Sunday, October 23, 2011

193.2 and size small pants

The score a few moments ago was 193.2 English Pounds on the Tanita scale.  The scale bounced back and forth between 193.0 and 193.2 a few times before it settled on 193.2.  As per usual, let's call it 193.1.

The Bod Pod variance seems to be jumping around a bit since they calibrated the machine.  However, I suspect my weight would be well inside the 192 zone this morning, if I were to be measured on the Bod Pod scale.

This is surprising because I have been settled around 194.4 for several weeks now.  To be sure, this is a small bump.  I could return to 194.4 tomorrow.  However, it is interesting.  Just as I wrote off all further potential weight loss, a little bump happens.

There is more interesting news.  Last night, I got tired of the baggy look created by my size-large pants, and decided to visit the Sports Authority.  Surprisingly, I found that size-medium pants [made by Nike and Under Armour] were still too large.

With great skepticism and disbelief, I decided to return to the clothing rack and grab a pair of small pants.  As I did so, I seriously doubted small pants would fit me.  I suspected I was stuck in an unhappy in-between spot; a spot to small for medium but too large for small.  I am just not a small guy, after all.

As it turns out, this was not the case.  I was flabbergasted as I discovered that the size-small pants fit perfectly.  I kept looking in the mirror for visible imperfections in the look.  I tried squatting and a couple of leg stretches in an attempt to prove that these small pants were too tight.  The pants felt comfortable in a deep squat. I didn't feel the material stretched very much.  I certainly didn't think they would rip.  The fit was comfortable.  I could exercise in these shorts and there would be no problem.

I have to say, this purchase triggered an identity crisis and personality meltdown for me.  I have never been a size-small guy.  I have always been the big man.  The mere notion that I might fit into small pants seems utterly preposterous to me.  Nevertheless, this is the fact.

When you consider it mathematically, it makes sense.  I stand 70.3 inches, or just over 5'10".  I weigh in at 192+ pounds.  I am about as big as an NFL Corner.  I am smaller than a lot of wide receivers.  Whatever else you want to say about them, these players are not considered big men on the field.  They may be in remarkable athletic condition, but they are average sized folks in a typical public setting.

Who the hell did they make size XXL for then?  Under Armour seems to be the official/unofficial brand of workout gear for the NFL players these days.  I suspect that XXL was tailored for really big men like Haloti Ngata of the Baltimore Ravens.  At 6'4" and 350 pounds, he is 6 inches taller and 150 pounds heavier than me.  He doesn't need to lose any weight either.  The dude is a concrete block.  His battle buddy, Terrance Cody, is also 6'4" and 349 pounds.  He could stand to lose about 20 pounds, I think.