MichiganChic

Hi! I was sleeved in 2014...original loss was 185 lbs. Regained 40 lbs during the pandemic. I started Saxenda in January of this year and lost 35 lbs. I moved to Mounjaro last week (off label, as I am not diabetic) because I was tired of Saxenda's daily injection. I don't view GLP-1s as a pouch reset, but they definitely help turn off the "food voice" in my head. I am on the beginning dose of Mounjaro, so haven't experienced the full power yet. I still have decent restriction, so capacity wasn't my problem. Slider foods/snacking caused my weight gain.
I know medication isn't for everyone, but I honestly believe GLP-1s should at least be mentioned to WLS patients dealing with regain. I see it as a 1-2 punch for me.

I think your examples really show how life does happen, and how common regain is, as well as how normal it is! I was also a success story, keeping off most of everything I lost for years. But there were pockets of time, tragic life events that proved to be too much for me to cope with, and I hate to admit this, sent me spiraling into stress eating. When I was caring for my husband in his 50s with early onset dementia, and his subsequent death at 62, I actually made a conscious decision to just let my focus on my diet go. It really takes a lot of focus and energy for me to stay on track, and I just didn’t have that left. Then came dealing with grief and then pandemic....blah blah blah. The 5 and then 2 and then 10 pounds here and there really add up!!

Anyway, while I’m finding it very difficult to do, I agree with you, it possible to lose the regain. I’ve finally gone back to the way I ate when I lost the weight, (low calorie, low carb, high protein) and it is starting to come off. I really have to keep check on my expectations. I want to lose 2-3 pounds/week, and that’s just not going to happen for me. Remembering that time goes on either way and the 0.2 losses add up over time help to keep me focused.

Wishing you much success on your continued journey to health!

November. Maintaining my weight loss between 173 and 174 for the most part. Weighing every morning to keep myself on track and maintain. I am comfortable in my own baggy skin, enjoying making wholesome soups with the cooler weather. Back in the office 2 days a week, working from home rest of week. And going out to homes to see families. Staying masked and wearing PPE. Vegetable garden has fresh micro greens and lettuces, brocolli and cauliflower, kale and rainbow chard growing. Carrots too !
Stay healthy, and wear your masks !!!

Soo. I started my weight loss journey over 10 years ago. I am 5'2" I had surgery and was, if I remember correctly about 320 pounds. (and I had lost weight before surgery..) I was 54 years old. I lost over 100 pounds. I got down to 180 pounds. I could never get lower than that. But my doctors were pleased and so was I. Over 10 years I managed to gain weight and this past July, got mad at myself when I realized I weighed 220 !!!! I told myself that I needed to reverse the trend, and get back to a healthier weight. My initial goal was to lose 10 pounds in a year. Well, I lost 10 pounds in 4 months and then lost another 12 in the last 4 months, and for the first time in about 6 years am just under that 200 pound weight at 198. ( I will claim those last 2 pounds ! )
I refuse to do any drastic dieting, just "going back to my sleeve eating." More protein, less carbs, more vegetables. occasional treats. Cut out the popcorn and chips which are my slider foods.... and although I really cannot exercise with my other physical issues, I am moving more and feeling better. I would be happy to be in the mid 190's for this coming July - but focusing more on making sure I don't backslide again....
I am posting because .... well, how do you explain to anyone that you have already lost over 140 pounds and gained back 40, and now have lost 20... 10 years later and it's all connected ? And at my age, no one really notices.... although I did go buy new jeans/slacks for work because darn it, I didn't keep the smaller clothing !!!
Anyone else as far out as I am ? Having issues ? Getting back on track this late in the game ?

I’m 6 years out and I not only regained but I gained double what I lost. It took from 2017 to Nov 2020 to get back to a size 8 at 170lbs. I use to be a size 6 at 170lbs. I can’t get any smaller and I’m okay with that. My point is you can do it. Start by eliminating the problem foods one by one. You don’t have to swear them off just only eat them on occasion and if they make you go off track find a healthy option to replace them. After a while your sleeve will kick back in to action. It takes longer but remember the sleeve is only a tool and we have to use it in order for it to work. I went from about 300 lbs to 170 this time around. So I know you can do it too! After yo-yo dieting for a year. I went vegan for a year and lost a ton of weight. After a year I went back to meat. I even supplemented one to two meals with ensure plus and I ate a regular dinner. I have my restriction back. I’m just trying to maintain now. My best friend is now motivated to get back on track. She’s now lost 15 pounds. She doing shakes and portion control and healthy choices. It’s different for us all. Find what works for your life so you can really maintain it. If you don’t like what your doing or it’s too restrictive it won’t work. Try new recipes really get into the lifestyle. Milk Street recipes are really fun and takeout taste but way healthier. Try it. Have fun!! You can do it and we will celebrate every success with you! ❤️

I am 10 years out from a sleeve. Sleeved at about 300 lbs. Started at 320. 5'3" and I was 54 years old. I lost total of 150 pounds to 170. Then life happened. Lost my mom, then my younger brother then my dad.... and divorced and single parenting and moving and working and well.... I gained back to 220.
About a year and a half ago I decided I needed to make changes. Small ones. and little by little I got control back. I didn't do a major diet, I didn't do a fast or liquids only. I just started eliminating one lousy food and then another... and replacing one bad habit with a good and positive one. No cheap chocolate. Only good expensive chocolate. And one or two pieces is enough when it is really good chocolate. No potato chips. Air pop popcorn. Salads. Fruit. Veggies. Protein. More water. I have never been a soda drinker so that was not it for me. Just rebuilding good habits. I lost 45 pounds in 14 months. Not fast. But steady. And I took breaks to see what it would take to maintain that weight. Since September when I got back to 175 I have lost another 2 pounds. I will be 65 in two months. I know I will never be THIN. I don't need to be. But I am stronger, healthier, happier and maintaining my weight at a level that I can for the rest of my lifetime. Eating well. Moving more.
You can do this. Figure out what will work for you. Then do it.

I am 7 years post VSG. I lost 145 pounds and kept it off 3-4 years, had plastics and looked and felt great, and then life happened. I cared for Sick parents, husband with early onset dementia and dearth subsequent death, a year of grieving....then one day I woke up and faced the truth of a 55 pound weight gain.

September 2019 I began focusing on my health and goals again, and I’ve lost 22 pounds. I had a barium swallow which revealed I have a normal capacity stomach, so really, no restriction. I never had the restriction others describe. Anyway, as much as I hated to do it, I joined WW. I basically eat like a Bariatric patient, using WW as guardrails. I also have increased my exercise and am totally in the Peloton “cult”, which is great because I am loving exercise for the first time ever.
I never thought I’d be here..yet here I am, living proof that stomachs DO stretch and even smart, determined people can end up with regain. I believe it will take me until June or July to get back to goal, but every pound lost is a great feeling of accomplishment.

I am 7 years post VSG. I lost 145 pounds and kept it off 3-4 years, had plastics and looked and felt great, and then life happened. I cared for Sick parents, husband with early onset dementia and dearth subsequent death, a year of grieving....then one day I woke up and faced the truth of a 55 pound weight gain.

September 2019 I began focusing on my health and goals again, and I’ve lost 22 pounds. I had a barium swallow which revealed I have a normal capacity stomach, so really, no restriction. I never had the restriction others describe. Anyway, as much as I hated to do it, I joined WW. I basically eat like a Bariatric patient, using WW as guardrails. I also have increased my exercise and am totally in the Peloton “cult”, which is great because I am loving exercise for the first time ever.
I never thought I’d be here..yet here I am, living proof that stomachs DO stretch and even smart, determined people can end up with regain. I believe it will take me until June or July to get back to goal, but every pound lost is a great feeling of accomplishment.

I am 7 years post VSG. I lost 145 pounds and kept it off 3-4 years, had plastics and looked and felt great, and then life happened. I cared for Sick parents, husband with early onset dementia and dearth subsequent death, a year of grieving....then one day I woke up and faced the truth of a 55 pound weight gain.

September 2019 I began focusing on my health and goals again, and I’ve lost 22 pounds. I had a barium swallow which revealed I have a normal capacity stomach, so really, no restriction. I never had the restriction others describe. Anyway, as much as I hated to do it, I joined WW. I basically eat like a Bariatric patient, using WW as guardrails. I also have increased my exercise and am totally in the Peloton “cult”, which is great because I am loving exercise for the first time ever.
I never thought I’d be here..yet here I am, living proof that stomachs DO stretch and even smart, determined people can end up with regain. I believe it will take me until June or July to get back to goal, but every pound lost is a great feeling of accomplishment.

I am 7 years post VSG. I lost 145 pounds and kept it off 3-4 years, had plastics and looked and felt great, and then life happened. I cared for Sick parents, husband with early onset dementia and dearth subsequent death, a year of grieving....then one day I woke up and faced the truth of a 55 pound weight gain.

September 2019 I began focusing on my health and goals again, and I’ve lost 22 pounds. I had a barium swallow which revealed I have a normal capacity stomach, so really, no restriction. I never had the restriction others describe. Anyway, as much as I hated to do it, I joined WW. I basically eat like a Bariatric patient, using WW as guardrails. I also have increased my exercise and am totally in the Peloton “cult”, which is great because I am loving exercise for the first time ever.
I never thought I’d be here..yet here I am, living proof that stomachs DO stretch and even smart, determined people can end up with regain. I believe it will take me until June or July to get back to goal, but every pound lost is a great feeling of accomplishment.

I am 7 years post VSG. I lost 145 pounds and kept it off 3-4 years, had plastics and looked and felt great, and then life happened. I cared for Sick parents, husband with early onset dementia and dearth subsequent death, a year of grieving....then one day I woke up and faced the truth of a 55 pound weight gain.

September 2019 I began focusing on my health and goals again, and I’ve lost 22 pounds. I had a barium swallow which revealed I have a normal capacity stomach, so really, no restriction. I never had the restriction others describe. Anyway, as much as I hated to do it, I joined WW. I basically eat like a Bariatric patient, using WW as guardrails. I also have increased my exercise and am totally in the Peloton “cult”, which is great because I am loving exercise for the first time ever.
I never thought I’d be here..yet here I am, living proof that stomachs DO stretch and even smart, determined people can end up with regain. I believe it will take me until June or July to get back to goal, but every pound lost is a great feeling of accomplishment.

I am 7 years post VSG. I lost 145 pounds and kept it off 3-4 years, had plastics and looked and felt great, and then life happened. I cared for Sick parents, husband with early onset dementia and dearth subsequent death, a year of grieving....then one day I woke up and faced the truth of a 55 pound weight gain.

September 2019 I began focusing on my health and goals again, and I’ve lost 22 pounds. I had a barium swallow which revealed I have a normal capacity stomach, so really, no restriction. I never had the restriction others describe. Anyway, as much as I hated to do it, I joined WW. I basically eat like a Bariatric patient, using WW as guardrails. I also have increased my exercise and am totally in the Peloton “cult”, which is great because I am loving exercise for the first time ever.
I never thought I’d be here..yet here I am, living proof that stomachs DO stretch and even smart, determined people can end up with regain. I believe it will take me until June or July to get back to goal, but every pound lost is a great feeling of accomplishment.

I am 7 years post VSG. I lost 145 pounds and kept it off 3-4 years, had plastics and looked and felt great, and then life happened. I cared for Sick parents, husband with early onset dementia and dearth subsequent death, a year of grieving....then one day I woke up and faced the truth of a 55 pound weight gain.

September 2019 I began focusing on my health and goals again, and I’ve lost 22 pounds. I had a barium swallow which revealed I have a normal capacity stomach, so really, no restriction. I never had the restriction others describe. Anyway, as much as I hated to do it, I joined WW. I basically eat like a Bariatric patient, using WW as guardrails. I also have increased my exercise and am totally in the Peloton “cult”, which is great because I am loving exercise for the first time ever.
I never thought I’d be here..yet here I am, living proof that stomachs DO stretch and even smart, determined people can end up with regain. I believe it will take me until June or July to get back to goal, but every pound lost is a great feeling of accomplishment.

I am 7 years post VSG. I lost 145 pounds and kept it off 3-4 years, had plastics and looked and felt great, and then life happened. I cared for Sick parents, husband with early onset dementia and dearth subsequent death, a year of grieving....then one day I woke up and faced the truth of a 55 pound weight gain.

September 2019 I began focusing on my health and goals again, and I’ve lost 22 pounds. I had a barium swallow which revealed I have a normal capacity stomach, so really, no restriction. I never had the restriction others describe. Anyway, as much as I hated to do it, I joined WW. I basically eat like a Bariatric patient, using WW as guardrails. I also have increased my exercise and am totally in the Peloton “cult”, which is great because I am loving exercise for the first time ever.
I never thought I’d be here..yet here I am, living proof that stomachs DO stretch and even smart, determined people can end up with regain. I believe it will take me until June or July to get back to goal, but every pound lost is a great feeling of accomplishment.

I am 7 years post VSG. I lost 145 pounds and kept it off 3-4 years, had plastics and looked and felt great, and then life happened. I cared for Sick parents, husband with early onset dementia and dearth subsequent death, a year of grieving....then one day I woke up and faced the truth of a 55 pound weight gain.

September 2019 I began focusing on my health and goals again, and I’ve lost 22 pounds. I had a barium swallow which revealed I have a normal capacity stomach, so really, no restriction. I never had the restriction others describe. Anyway, as much as I hated to do it, I joined WW. I basically eat like a Bariatric patient, using WW as guardrails. I also have increased my exercise and am totally in the Peloton “cult”, which is great because I am loving exercise for the first time ever.
I never thought I’d be here..yet here I am, living proof that stomachs DO stretch and even smart, determined people can end up with regain. I believe it will take me until June or July to get back to goal, but every pound lost is a great feeling of accomplishment.

I am 7 years post VSG. I lost 145 pounds and kept it off 3-4 years, had plastics and looked and felt great, and then life happened. I cared for Sick parents, husband with early onset dementia and dearth subsequent death, a year of grieving....then one day I woke up and faced the truth of a 55 pound weight gain.

September 2019 I began focusing on my health and goals again, and I’ve lost 22 pounds. I had a barium swallow which revealed I have a normal capacity stomach, so really, no restriction. I never had the restriction others describe. Anyway, as much as I hated to do it, I joined WW. I basically eat like a Bariatric patient, using WW as guardrails. I also have increased my exercise and am totally in the Peloton “cult”, which is great because I am loving exercise for the first time ever.
I never thought I’d be here..yet here I am, living proof that stomachs DO stretch and even smart, determined people can end up with regain. I believe it will take me until June or July to get back to goal, but every pound lost is a great feeling of accomplishment.

If you’re keeping up with the news on weight loss, it’s becoming very clear that most efforts at long-term weight loss do not work. This suggests that most of the behavioral changes people attempt to make are unsustainable over the long term. We are also learning that this difficulty has much more to do with a number of biological factors and much less to do with willpower. Recent research on the resting metabolic rate and leptin levels (and other factors) of those who have lost large amounts of weight suggest that the human body fights efforts to keep weight off. It’s as if the body tries everything in its power to put the weight back on! The good news is that you can stop blaming yourself. It’s not you; it’s biology. While these facts are discouraging, it’s not necessarily a lost cause.


Perhaps the big takeaway message for those trying to lose weight AND keep it off is this: Do not make changes in your behavior that you are not prepared to maintain for the rest of your life. Notice that I’m focusing on behavior, not losing weight. Consider that you do not actually try to lose weight. You try to change certain behaviors that you believe will eventually lead to weight loss. Weight loss is the desired outcome of a number of changes in behavior, some involving what you eat, some involving how you eat, and others involving your level of activity. It is critical to keep your focus on your behavior, not the scale. That same research also indicates that the body fights efforts to keep weight off for many years after the initial weight loss…maybe even for the rest of your life. You’re going to experience hunger. You are going to have cravings. Your body is going to keep fighting. Therefore, you are going to need to keep fighting.
We also know that despite all of this new research, reducing your intake of calories and burning off more of them remain two of the pillars of weight loss success. Your strategy to lose weight and keep it off must incorporate those two factors. With all of this information in mind, you can see why it’s silly to try to discover “the best diet.” First of all, “diets” are short-term interventions that you certainly know by now will not work. Second, we illustrated that whatever behavior changes you make, you would need to keep them going for many, many years. It’s simply not possible for one set of behavior changes to work for everyone.
It really comes down to figuring out what the best strategies are for you to reduce your calorie intake and to burn off more of them for many years to come. This is something you should give a great deal of thought. I know its January, but avoid jumping on the first idea that all of your buddies are considering. Now that you have read this article (and others), you probably have a lot more information that they have. Perhaps you can share this information with your friends who also want to lose weight and you can all put your collective heads together and come up with some strategies for one another. I have some suggestions.
Consider that you do not have to get it 100% right on day one and you probably should start small and try to build a pattern of success. Try to hit singles, not home runs. For example: If you decide that cutting carbs is going to be one of your strategies, start by trying to cut your carbohydrate intake by 10% for the first few weeks and work your way up to 50% or whatever your long-term goal will be. If you start by going no-carb on day one, I can introduce you to 100’s of people that were back to carbohydrate-rich diets and total weight regain by week four. Similarly, if increasing exercise is one of your goals, consider focusing on the number of days per week that you exercise, not how many calories you burn on the treadmill. Build a pattern of success. Over the weeks, try to increase your time and make it a point to find types of exercise that you enjoy…not necessarily the ones that burn the most calories, but rather the ones you believe that you can stick with over the long-term.
Also, consider making changes in your eating behavior rather than just in your diet. In other words, focus on how you eat not just what you eat. If, for example, you consume a great deal of calories by impulsively picking at food throughout the day, a good goal would be to eat only three meals and one snack per day and to avoid eating at other times. Here are some other suggestions: always go to the supermarket with a list and avoid purchasing anything not on the list; keep fruits and vegetables out on the counter for snacking; drink more water especially if you’re not certain if you are hungry or thirsty. You get the idea.
If you think about it, you may know all of this already. If you are fortunate to know someone who has lost over 25 pounds and kept it off for many years, I would bet that this person has made some permanent, dramatic changes in his habits. He’s a vegetarian. She exercises five days a week, every week. He doesn’t eat dessert anymore. She doesn’t drink anything with sugar. In other words, she’s not on a diet and it’s not with a short-term goal weight in mind. Her approach to food, eating and activity is fundamentally and permanently changed. That’s the goal.
In summary, think long-term. All signs point to the need for a consistent, sustained battle for long-term weight loss success. Take your time and discover some small but significant modifications you can make in your diet, eating behavior and activity level and try to build on them week by week. The ultimate goal is to make changes that can last year after year. Now that’s a winning New Year’s resolution.

Bariatric Realities
I’m doing this series called “Bariatric Realities” as a result of many frustrations. In this case, the energy generated in my body and brain, as a result of these annoyances, is my motivation for developing this series. I need to “get it out,” put my thoughts and feelings on paper - and on video - and share them. I want to talk about what I see and hear, day in and day out, from the patients I work with. These vulnerable men and women tell me about the realities of dealing with weight issues, the struggles related to getting extra weight off and keeping it off, and the underlying emotional hurdles interfering with their progress.


Bariatric Realities
I’m doing this series called “Bariatric Realities” as a result of many frustrations. In this case, the energy generated in my body and brain, as a result of these annoyances, is my motivation for developing this series. I need to “get it out,” put my thoughts and feelings on paper - and on video - and share them. I want to talk about what I see and hear, day in and day out, from the patients I work with. These vulnerable men and women tell me about the realities of dealing with weight issues, the struggles related to getting extra weight off and keeping it off, and the underlying emotional hurdles interfering with their progress.
I’m frustrated that patients, whether they are seeking medical weight loss assistance or opting for weight loss surgery, are given only part of the story and only part of the solution. The emphasis in all bariatric programs, obviously, is on meal planning and “behavior modification.” These are, of course, essential elements of weight loss and healthy weight management, but they are only part of the deal. The emotional components related to weight issues – shame, self-esteem, body image, family of origin issues, past trauma, relationship changes following weight loss – these and many other crucial, emotional/psychological issues are so often ignored.
Not to me, they aren’t. And these will be addressed in this series.
In addition, I want to inform other professionals in the medical, psychological and psychiatric fields about things patients (and, to be fair, some professionals) know, but the scholarly types won’t listen to, because what I have to say isn’t “evidence based.” Meaning there are no formal research studies or statistics to verify or validate what I, and so many others, know to be true. Oh, I am a believer in, and supporter of evidence based research – without a doubt! And yet, so many topics that need to be addressed in the area of weight loss have not been formally researched, nor do they always lend themselves to scientific investigation. (Not to mention, the evidence found in evidence-based research is very often conflicting and ever changing. That, however is another paper…)
I will address those very real problems related to weight loss and maintenance that are largely ignored due to a lack of research-based evidence. And yet, those topics are so very, very real.
Here’s a sneak peak at the types of things I’ll be addressing in the Bariatric Reality series.
Alcohol Use After WLS
This topic is widely debated by patients and professionals alike. It is, indeed, discussed at the professional meetings. In fact, just a few years ago, a big fuss was made at one of the largest bariatric surgery professional meetings about brand new research related to Alcohol Use Disorders following weight loss surgery. The actual researchers presented findings of their newly published data recently released in The Journal of The American Medical Association (JAMA): Prevalence of Alcohol Use Disorders Before and After Bariatric Surgery. The authors reported a 2% increase in Alcohol Use Disorders at the 2-year post-surgical assessment.
Is this information helpful? Of course it is! Does it tell much of a story, really? If you ask those of us who work day in and day out in surgical weight loss programs, I’d venture to say that the majority would report that this 2% statistic at two years post-op doesn’t even begin to tell the reality of the problems we see with “Alcohol Use Disorders” following weight loss surgery… some a year after, some two years after, some five years after. And it’s not just alcohol. It’s also abuse of pain medications, spending, promiscuous sexual behavior and eating disorders.
And tell me… how many WLS patients who have “Alcohol Use Disorders” haven’t returned to their bariatric centers for follow up to be included in the research results? How many haven’t mentioned anything about “Alcohol Use Disorders” to the multidisciplinary team? A lot.
Yet we can’t present the very real information from patients who tell us about their friends who won’t come see the doctor after their surgery … the ones they are worried about because the person of concern isn’t eating but is consuming the majority of their calories from alcohol. We can’t count, or report on, the patients whose won’t come in for a follow-up and who drink so much they are falling down and hurting themselves. There is no “data” to indicate the number of patients calling and insisting they need more or higher doses of pain medication and become hostile or abusive to the staff when told the doctor won’t prescribe any more. We don’t have “numbers” for the patients who sit in my office and cry because they are sleeping with anyone who shows any interest in them. We have no data on the number of patients who tell me and other providers around the country that they meet strangers at motels for sex, something they never did before. How do we help educate other professionals about very real, very dangerous “anecdotal” reports of problems, when, alas, we have no DATA?
No, this type of information is not discussed at the “professional” meetings because we don’t have scientific evidence. But these things are happening. They are real. And they need to be talked about. So I’ll talk about them and hope someone listens. A lot of someones – so that people won’t be afraid to ask for help for these issues, knowing they’re not alone. And so that professionals may – just may – stop pretending these things aren’t happening because there are no “numbers” to support the reality.
Food Addiction
Last year, I spoke at a national weight loss conference for overweight and obese patients. The moderator of the panel of which I was a part, felt strongly that food/eating is not an addiction. He therefore posed this question to the audience of approximately 200 people: “How many of you consider yourself to be a food addict?” Nearly every hand in the audience shot up immediately. I explained to him, and to the audience, that the hallmark of addiction is knowing something is a problem and has caused problems (think of all the health-related problems associated with obesity), wanting to stop (wanting to lose weight) having made many attempts to stop (consider all of the prior dieting), but not being able to stop (most people regain any lost weight from dieting and feel hopeless about being able to make permanent changes to their eating and exercise behavior). These people who consider themselves food addicts are addicted to food/eating, physically and/or emotionally. They know their weight is causing serious problems in their lives, they want to stop, but they cannot. That’s addiction.
“Where’s the evidence, Connie?” Well, I don’t have it. And I can’t find that many others do, either. I did find a “scholarly article” from 2013 of a study of 652 adults from the general population in Newfoundland, in which the prevalence of “food addiction” was 5.4%. The majority of other “scholarly articles” that even discuss food addition focus primarily on Binge Eating Disorder or the “neurobiology” of food addiction. Often the conclusions are similar: professionals differ on their beliefs about the idea of whether or not “food addiction” is real.
Ask your patients. They believe food addiction is real.
So if, at the professional meetings, we can only discuss food addiction based on the “research,” it seems we are limited to debating the existence of food addiction, or to sharing the percentage of “food addicts” in Newfoundland. How, then, are we supposed to talk to professionals about the myriad of non-scientifically-researched REAL issues that patients experience in their REAL lives?
I’m frustrated.
Bariatric Realities is my new outlet. I will talk in REAL language about the REAL issues experienced by the REAL patients I work with all day long. I hope it will get others talking! Share your REAL thoughts, feelings and observations with me and other readers! THANKS!
The NEXT TOPIC for Bariatric Realities: Genetics and Sources of Weight Problems – What ARE You Accountable for?
Connie Stapleton, PhD
connie@conniestapletonphd.com
Facebook: Connie Stapleton
Twitter: @cstapletonphd
LinkedIn: Connie Stapleton, PhD

@@sweetcheeks14 If you were asking me if I exercise, I have to admit that I do not, currently. I did religiously for the first year during weight loss, and sporadically most of the second year. I walked, lifted weights, and did the ski machine and elliptical. I had some plastics in the fall and during the holidays, so I've not exercised since. Once things are fully healed, I'll go back. I was just getting into yoga, and also I want to swim.

I am 26 months post op. I've lost about 140 pounds, and 160 from my highest. Every day I wake up and thank the Lord for this gift I've been given.
The first photo was pre-op, and I was 306. The second in the blue was about 4 months postop, and I was around 240. The one in the checkered jacket was at one year post op (about a year ago), and I was 173. The last one in the pink top was taken today, and I'm 165.

I have a lot of photos of myself from days long past.

Photos of myself at an extremely unhealthy weight.

Photos of myself at a time that I was eating as a way of dealing with my emotions.
​




These pictures represent a time in my life where I was constantly sad, constantly depressed. They represent a time when I felt completely unworthy. They are pictures of a woman who put on a fake smile to hide all the pain inside.
They capture a woman who felt like she was drowning in the co-morbid conditions that the disease of obesity had brought her too.
I was full-blown diabetic, I had high blood pressure, high cholesterol, sleep apnea, severe edema and severe depression. There were days that I was simply non-functional.
I knew that my weight was causing these medical issues and truthfully, I didn’t care. I had given up on life, love and the pursuit of happiness. I very consciously made the decision to not care about what my lifestyle behavior choices were doing to my health and to my body.
I had a lot of days that I really wished I wasn’t even there. I was very aware that I was digging a grave with a fork and a spoon. In fact, if I am being completely honest, that was very much my intention.
These photos portray a woman who truthfully didn’t love herself. A woman who didn’t believe that she was worthy of being loved.
They portray a woman who was still very much caught in the survivor mentality of life. A woman who had grown up a survivor of physical, sexual and verbal abuse. A woman who was psychologically using her weight as a way to build walls and keep people out.
Sometimes I post photos of my transformation, a before-and-after photo of myself and I look at it and I think “Oh my god, who is that girl?” or “I don’t recognize that woman anymore.”
Almost instantly someone will see my photo and tell me that I was just as beautiful then as I am now or that I have always been the same person.
I very rarely respond to these comments because I really don’t know how to explain. Really, that’s your interpretation, not mine. I don’t need you to qualify my beauty and I don’t need you to diminish the celebration of my transformation.
Let me pause here and clarify something – if you have ever been one of those people who came on to my post and made a comment like this, I am not spanking you. I realize that you’re trying to be a positive voice in a negative world. I realized that you are trying to be supportive and kind and I appreciate that. I try to do the same and there are far too many people out there that are willing to tear each other down rather than to build each other up.
What I am trying to do is maybe get you to see the situation through a different perspective. I’m trying bring light to the fact that sometimes what we think is positive and supportive, if contrary to how someone feels about themselves, really isn’t.




Sometimes I think we are so busy trying to make sure that those that are dealing with obesity do not feel shamed or stigmatized that we forget that obesity is a very complex disease and that it can be caused by many different things.
If I was a recovering drug addict and I posted a before and after photo of myself with a tourniquet around my arm and a needle in my vein would you tell me that I was just as beautiful then as I am now?
I am one of the first people to stand up against weight bias, weight stigma and weight discrimination. Nobody should ever have to experience those things and I spend a lot of my free time trying to help educate and raise awareness to fight these societal intolerances.
I am also the first person to stand up and say that obesity is not healthy. Obesity isn’t a pretty disease. It is as unkind and ugly as any other deadly disease. Just like you can’t look at a photo of someone and decide that the reason they struggle with their weight is because they make poor lifestyle choices and over consume food; you also can’t look at a photo and assume that it’s not.




As a recovering food addict, someone who used food to feed my feelings and someone who was purposely and systematically killing herself with food, when I look at a photo of myself and say “I don’t recognize that girl anymore.” — I don’t need someone to tell me that they do.
I’d much rather see my transformation acknowledged in a way that doesn’t focus on looks but rather on the accomplishment. “Way to go! What an amazing transformation.” “That’s awesome, congratulations on your health accomplishments!” “What a great job. Look how far you have come.” There are a ton of ways we can acknowledge before and after transformations without using beauty as our quantifier.
As someone who has very openly discussed body images issues after weight loss, I can honestly tell you that when someone tells me I am just as beautiful then as I am now I have to remind myself that they are talking about on the inside. Because just a couple of years ago a comment like that would have me standing in front of my mirror wondering what I needed to “fix” about my body to make it noticeably different.
When I look at those before photos and all they represent, I don’t think I was beautiful then. I think I was suffering. I think I was in a very dark place and I think my obesity was a very physical symptom of that ugliness. I’m relieved everyday that I was able to bounce back from it.
I look back at those photos and I am thankful that I have managed to find a way to maintain my recovery from obesity and food addictions in a world that is food-centric. I look back at those photos and I am grateful that I wasn’t successful at trying to end my life via obesity.
Some people look at those photos and think that I hated myself because I suffered from obesity. The truth is I suffered from obesity because I hated myself. The moment I learned to start loving myself and finding myself worthy, I started making healthier lifestyle decisions.




I am not the same person in those photos. Not on the outside. Not on the inside. I have successfully navigated a lifestyle transformation. If I was the girl you see in my before pictures, you likely wouldn’t have the pleasure of knowing me today, my friends would have been shopping for a casket by now.

Great article with an eye-catching title. I am glad to see some realistic expectations set about loose skin!

Great article with an eye-catching title. I am glad to see some realistic expectations set about loose skin!

Love this thanks for posting!
Nice to see someone speaking the clear honest truth about it. I admit I clicked expecting to find someone touting Vitamins and creams and was ready to point out that age, genetics, how much you've gained and yoyo'd was more to "blame" and that exercise didn't really tighten skin it just filled out what was underneath.
So glad to read that she said exactly that!

I had weight loss surgery for my health. I figured I'd look better and be able to wear cuter clothes, but that was a side effect/bonus.
The minor health issues I had quickly resolved, and then it became more about how I looked, and the clothes/looks became a focus, along with the numbers - a healthy BMI.
Then it became about feeling "done". I just felt like I was halfway home. I looked fine in clothes, but there was a constant reminder and feeling of unrest. So I had lots of plastics, and honestly it was the best thing I could have done for myself, outside the sleeve. It's not as much about vanity as you might think, though that's certainly a component of it. It's more about accomplishment to me.
The plastics changed my life in ways I hadn't expected, or even realized needed improvement. I was literally shocked at how much easier it is to move. It makes me want to move more, because I love the feeling of FREEDOM. I didn't realize I felt so bogged down by the excess skin.
Plastics have been physically difficult for me. I have scars, but they are pretty faded, and not "hideous" as someone suggested. I am 53, and look/feel better than in my 30s. So I do not think I was too old. I am perfectly good with my age, and not trying to be young. I do call myself Plastic Barbie Grammy, though, lol.
It's not for everyone due to cost and physical pain and risks, but for me, it was the right thing to do. It was worth every penny and painful day it cost.