A post in which we get real and talk about underarm/armpit muffin tops
December 9, 2015 10:45 AM Subscribe
So after losing about 1/3 of my body weight, weight that I had for a long time, I have what is some kind of underarm/side boob/upper back muffin top. I need some new support for this when I workout, and just general sports bra recommendations.
This is not me, but pretty close to what I'm experiencing - probably even to a greater degree. I need to wear my bras, and especially my sports bras TIGHT because things are considerably more jiggly and deflated these days. But this causes overfloweth of skin, tissue, fat, etc in bras and sports bras.
I have tried to pull/tuck the skin under/below, but movement will cause the muffin top to return imminently. I'm sure it moves a lot when I workout (running, very high impact Zumba, barre, weights/strength training, etc), but have grown pretty immune to it. But it also makes me very self conscious (which is dumb I know, but true). I need some really good, high-impact but high support sports bras for all the deflated-ness. sag, and jiggle - that keeps everything in place, is comfortable, and also flattering. Help?
Must:
- be machine washable and very very durable. When I workout, I don't hold back. I sweat a lot, move a lot, and workout 6-7 days a week - so go through laundry quickly
- preferably not zipper front. I've had a few under-armour zipper sports bras that opened randomly with high-impact workouts. I need for this not to happen.
- probably needs to have very wide band on the side - and small arm holes? That seems to minimize the skin/tissue overflow. I'm short, so things are generally made with large arm holes.
- minimally stretchy - just enough for a bit of movement
- I'm roughly a 30E in regular bras. Used to be mostly a 38DD. I generally wear sports bras in a "small" but need larger cup/coverage (smaller chest band, larger/wider coverage).
Please help? Is there a cure for armpit/underarm muffin top?
This is not me, but pretty close to what I'm experiencing - probably even to a greater degree. I need to wear my bras, and especially my sports bras TIGHT because things are considerably more jiggly and deflated these days. But this causes overfloweth of skin, tissue, fat, etc in bras and sports bras.
I have tried to pull/tuck the skin under/below, but movement will cause the muffin top to return imminently. I'm sure it moves a lot when I workout (running, very high impact Zumba, barre, weights/strength training, etc), but have grown pretty immune to it. But it also makes me very self conscious (which is dumb I know, but true). I need some really good, high-impact but high support sports bras for all the deflated-ness. sag, and jiggle - that keeps everything in place, is comfortable, and also flattering. Help?
Must:
- be machine washable and very very durable. When I workout, I don't hold back. I sweat a lot, move a lot, and workout 6-7 days a week - so go through laundry quickly
- preferably not zipper front. I've had a few under-armour zipper sports bras that opened randomly with high-impact workouts. I need for this not to happen.
- probably needs to have very wide band on the side - and small arm holes? That seems to minimize the skin/tissue overflow. I'm short, so things are generally made with large arm holes.
- minimally stretchy - just enough for a bit of movement
- I'm roughly a 30E in regular bras. Used to be mostly a 38DD. I generally wear sports bras in a "small" but need larger cup/coverage (smaller chest band, larger/wider coverage).
Please help? Is there a cure for armpit/underarm muffin top?
Check out Title Nine if you haven't already - they definitely have some bras that are smaller in the arm hole area than others, and they come in a lot more sizes than small/medium/large. A compression shirt is also a good option.
I'm not 100% clear on what if anything you're wearing over the bra now - if you're just feeling self-conscious (rather than physically uncomfortable) you could try just putting a regular wicking t-shirt on and asking a blunt and trustworthy friend/workout partner if the sideboob-muffin-top is noticeable.
posted by mskyle at 11:45 AM on December 9, 2015
I'm not 100% clear on what if anything you're wearing over the bra now - if you're just feeling self-conscious (rather than physically uncomfortable) you could try just putting a regular wicking t-shirt on and asking a blunt and trustworthy friend/workout partner if the sideboob-muffin-top is noticeable.
posted by mskyle at 11:45 AM on December 9, 2015
Are you wearing the right size and style of bras? Sometimes breast tissue escapes through the underarms when it doesn't scoop-and-swoop properly into a bra.
posted by nicebookrack at 12:13 PM on December 9, 2015
posted by nicebookrack at 12:13 PM on December 9, 2015
I had that so bad when I lost a lot of weight, its all gotten a little better, but I found the feeling of my back skin moving so much very distracting. I ended up wearing a very tight workout cami over my sports bra.
I wear a 34Dish sportsbra, but I found a small workout cami kept everything compressed. I found one at Target marketed as a compression cami, maybe even "shape wear" for about $15. I wash it out in the sink between wearings, but I wash it hard and hot once a week and its fine, probably not as compressing as it once was, but it works.
It is not what I'd call a good look though, its very sausage casing-esque, so I wear a Target long n lean tank over the whole shebang.
posted by stormygrey at 1:05 PM on December 9, 2015
I wear a 34Dish sportsbra, but I found a small workout cami kept everything compressed. I found one at Target marketed as a compression cami, maybe even "shape wear" for about $15. I wash it out in the sink between wearings, but I wash it hard and hot once a week and its fine, probably not as compressing as it once was, but it works.
It is not what I'd call a good look though, its very sausage casing-esque, so I wear a Target long n lean tank over the whole shebang.
posted by stormygrey at 1:05 PM on December 9, 2015
Enell sports bras have a style that is wide back/band and smallish arm holes. They make bras in almost every size you can imagine.
posted by PorcineWithMe at 2:21 PM on December 9, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by PorcineWithMe at 2:21 PM on December 9, 2015 [3 favorites]
My Enell sports bra solves this problem for me; YMMV depending on weight/skin distribution, but they're worth a shot. And they are also so comfortable. It keeps me in place during Olympic lifts, CrossFit, rucking, and a whole assortment of high-impact activities.
posted by culfinglin at 2:31 PM on December 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by culfinglin at 2:31 PM on December 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
Compression shirts work really well for this! Three of my friends have lost over 100 pounds and they pretty much live in a tight nylon under-layer to keep things feeling sleek.
Basically any silky, stretchy, tight shirt will do, so you may be able to find running shirts or nylon t-shirts in the workout section of a thrift shop, and save a few bucks.
When shopping, bring along a couple tops you already own that you'd like to change the appearance of, and try them on over the different compression shirt options you find, to see what fits comfortably and has the effect you're seeking
posted by pseudostrabismus at 2:33 PM on December 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
Basically any silky, stretchy, tight shirt will do, so you may be able to find running shirts or nylon t-shirts in the workout section of a thrift shop, and save a few bucks.
When shopping, bring along a couple tops you already own that you'd like to change the appearance of, and try them on over the different compression shirt options you find, to see what fits comfortably and has the effect you're seeking
posted by pseudostrabismus at 2:33 PM on December 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
3rding the Enell high impact bra. I think it's exactly what you're looking for. Don't let the front closure deter you; it's not a zipper, it's hook & eye. You get really fast at putting it on, and it will never come unfastened on its own.
posted by peep at 7:23 PM on December 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by peep at 7:23 PM on December 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by brilliantine at 11:10 AM on December 9, 2015 [1 favorite]