NewSetOfCurves

@@My Bariatric Life, I am going with Dr. Peter Fisher from San Antonio. He has 25 years experience in the field and 15 years specializing in post massive weight loss corrective surgery. I think it is so important to go with a doctor who is experienced with MWL patients because it takes a different set skills to work with our bodies. I am--at this point--extremely happy with him. I like what I have seen of his work, he has a great reputation, comes highly recommended, and he has VERY AFFORDABLE prices. When talking to him, he seems genuinely passionate about what he does: "helping weight loss patients complete their journey...achieve their dreams."

@@AZDee you look AMAZING!!! Congrats on your fabulous results!!!

Good job @@Positivelife! You took the first step by stepping into that gym and you deserve a huge high five! My biggest tip is to keep it up. Rain or shine, tired or not, something to do or not, MAKE YOUR WAY to that GYM! Like @@KingMoose said, take it slow and at your pace, but get into that gym (or any other physical activity) and continue. You will see, as you build up your endurance and the weight continues to come off, that it will get so much easier and that you can test and push your limits. In that first year post-op, my regimen was cardio focused. After the weight dropped off, weight lifting is what helped to truly shape and build my physique. I love the fact that as I began to add on the muscle mass, my body fat seemed to deplete and burn off much faster. You cannot go wrong with weight lifting! Read, read, read and inform yourself is my other big tip. Inform yourself about the different types of exercises, exercise combinations and isolation exercises, and nutrition for optimal results. I take pre-workout and post workout supplements, and get my protein in at crucial times (first thing in the morning, 1 hour before my workout, within 30 minutes after my workout, and a casein protein before bed). I know you are only 4 weeks out, but the sooner you inform yourself, the better you will be able to perform and challenge yourself as you continue to change and grow in this new journey to the new you. Good Luck!

It depends on what procedure. Breast augmentation and reduction seem to be faster recoveries. However, from what I have read and heard from others, the recovery for things like the tummy tuck, lower body lift or thigh lift can range anywhere from 4-6 weeks before you are comfortable enough to return to work. Some, whom have sitting jobs, have claimed to have returned after 3 weeks. It is a full 3 months to complete recovery, and about 6 months to see final results due to continued swelling. Again, my plastics are not until June 9th, but this is from my doctor and from reading others personal experiences. Total cost for my surgery--which includes the lower body lift, tummy tuck, spiral thigh lift and breast augmentation--is $21k. This includes doctor fees, hospital fees, care facility 3 day/2 night post-op care, and all post-op visits. My doctor has 25 years experience, 15 years specializing in post massive weight loss surgery. It is imperative that you find a doctor that is experienced in post massive weight loss. Our body and skin is not like somebody seeking a mommy makeover.

I found my surgeon via RealSelf.com as well. His name is doctor Peter Fisher, out of San Antonio, TX; and I loved his vast years of experience--especially with post weight loss patients--as well as his results. I've consulted with numerous doctor's, but really felt myself drawn to him. He did not try to sell me any procedures--in fact, he convinced me I did not need so many. His prices were very competitive and I am all set for a lower body lift, tummy tuck, spiral thigh lift and breast augmentation on June the 9th (and yes, ALL at the same time). I am excited and looking forward to the results, NOT the PAIN, but nevertheless...weight loss journey completion...here I come. Good luck. I hope you find a surgeon that will help you achieve your goals.

If I drop my carbs too low, I definitely feel tired and cranky. Worse than that, I'll have little blackouts (as in, everything goes black with a bit of dizziness when I workout or get up too fast). When I up my carbs, I make sure that they are complex carbs from food sources like oatmeal and sweet potato. I will consume them primarily during the first half of the day, including simple--but natural--carbs from fruit rich in antioxidants.This way you are more likely to burn those carbs and natural simple sugars with your daily activities. My dinner is ALWAYS low carb (or close to non-existent).

I upped my calories and started to carb load on my weight training days...healthy/good complex carbs, of course. My sessions are anywhere from 1:15 to 2:00 hours long (depending what body part or parts I am working out). I noticed that my fat to muscle ratio greatly improved...literally, I went from a size 10 to a 6...and I still weigh the same . I low carb it and drop the calories on my non training days...well, maybe I just go for a run .

Lol! Maybe I will start practicing now so I will be used to it by then!

Oh my goodness, THANK YOU @@JamieLogical for taking the time to respond and for the helpful links. You are correct, I am not getting the leg lift that has the vertical incision. Fortunately, my problem area is the immediate upper thighs. You can actually see the muscle definition from my quads and hams (I work out my legs hard core!). So, my doctor said I was a perfect candidate for the spiral thigh lift. Did you use any creams to aid in healing and lightening your scar?

Okay ladies...so what compression garments do you all most highly recommend? Scar creams or anything else?!

Thank you @@JamieLogical! I am definitely excited and I DEFINITELY agree with you about being positive. I too believe that your perspective can make a huge difference in your experience. When I was sleeved I bought the books, read the articles and testimonials, and did as much research as I could to mentally prepare myself. Every time I thought things were getting tough, I just reminded myself that it WAS going to get easier and that the end results were WORTH it. When I had cravings or "mourned" foods, I just had to remind myself that I had taken many years of pleasure eating whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted--did I mention for M A N Y years. That mentality and preparation made my journey smooth sailing because I did not freak out at every turn. Hopefully, it will aid me in this next venture.

Buying cute workout outfits and working out, more specifically, lifting weights. Literally...it is my OBSESSION! I have to force myself to take a rest day, and even at that I will run or do crossfit. I am obsessed with building lean muscle mass, finding new ways to lift to shock my muscles, and eating foods that will maximize my workout potential and muscle building. I read every article, research anything and all that has to do working out and eating right. I LOVE IT!!!!

Well, hopefully all the obstacles will be worth it because I just booked my surgery for June 9th. Getting a lower body lift, spiral thigh lift, tummy tuck and augmentation. Whew! It is going to hurt!!! I have tried to mentally prepare myself for the pain and complications and will continue to do so until then. Despite having somewhat of a grasp of the negative aspects of these type of surgeries, I am definitely excited about the potential figure I will have once I am all healed up.

@@throckmorton, I do not drink carbonated alcoholic beverages, but I do consume mixed drinks. If I am out with my husband and friends, I will order vodka and water and add the squirt flavored drink mixes. Taste great, saves on calories and makes for a good time !

I posted this on another person's thread: Get rid of the bad food. Get rid of it. Get rid of it. Get rid of it. You already know that if it is around, you will eat it. Find your will power, find all the determination that you have from within and refrain from ordering or purchasing foods you know you should not be eating. If you mess up and give in, then recognize your error and start again. Start small. Replace one bad habit with a good one, one at a time. I did not become a clean eater over night. It took a lot of "falling down" and "getting back up" before I got it right. I do have my cheats, but they are few and far between--and DO NOT start having "cheats" until you think you can control yourself. Now that I have maintained a clean eating life style, I rarely crave "bad" foods, and--more often than not--they make me sick. However, when I do eat unclean, I limit myself and do not over indulge or consume large quantities, and I make up the extra calorie intake with a longer duration of exercise or I limit my food intake during another meal. If you have not taken up a weekly exercise regimen, you should. Exercise should not be seen as a fix or something to do until you meet your goal; it should be viewed as a lifetime, ongoing activity to maintain a healthy way of living. To help motivate myself, I perceive exercising as a job. Most need a job to make a living. Exercise is same thing. We need to exercise to maintain our bodies and to live long, healthy lives. Perceive it as: I have to do it. I have no choice. Tired or not, it must be done. Start at doing anything that is accessible to you, interesting to you, or easiest for you. Start at YOUR pace and just GO!

The two previous poster are right. Muscle IS denser than fat and if takes up a lot less space; and the more muscle you have, the more fat you burn! Muscle gives a woman sexy curves. Many women think that they will get bulky and look like a body builder. That is simply NOT true! That type of physique takes a lot of work, lots of calories, protein, supplements, and awesome genes. I hit goal this past September, but I have really upped my weight lifting regimen since then; and even though I weigh the same today, I am two sizes smaller! Keep it up. Read and inform yourself about various weight lifting regimens and routines. Change it up. Shock your muscles. Increase your weight. Never allow your routine to become stagnant. You are off to GREAT start. Don't stop and I promise you will not regret it!!!

Get rid of the bad food. Get rid of it. Get rid of it. Get rid of it. You already know that if it is around, you will eat it. Find your will power, find all the determination that you have from within and refrain from ordering or purchasing foods you know you should not be eating. If you mess up and give in, then recognize your error and start again. I did not become a clean eater over night. It took a lot of "falling down" and "getting back up" before I got it right. I do have my cheats, but they are few and far between. To be honest, I rarely crave them. My body is so used to clean eating, that bad foods--more often than not--make me sick. When I do eat unclean, I limit myself and do not over indulge or consume large quantities, and I make up the extra calorie intake with a longer duration of exercise or I limit my food intake during another meal. If you have not taken up a weekly exercise regimen, you should. Exercise should not be seen as a fix or something to do until you meet your goal; it should be viewed as a lifetime, ongoing activity to maintain a healthy way of living. To help motivate myself, I perceive exercising as a job. Most need a job to make a living. Exercise is same thing. We need to exercise to maintain our bodies and to live long, healthy lives. Perceive it as: I have to do it. I have no choice. Tired or not, it must be done. Start at doing anything that is accessible to you, interesting to you, or easiest for you. Start at YOUR pace and just GO. Do not worry about anyone else but yourself. You CAN do this. You WILL do this. Just get up and go.

I have learned that it is best stop trying to "diet" (in the context of a prescribed regimen of foods to aide in weight loss) and to just change my diet (in the context of the types of foods one chooses to consume) for life. It is so restricting and confining to "diet". Rather, I choose to eat a vast variety of foods that are healthy and balanced, ranging between good carbs, good fats, Proteins, and foods that are in excess of minerals and Vitamins necessary for the body's overall health. I eat to sustain energy. I eat to build muscle. I eat to be healthy. I stopped limiting myself to these "diets" that are ONLY temporary fixes, that usually fail once one is off the "diet", and whom often lack a proper variety of foods that contain all the nutrients that ones' body needs. No...I stopped "dieting" soon after my surgery and chose to change my diet for the rest of my life!

"Stalls" are normal and part of your body adjusting and re-adjusting. Keep following your dieticians guidelines; get your fluid, protein and appropriate calories in, and your weight loss will kick in again.

You can eat right, get your calories, protein and vitamins in, but you will most likely still experience the hair loss. My doctor told me it would be 18 months to 2 years until my hair was finally back to its pre-op state. My extreme hair loss stopped before my year was up, but it was still coming out, just a bit more slowly. Once I got my calories up to about 1200 and maintained there for a couple months, I was then able to observe normal hair loss. Now, as 22 months out I can say that my hair is ALMOST restored to its original fullness.

I am almost 2 years post-op and I drink 2-4 shakes a day. However, I am into lifting weights and building muscle mass in order to achieve a toned look, avoiding the look of loose and wobbly skin. Mass building requires a lot of protein (1 gram per pound) at crucial times throughout the day. I have one first thing in the morning and one before bed. On my weight lifting days I have two extra shakes: one shake an hour before my weight lifting session and another shake within the first half hour post my workout session.

100 POUNDS!!! WOW!!! Congrats on such an awesome feat! I know that it is a WONDERFUL feeling and I hope you feel as GREAT as you look (although, I am sure that you do )! Keep it up @@Pkdvm, only 36 pounds until you hit goal...you CAN DO IT!!!

Thank you @@bayougirlmrsc, but I assure you my tummy is all wrinkles with a bit of a hanging apron below my belly button. My upper and inner thighs also have some skin as well, but fortunately I have very little fat and a lot of muscle tone; so, I have already been told that I am a perfect candidate for the spiral thigh lift. My breast do not exist. My 12 year old daughter and I can share sports bras. Literally. In fact, we do share them. Ugh. So I am ready to look a little more accentuated in that area.

@@Sweet Pee you look GREAT!!! Thank you for sharing!!!

Wow! @@bayougirlmrsc, you look amazing! I do not have before and afters because I have yet to have plastics. I am having my third consultation this coming Monday. I am planning to get a tummy tuck, breast augmentation and a spiral upper thigh lift. Thank you for sharing! Your pics inspire me!!! @@My Bariatric Life, it would open up the link but the video would not play.