The other day I was shopping for a crucial, but often elusive piece of fitness equipment to help me in my quest to fit into my red jeans...a properly-fitting, supportive, yet comfortable sports bra. Bra shopping has always been a challenge for me, as I have always tended toward the more, shall we say, well-endowed end of the spectrum (I was a C-cup in 7th grade. No training bras for me. I went straight into women's sizes when puberty hit me like a mac truck at around age 12. Anywhooo...) Needless to say, I have always found sports bra shopping particularly challenging.
In my experience, sports bras come in two basic types. The first is a slim cropped tank-top style bra with no shape or definition that probably works fine on slim women with normal-sized breasts, but amounts to a glorified boob-sling on bustier women like myself. The second type is a full-coverage bustiere made up of a combination of thick wire and durable, super-strong, yet barely pliable elastic that straps your boobs in place like they are preparing to leave the earth's atmosphere in a rocket launch to the International Space Station. The first type (boob-sling) offers little if any support to a larger bust, putting me at risk of a concussion after just a few minutes of vigorous jogging on the treadmill. The other type, though arguably more supportive, constricts both movement and circulation, causing great discomfort during exercise. Could I find a happy medium in a sports bra...one that could supply both comfort and support?
I began my quest for such a garment at my local Dicks Sporting Goods store. They had a plethora of sports bras from which to choose, from all major sportswear manufacturers. I bypassed the boob-slings and went straight to the ones with more substance. After surveying my options, I selected a few to try on and headed to the fitting room. The first selection looked nice and sturdy with adequate frontal coverage and crossed back straps for extra support. Unfortunately, there were no hooks on this one, so it had to be put on either over the head or by stepping into it and awkwardly shimmying it up the legs and torso to its desired location. Neither option was particularly easy to do or comfortable. After a few moments of trying to squeeze into this bra, I gave up and began examining my other options.
The second option was also a substantial garment with sturdy straps and hooks (yay!). This could be put on more like a normal bra, although the hooks were in the front (I've found that front-closure bras are a bad idea for women of my size). I tried to remain open-minded as I tried on bra #2. The front hooks were awkward, but I did get them to close. However, the shape created by the front closure caused my boobs to mush together and partially roll over the top of the bra like rising bread dough. This one would not work either.
The last option was a sleek black sports bra with steel-grey lined straps and a back closure. At least I would be able to get this one on! The elastic was strong and tight. I managed to cram myself into it and hook it up, though this was not without some struggle. It fit, but it was tight...I mean TIGHT. Could there be such a thing as too much support? Feeling like I was having trouble breathing, I unhooked myself, freeing my boobs from their elastic prison. This bra would not work either.
Discouraged, but undaunted, I left the store and decided to pursue other options for finding a good sports bra. Perhaps online? You can find anything online these days, right? As I was travelling home, I stopped at TJ Maxx, one of my favorite places to browse around. Just for kicks, I checked out their workout clothes and looked to see if there were any promising prospects here. Shopping at a place like TJ Maxx is a bit like the box of chocolates Forest Gump talked about...you never know what you're going to get. Amazingly, I found a bright pink sports bra that looked at least promising. It was worth a try. I tried it on, and to my surprise and pleasure, it fit! It was easy to put on, comfortable to wear, and supportive. It was bright pink, which would make it difficult to wear under light-colored T-shirts, but still, it was a find. And at $12.99, I couldn't pass it up. Now at least I have one bra that can give me the support I need when working out. Maybe someday I'll invent my own line of comfortable, supportive sports bras for bustier women like me.
A quick update on my last post...I went to my Primary Care Doctor for a checkup the other day. He was concerned about my sudden weight gain as well. He insists that the cortisone shot is not the cause, and he ordered blood tests to check various my hormone levels. I'll keep you posted.
Hope you are finding good health...and lots of support in your wellness journey.
Sincerely,
Miss Red Jeans
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