My photographer and I went out to jog in the park and test out my new Parfait sports bra for plus size women I feel like most sports bras try to make you look super sexy, while claiming to be a high-performance garment, which means your breasts are spilling out of your top, and bouncing everywhere during an intense workout or run. However, I’m happy to report that this Parfait Lingerie plus size sports bra prioritizes high-performance practicality and comfort over aesthetic, which made me feel confident. But while I had a bomb bra on, I couldn’t help but wonder what the people walking by me thought about my body.
A fat girl, in a sports bra and short shorts. It’s a sight. And maybe not one that people are used to.
Growing up, I was always the biggest girl on all of my sports teams, but I still stuck every stunt, scored goals, and ran bases, just like everyone else. I guess I had always subconsciously felt inferior or like I wasn’t as good of an athlete as everyone else because of my size, but I never really consciously thought about it. I played every sport from hockey to cheerleading and softball to basketball. My body never held me back.
But a few years ago, some insecurities about my body and what it could and couldn’t do didn’t hit me. My friends—both of them under a size 6—invited me to workout with them in an hour-long strength and conditioning class they both had been complaining about being “so hard.” I shuttered, and feared that I wouldn’t be able to hang in the class with everyone else. I turned them down for weeks out of embarrassment and fear, until one day, something inside me said, “Just go. You’ve got this. Your body has got this.” So I went to the class, and I was so nervous. There wasn’t a single girl who had a body like mine in the class, and the girls next to me were talking about how difficult the class was. I WAS STRESSING. But again, I reassured myself as the workout began. We were more than half way through the class, and I was still going strong. A thin girl who was behind me sat down on her mat and quit the workout in the last 15 minutes. It was then that I realized that the size and the shape of my body didn’t matter. I was just as capable of participating in this workout as women who were two times smaller than me.
Since I’ve come to this realization, I have applied the new found knowledge to every aspect of my life. My body is strong, and it can do whatever I want it to do. But even though I know it, so many people judge fat bodies and they, too, don’t think these bodies are capable of running a marathon, sticking it out in a high intensity interval class, or practicing yoga. And while it’s not my responsibility to convince anyone that my body is worthy, I will lead by example and continue to embrace my curves and wear the short shorts or the sports bra. And just maybe, that bold action will provoke thought, and change the mindset of those who think our bodies aren’t capable.
I just joined a volleyball league this summer, and I confidently take the court every week—usually as the biggest girl on either team. And whenever I have a blip of insecurity or I feel voices creeping in telling me that I’m not good or that I can’t do this, I push myself and prove that I can.
Whatever it is that you want to accomplish this summer, you can do it! I believe in you!
SIZING INFO: I am wearing a size 42C, which is my usual size, and the bra fits perfectly!
Thank you to Parfait Lingerie for sponsoring this post. I am a huge proponent of brands that promote inclusivity and make high-quality, well-fitting clothing. All opinions expressed in this post are 110% my own! Thank you for continuing to support the brands that make Natalie in the City a possibility!
I have long been a fan of Parfait Lingerie. Check out some of the bras and undies that I love!
Valentines Day Lingerie
Lingerie just because
An adorable teddy
