Okay, as we all know, it's bathing suit season (grrr). I have a cute one, and a nice cover-up to wear when I'm not in the water. So I'm good there.
I'm on a weight loss journey, and have lost a bit more than my ticker reflects, as I'm waiting to go to the doc on June 22nd to officially weigh in there, then I will match that with a new home scale and know exactly where I'm at. I am feeling good about my progress! Just these few pounds off has invigorated me, and I'm feeling very positive about the future and my chances! I have carved out an hour for exercise for myself in the mornings, but I'm pretty (really) out of shape, so so far I have dedicated myself to at least stretching and getting the kinks out, and as I get more comfortable moving my body, I will incorporate more and more exercise into my scheduled exercise time. In the meantime, I'm trying to be more active in general, taking my 9 year old daughter places, cooking, cleaning more, that type of thing.
I am a TRUE water lover. I could live in the pool in the summer, and so far I have not let it stop me from going. We belonged to a private pool the last couple years, and I managed to find a comfort zone there. Well this year, I decided that since we live close to a big water park and it would actually be cheaper for us to get season passes for there than our other pool, we might as well do that. My daughter LOVES that water park, and this news was the answer to her prayers. I figured it would be more exercise to head out there, too, and probably lots more fun! So I went ahead and bought the season passes.
Lily couldn't be more excited to go tomorrow! She won't do water slides (thank goodness!), so we will be going for the pools, wave pool, and lazy and action rivers. She is as excited as can be, but I personally am TERRIFIED to go for the first time! It's only a couple years old, and I have always shyed away, having others take her. So I've never even been there yet. I'm scared, and I just need some positive feedback! Am I a crazy person for trying this? I just feel so strongly that Lily shouldn't have to miss out on the fun things in life and summer because her mom is obese and self-concious. Yet another reason to really lose some weight this time! But that's not going to happen overnight, and in the meantime, I really want to start living a little. Help, girls! And sorry so long!
I saw this & I just wanted to say go for it. My daughter worked at a water park close to us, giving out rafts & helping kids on the rides so I have spent alot of time at the water parks. I hate the slides, but enjoy everything else. Anyway I know it can be intimidating to go the first time, but just plan on going to have a good time. Not everyone at the water park is a perfect weight, you will get lots of exercise walking around, being in the water & when you child is older you will be so glad that you took her. I know a lady that gets in the lazy river & she dog paddles all the way around then rests & does it again. She says that is the most exercise she has ever done & she enjoys the cool water, she has lost almost 80 pounds. My Mom was very overweight, but she never missed an opportunity to take her kids someplace cool like a water park, and I can't remember the times that she has taken my daughter. Hope you have a great time!
Dee
Last edited by Im On A Boat; 06-10-2010 at 04:15 PM.
go and enjoy yourself! Oh, what fun! Life (no matter what size a person is) should include doing things that we enjoy, not doing things that our size dictates we can do.
I am sure that you and your daughter will be able to create so many fun memories by experencing the new water park together! And, swimming (as you know) is GREAT exercise.
Heck, your new found enjoyment at the water park has a good chance of allowing you to reach your goals very soon! You'll be so excited to go and have fun that it will be a great reward for you each time you work out.
Please share your water park experience with us. I'd love to hear about it!
I am having the same anxiety! I don't even really wear shorts in the summer because I'm so self conscious, but this year I signed up for big fish/little fish with my daughter at our local pool, and I WILL don a swim suit and just go do it.
One thing encouraging someone told me - Pool culture is not the same as beach culture. There are all shapes and sizes of people who are very fit swimmers, and still not ideal body size and shape. I am sure you will go, love it, and make some awesome memories with your little one! I know my overweight mom never took us anywhere like that because she was overweight - I never saw her that way until she made an issue out of it, and all I remember is being disappointed that we couldn't go.
Shannon- When I go to a water park I figured no one there knows me so go for it. I get these men's tank tops at Walmart (a bit larger then I need so it's loose) and wear it over my swimsuit. But guess what I always end up taking it off. It just gives me the courage to get started. Don't miss out on seeing Lily have a blast. She will love having you there.
T.T.F.N. ~ Learn
Last edited by learningtoliveagain; 06-10-2010 at 05:57 PM.
Aw, thank you girls so much for this. I am breathing a sigh of relief reading your replies. I will go, dang it, and we will make awesome memories in the water! Maybe this will be Lily's most fun summer yet! I'll pop in tomorrow after our experience and let you guys know how it went.
Don't worry at all about the water park. The last time I was at a water park, I felt kind of self-conscious, too, but once I started walking around and enjoying the water rides, I figured out that no one actually cares what you look like. They're too busy having fun to even notice you! Plus, everyone of all shapes and sizes go to water parks. As a previous poster put it, pool culture and beach culture are different. People aren't there to show off their bikinis and bronzed bodies... they are there to get wet and enjoy themselves!
Oh my gosh, guys, a whole new world has opened up for me! We just got back a little bit ago, and OMG, what a good time we had!!! Well, it rained the first hour and a half we were there, and no one was allowed in the water. But then it got SUNNY , they opened the attractions, and we played for like 4 hours! They have a huge wave pool, and it was so much fun to get out there and jump the waves! Good exercise, too, I could for sure feel it in my legs. I love exercise you do when you're having so much fun you don't even think about it! Of course there was a huge walk into the park from the parking lot, too, so added exercise! We spent a good amount of time in the lazy river, ahhhhh! A couple times around I kinda dogpaddled like I'm on a boat's friend does, but mostly I just floated around and had a blast.
As for how I felt about being there in a swimsuit - ha! Before we went, I just told myself, okay, you've got your cover-up, just wear it around whenever you're NOT in the water. Then when I got my bathing suit out of the closet, I had it on the bed, eyeing it like Ben Stiller and the speedo in Meet the Parents. hahahahaha Well I put it on, and it fit way better than last year, and you know, it really didn't look that bad! At least not from the waist up that I could see in the bathroom mirror. When we got there, I swear there were people there of EVERY possible shape and size, big scars, bingo arms, weird bruises, WHATEVER! If I even got a sidelong glance I didn't notice it, and before long I was all over that place just lettin' it all hang out in the suit and not a care in the world! LIBERATING! I'm so glad, too, because the lazy river has different 'stops' you can get off at, so you can get to other areas of the park, like the awesome kid slide area, via the river -- just float over to your next destination! It was really, really neat.
Thanks again for the encouragement, ladies. I really was worried, and you all helped me to get past my fear and do the most active, fun day I've had with my little girl in a long time!
Shannon - I am so happy that you had a great day. I am also happy you had that great day with your daughter. Hope you have a wonderful Summer & spend many hours hanging out at the waterpark.
I think you should go for it! Have FUN...don't miss out on this opportunity to make memories with your daughter. What I wear...and wore when I was about 80-90 lbs heavier is a suit I got at Target...and they have them thru 30/32 sizes. It is surfer shorts and a halter top style tankini top which is NOT tight over my belly and the halter helps fight the gravity of my still huge yet deflated breasts!
Shannon, I'm soooo happy you and Lily had a great day! In a few years Lily will start stories with, "Mom, do you remember that summer when..." and you will be so happy that you just did it!
Thanks for the update! I was hoping you would let us know how it went! I am so happy for you! They just opened a new water park near us, I might just give it a try! Thanks for the inspiration!
Okay, guys, I really need some encouragement!
, they opened the attractions, and we played for like 4 hours! They have a huge wave pool, and it was so much fun to get out there and jump the waves! Good exercise, too, I could for sure feel it in my legs. I love exercise you do when you're having so much fun you don't even think about it! Of course there was a huge walk into the park from the parking lot, too, so added exercise! We spent a good amount of time in the lazy river, ahhhhh! A couple times around I kinda dogpaddled like I'm on a boat's friend does, but mostly I just floated around and had a blast. 
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