If I lose weight, will my chest get smaller? I am not overweight, but my breasts are big, and I was hoping that they might get smaller if I lost weight.
—Anonymous
It is possible that your breast size would decrease if you lost weight. However, it's also possible that your breast size wouldn't change at all. Since you know you don't need to lose weight, dieting isn't really a good option here, because there's no way to reduce one part of your body without affecting the others. However, there are lots of ways to minimize the impact you think your breasts make — and bear in mind you are the person who notices them the most! The easiest is by what you wear. First of all, getting a good bra is important. Go to a department store and let the women who work there take out a tape measure and measure you. Yeah, it's a little embarrassing, but they do this all the time, so don't stress. Once you know your correct size, try on a bunch of bras. Look for ones with lots of support, usually with thicker, wider straps. Some girls love wearing sports bras every day, because they are usually quite comfortable and offer a lot of control. There is also something called a minimizer bra, which, well, does what it sounds like. Try on a bunch, and see how your t-shirt looks over each one.
As for clothing, try not to feel so self-conscious that you end up wearing your favorite baggy sweatshirt 24/7. You can still wear tank tops — just pick ones that allow you to wear a bra underneath. No spaghetti straps or anything too flimsy. Instead, go for more athletic tanks with a wider strap for support. You can also draw attention to other parts of your body that you want to play up. Love your great legs or cute tummy? Pick clothing that shows off what you love most about yourself, balancing it out by wearing solid colors rather than big swirly patterns on your chest area.
Be aware that feeling self-conscious about your breast size is a really common experience for girls of all sizes. (And your smaller-chested friends are probably superjealous of you, by the way.) Remember that it can take a little time to get used to a body that's probably had some extreme changes over the past few years.
—Kate Forest, MSW
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