Hooping Has Changed My Life I: Bras

This is a part of an ongoing series.  It's probably going to be in-depth, too much information, or completely repetitive at times.  Have fun reading!

It may seem to some people that it's completely redonkulus that I can even say that hooping has changed my life at this point in time, but it has.  I feel like it's been even more profound than when I lost eighty pounds.  Even as a smaller person, I never had the bravery to do one thing: get fitted for a bra.  I would just grab five different sizes, do some jump tests and call it a day.  I never ordered bras online because that's just wishing for ill will.

I think these are UK sizes, not US.

A month ago, during the same flipping week, the small number of bras that I did own broke.  Every single one.  After Caraleeena's class, I had some extra money and begged John to take me to the mall (I hate driving).  He wondered off while I was looking my usual size.  I was about to check out  when I had this nagging feeling that the reason why my bras were breaking.  I bought a ton in October when I got married and it didn't feel right.  Maybe it was the wrong size with too much boobage that caused them to break super quick.  Also, I wanted to see if there was any way to prevent that "your cup spillith over" syndrome.  I waited ten minutes to ask the lady to measure me.  I was so nervous but I did it.  It was simple really.  We wander over to the even bigger girl section and found a few.  I tried it on and it was perfect.  I found out I was a 40freakingF cup.  Jump test passed, too.  The price tag was not.  $45 for a brand new bra?  My old bras were $35 and since the Fs were in the even larger section, there was very slim pickings.  That meant the weekend of my reception, I only had one bra and it was bright pink.  That's why you can see my awesome bra in some of my hooping pictures there.

Were they worth $45 each?  I think so!  I haven't had the your "cupth spillith over" problem again at work and with all the nasty I come in contact with, it's a blessing.  Also, I waited to use that bra on my reception.  I was wearing an old bra on Saturday at the derby part/my personal hoop jam (party of 1.5).  I was playing with my niece and showing her tricks.  While chest hooping, my breast popped out.  Lucky, I spun around and put it in place.  Talk about embarrassing.

Why is this related to hooping?  Well, since I've hooped, I have had to talk to people to get the piping and even meet new people.  I'm really shy and hate talking to people I don't know. I have to give myself pep talks to order fast food or call people.  Yes, I've called Lowes about their irrigation piping very smoothly now.  I've talked to numerous people at ACE.  I've had to get out of my bubble to hoop.  I still have a bubble, don't get me wrong.  If I can do that, surely, I can get someone to fit me for a bra.  Hooping has given me either bravery, confidence or both.

So, ladies, do yourself a favor and wear the correct size bra!  There are tons of statistics I won't rehash to you that women always wear the wrong size.

Wanna know how this can really effect your hooping?  Well, I risked ordering a sports bra online when Lane Bryants was having a sale.  I figured good for hooping, right?  Wrong.  It felt funny.  Always had.  Today I wore it while dancing around the house/cleaning which was longer than previous times.  I could have sworn that it was hurting me but atypical for most breast related pain.  It felt like the bra was making all my shoulders hold up all 40F of me.  I kept on thinking it wasn't anything, just me.  I just came back from the park. I'm in severe shoulder pain.  That bra is crap.  It started to physically, no mental crap to it, hurt when I'd do halo.  Now, let me tell you, I've been loving on halos, vortexes and some such.  I didn't even feel comfortable to do as much chest hooping like I have been doing.  I wound up doing a lot of tosses, elbow thingers, and hand hooping vertically.  I came home, ripped the thing off and swore never to wear that bra again.

So, again, ladies, make sure you are wearing the correct bra size.