I would like to hear from overweight female divers...

[Turtle Gal]

I am 5'8" and about 40 lbs overweight, In the last 2 years Ive lost 40lbs,Diving is now my only sport,and this past Summer I got certified OW. Ive seen many BIG women and Men diving, Not one person gave a hoot on how I looked! Hey last Summer (2003) I wore a 1 piece swimsuit,and this past Summer I wore a tankini,And with my dieting who knows what I will wear next Summer? I say go and have a good time. I think you will find most other divers are worrying about themself and what place to dive next. Have fun and soak up some sunshine for this Snowbird, Turtle Gal

 

[knotical]

I know that being overweight raises my risk of DCS....

Not necessarily so, see this page from DAN that says in part:

"There is no strong body of evidence to suggest that overweight individuals have a greater risk of DCI or that they suffer more dive-related injuries than divers who are within 10 percent of their ideal body weight. The best indicator of diving fitness is the individual's general health and level of physical fitness."

For more info, see this physician’s article.

<I posted these links once before in this string, but I think it got lost during the SB server problems in late December.>

 

[Giggi]

I know this thread was posted a few months ago, but I just came across it and felt compelled to comment. I am also a large woman, but I actually feel pretty sexy in my rented wet suit. It pulls in the flabby areas and smooths out the cellulite. To me it sort of feels like all over control pantyhose.

I have learned that only cruel people make cruel comments, and that if people have a genuine concern for your health, they are more likely to tell you in private than by making offhanded comments behind your back. Also, people who make cruel comments about others tend to do so because of their own insecurities.

After my first dive, I whined about needing more weight and I was embarrassed because I was sure it was due to my increased buoyancy from the excess body fat. One of the local DMs who was on the trip told me not to add extra weight, but to try to work on adjusting my neutral buoyancy myself, or I would become too dependent on the extra weight. He encouraged me to try a few dives and gave me pointers and told me if I still felt uncomfortable after a few more dives, he would give me some extra weight. As it turned out, I did pretty well at learning to adjust my buoyancy and didn't need extra weights. (Thanks Manuel!)

So remember, if you do hear someone comment that they have no idea how you could gather the nerve to squeeze into a wetsuit, they are probably chastising themselves even harder for not being perfect either.

 

[dstubby]

That's all that matters. I too am overweight. 5'4" and 205 lbs., and 47 yrs old! I just got certified in January and am EXTREMELY proud of my accomplishment. The way I see it, I'm diving to have fun and share a common interest with my husband (also newly certified). If someone is rude enough to give you S@&* about your size, I figure it's their problem. My comback would probably be "I'm sure you didn't mean that the way it came out!"

Be proud of yourself. Don't let someone else's insecurities and lack of common sense ruin your diving fun! Anyways, who cares what someone thinks? Enjoy and dive safe! :O)

 

[britusa]

Hi, I read this thread with a lot of interest. I'm very new to diving - just getting my Open Water certification now, actually. I'm 47, 5'1", 155lbs - so I'm definitely not "svelte". So far, I have not experienced anyone making any kind of negative comments. My dive instructor and dive shop have been wonderful. Like others have already commented, I wouldn't give someone who made comments like that the time of day. I love me, I love my life, I love who I am, and I've discovered I LOVE diving!!

I'm going to Cozumel in May with my Dive Shop - I can't wait. My biggest concern is getting a wetsuit and BCD to fit me. It seems that at my weight all the manufacturers want me to be 5'8",

I guess my best bet would be to buy my own gear before the trip, it's just that I don't have much experience to know what is good for me or not.

Anyway, back to the topic - be proud of you - do for yourself what makes you feel good about you.

 

[FredT]

I'm going to Cozumel in May with my Dive Shop - I can't wait. My biggest concern is getting a wetsuit and BCD to fit me. It seems that at my weight all the manufacturers want me to be 5'8",

Go for a custom suit. A few more $s but a lot better fit. May in Coz with your volume to surface area ratio you may not need one though. (Skinny folks get cold Really fast!)Those of us with a better volume to surface ratio don't loose heat to the water as fast. If you are very sensive to cold a 3 mil at the most would be a good idea, if not go with a polartec skin to keep the critters of onyor night dives.

Good suit custom shops are Liquid Fit and Harvey's. Most offer a custom line though. BE SURE THE PERSON DOING THE MEASURING HAS DONE IT FOR THE MANUFACTURER YOU ARE USING SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE! Most poor suit fits can be directly traced to a mistake by the guy running tape measure. Measurement locations as well as start and stop points for the vertical runs are VERY important! A properly fitted custom suit will quite literally "pop" into place once you get it close to position.
FT

 

[msfreddo]

I have not experienced anything negative from any of the other divers on diveboats or dives I've been on thus far.. Personally, first of all, who cares what they think, Second it's really not anyone's place to say how someone should conduct their life/lifestyle/exercise regimen, if they do ..I would just ignore them, thankfully they are the minority. I try to exercise when I can for my own health and stress relief, but my busy lifestyle doesn't leave open as much time for exercise as I would like. If you choose to exercise, do it for yourself, don't waste your time thinking about what other people may think.

Life is short, don't sweat the small stuff, enjoy diving to the fullest..



Mike

Hi,
I hope that I do not regret posting this. I just recently posted something that I wish I could pull, so please do not comment if you have nothing nice to say. I am 5'2" and I am overweight. I am a size 16 to be exact.I am not in good shape. However, I loooove diving. It is the only sport I have ever done, and it has boosted my self confidence so much. I know that being overweight raises my risk of DCS...but I already know that and don't need comments on it. I am working on getting myself into shape. I really would like to hear from the overweight females on this board about how they deal with their self image while diving. I am going to Cozumel in 3 weeks, and the thought of me in my wetsuit on a diveboat makes me nervous. I am mostly nervous about the fact that someone will be rude and tell me that I have no place diving, in my shape. I worry about this especially from the male hard core divers that I have encountered on this board. Once, when I mentioned how much lead I had to carry someone told me that I needed to lose weight and that I shouldn't be diving in my condition. So how do you handle it? Do you feel proud of yourself and who cares about what others think? Gosh, I wish I could be like that. Any pointers would be great! Both my husband and myself are overweight, and while he is a little self conscious about his tummy, he doesn't worry about it. Thank you for your time. Again, I would prefer that the comments are kept nice, as I know that I need to lose this weight in order to be a safer diver.

 

[ladycute1]

Well, you've all been saying it.... but I can't resist adding my comments too.

I'm 43, definitely a large woman -- I wear a woman's size 28. I'm a divemaster. (and, yes, I kicked serious butt on the speed and stamina tests) I'm hoping to complete my instructor course soon -- the only thing holding me back is getting enough time from work to do it.

I was certified in 2000 and have logged over 400 dives. And, yes, sometimes on boats I get raised eyebrows or even comments... but once I hit the water, the discussion is over... I'm often one of the first in the water and one of the last out. I'm typically the one assisting the jock or the princess who needs help. My point is, my diving speaks for itself.

Most importantly, enjoy yourself, enjoy the diving, have fun.... and that attitude will be contagious.

You can read more about my diving experiences on my web site at www.bigadventures.net.

Liz

 

[heater]

Hi,
I hope that I do not regret posting this. I just recently posted something that I wish I could pull, so please do not comment if you have nothing nice to say. I am 5'2" and I am overweight. I am a size 16 to be exact.I am not in good shape. However, I loooove diving. It is the only sport I have ever done, and it has boosted my self confidence so much. I know that being overweight raises my risk of DCS...but I already know that and don't need comments on it. I am working on getting myself into shape. I really would like to hear from the overweight females on this board about how they deal with their self image while diving. I am going to Cozumel in 3 weeks, and the thought of me in my wetsuit on a diveboat makes me nervous. I am mostly nervous about the fact that someone will be rude and tell me that I have no place diving, in my shape. I worry about this especially from the male hard core divers that I have encountered on this board. Once, when I mentioned how much lead I had to carry someone told me that I needed to lose weight and that I shouldn't be diving in my condition. So how do you handle it? Do you feel proud of yourself and who cares about what others think? Gosh, I wish I could be like that. Any pointers would be great! Both my husband and myself are overweight, and while he is a little self conscious about his tummy, he doesn't worry about it. Thank you for your time. Again, I would prefer that the comments are kept nice, as I know that I need to lose this weight in order to be a safer diver.

Don't ever regret it. I couldn't believe it when I saw this post........finally someone just like me. I am only two inches taller! I just did my first warm water dive in Playa Del Carmen with my husband (he's skinny). I was a little nervous, have had people say the same thing to me..........But! I purchase a Bare 3 mil wetsuit, all in black. Our dive master suggested we put our suits on before boarding the boat. I just left it undone to my waist.....if you feel like it zip to mid cleavage..........it looks great! Most skinny minnies out there don't have cleavage.........neoprene squishes them til you look like J. Lo!

One thing I found while down there is most of the women who dive are not super model figures. They are everyday people with flaws. Also, majority of the diver's care more of your ability than your looks. IF someone says something, I am pretty sure your hubby will flatten them or give you a hug and say he loves you and loves your body. My hubby does that.........even though I know he's lying sometimes.

Enjoy your trip. You will forget about everything when you surface, wipe the snot from your face and see the same smile on your fellow divers face that will be on yours!

I would love to hear how your trip goes. PM me if you like!

By the way, I know skinny divers who require lots of lead.......in Canada you don't have a choice. When I started diving I required 32 or 34 lbs. I now use 24 - 28 depending on the suit I use. As you dive more, and get better buoyancy you will use less lead.


Oh yeah, something else that is cool! When you climb back in the boat, the guys have no problem pulling you in.......weights, tank and you! At first I was appalled, thinking they would never do it.....I am 5'4 and 200.....But after the first time, it was great and I never thought of it again.

 

[tx.lakerats]

Just do it... don't regreat missing the chance