Boobies.

Ok, I know there have been numerous posts about women and breast changes after gaining/losing weight, pregnancy/breastfeeding etc… But this post is more to do with eating disorders and breasts..

Basically, I had an eating disorder when I was 17. I severely restricted calories for about 8 months before I had enough of living that way and got help to recover. Before the eating disorder I wasn't actually that big, I was considered within normal BMI range. I was probably a C cup and I think my breasts were still growing. Then I lost quite a lot of weight and went down to an A.. Now, 1.5 years later, I'm a small B. I've probably got a close to the same amount of bodyfat now than during my eating disorder, but I've got a lot of muscle and I did it the healthy way, so my hormones aren't completely out of whack and my body's not constantly in starvation mode!

Anyways, my question is, can anorexia/bullimia stunt breast growth? If it does, will it "start up again"? I ask because all the women on my Mom's side are DD or larger (and they're petite, it's not like they're big gals!) and I feel like I was heading that way but I had to mess it up with my stupid eating disorder *smh*

Any advice or stories about your experiences are appreciated!! (:

Replies

  • crisb2
    crisb2 Posts: 329 Member
    edited October 2014
    Story: Boobs are weird, my cousin was a 14 dress size with C cups, went down to a size 8 dress size and A cups, then she went back up to a 14 size and her boobs were still an A cup.
  • AskTracyAnnK28
    AskTracyAnnK28 Posts: 2,817 Member
    Well, your boobs were already done growing by the time you were 17, so maybe someone somewhere in your mothers family had small boobies? Or maybe someone on your fathers side? And listen - be happy you don't have DD's. A B is a nice, normal size and can easily fit into clothes and bra shopping is a snap.
  • TheVirgoddess
    TheVirgoddess Posts: 4,535 Member
    The thing is, cup size isn't the only indicator of how large your breasts are. Band size factors in, too. They go together to determine the size of your breasts.

    For example, I'm a 36F. If I were to lose a band size, to a 34, my cup size would increase. So I'd be a 34G. If I were to go up a band size, I'd be a 38DD.

    The volume of the cup isn't the same across all band sizes.

    Make sense?
  • Lauren8239
    Lauren8239 Posts: 1,039 Member
    Does it really matter that much to you? Not being snarky, just wondering why it's so important.
  • lilmisfit1987
    lilmisfit1987 Posts: 183 Member
    edited October 2014
    The thing is, cup size isn't the only indicator of how large your breasts are. Band size factors in, too. They go together to determine the size of your breasts.

    For example, I'm a 36F. If I were to lose a band size, to a 34, my cup size would increase. So I'd be a 34G. If I were to go up a band size, I'd be a 38DD.

    The volume of the cup isn't the same across all band sizes.

    Make sense?

    I don't think you're accurate. The 36 or whatever is the measurement of your under bust. If you lose two inches from the circumference of your under bust it doesn't mean your cup size goes up. I've lost 2 inches from my under bust (went from a 40D to a 38D) and they aren't any bigger or smaller...believe me...my husband would have whined or rejoiced if they were. Besides...if it worked like that women would have their cup sized go up when they lost weight and not down and women who got "fat" would have their cup size go down and not up. I don't know any women who had her cup size increase by losing weight or have it decrease by having gained weight.

    To the OP, I have the smallest cup size in my family. My mom's and older sister's are HUGE (like triple F and G's), but I think I get my cup size from my dad's mother. It happens. You don't necessarily get all your lady parts from your mom. Also, girls usually stop developing/growing all over by age 16 (earlier than boys) so by that point you probably had all you were going to get anyways. Why worry about it? There's always breast enlargement if it really bothers you.
  • Isabelle_1929
    Isabelle_1929 Posts: 233 Member
    Lauren8239 wrote: »
    Does it really matter that much to you? Not being snarky, just wondering why it's so important.

    Now, I'll let OP speak for herself. But you have no idea of the importance and value given to having large breasts by kids born circa 1995 and later. You have no idea.

  • daydreams_of_pretty
    daydreams_of_pretty Posts: 506 Member
    The thing is, cup size isn't the only indicator of how large your breasts are. Band size factors in, too. They go together to determine the size of your breasts.

    For example, I'm a 36F. If I were to lose a band size, to a 34, my cup size would increase. So I'd be a 34G. If I were to go up a band size, I'd be a 38DD.

    The volume of the cup isn't the same across all band sizes.

    Make sense?

    I don't think you're accurate. The 36 or whatever is the measurement of your under bust. If you lose two inches from the circumference of your under bust it doesn't mean your cup size goes up. I've lost 2 inches from my under bust (went from a 40D to a 38D) and they aren't any bigger or smaller...believe me...my husband would have whined or rejoiced if they were. Besides...if it worked like that women would have their cup sized go up when they lost weight and not down and women who got "fat" would have their cup size go down and not up. I don't know any women who had her cup size increase by losing weight or have it decrease by having gained weight.

    The reason she is correct is that your cup size is determined by subtracting your band size from the circumference of the fullest part of your breasts. If your breasts do not change size but your band does, then your cup size will change because the subtraction would result in a higher number, meaning a bigger cup size. If you do not get a higher number, then your boobs did get smaller.
  • stealthq
    stealthq Posts: 4,298 Member
    The thing is, cup size isn't the only indicator of how large your breasts are. Band size factors in, too. They go together to determine the size of your breasts.

    For example, I'm a 36F. If I were to lose a band size, to a 34, my cup size would increase. So I'd be a 34G. If I were to go up a band size, I'd be a 38DD.

    The volume of the cup isn't the same across all band sizes.

    Make sense?

    I don't think you're accurate. The 36 or whatever is the measurement of your under bust. If you lose two inches from the circumference of your under bust it doesn't mean your cup size goes up. I've lost 2 inches from my under bust (went from a 40D to a 38D) and they aren't any bigger or smaller...believe me...my husband would have whined or rejoiced if they were. Besides...if it worked like that women would have their cup sized go up when they lost weight and not down and women who got "fat" would have their cup size go down and not up. I don't know any women who had her cup size increase by losing weight or have it decrease by having gained weight.

    It does work exactly that way. You can look it up easily enough. The manufacturers design bras so that as the band size goes up, the 'B' cup (for example) increases in volume. And vice versa. This why the sister sizes are 30DD, 32D, 34C, etc. Same cup volume, different band length.

    If you lost in band size and your cup size stayed the same, your breast volume decreased. On the plus side, they decreased proportionately to the rest of you, which is why neither you nor your husband noticed.

    When women get fat and gain in the band size, they're almost guaranteed to be gaining fat in the breast as well. So cup size may stay the same or may go up with band size. Occasionally band size goes up and cup size goes down, but that would be very unusual.

    Then there are women like me, who lost significant band size and the cup size went up: 34C -> 30DD. My breasts are mostly breast tissue and not fat, so I didn't lose much volume.
  • ncscott11
    ncscott11 Posts: 100 Member
    Google sister sizes for bras. It's a crazy way they did bra sizes! I so far have went from a 36DD to a 34DDD because I have only lost inches and no boob...I wish I would lose some boob!
  • lilmisfit1987
    lilmisfit1987 Posts: 183 Member
    The thing is, cup size isn't the only indicator of how large your breasts are. Band size factors in, too. They go together to determine the size of your breasts.

    For example, I'm a 36F. If I were to lose a band size, to a 34, my cup size would increase. So I'd be a 34G. If I were to go up a band size, I'd be a 38DD.

    The volume of the cup isn't the same across all band sizes.

    Make sense?

    I don't think you're accurate. The 36 or whatever is the measurement of your under bust. If you lose two inches from the circumference of your under bust it doesn't mean your cup size goes up. I've lost 2 inches from my under bust (went from a 40D to a 38D) and they aren't any bigger or smaller...believe me...my husband would have whined or rejoiced if they were. Besides...if it worked like that women would have their cup sized go up when they lost weight and not down and women who got "fat" would have their cup size go down and not up. I don't know any women who had her cup size increase by losing weight or have it decrease by having gained weight.

    The reason she is correct is that your cup size is determined by subtracting your band size from the circumference of the fullest part of your breasts. If your breasts do not change size but your band does, then your cup size will change because the subtraction would result in a higher number, meaning a bigger cup size. If you do not get a higher number, then your boobs did get smaller.
    That's interesting. I guess I never measured my size ever. I just wore what felt right...although I am spilling out of the 38D's. I just ignored it...balls. I don't want to go up a cup size. Finding cute D's was hard enough.
  • LadyTalulah
    LadyTalulah Posts: 174 Member
    Wow, I didn't know it was that complicated! I'm going to have to do my research to really understand how all this is measured! How come every women doesn't have this knowledge?!
    Thanks everyone (:
  • LadyTalulah
    LadyTalulah Posts: 174 Member
    Lauren8239 wrote: »
    Does it really matter that much to you? Not being snarky, just wondering why it's so important.

    Yup, it does. But thanks for your input.
  • TossaBeanBag
    TossaBeanBag Posts: 458 Member
    Sheesh! Glad I am a guy.
  • ncscott11
    ncscott11 Posts: 100 Member
    It's a pain in the butt! I only learned all of this since my weight went up and (thankfully) now back down because NOTHING fit right. You would think it could be a little easier!
  • lilmisfit1987
    lilmisfit1987 Posts: 183 Member
    Dammit! I just took my measurements and I did go up a cup size. Why you gotta rain on my parade mfp? LOL Anyways, don't want to high jack the OP's post. Good luck hun!
  • Why not get some fake ones? I know lots of people who have and who are very happy with the results.
  • branflakes1980
    branflakes1980 Posts: 2,516 Member
    Why not get some fake ones? I know lots of people who have and who are very happy with the results.

    Do you have $10,000 I can have?? :wink:

  • TheVirgoddess
    TheVirgoddess Posts: 4,535 Member
    Wow, I didn't know it was that complicated! I'm going to have to do my research to really understand how all this is measured! How come every women doesn't have this knowledge?!
    Thanks everyone (:

    It's becoming more common for women to learn about cup sizes and find properly fitting bras, thankfully. I spent most of my life having large breasts and not understanding how things worked, and thus not having a properly fitting bra.

    The very best thing you can do is go for a professional fitting at a store like Nordstroms or Soma Intimates.

    This is a really helpful site, too. http://blog.butterflycollection.ca/2012/05/bra-school-not-all-d-cups-are-same-size.html
  • MisterZ33
    MisterZ33 Posts: 567 Member
    Why not get some fake ones? I know lots of people who have and who are very happy with the results.

    Do you have $10,000 I can have?? :wink:

    ill give you the 10gs, but if i buy 'em i own 'em.
  • sofaking6
    sofaking6 Posts: 4,589 Member
    Victoria's Secret now does very good measurements as well.
  • crisb2
    crisb2 Posts: 329 Member
    edited October 2014
    The thing is, cup size isn't the only indicator of how large your breasts are. Band size factors in, too. They go together to determine the size of your breasts.

    For example, I'm a 36F. If I were to lose a band size, to a 34, my cup size would increase. So I'd be a 34G. If I were to go up a band size, I'd be a 38DD.

    The volume of the cup isn't the same across all band sizes.

    Make sense?

    I don't think you're accurate. The 36 or whatever is the measurement of your under bust. If you lose two inches from the circumference of your under bust it doesn't mean your cup size goes up. I've lost 2 inches from my under bust (went from a 40D to a 38D) and they aren't any bigger or smaller...believe me...my husband would have whined or rejoiced if they were. Besides...if it worked like that women would have their cup sized go up when they lost weight and not down and women who got "fat" would have their cup size go down and not up. I don't know any women who had her cup size increase by losing weight or have it decrease by having gained weight.

    The reason she is correct is that your cup size is determined by subtracting your band size from the circumference of the fullest part of your breasts. If your breasts do not change size but your band does, then your cup size will change because the subtraction would result in a higher number, meaning a bigger cup size. If you do not get a higher number, then your boobs did get smaller.

    +1

    That's why Sophia Vergara's bra size is 32 F (yes, F) but it's cuz she's so skinny. Queen Latifah is a 40DD, even though her boobs are WAY bigger, her band size is also a lot bigger. So the difference is less.

    If your bust size is less than 1 inch bigger than your band size, you’re a cup size AA.
    1-inch difference = A
    2-inch difference = B
    3-inch difference = C
    4-inch difference = D
    5-inch difference = DD
  • KnitSewSpin
    KnitSewSpin Posts: 147 Member
    As I've lost weight I've gone from a 36C to a 34D. Makes sense now!