slvrsax

Folks who elect to have surgery in the US have bad experiences too, they just don't make the news. Just sayin'

Thanks Jamie! Actually I'm finding things, I'm just completely overwhelmed with all the choices! Totally different from my wedding dress shopping experience, much more positive.

The picture is showing a little funny, it looks stretched.  Attached is another, it shows my before, this was taken back in June at 88 lbs lost.
 

An update.
 
Below is a studio picture from the dance studio I work out at.  I'm the second over from the right next to the pregnant lady.  I started at 280, 9 months later (as of today) I am 177.  What a journey this has been!  I'm not done yet.  I have a formal event I need a full length dress for, I can find things in my size and I'm not the biggest size!  Hopefully the picture will show.
 

Folks who elect to have surgery in the US have bad experiences too, they just don't make the news. Just sayin'

Folks who elect to have surgery in the US have bad experiences too, they just don't make the news. Just sayin'

@@slvrsax I see you there in the first pic and you look great! Congrats on losing over 100 pounds! I can't believe you can't find a dress in your size. Have you tried looking online?

Thanks Slvrsax, I just saw your dance studio pic.....you look great, too!
Just FYI, My after shot was taken with plenty of flexing, strategic posing and long shorts so the flabby, lumpy legs and varicose veins don't show

Kindle OMG you look incredible!! Fantastic work!

An update.
 
Below is a studio picture from the dance studio I work out at.  I'm the second over from the right next to the pregnant lady.  I started at 280, 9 months later (as of today) I am 177.  What a journey this has been!  I'm not done yet.  I have a formal event I need a full length dress for, I can find things in my size and I'm not the biggest size!  Hopefully the picture will show.
 

The picture is showing a little funny, it looks stretched.  Attached is another, it shows my before, this was taken back in June at 88 lbs lost.
 

The picture is showing a little funny, it looks stretched.  Attached is another, it shows my before, this was taken back in June at 88 lbs lost.
 

Obviously, you don't lose all your weight up top and don't change from the waist down. What you are seeing are proportions. If you carry your weight low, you will probably always carry your weight low. It's genetics. I still have big thighs, but also lots of loose skin on my butt and thighs, so obviously I lost a lot of fat down there. Really no loose skin up top because I didn't have as much fat up there. Went from a size 22W jeans to a size 7, so even though I'm still the same "proportions", I lost plenty down below. As for exercise, anything I do to focus on my legs will just build more muscle, and make them even bigger.
Here's my after picture...see still big thighs, but looking fabulous!

Definitely more aches and pains now. Probably because I'm more active. My hips mainly, so much so that I'm in physical therapy. I'm told I strained my left hip because my glutes don't fire properly due to years of inactivity and working a desk job. I've had to cut back on Zumba until it gets better. My ribs used to hurt laying on them at night but this has gone away. Sometimes if my knees rest against each other when I sleep its a bit tender and it wakes me up. Also - sitting on hard surfaces is nearly impossible. Even soft surfaces for more than an hour is a challenge.
My PT explained to me that my bones, muscles, tendons, etc. are hauling a different body around than it was a year ago and it might take a while for everything to adjust to less weight, even though its a good thing.

Definitely more aches and pains now. Probably because I'm more active. My hips mainly, so much so that I'm in physical therapy. I'm told I strained my left hip because my glutes don't fire properly due to years of inactivity and working a desk job. I've had to cut back on Zumba until it gets better. My ribs used to hurt laying on them at night but this has gone away. Sometimes if my knees rest against each other when I sleep its a bit tender and it wakes me up. Also - sitting on hard surfaces is nearly impossible. Even soft surfaces for more than an hour is a challenge.
My PT explained to me that my bones, muscles, tendons, etc. are hauling a different body around than it was a year ago and it might take a while for everything to adjust to less weight, even though its a good thing.

I'm 8.5 months out too and struggle with some old habits. It scares me. Mine are in the form of desire to eat at night and sweets on occasion. I tend to "relax" a bit too much on the weekends, which has stopped my loss at 99 lbs. I know it's head hunger. I crave popcorn now and talk myself out of it - a food I never ate or gave a second thought before surgery.

I scanned and emailed the copy of the cashier's check for my remaining balance yesterday and then I received all my final confirmation emails with my itinerary and whatnot. This is really happening!

It happens, try not to panic like I did. Strength/muscle loss is inevitable during the rapid weight loss phase. But the loss can be reduced by getting in plenty of Protein and lifting during this phase. The first few months after the sleeve I lifted and tried to get in plenty of Protein, but I still lost muscle and strength, but no where near the amount I would've lost had I not lifted. It is basically impossible to lose weight that fast and not lose strength, but if you keep lifting during this phase, it signals to your body that you need some muscle. So a higher ratio of the weight loss will be fat and less muscle loss. I got back to my original strength (deadlift and squat max) about 7+ months after my sleeve and I know there is no way I would've gotten back to it that fast, if at all, if I hadn't lifted the first few months after my surgery.

Wonderful NSV.

Wow ! What an accomplishment ! You should be soooo proud of yourself ! From a fellow Washingtonian, CONGRATULATIONS !!!

I saw you back there! Congratulations, great NSV!

While I've had several NSVs, nothing was more meaningful than this one. I started at a dance studio last year 2 months before I had surgery, and returned a few months post surgery. Last month I participated in the filming of a promo video for the studio. It can be found on YouTube by searching ShakeItLatinStyle PreRoll. The studio is in Mill Creek WA. I've attached the link, I'm not shown much but I'm wearing a purple tank top - short hair in the back corner. The very idea that I am actually LIVING life instead of watching from the sidelines is great accomplishment!

While I've had several NSVs, nothing was more meaningful than this one. I started at a dance studio last year 2 months before I had surgery, and returned a few months post surgery. Last month I participated in the filming of a promo video for the studio. It can be found on YouTube by searching ShakeItLatinStyle PreRoll. The studio is in Mill Creek WA. I've attached the link, I'm not shown much but I'm wearing a purple tank top - short hair in the back corner. The very idea that I am actually LIVING life instead of watching from the sidelines is great accomplishment!

While I've had several NSVs, nothing was more meaningful than this one. I started at a dance studio last year 2 months before I had surgery, and returned a few months post surgery. Last month I participated in the filming of a promo video for the studio. It can be found on YouTube by searching ShakeItLatinStyle PreRoll. The studio is in Mill Creek WA. I've attached the link, I'm not shown much but I'm wearing a purple tank top - short hair in the back corner. The very idea that I am actually LIVING life instead of watching from the sidelines is great accomplishment!

While I've had several NSVs, nothing was more meaningful than this one. I started at a dance studio last year 2 months before I had surgery, and returned a few months post surgery. Last month I participated in the filming of a promo video for the studio. It can be found on YouTube by searching ShakeItLatinStyle PreRoll. The studio is in Mill Creek WA. I've attached the link, I'm not shown much but I'm wearing a purple tank top - short hair in the back corner. The very idea that I am actually LIVING life instead of watching from the sidelines is great accomplishment!