I went from this to this!
Some say it’s too much but I adore my look...
Seeing myself in the mirror, I sighed.
Time to shift this baby weight, I thought.
It was February 2013 and I’d just given birth to beautiful twin boys.
I already had an older son, aged 17, from a previous relationship.
But I was so excited to start a family with my Naval officer hubby Brett, then 28.
We’d met back in 2006, when I was also in the Navy.
Only, I’d gained 5½st during my pregnancy.
Staring at my chubby reflection, I knew that action was needed.
So I hit the gym, juggling workouts with looking after my little ones.
I also started a ketogenic diet, which involved eating fewer carbs to encourage my body to break down excess fat for energy.
I’d been a chef since leaving the Navy in 2008 and was conscious of calories and nutrition.
In just six months, I shrank from 14st to 9st.
‘You look amazing,’ Brett said But I still wasn’t happy. As a Latina woman, I was proud of my curvaceous figure.
I’d thought my curves would re-emerge as the baby weight melted away.
Wrong!
Instead of the feminine hourglass shape I’d boasted before, the sides of my abdomen were straight lines. Almost like a boy’s figure. ‘You’re beautiful, I love you no matter what,’ Brett told me. And I loved him for that. But it didn’t change the fact that I just didn’t feel comfortable in my own body.
I didn’t feel beautiful – or feminine.
So I did some research online, where I discovered women who’d ‘trained’ their waists using corsets. Intrigued, I read on. It involved strapping yourself into a tight corset for several hours each day.
Then you gradually tightened it over weeks and months to slowly pinch in your waist.
Worth a shot,
I thought.
I didn’t tell Brett my plan – I knew he wouldn’t be keen.
And while he meant it when he said I was beautiful, I wasn’t doing this for him. This was for me. Luckily, he was on active Naval service when my first corset arrived in 2014. It was a plain, black number.
Tugging it on for the first time was a struggle.
It took me 35 minutes, and I didn’t even tie it too tightly.
But the second I had that corset on, I felt like a new woman.
Turning to the mirror, I could already see a very slight but familiar curve.
It was enough to give me a little boost.
I look good! I smiled to my reflection.
With a young family, I wasn’t about to cause myself any harm, so I read all the guidelines for safe use.
I was cautious of the corset rubbing my skin.
So I took special care to exfoliate my middle in the shower.
The guidelines advised two hours with the corset on, then two hours off.
But as I didn’t suffer any discomfort, I kept it on for eight hours at a time.
And tightened it ever so slightly every two weeks.
It was never painful, itchy or hard to breathe.
I wore a T-shirt underneath the corset to protect my skin, and my normal clothes over the top.
Within two months, my curves were slowly returning.
By the time Brett returned from duty that August, I’d gone from a 29in waist to 23in.
Incredible!
As we were reunited at an aircraft hangar, Brett did a double take. It was as if he had a new wife! Hugging the twins, he stared at me. He didn’t say anything, but I could tell he liked my new look. Soon I was tying myself into a corset 23 hours a day, only taking it off in the shower or at the gym. ‘I love the way they make me feel,’ I told Brett. With a corset cinching in my waist, I felt more feminine and beautiful than ever. Some friends and family weren’t so keen. They worried for my health – even that I’d die. But I went for checkups with the doctor. Scans show my organs weren’t constricted and I had no internal issues. So as my waist got smaller, I bought more corsets. Prettier ones, too, with gold and red patterns. I matched them with my shoes and make-up. By 2015, I’d worked my way down to a tiny 18in waist, and I felt amazing. ‘You won’t go any smaller, will you?’ Brett asked, looking concerned. ‘No, I’m happy now,’ I smiled. These days, I can’t take big gulping breaths or overeat. But I’m a healthy 8st 7lb. Some say it’s extreme, but I love my look and I’ve never felt so confident. I now have over 45 corsets, costing £1,400. I understand my appearance can be striking. I’m used to people staring
Soon I was tying myself into a corset 23 hours a day
and whispering, doing double-takes.
But my boosted self-esteem means that I can take it all in my stride. The twins are 5 now. Some people reckon I’m setting a bad example when it comes to body image.
But they’ve never seen me look any different, and their daddy is their role model. Their hero!
Besides, other people stop me in the street to compliment me.
So I don’t care if some sneer.
I’ve never felt sexier!