My parents, sisters and nephews traveled from IL to see us for my birthday. They stayed at a local indoor water park hotel, and tonight I went to the waterpark with my sisters, and nephews. I changed into my swimsuit in the room. I had brought two swim suits (luckily). I tried on my older suit first, a pretty print swim dress (I haven't been swimming for a while, but I didn't expect it not to fit) - it was humongous, ridiculously so, and my mom said "you can't wear that, it looks like you're going to fall out of it," so I went on and tried on my black two piece (a blousy tank and skirt). I bought it last year, and hated it - the bottom fit oddly. Not exactly tight, but not very flattering. The two piece looked a lot better than it did last year, and it looked WAY, WAY better than the too big swim suit.

That was enough to make my day, but while at the water park, I've never been able to "fit" in the innertubes (my hips AND my bust wouldn't fit in the hole). So I stepped into the innertube, and was able to float sitting on the innertube on the lazy river - and was excited about that - but then I "slipped through" the inner tube and it was around my waist (I was concerned for a minute that I'd have to be cut out of the darned thing, but was able to slip it over my head). It's such a silly victory, but I was excited.

Also my husband was up in the room with my parents, since he didn't want to go in the water, and they said some great things about me to him - it was just about the best birthday weekend I think I've ever had as an adult.

Going to go to bed know, I'm absolutely exhausted, and I strongly suspect that I will not be able to walk or even move without excrutiating pain for a few days from all the exercise I did in the waterpark (but it was so fun, I'll try to remind myself it definitely was worth it). Last time I was in the waterpark with them, I could barely move for three days (my back is starting to spasm already), but it really, really was worth it.

Good on you, congratulations! I'm still waiting for the day where I'll be able to wear a swimsuit without feeling awkward.

Keep it up!

Oh that is a wonderful NSV!!!!! Congratulations!!!!! Sounds like the not-being-able-to-move will be totally worth it!

Congratulations, that's amazing!

It feels good, doesn't it? What a great NSV!

Sounds like a fun day I love water parks even though I haven't been in one in years.

It's silly but I am too embarrassed to walk around in trunks and no shirt! LOL!

But soon though .... soon I will! LOL!

Just be glad they took you to a water park imagine how sore you would be if they took you to an Amusement Park with all that walking! LOL!

My Birthday is this July I can't wait I should be down a lot of pounds by then!

kaplods you are very fortunate that have a lot of family around. Most of mine have either drifted off and no one knows where they are or passed away.

what a wonderful NSV! You deserve to celebrate - look how far you have come! I am SOOOO happy for you Colleen!

Sounds like you had a great birthday, good for you

Thanks, all. I AM indeed very sore today, and wondering what tomorrow will bring (since it's always the second day, that I find hurts the worst), but so far, it hasn't been as bad as I expected (or remembered being last time).

I've been obese most (nearly all) of my life, and while I can't say that I've ever been the picture of confidence in a swimsuit, I LOVE the water far more than I fear or hate being seen in a swimsuit. It's the one internal battle that I would most encourage anyone with bathing suit phobia to overcome, especially the very obese, because swimming is the one exercise in which your weight doesn't significantly work against you. Even at nearly 400 lbs, I could get in the water and get an aerobic workout of 20, 30, even 40 minutes. On land, gravity turns any significant exertion into excrutiating pain and overheating after only a few minutes - I'm sweating, my face is deep red, my heart is pounding out of my chest, and I feel like my head is about to explode. In the water, I can do as much or more as women half my size.

The social stigma against public swimming for people with imperfect bodies is one of the worst disservices our society imposes. If anyone SHOULD be in the water, it's people who can't exercise, for whatever reason, on land. It's a bit of a soapbox topic for me (and perhaps why I can face the water, in my head I'm shouting to myself that I have more right to be there, than anyone else). I find I don't have to do that much anymore though. I didn't notice anyone staring, and I saw a lot of other imperfect bodies, and even a few that were nearly my size. I'm pretty sure I was the largest woman there, but there were a few women that were within 30 to 50 lbs of me, and they were having a great time, too. For anyone that faces that internal battle, it's definitely a battle worth winning.

I couldnt agree more kaplods! being in the water is MY favorite type of exercise! I have always loved swimming and being in the water since I was a kid! and yeah sure I don't look the greatest in a swim suit but my love of the water is much greater then my fear of people seeing me in a swim suit! if they don't like it they don't have to look is how I feel! And your right people of our size NEED to be there more then any one else! it's much easier on our bones and joints! I can get a MUCH better work out IN the water! congrats on fitting your suit better and fitting in the inner tube must have been a great feeling!

Way to go!