I think Lands' End has some nice suits in a variety of styles. I hear ya about not wanting to be seen in public. I *hate* the idea.

But I also *love* to swim. I mean swimming is probably my all-time fave exercise. I love to swim laps, and view it almost as a form of meditation. I clear my mind and just count the laps as I swim, and it becomes almost like a mantra to me.

I *still* will not go to the beach or a public pool and display myself in public, but I do swim laps at the YMCA. I feel less threatened there. And the pool is open year-round even though it's outdoors. And days like the next few days when it's supposed to be dropping into the 20s and 30s during the night, and only in the 40s or 50s during the day, I guess wearing a cover-up right to the edge of the water would be quite acceptable! (the pool is heated)

But I admit I usually don't. I just sort of 'pretend' I'm invisible. I never heard of board shorts before. I see them at Lands' End and they look pretty good as something I could wear to the pool as a cover-up. Except I see they say they only have a 10-inch inseam which is typical of many shorts - one reason I never wear shorts, not a long enough in-seam. If I could find board shorts with a 13-14 inch inseam I'd probably buy them in a heartbeat - 15-17 inches better yet!

But mainly I just jump into the pool. The women's locker room at the Y opens directly unto the pool area. I hope you do take the lessons and pick up some basic swimming skills and strokes. I think swimming is wonderful.

Went to my first swimming class last night. The suit I bought is awful (well, the body inside of the suit is the real problem), but happily I didn't care once the class started. The teacher's great. The other students are great. I had a blast.

As usual I wish I could get back all the energy I wasted stressing, so I could use it for something else.

What a happy report! glad you had a good time. isn't it great when the teacher and students are so nice? I don't know why I am always so surprised when people are nice, LOL what does that say about this grumpy old lady.

Same here. I think I'm so busy beating myself up that I assume everyone else is beating me up too - at least in their minds. But as someone else pointed out, everyone there was focused on themselves. There were six of us. Two complete beginners to swimming. Two whose grasp of English wasn't good.

It didn't matter, because once I was in the water, I was completely comfortable anyway. :)

:yay: It was probably me who said that people are focused on themselves. I have by and large found this to be true at most gyms and community pools. I am glad that your experience was good :)

--Melissa

Thanks, Melissa.

Tonight's the second class. This time I'm looking forward to it instead of making myself sick with stress. :)

I read this wonderful odyssey from beginning to end, first entry to the one on January 25. Perhaps you do wish that you hadn't used up so much energy worrying, but sharing that gave a lot of other people the chance to THINK about the issue you put forth, and to share amongst themselves and with you. Thanks for that!

I also love to swim, and one of my major forms of exercise now is aquafit, a kind of stretching/yoga/workout in the pool, using a 'noodle' (you would never believe what you can do with a noodle! :lol: ) The first time I went, as we were doing lunges across the pool, being the prows of our very own ships, I commented to the coach that I felt that I didn't have enough support -- and she pointed out that she, as always, had a bra on under her suit -- I hadn't even noticed! After that I have always worn my bra under my suit too. I have a cloth that I wrap under my arms, and drop it elegantly just before we start work- it doesn't help much as aquafit involves stretching at pool side to avoid injury :blush: but as many others have said, if we want to do these things we have to give up worrying so much about what the others think.

Thanks again, and happy Valentines Day! :rheart:

costello22 "And I have a wonky shoulder from years of computer/keyboard use."
I had rotater cuff surgery due to an accident. I could not lift my arm but a few inches even after weeks of post surgery therapy. Surgeon said that was as good as it would get. I started water aerobics in Jan. and can now lift my arm to almost a 45 angle. I can't do all of the exercises, but I do what I can and move that arm in the water. I don't have any strength yet, but I am hoping that will come.