"Fat Cow" in the pool (help!)

This is a great question.  I am not sure that any place is really safe nowadays for anyone who is different in any way.  It seems that no matter where we go there are ignorant people.  I am glad though that you did mention the YMCA.  As a proud member and Employee of a YMCA in Niagara Falls, ON, Canada, I must say that our members, although not completely immune to the ignorance, I find that it is an environment that I have felt most safe and supported.  I was morbidly obese, now just obese, on my way to becoming hopefully "normal" whatever that is, but all the time working and working out at the Y I have experienced very positive vibes.  My favorite activity has certaintly been aqua fit and found that most of the ladies (people) in the pool, were overweight to some degree or older.  This is a great class for someone to try who is battling their weight and needing to just get moving.  As I move forward in my career I am training to be both a life guard and fitness instructor and hope to one day be telling my story and teaching the aqua fit class.

SOrry this got so long.  I guess the point I was trying to make is, the YMCA tends to be one of safest and most excepting places I have ever been.

Thank you,
Jen

After WLS in 2004, I started going to water aerobics at night at a local rec center. Eventually, I took swim lessons from a triahtlon coach. Now my tri team swims 2x a week in the evenings in a local lake. It's so much better swimming .5 mile with scenery that so many times up and down the lane in a boring pool. When I was going to the rec center, the only time I felt embarrased was in the showers, when the kids would stare at all my fat hanging on my body.  But now that we swim in the lake, there is no shower for us so we just get out and clothe up and go home. If people are staring or making comments, I'm not paying enough attention to hear them. Besides, I give myself credit for even being out there, and not on my couch eating potato chips.

I work out with Resa at Aqua Tone in Tustin.  Aqua Tone is a great place to work out and Resa a great instructor. No judgement on your size or ability, it is a safe place to work out.

Since starting Aqua Tone I have more stamia and have noticed changes with my body. I am actually developing some muscle tone. It is a great way to work out as there is no pounding of the pavement on your joints. And we are all there for the same reason no matter what our size.

Wendy

I LOVE the class that I go to called AquatoneOC. It's a small, personal class that is more stretching and core work. We call it pilates in the water. It's not aerobic so it is great on the joints. I have a bum hip and knee so this class is great for me. It is very reasonably priced. Nobody in this class cares what you look like because they are in the same situation.

I have not experience this, but I felt it when I was a size 24, and now I am a size 4/6 and I am like WOW.

I have had so many "Fat Cow" moments, I guess I have adapted a thick skin to it. 

My first most memorable moment was when I was seven years old.  The muni pool in my town was a three mile walk, which I gladly did six days a week.  My mother said I swam before I walked, maybe that is why water is so cherished by me.  Anyhow, I had had a little girl very abruptly tell me, "You cannot wear a bikini, you are FAT!"  Which seemed odd to me, as I had been swimming at the muni pool for two Summers, and I did not know there was a limit to what a seven year old could wear.

That evening I walked home, and decided to ask my mother, "Am I fat?"  Which, of course I was, but for some reason, I did not know it.  My mother asked why, then told me that she would take me shopping for a one piece suit.  Luckily for me, I had a mother who encouraged me to be active.  Even though I was a fat child, I never let public opinion keep me away from the activities I loved.

I am much larger now, but continue to swim.  I proud to say that I swim three days a week for a minimum of an hour (at least one mile), some days I swim two miles.  My pool of choice is a public pool, and the lifeguards are very supportive of this middle aged, really fat swimmer.  Sure, there are days I cringe at being in public and weighing over 400 pounds, but then again, I am not allowing my bruised feelings keep me from being active.  Fighting with obesity all of my life, I have decided to be the big girl that I am, and face the world.

If you look at my profile, you will find two photos of me in a bikini.  My goal is to fit into a smaller suit, and to rebuild my  health through exercise.  Being large is funny in the fact that you can be either a target, invisible, or an inspiration.  I tell others: Do NOT let your size keep you from doing things!  It is the time I was unable to exercise (torn Achilles tendon) that helped pile on my tremendous weight, so now I have that much more work ahead of me.

Being large is never easy.  The challenge to face the day can be overwhelming, but the possibility of hiding out just makes one fatter.  With obesity, you cannot hide your condition.  If you let one comment keep you from bettering yourself, then you have just surrendered.  It took me years to put this weight on, and it will take years to take it off - so don't procrastinate!

Brenda  : )~

 I was very self conscious when I first started going to the pool but it didn’t take long until people got to know me and we all became friends. The pool where I went had 2 different times for open swim one was just after lunch time and the other was in the evening. I found the best time was after lunch there were less people and they were older folks who attended. There was from time to time some new people would come to the afternoon session and I got some stairs and under the breath comments but you get use to them. As far as I am concerned if they don’t like what they are looking at they don’t have to look

sorry it took so long to respond but i waited until our group met to get suggestions... so,

there are gyms in our area that have swimming pools and they're for senior citizens free and even the overweight person feels comfortable and safe in this environment.

the colleges in our area have pools where it is open to the community and many of our wls people go there and feel "safe."

and as usual, they suggested the pool in your back yard (as if we all have them...lol)... but, i have a friend next door that has offered me her pool anytime i want to swim.

hope these suggestions help...

kay

oops forgot:

Safe from stares or laughs?  Where ever you go people will say something or look at you (even if you aren't fat, obese, morbidly obese)  Be proud and go!!!  Do what makes you feel good.  The hardest thing about losing weight was actually having people look at me as not a fat girl.  Now they have to see a skinny girl (without the snickers, laughs, jokes, snide remarks, giggles)