After reading the 40 Days of Dating blog, I have been inspired to write about my journey doing corset training. I know I'm not the first to write about it or the last, but I feel like maybe I'll be able to share some insight for someone who is considering going the same route.
I've always been considered a "skinny" girl in my adult life and really didn't have to watch what I ate very often. Now that I'm a bit older (1 year from 30 AHH), I notice that I have more fat around my midsection than I am used to or comfortable with. I have a few goals I want to meet ultimately before April 12, 2014 (I'm getting married!), so between that time and now, I need to meet some milestones.
In addition, November 8 and 9th will be the geekfest known as Blizzcon. Although I have been going to the convention since their very first one in 2005, I have never dressed up with the other cosplayers but have decided that this year will be the year. I am hesitant to outline my plan until I have more of the costume put together, but suffice to say, it is one that Chris Metzen himself is looking forward to as it hasn't been done before. (No pressure or anything, right?!) I need to get into shape mostly for myself, because as I said, most people think that I look fine the way I am. My parents worry about me losing too much weight because there was a time when I was scarily skinny.
I was existing on a diet of soda, beer, Cheez-Its and Goldfish crackers. Oh and fast food. Lots and lots of fast food. I never realized how unhealthy I was living until I went to Thailand in 2009 and lost 15 pounds just by eating fresh, amazing food. My skin cleared up and I actually felt GOOD for the first time in my adult life. It didn't last, however, and up until this year I was still living on largely a fast food diet.
My inspiration these days largely rests on the shoulders of my fiancee, Ryan Lee. My unhealthy ways had a direct effect on his health, even though he tells me it wasn't my fault. When you are in a relationship, you eat together, right? I ate what I wanted with no side effects while he gained 80 lbs.
Now, he is an NASM certified personal trainer after going through over two years of hell to lose the weight on his own. He knows how hard it is for people to not only change their eating habits but change their lifestyles. He had no outside motivation except for the words of his doctor, who told him that if he didn't lose the weight, he would be dead by the time he was 35. He had high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and more health issues at age 25 than anyone should. He completely changed his life and inspires others every day to do so.
So what does this have to do with my corset training? I have always admired the shapely figures of pinup girls and I want to have something similar to that. As I am small chested, having a shapely body in other ways is important to me. I have no illusions that corset training will give me the body I have always wanted. But I do know that it will change my body in a visually pleasing way (to me at least), and it CAN help with fat around the midsection. Because I am saving for (has to be paid by the 15th!), buying a training corset was not quite in the cards for me this month. Enter: my black corset from corset-story.com.
I actually purchased this and two other corsets for Blizzcon two years ago but had never taken the tag off of this particular corset. It is a size small and I quickly realized that it doesn't quite "fit" the way it should. I had to unlace the back a LOT to even be able to fasten the front. I don't recommend trying to do this at 5 AM after just waking up, but this is the life I lead lol. I managed to unlace it enough to put it on and tie it myself. Ryan measured me last night and my waist was 31(!) inches. I remember a time when I was 27 inches. What the heck happened?! With the corset on, my waist slimmed to 28 inches. I have done quite a bit of research about corset training over the last two years and I am sad to say that I didn't heed the advice of one blogger who said to wear a tank top underneath the corset. This would have saved me from some of the itchiness that my skin is being subjected to. After looking again at the corset I bought, it looks like I might actually have to invest in a real training corset as this one is marked as "for fashion only".
- My back hurts due to my excessive slouching (I sit behind a desk on a computer all day long)
- When I'm walking around, I feel empowered because it is making me stand up straight. For some reason, it has given me even more confidence.