Sweet Pee

Thanks for sharing your pictures. It is hard to find before and after pictures of a mini thigh lift surgery. You may not realize how helpful your information or pictures are, but I think I speak for the majority, THANKS,!!.
You really look Great!!!!

This is interesting but just to be clear - it does not address excess skin, right? In my case I didn't really have stubborn fat ... but stubborn skin...haha.

I had a good experience with Dr Victor Gutierrez.
http://www.bariatricpal.com/gallery/member/116222-sweetpee/

You're doing great! Just don't get cocky like me, That's how I ripped stitches in the middle of my front and middle of my back. It's prolonged my recovery. Thank God for Laptops!

Here are some TV shows that are always entertaining to me.
NCIS, Doc Martin, and King Of the Hill are some suggestions.
Happy Healing,
Sweetpee

1 day shy of 5 weeks. Got my jeans on! Still swollen, but got em on!

Congratulations!!!! You sound wonderful.
Happy Healing,
Sweetpee

My words exactly cowgirljane! I will never forget my 1st peek!

I'm gonna attempt to do that. Write stuff. The ppl who've written before me are a gold mine of information. It helps me make it mental.
I will plan to post on the 19th. I'm overnight in the surgicenter and I don't think I'll take my phone...?
I'm staying really busy today.
Grateful to be the first case
Oh! I made a pot of 1) chicken, sweet potato, butternut squash, and spinach Soup and 2) a pork, Lima bean and corn crockpot for post op easy thaw meals. I premeasured and froze them so my DH can quick fix for me.
I want to eat really well. I know I won't be hungry so I want whatever I eat to be super dooper nutritious.

I am super excited!!!
Breast lift with augmentation
Thigh lift
Outer thigh lift
Butt lift
TT scar revision and new nable
I am ready for the pain!
Any recommendations from any of you who has had these surgeries.
Thank you,
Johanna

It happens all the time. Every time I went into a store looking for his herb du jour, they were out of it because of everyone's mad dash to get it.

I am feeling really positive. I came back from a week at a business event that involved lots of food drinks and dinners out....and salty food on the plane too. But returned at 148 so confidence is good right now!!!

Sweet Pea it also looks like you had a Tummy Tuck and arm lift. No? You look fantastic!

Hard to find the right words to say
You and your family will be in my thoughts and prayers.

I am sure it is all swelling. Things are going to get better. Hang in there! All will heal with time.

I am sure it is all swelling. Things are going to get better. Hang in there! All will heal with time.

Copied from Wikipedia:
" Moo goo gai pan is the Americanized version of a Cantonese dish (simplified Chinese: 蘑菇鸡片; traditional Chinese: 蘑菇雞片; pinyin: mó gū jī piàn). The dish is usually a simple stir-fried dish consisting of sliced or cubed chicken with white button mushrooms and other vegetables. Popular vegetable additions include snow peas, bamboo shoots, Water chestnuts and Chinese cabbage."
The dish looks overall healthy, including the chicken. Wouldn't you want to fill up on chicken first, veggies second and, if room, steamed rice third? I can understand passing on the chicken if it were breaded or fried, but, in this case, it is simply stir-fried. Sounds like a good Chinese dish to try next time. Yummy!

I think the real advantage of having longer term vets hang around is that stats show that the weight regain happens over time. If we can support each other to keep that "in check" I think it is of great help. I think being able to read about it is also great help to newbies.
I am entering my 3rd year and am very "attentive" that this is a high risk time for regain and honestly if it werent for others sharing this, I would not have really understood that.

I think that if I don't stay FOCUSED I will regain. Obsessive is when you are miserable, are emotionally unhappy and torturing yourself. I am happy that i am sucessful. I compare myself to a work colleague who is training for a triathalon. Focused. I am in a marathon for the rest of my life - to keep my weight under control at a healthy weight. It isn't obsessive, it is necessary.

Weigh everyday.
Regular exercise.
Eat greens, fruits, Beans, and nuts. If I get off track, I juice fruits and vegtables for a few days until I start to crave to eat vegetables again.

I think this thread was asking how us Vets continue to be sucessful. I am happy I am not pre sleeve or even in my first 6 months of being sleeved, so I know I will not get in trouble weighing myself or drive my self nuts. Smile!!!!
I like to see what is happening to my body before there are any changes in the mirror or a change in the way my clothes fit. For me if I waited that long, that would be a 10lbs or more weight gain.
The scale is on the top of my list, because being a woman, my weight fluctuates through out the month. It helps me to know what is going on with my body. I also have a husband and kids that do not eat the same way that I do. Sometimes, Mr Sweetpee brings home some really wonderful delectable food for the entire family. I even cook our favorite meals on special occasions which can cause weight gain. And for me, and being a woman, weight is so much harder to get off. So when I notice I have gained 2lbs, or 5lbs, I know I better do something about it quickly, (work harder at the gym) and this is where weighing myself everyday comes in.
I do not eat the right portion sizes and the right foods 100 percent of the times. I have to be balanced or I would drive my family crazy. Let me explain:
90 percent of the time, all I eat are vegetables, fruits, nuts, and Beans. I eat organic! I am extremely particular about what I eat. I could go on and on about my obsession with organic and Non GMO, and so on. I drive 1 hour just to get soy free organic eggs every week. However, then there are other times I like to have a hamburger and french fries and enjoy a fast food meal while on a road trip with my family. But in the back of my mind, I am thinking that the hormone injected beef and the chemical pesticide lettuce and tomatoes, and the heart stoping oil soaked salty fries are going to kill me. Then I say - "Oh Well, it's been a whole year since I ate a burger!" I eat it and enjoy it!!!., And yes I do enjoy it!!!! I enjoy it a lot , because those are very rare occasions that I will allow my self to do it. Also the holiday food. (Thanksgiving and Christmas) Those are once a year times where I have a party in my mouth, but I am a vet, and I know how to enjoy those occasions, then get right back on track. I weight my self and say, OMG, 3lbs, did I really eat that much! I am a vet, so I know how to enjoy those things and get back on track. What helps me quickly force myself to do what I am suppose to do? My scale: I love my scale!
Also after plastic surgery, I could not exercise the way I wanted to. Most of the time I could not exercise at all. I had to take it very slow, and very easy. It has been so hard getting back into physical shape post surgery. Since I could not exercise regularly, I had to stay on the scale, eat right, and monitor myself even closer so as not to gain weight. This has also been a cold winter and I admit, there has been some lazy none exercise days, when I curl up under the covers and watch TV. The scale has helped me through those times after surgery to maintain my weight. My scale motivates me in a positive way. I no longer see 270lbs on my scale. Today my scale told me I weigh 136lbs. I am still smiling about that!!! It is my tool that I use to gauge myself. My scale: I love my scale!
Happy Happy Happy Vet!
Sweetpee

I am glad people are finding this thread useful. Hopefully it will continue to be useful far into the future.

I need to weigh daily (or nearly) because that was a critical factor in past failure. .. Queen of DeNile!

I have tried to go without the scale a few times without success (yes for a week or so , but after that....not so good) I did early on decide that one of the habits I really needed to get on top of was the "obsessing" on the scale. I really couldn't afford to hate or love my life depending on the scale. its just a tool now, and I don't let the numbers push me around emotionally much anymore. It just gives me a guide to where I am, and what I need to do or not do about it. I also think many women (men?) just don't see themselves in the mirror, and some stretch jeans can really let you gain 5+ without realizing it. If someone does not need the scale/tool, or it ruins their life, then develop some other way... but if it works who cares if we use it? I also use a fitbit, MFP and occasionally the tape measure and fat calpers. If there is a post apocalyptic blackout with or without zombies in the future, then good luck to me without my scale! However, I will have those good plow pulling potato eating survive the famine genes, and that might get me through that too!

My top ten success strategies are:
1. Weighing daily
2. Correcting my diet to stay in my bounce range.
3. Not bringing food home that I find hard to resist.
4. Stocking the house with healthy, easy to eat foods and low or no calorie drink options.
5. Weighing and measuring foods most of the time.
6. Using smaller plates and bowls.
7. Keeping my supplements and Vitamins in a pill holder by my toothbrush so I remember to take them.
8. Coming here to offer support and get support.
9. Exercise (more for my health and happiness than weight control).
10. Changing my self talk. My two favs are reminding myself that self soothing is not self sabotage and I can't hate myself thin. With that in mind, I try to choose non-food treats such as lotion and perfume, calling a friend, or taking a walk when I am stressed or upset and I try focus on my success and planning on how to increase that instead of focusing on what I don't like about myself and what I have done wrong in the past.
Lynda