One of the requirements for women to bring to BMQ is three sports bras. Um… not sure about you but I LOATHE shopping for bras and trying to find a sports bra that doesn’t give you the infamous MONO-BOOB, is near-impossible.

And, if you are an impossible size like I am (larger around the rib-cage but smaller in cup-size), you can NOT find a bra to save your life.

(One thing to remember is that apparently fat people or big people never exercise, therefore, we never need sports bras, swimsuits, exercise tops or shorts or running pants that fit… seriously, honest to God, that is my biggest pet-peeve and I no longer hold back when I go to a ’sports store’ and they do not carry clothing that fit larger women. I usually comment, “Wow, so I guess fat people never exercise? I mean, how could they if they can’t get a pair of pants or a workout top that fits them? No wonder there’s so many fat people…I guess fat-people’s money is no good, eh?!” Okay, I better stop kvetching… but seriously! How can society expect anyone who’s fat to exercise, if we can’t find clothes that fit? Not all of us want to look like total slobs when we work out, some of us are vain and proud you know!)

End rant.

Back to the bra talk. Anyways, I managed to find three bras BARELY. One of them I bought before I went on my PRTC course. I can not for the life of me, remember where I bought it. I think it was probably a zellers which amazes me. It isn’t the best quality but it gives just a hint of mono-boob and it is adjustable both on the straps and in the back with clasps. Normally sports bras you get off the rack, are non-adjustable and therefore, lack support. So, do NOT buy those unless you’re absolutely SURE it will be what you need.

I am satisfied with my Zellers bra but it wasn’t perfect.

No indeed.

But, I found the perfect bra. I went to a specialty bra shop and they happened to have my impossible size!!

And, it also has a rating system of 1-4, for support. Mine is a 3 because they only had the one style at the store. But, the website located here would allow for a greater selection. I’m in a small city so there’s not a great need for sports-bras I guess but more and more retailers are starting to carry them (and for the larger women too, both boob-size and banding size!) which is awesome.

I also purchased it in black and ordered a second bra which has already come in. I would have ordered a third but at $70 a piece? That means I spent $140 this week on TWO bras.

When you pass BMQ and stuff, women are allowed a clothing allowance of approximately $150 a year for the purchase of bras. Obviously it’s something that is needed and since physical training is something mandatory and we need to have good support for the physical jobs we perform.  Later, you will purchase the bras at a store and take the receipt into work (there’s a place you go for this, I don’t know it offhand) and you will be reimbursed for them.

And the best thing about this bra??? NO MONO-BOOB. Honest to God, it’s like a real, normal bra. In fact, my good regular bra was stolen this morning so it looks like this sports-bra will have to pass for my regular bra for the next few months! And, I don’t mind whatsoever!

Other cool, snazzy features? See where that little ‘lacy’ section is up top? That’s actually almost like fishing line, it provides extra support. And, the straps are smooth and silky. It’s adjustable and at the top of the shoulders, there’s extra padding to go over your shoulder bones. (Not a problem for me at the moment, I still have some layers of fat up there but I imagine one day soon, it’ll be an issue!)… and, the back has eyelets/clips which allows you to adjust the band. I should be good-to-go with the band-sizing for another 15-20 pounds of weight loss so it’ll last a while.  Also, there is an extra padding that goes BENEATH the clips between your skin and the eyelets. Most sports bras this normally goes ON TOP which doesn’t do you much good if you’re doing sit-ups. This way, you can’t feel ANYTHING there when you are doing floor work like that and nothing pokes you

Con? I wish there was one more set of adjustable things on the band at the back. This one only gives you two options and I like to have a third for those in-between days where it feels tight/loose. But, overall? I’d give this bra an 8 out of 10 (from the usual 2 out of 10 I traditionally give sports-bras!)

On one last note… I decided to go with the black bras due to the fact that if we’re wearing them every day and getting sweat and dirt and such on them, they’ll look better longer. Nothing more nastier than a grungy white bra!!! So, I have the two decent bras in black and my Zellers-special is a white one. When I lose more weight, I’ll splurge for a smaller black one. I’m good to go for now. I’m hemorrhaging money at the moment.