primefitnessblog

I have been debating on whether or not to write this post, but decided for my own sanity that I had to share a story from a week ago.  As many of you know, Eric and I are getting married on August 17, 2012.  I have purchased my wedding gown and on Sunday, June 3 I ventured to Neiman Marcus to discuss alterations with a tailor. 

I am lucky that I spend my life in sneakers and workout clothes, so I am not very accustomed to shopping in Neiman.  Despite this, I realize our wedding day is very important so I am stepping out of my comfort zone.   When I walked into the store, even getting someone to assist me took 10 minutes.  After wandering through the couture section and into “the galleria” I finally found where I was supposed to be.  I was assisted into the fitting room where a seamstress would be with my shortly.  For only the second time I slipped into my wedding gown, which I should inform you no one has seen me in the dress, and stood admiring myself in the mirror.  Soon after there was a knock on the door and in walked the seamstress.  As she walked around me, analyzing, the first words out of her mouth were “you have a very large round behind”.  I agreed and said unfortunately that wasn’t going away especially before August.  She began to touch my thighs asking what the lumps and bumps were.  I assume she was “admiring” my quadriceps that I have worked so hard in the gym developing.  Little did I know muscles are not acceptable when wearing a gown….we must “minimize and compress you”.  Within minutes the sales associate knocked on the door with various versions of Spanx and other compression materials.  I agreed to try one on that didn’t seem as if it would suffocate me for our August wedding.  Once I put the dress back on I was told how much better it was now that my “lumps and bumps” were smoothed out, minimized, and compressed.

I am by no means of the mindset that my body is perfect….in fact I’m not even sure what the perfect body is…..but I have become more and more comfortable in my own skin over the years as I realize that health, body composition, ease of movement, and strength are far more important than the number on a scale, but that experience shattered me.  Over the next 8 weeks before our wedding my goal is to rebuild my self confidence knowing that muscles are beautiful and I would much rather be FIT than skinny.