Love the Suit You're In
Every so often, Swimandsweat has the pleasure of getting to know our customers on a more personal level. This month, we are delighted to share an inspiring story of a woman who we have gotten to know through a shared love of chlorine resistant swimwear and the power of water workouts! This February we are so pleased to feature Esther S’s incredible perseverance on a road to improving her overall health and wellness. Please join us in congratulating Esther and honoring her ability to LOVE THE SUIT she’s in!
Love the Suit You're In
By: Esther S.
Water Workout Enthusiast
Rocky River, OH
In the summer of 2020, my beloved German Shepherd, Gari, was nearly 13, and beginning to slow down considerably. I finally faced the unpleasant fact that he was not going to be with me forever. And that I was in no condition to handle a German Shepherd puppy — and I was going to want another German Shepherd puppy…
On Sept 1, 2020, I began following a Keto meal plan. Initially I thought I’d try it for aweek or two and see how it went. Well, it went well. Very well. After a few weeks I gathered up every carb-heavy food (unopened boxes of cereal, beans, bags of chocolates) and took them to a local food pantry. My cleaning crew kindly removed two containers of ice cream from my freezer. And I stuck with the program.
Four months later, I’m not sure how much I’d lost, since I hadn’t stepped on a scale in years, but I’m guessing close to 40lbs — perhaps more. In January 2021, I joined the Rocky River Rec Center and started going to the pool, doing water walking. Due to restricted range of motion in my shoulders and my weight, I couldn’t actually swim, but I bought swim paddles for extra resistance and aiding in improving upper body strength.
In April I ordered my first SwimandSweat Aquamore suit. It was too tight, I couldn’t squeeze into it, but I kept it anyway for incentive. And then one day I was able to get into it! And I started swimming. Actually swimming, a length of crawl, a length of breaststroke. One week just two laps (in addition to walking against the current in the Rocky River Rec Center’s “Lazy River” and doing all my paddle and fin exercises). The next week three. Then four. Then five. When I was supposed to get up to eight laps, I just kept going, and swimming 18–20 laps just became part of my daily routine (18 is a half-mile). And even though I’d just managed to get into the 18W Aquamore, I went ahead and ordered a 16W (same suit, same color!) for the day when I’d need it!
July 2, 2021, the day I knew was coming arrived: I had to say goodbye to my black dog. It was hard, but I was so lucky to have him as long as I did: he was over 13 years, 8 months — a very long life for a German Shepherd. With no need to hurry home to let Gari out, I extended my daily routine. I started walking on the treadmill! A year earlier I couldn’t have stood up on the treadmill for five minutes without needed to sit, and here I was, WALKING. And by the end of July, I was wearing the 16W. On Thursday, Sept 2, I had my hip surgery. That meant a month out of the pool. I ordered a 14 in my favorite Aquamore suit. To my amazement, it turned out to be a tad big! I had a couple suits that I’d purchased optimistically some 15 years ago and never even put on. Now they fit, so I used those for a few weeks, and then in mid-December I ordered a size 10. I didn’t really think I could wear a 10 at that point, but eventually...The 10 was great. For about a month. And then it was getting a bit loose! And it was NOT the suit; the Aquamore suits have held their fit and color better than any suit I’ve ever had. So, Iordered an 8. When it arrived, I looked at it and thought, no way can I fit into this. But it was perfect. I’m still a bit shocked every day when I put it on that it IS perfect; I havenever been a size 8, even at age 14! But my biggest reward for all my work came on Sept 20, when I brought my new puppy Magen home!
After I shared my story with Swimandsweat and they asked me if they could feature my story, I of course said YES! Especially
