Fat Girl Flashback: Stories From The Pool (Sponsored By SwimSuitsForAll.com)

I’ve been spending lots of time in my new tankini that I purchased for my Miami vacation. As a Plus Size Princess, I get excited when companies realize that we crave fun, flattering apparel and when a company like Swimsuits For All decides to provide swimwear I can feel fabulous in, its truly a gift.


I feel like we all have at least one summer story from the pool, so TBGB has teamed up with SwimSuitsForAll to host a “Stories From The Pool” Contest! The winner will receive a $100 gift card to SwimSuitsForAll!


Maybe your story is funny, awkward or just plain embarrassing! Either way, I’m sure we can all relate, so… lets share!

Here’s mine:

Growing up in California, my parents put us in swim lessons every summer. I started out as a “minnow” then a “guppy” and by the time I was 10 years old I was a “shark” the highest level in the entire swim program. Most of the other sharks were older than I was but of course, I was bigger. By this time my boobies were filling out my training bra, my tummy was quite round and my chunky inner thighs were eternally pressed together.

But in the water none of that mattered, because although I was the chubby 10 year old in the class full of thin 11 and 12 year olds, I was still the best swimmer in the class. This was mostly due to the fact that I had a pool in my backyard, so I was always in the water practicing my advanced strokes between lessons.

As Sharks, we had our lessons every Wednesday at the deep end of the pool, usually in an area right by the ladder that we used to climb in and out of the water. One day our class was moved to the middle of the pool. We all jumped in and our lesson went as usual… until it came time to get out of the pool for our diving drills.

Because the ladder that we normally used to exit the pool was so far away, everyone planted their hands on the edge of the pool and pushed themselves up out of the water and onto the concrete. I too swam to the edge of the pool, planted my hands firmly on the concrete, but when I pushed up with my arms, I barely moved. One by one the other Sharks propelled themselves out of the water, and every time I tried to do it, I could not. My arms were too weak to support my heavy frame. Over and over, I tried to get out of the water and before I knew it my entire class was standing on the edge of the pool looking down at me, waiting for me to get out.

I could feel my heart racing. I wanted to slip under the water and hold my breath until they all left, but that was not an option. Finally, my instructor reached her hand down and offered to pull me up from above, but I had a horrifying vision of pulling her down into the water with me. “Its okay,” I said and I swam over to the ladder, climbed out and walked back to join the Sharks who had already started diving.

As my Mom drove us home, she listened quietly as I told her what happened, “everyone could get out of the pool except for me!” I whined burying my face in my hands. I assumed my Mother would provide sympathy but instead she provided a solution. “Why don’t you practice getting out of the pool with your arms at home?” she asked, “You’ll have a whole week to build your strength.” Using our pool to my advantage for my swimming strokes was one thing, but the idea of practicing exiting the pool like the other kids had never crossed my mind.

I spent the rest of the week splashing around with my sisters, and then taking time by myself to push up and out of our pool, first from the shallow end where I could use my legs and then when I felt strong I moved to the deep end. Every day, I would practice and when Wednesday came, I hoped I was ready.

Once again our class was moved to the middle of the pool, but this time when it was time to climb out, I had something to prove. I knew I would only have one shot, or else I would risk repeating the embarrassing scene from the week prior. I’d been doing well at home, but with all the other Sharks around, I felt nervous. I swam to the edge of the pool, pressed my palms against the pavement, propelled myself out of the water and this time instead of splashing back down into the water, I felt my body land on the hot cement.

I did it!

On the inside I wanted to do a little dance, or give someone a high five… but on the outside I pretended like it was no big deal.


Okay, now its your turn… what’s your “Story From The Pool”?


Here’s How you Enter:


1.) Follow TBGB with Google Friend Connect (on the right side of this page →)
2.) Leave a comment with your “Story From The Pool”

3.) Include a link to your favorite Swim Suit from http:/www.swimsuitsforall.com/

A winner will be chosen in one week!

25 thoughts on “Fat Girl Flashback: Stories From The Pool (Sponsored By SwimSuitsForAll.com)”

  1. I'm a dude, but I remember an early pool experience quite clearly.

    I was a chubby lad myself and just getting my confidence with women going. Probably around 11 or so.

    I was at a pool party that, frankly, I was surprised to be invited to. Lots of the good looking popular girls.

    One girl had a thick-woven, burgundy swimsuit made out of some weird material. Hot!

    I was 'on' and getting everyone going and laughing. We started a game where two guys hold the feet of a girl underwater and then fling her out into the air to splash back down.

    I brushed her bare leg with my hand.

    My boner rose and WOULD NOT go away.

    She felt in on the next pass (which I tried to get out of but couldn't)

    Before we could launch her she screams, "what's in your shorts!" and runs out of the pool, with everyone following suit and laughing/pointing.

    Rough.

    Oh well, everyone knows that 11 year old boner-havers have no control. Part of growing up!

    Sorry no pics!

  2. I LOVED this! I am also a plus size princess from CA. I can't tell you how much I related to this awesome story. I was on the swim team and was pretty good. But, I always felt so self conscious standing on the side of the pool with my chubby belly. Thanks for sharing this adorable memory.

  3. question. . . .when you work out and everything…do you just leave your little one or ones at the gym in the nursery?my boys won't stay with anyone. i've got to get started doing something, and being apart of a gym would be perfect for me if they would just stay…argh!

  4. Is there a specific "essential amino acid" supplement that you would reccommend? I have looked far and wide and haven't found one that seems to fit your description.please help!

  5. My pool story: Me and my siblings would spend our summers at the local pool. One summer when I was about 12 (and at the age to start getting ta-tas and pubic hair) my Mom got me this beautiful white eyelet lace 2 piece. I was so exited to wear it…it was so pretty. Got to the pool, went to the deep end to dive in, which was a fine and good. It's when I got out…. oh my gosh! That white suit when wet showed EVERYTHING! I was embarrassed beyond belief! I ran, got my towel and left! Leaving my siblings at the pool. I was so embarrassed that I would not return to the pool for over a week, and got a different suit to wear.

    I am a GFC follower

    my favorite suit is: Beach Belle Black White Floral Plus Size Sweetheart Twist Front Halter Swimdress Swimsuit
    link: http://www.swimsuitsforall.com/products.asp?product_id=105102&dept;_id=100639&parent;_id=100000

    prpldy (at) comcast dot netw

  6. Love the stories!! My oh so humbling experience is hilarious now but was torture then!! I was helping chaperone a group of tweens at a large water park on a hot day in July. There were LOTS of people there. I took some of the girls up to a very tall slide and left the boys at the bottom to watch us, I had on a tank top because as a busty girl finding a bathing suit that covered all was nearly impossible. We get up there and all the girls go, it's my turn and the attendant tells me I can't wear my tank top, to take it off and lie down and go. So I did, when you got to the bottom it was like you were lying down in a bathtub, I put my hands on the sides and pulled myself up, laughing the whole time. Meanwhile, the clasp on my top had broken and the top was hanging down and I was totally exposed with ALLL the kids and everyone else and their Mother standing there watching me. And it took me a second to realize it, and when I did I was standing straight up and totally exposed. So humbling. 🙂 happy summer!!

    Definitely a follower!!!
    And I'm loving the beach belle flower stencil
    http://www.swimsuitsforall.com/products.asp?product_id=105093&dept;_id=100057&parent;_id=100000#back

  7. As soon as I saw this, I knew the perfect story. About 5 years ago, I was a size 18. It was the smallest I had ever been in my LIFE. I was sassy, I was proud, and most of all I was flippin cute. YOU COULDN'T TELL ME NOTHIN'!!! I went on spring break to Florida with a friend. I had my very first two piece bathing suit. It was a flimsy thing, a rainbow tankini. We met some guys on that trip and went to the ocean.
    Two things you need to know about me: A. I can't swim
    B. I'd never been to the ocean before.

    Here is a little tip if you have never been to the ocean but want to get in. GET IN THE WATER. Stay away from the edge.. You'll only get knocked down. So I am at the edge and my friend and these guys are actually in the ocean. All of a sudden a HUGE wave comes and knocks me down. I pop back up and I am okay! I turn to the guys. They are howling laughing. My friend is pointing down furiously. Yeah. My top floated away in the ocean. I had to get in the water, duck down so no one could see me, while my friend ran and got me my cover up. LOL

    I am a follower of you blog 🙂

    THe swimsuit I like the mostest is this: http://www.swimsuitsforall.com/products.asp?product_id=104782&dept;_id=100639&parent;_id=100000#back

    I think it is flippin adorable!

    hope to see you on my blog sometime
    http://thetaleofgoing natural.blogspot.com

  8. What a fabulous giveaway! So excited ^_^!

    Well when I was younger my family took a trip to the Wet & Wild water park. I was wearing a tankini two piece bathing suit and a big shirt. Well there was a slide that was really high and damn near at a 90 degree angle so I was itching to get on it. When I got to the top they made me take my coverup tshirt off (which I was a little apprehensive about). I rode the slide and when I got to the bottom EVERYBODY was staring and laughing. My family was on the side of fence at the bottom of the slides laughing the hardest. When I looked down my bathing suit top got pushed all the way above my chest and my full DD's were making a world debut. I was SO embarrassed. Especially because of how big they were so I had to hurry to get them back in (which isn't easy when their so big). Everybody from the bottom to the top of the stairs saw what I had. Also to make matters worst it was when we first arrived so of course I walked around all day as the big booby girl whose top came off. LOL NEVER will I EVER wear a two piece to the water park again.

    I followed TBGB on google connect, facebook, and twitter already as Tupieta! ^_^

    My favorite bathing suit is the Longitude Spiked Leaves Plus Size Bandeau One Piece Swimsuit

    http://tinyurl.com/35kvqwt

  9. First of all I love these stories! All made me chuckle. 🙂
    Although I don't have a story to share I would like to first apologise for what you may see as someone advertising on your page but what is genuinely a fellow plus sized princess' plea for help! I've started my own blog that I will update during my weight loss journey that I am starting in a week- I would love for you all to follow my blog and leave some comments on anything that you can relate to, as this would seriously motivate me! Any followers at all will be a much needed push in the right direction for me! Please take the time out to have a look and click follow- I only have one post up right now so it really won't take too long! Thank you!

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