poses require excellent posture and being aware of your own body (and it's weaknesses) actually encourages you to aim for correct posture, increasing body awareness as you work toward a stronger, more flexible body.

That belly will shrink as you work on yoga poses.  Remember the old story about the tortoise and the hare?  Slow and steady wins the race. Work at your own pace, and don't forget to breathe.

2. Pilates movements encourage a focus on the body's core, or torso.  The back must be kept absolutely flat while performing various floor movements and the effort to do so will reward you with a tighter tummy and a stronger lower back as well.

Pilates also increases flexibility and strength, which turns your body into a fat-burning machine even when you are not engaged in physical activity.  Pretty super, huh?

Take a yoga class once or twice a week and try a Pilates class once or twice a week as well.  Buy DVD's if going to a gym or studio is out of the question -- there are a lot of great Yoga and Pilates DVD's out there.  Throw in some walking or cardio a few times a week and see if you are able to lose menopause pounds.  Give it a minimum of 6 weeks and then do a body check...good news, right?

Read more about the benefits of Yoga and why Yoga exercise is good for you HERE.