If you’ve recently bought new pants, you may have noticed that the waist is adjustable or expandable. Some men’s pants include up to 2 inches of extra section to allow them to be “flexible” or “move more freely.” Women’s pants may have hidden elastic in the waistband for added “stretch.” These pants are designed to be comfortable, but they can add weight.
Most people gain weight as they age, but the process is usually slow and may not be noticed right away. If your waist is expandable by 2 inches, you can easily gain weight even though you are wearing the same size pants. In fact, he could end up gaining two inches of fat around his waist without even realizing it. For many people, tight pants are a sign that they may have gained a few pounds. If you miss that cue, you can easily gain a lot of weight, and it will take a lot of effort to correct it.
This may seem like a small problem, but external cues like this are important in recognizing weight gain. A typical example is a man wearing his favorite suit for the first time in years and discovering that his pants are too tight. He soon realized that he had gained weight since he last wore the suit. But imagine if his suit pants stretched to accommodate his large waist. He may still think you haven’t gained weight because your pants still fit.
This is important because humans typically gain weight gradually over time, but without these external cues we may not understand that we are gaining weight. One way to prevent sudden weight gain is to weigh yourself regularly and adjust your diet and activity to prevent further weight gain. In fact, one of the common characteristics of the National Weight Control Registry’s “Successful Losers” is that he weighs himself at least once a week. This is important because it is easier to adjust to lose weight gained in one week than weight gained over a month or more.
This is also the reason why those who want to lose weight need to take off their “fat clothes”. These clothes are usually relegated to the back of the closet. But they’re still readily available, so it’s easy to reach for a larger size once you’ve gained some weight back. If those clothes were stuffed in a box in the attic, when you take them out and unpack them, it may become obvious that you’re gaining weight, which may motivate you to get back on track.
Even small changes in your diet and activity patterns can lead to weight gain over time. This weight gain often goes unnoticed, so it’s important to pay attention to external stimuli. The fit of your clothes is one such memory, but there are others as well. Do you notice that you get more short of breath when doing everyday activities like climbing stairs? Do you find it difficult to bend over to tie your shoes? Both of these could be signs that you’re feeling weak. This is a sign that it’s time to start exercising.
These cues are often ignored, but they’re important signs that it’s time to change your eating and activity habits. Preventing weight gain and staying healthy is even easier than losing weight and getting in shape. So don’t let the pants fool you! Pay attention to how your clothes fit and how you feel, and use these cues to help you stay healthy.