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Ohhhh, sweet, sweet Pam.
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I thought wrong. Pam giggled when she greeted me and said “you look the same,” as she handed me my dress. That's Pam code for: “This still won't fit you.” (And it was pretty impressive; typically Pam doesn't feel the need to use even semi-polite code…)
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I put the dress on and gushed over the changes she'd made. I knew the dress wasn't going to zip, but I wasn't worried. I still have five months until the big day and that's plenty of time to shed some poundage. My concern was with the design of the dress, and that, I found, was coming along nicely.
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Pam rattled on about some things that I didn't understand to my mom, while I stood smiling in the mirror. Then I heard something clear as day. “Thirty pounds.”
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“What!?” I squeaked in her direction.
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“Three more inches. You need to lose 30 more pounds. You need to exercise.”
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Thirty pounds?! Was she out of her mind? I haven't weighed thirty pounds less than I do now since middle school. Sorry Pam, that isn't happening.
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Naturally, I just giggled and said “I'm on it!”
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She had me give the dress to one of my (shorter/thinner) sisters to try on, and when she came out, Pam looked at the back and said “See, this is the way it's supposed to fit.” Good thing I like my sister. And Pam. (Note: I didn't know whether to roll my eyes or squeal with delight. It looked awesome!)
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When I handed the dress back, Pam and I decided on the date of our next fitting, and then Pam schooled me on how to lose the weight by then. The first was to stop eating “fryer food.”
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Then she told me that sweets had to go.
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You know, because I lost these first six pounds eating fried chicken and candy…
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Finally, she explained that I need to eat a good eakfast, a good lunch, and nothing but vegetables for dinner. And absolutely NO food at night. What do I think I am, some kind of late night foodie lush?
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Got it, Pam. (Tilt head and smile.)
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I think that most ides-to-be would probably cry at the suggestion that a 30-pound weight loss (hello, do the six I've already lost count for nothing!? ha) is necessary, regardless of the fit of the dress. But I think I understand what it boils down to with Pam.
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When I took the dress in I knew it was too small but I told her I'd get in better shape and fit into it. She's met me three times, changed several things and poured a lot of her time into this dress. She is a seamstress and this is what she does. Like any artist, this project is now a piece of her. She wants me to respect her work of art by holding up my end of the commitment.
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Trying to squeeze my size 10 body into her size 6 masterpiece is not respectful.
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I get it.
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I'm still giggling, but I get it.
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And the bottom line is, I do have a few more pounds to go before I meet my personal weight loss goal. I want to be at my healthiest on my wedding day and while 30 pounds would undoubtedly take that too far, I can stand to meet her half way. And I plan to.
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This week, I'm getting serious. And when I meet her again in seven weeks, I hope to make her proud. And hear the sound every ide wants to hear at their idal fitting.
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“Ziiiip.”
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Wish me luck!
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