At first, I blamed it on the clothes dryer.

That had to be why my jeans were feeling snug.

After all, I wasn't wolfing down fried chicken and Ho-hos every day. My eating habits and lifestyle were the same as they had been for years.

Clearly, the dryer was simply shrinking my clothes.

But soon all my pants and skirts became a little more, uh, form-fitting. Could the dry-cleaners be in on this cruel joke, too? And why the heck are all the stores making their sizes so dang tiny?

Uh-oh. Houston, we have a problem.

Welcome to your 30s. Have a seat, make yourself comfortable, don't forget to pick up your elastic waistbands.

Outgrowing your clothes is expected when you're a kid. Not so cute when you're 31.

Some may think I'm being too dramatic about this because I'm relatively healthy.

But my fat pants (every girl's got 'em) have become my regular pants. And if I don't do anything about it soon, I'll be climbing that scale even more.

I've heard that it starts in our 30s: the slowing metabolism, the need to work out more, the introduction to the paunch.

People older and wiser than I am tell me it's an inevitable part of the aging process. I tuned out when they started talking about the things that go awry in your 40s. One step at a time, please.

Right now, I'm still struggling with the grim fact that I can no longer get away with skipping exercise and eating whatever I want.

No more beer runs with a stop at the Jack-in-the-Box drive-through. No more careless chomping on Ruffles and clam dip in front of the TV. No more getting my money's worth at all-you-can-eat buffets.

Farewell, dear friends.

Hello, lunges and carrot sticks.

My mom reminded me that I can't change my body type.

"You don't come from a line of slender-hipped women," she said gently.

Yeah, I know. I've accepted that I'm never going to look like a runway model. I just want to be able to fit into the same pants I wore last year. That's not so unreasonable, right?

I'm fighting the so-called inevitable. I think I've caught it early enough. Being 30-something doesn't have to mean growing larger. There are many women who are proof of that.

This is probably the kick in the pants I needed to live healthier anyway. God help me, I will embrace fruits and veggies, whole grains and the elliptical machine in my living room that needs dusting.

And maybe, just in case, I'll get a new dryer too.

Reach Lynda Arakawa at larakawa@honoluluadvertiser.com.