Day 2

Today was by far a better day than Day 1. The quest to find another swimsuit, not so much.

Tuesday evening I looked online at Lane Bryant and Kohl's to see their selection of suits. I am to the point that I needn't think I am going to look anything less than a beached whale at this point in the program, in ANY sort of suit. A bathing suit does not hide too much of anything ... I don't care what the tag says. They have suits that lay claim to making your butt look tighter, your tummy flatter and your boobs bigger. But this is all smoke and mirrors. If you put one of these suits on you still see those flag-waving arms and the 4,739 pits of cellulose dotting both thighs. And it does NOTHING for a double chin.

I had planned to go to Victoria Gardens, but for lack of time and energy I elected to stop off at the Inland Center Mall on the way home from work. I don't know why I go there. It is so scary over there, and I was hit up for change in the mall parking lot. I even went back and retrieved my computer out of my car that I had hidden under my jacket. I proceeded to Layne Bryant, excitement and fear in every step. I reached the store and promptly found some personnel. I didn't want to waste precious "trying-on" time looking for the swimsuits, so I just asked straight away where they were located. "Oh, we don't have a large selection. But our store in Victoria Gardens has the whole collection!" Great. Just my luck. I went over to see what they had. She was right. If I wanted to look like a full-size white tiger or leopard with gold embedded brads then I would have purchased one of those. With the exception of my laptop tucked neatly inside my computer bag, I walked out empty-handed.

After going home to drop off my laptop, I drove over to Kohl's. My sister Kandi had recommended that I check them out, and hearing through the grapevine that they had "fat lady" clothes, I was all over that. Again, I asked an employee where the Plus Size department was and she directed me to the other side of the store. After inquiring if they had swimsuits in that department, she smiled and replied, "Yes, they do." I was pumped! I couldn't wait to see what they had because I had been online and had seen some rather promising ones. I went straight back to the "Women's" section. I was surprised to see the swimsuits hanging rather poignantly on the wall. I checked all the tags. NONE were in my size. None were even remotely close! I walked the rest of the way down to the front of the store. Nothing. I walked back. I picked out the biggest one they had in two different styles. They MIGHT fit. After all, I'd been to aerobics once already and MAYbe it triggered muscle memory!

I opened the door to the dressing room. I had not seen one of those in YEARS. I can't remember the last time I tried on clothes. When a person is my size things come in "X" sizes ... 1X, 2X, 3X, 4X, and 5X. I am a 2X. Pretty much anything that is a 2X fits me on top. Sometimes it's bigger, but usually it's right on target. It's normally tops that are "drapey," and they ALL hide my belly. But this was different. This type of clothing hid NOTHING.

The first suit was a struggle. Apparently the "tummy tuck" on the tag was serious. I could barely get that sucker past my waist! And while the lower half actually fit, the upper part did what the Costco suit did, and I was having none of that. Denied. I put on the second suit and, while it felt like an aerobics class just trying to get it on, when it was finally on it looked great! Wow! I could feel the excitement well up within me. YES!!! I found one!!

Then I turned around and saw the back.

I now have four boobs...two in front and two in the back where the small size of the suit shows it's ugly head and screams, "GET ME OFF OF HER!" I took it off and made my purchase anyway. :)

After getting home I read a comment to my post from my friend Noreen, suggesting that I get two, in case one suit goes bad. Oooo, very smart. And knowing my luck, I'll need two. My friend Karen suggested I go to Fashion Bug. It is my new favorite store!! I LOVE it! I was able to get the top to the suit I loved. Then I drove from Fontana to Moreno Valley to get the bottoms. It fits PERFECTLY!!

I decided to wear that one instead of the one I got at Kohl's and save the "back boob" one for Saturday morning when not so many people would see it. I came home, dropped of Andrea and her friend Alma who had gone with me to Moreno Valley, and packed my gym bag. Because of freeway traffic coming home from MoVal I was running about 20 minutes late. It was hard being inconspicuous when you're late to class. Fortunately I got a spot in the back again, my favorite spot!

I walked down the steps into the pool, all the while being keenly aware of this new suit being a two-piece. Grant it, the top was long enough to touch the tops of my thighs, which was a good thing, but still, I didn't want anything exposed. I hadn't worn a two-piece since I was 18! I was nervous, too, because there is a plate glass window about the size of the entire north side of our house dividing the rest of the gym from the pool area. EVERYONE who comes into the gym walks past this window, and thus the pool and everyone in it. I didn't want any surprises.

"Grab the water and pull with your hands. Don't forget to jog in place," said the instructor. So far, so good. Hey, this isn't so bad! I like this suit so much better! It was really comfy.

About three minutes into the routine I was feeling rather cool around my midsection. I reached down to see if perhaps I was by a cool-water jet or something, and lo and behold the top of my suit that reached to my thighs was COMPLETELY bunched up under my boobs, and my VERY WHITE stomach was COMPLETELY shining just under the water! Oh man!!! NOOOOO!!!!!! I nervously grabbed my top and as fast as I could untangled it downward. I tried tucking it into my accompanying pants, to no avail. It creeped up every few minutes. I have decided I need suspenders. I wonder if they come in pink?

I live to aerobic another day. :)

-Kathy