KQH

Today is my one year surgiversary and aside from outfits that show off my belly (need some plastics for that) I am thrilled to say I can wear anything! Here is my outfit today, size 4 skinny jeans and knee high boots!

No problem at all swallowing Prozac here.

Im really happy with my daily outfit of skinny jeans or jeans with a slight flare, a long sleeve T, a cute vest or fitted cardigan sweater, a long scarf (I have about 30 !) silver hoop earrings, a snazzy Bracelet, and to top it all off, a cool pair of flat boots and sometimes a cute knitted hat . This all shows off my figure in the right way !

I'm close to goal, so I've been having a great time shopping and getting to dress in things I like. But. ..I still have a dress that I wore in my high school senior pictures 23 years ago. I tease my husband that when I can fit into it again, I'm going to make him take me out so I can wear it. Lol. It's a Jessica McClintock and totally out of style. Anyone remember those? I can almost fit it again. Just a few more pounds!

When I finally got below 200 I wanted to Celebrate with this darling (expensive!) red Kate Spade purse, but decided a heart rate monitor was more practical, and I really needed it - so practical too! My daughter (who's also my personal trainer) informed me that rewards aren't supposed to be practical and she thought I should have bought the purse. She has a point, but it was SO red, which of course I NEVER wore at 289 pounds, right? I "hid" in black and navy mostly. I kept eyeing the purse, and during a recent stall I started cheating a bit with buying a couple of chocolates here and there, eating a treat more often than I should for my plan, and typically I'd be at the checkout stand and succumb, slipping it into my purse for later. I recognized that a horrible habit I was returning to, and made an appt with a counselor and stopped myself from the reward/stall/shame/treat cycle I could see was slipping back into my life.
Then the purse went on sale....and after two trips back to see it (did I mention it's expensive?!) I finally bought it today, deciding it will be a Chocolate-Free purse! It's bold and red and happy, and in the grey wet northwest winters, anything that bright and happy has no business being a place for me to hide chocolate or feel like I need to eat anything secretly. Nope--not gonna do it!
So the purse is nicely gift-wrapped in my car, and I'll open it for Christmas and enjoy knowing it's entirely joyful, bold and beautiful...and so am I.
Kate

Mine used to look like two cats in a sack. Now it just looks like the sack.

Muscle does not weigh more than fat, it just takes up less space. A pound is a pound. The drastic inch loss shows that you are doing what you're supposed to be doing and the scale will eventually catch up. I think you're doing great.

Rebecca, I probably have some things I can give you. Someone recently gave me some free Protein samples, and she only asked that I pay it forward, so PM me your address and I'll get out a package to you. I'm a shorty, too so they will be good on length for you, too

Mindful eating - not eating while watching tv, reading, using the computer - is suppose to help us not overeat. If you measure everything that goes on your plate and eat slowly you really should have no problem IMO.
Summer

I'm happy to report that I'm no longer in the 300s. I have met my 1st goal, and now I'm off to my 2nd. 270 is goal, so I can ride my bike with my nephews. I cannot wait.

Ive got to stop doing this! But i keep sitting in a slight turn with a semi low cut top just to get my husband to fall over at the sight of my newly installed collarbones. Such a goof but dammit LOOK!! Lol

I still feel like a bit of a freak when I read of people being further out than I am and only being able to eat a few bites at a sitting. My loss is great, my energy is through the roof, and I'm actually taking the stairs to the 3rd floor of my hotel rather than hitting the elevator because the stairs are right there. I would've NEVER done that before surgery!
Just keep remembering this is YOUR journey and it'll be different than everyone else's.

I think that sometimes those thoughts are to do with how we feel rather than what other people are really thinking.
When I go out to eat with friends I am not watching them eat or looking at what they leave on their plates. I went out to dinner a few weeks after surgery with a large group of friends and had to leave half of my main course but no-one noticed - they were all too busy eating their own food and talking. In the UK it's not the 'done thing' to ask for the food you leave to be packed up to take away, more's the pity, so it does seem a waste of money in food terms. However, I tend to think of it as the cost of the social occasion rather than the food alone.
As to what the waitress thinks.... well who cares?! They are used to clearing away half full plates, because naturally slim people always stop eating when they're no longer hungry even if there's a lot of food left on their plates.

I haven't had any PS done yet. I'm close to my goal & will wait until I'm at or below goal before I have it because I've read quite a bit and saw on that "Botched" TV show- the PS surgeons always recommend to be at or below goal and maintain for awhile before the procedure(s). I'm definitely planning on it- and remain very attentive to these posts about PS procedures.
Thanks all of you who've had it done and share so openly/freely. For a lot of us, it's the last step in this WL journey.
That said, I'll share something I noticed last spring while escaping the frigid great white north last year.
We took a trip to a tropical place to soak up the sun (Vita-D!) and get some relief from snowplowing & shoveling long past the regular season.
I have a bit of an 'apron' though not super large or low-hanging. When I go to tropical places outside this overly-judgemental country, I wear a bikini. The bikini bottom hides my apron
My thinking is: As a human being, living on this Earth, I deserve to get sunshine on my belly just as much as anyone else! The more skin exposure = the more Vita-D our bodies make. It's a natural biological process that I deserve to utilize just as much as anyone else. I don't care what anyone else thinks about what I look like- especially now. I've had soooo many ortho surgeries it would take a full body bag to cover all my scars & imperfections. I feel pretty good about my new slimmer self & am glad I actually have a body & can walk.
It's not like I'm in a bikini trying to attract males flirting around with my 20-something body. I'm doing it for the sunshine health benefit.
I even wore a 2-pc in Mexico when I was quite a bit heavier. I've seen a lot of other heavier women wearing 2-pcs in Mexico & topless sunbathing is common too-though I didn't participate in that at the resort where overly gawking, overly judgmental, overly indulgent (drunk) Americans were the main clientele. Topless is something I have done tho, but off the-mainstream tourist track- at a private cenote or stretches of beach where only locals go. They don't care if you're topless/ heavy/ have scars, whatever.... they're live & let live
anyway, last year, it wasn't Mexico but I still wore my 2pc at the overly-crowded mostly Americans resort beach. So there I was, up on the scale from an unfill, feeling crappy & exhausted, rejuvenating myself soaking up the sun in my bikini.
3 women set up shop nearby (lounge chairs and umbrella). 2 thin women and one heavier. The 2 thin women looked like sisters- both wearing bikinis. The heavier one wore a beach cover-up- neck-to-toe. All in their 50's.
The 2 sisters were very skinny. Looked like genetics- naturally thin. They must've been size 4 or 2. One sister had the signature "mom-bod" - a little bit looser tummy, a tiny little mommy-tummy bulge, a more square-ish waist, stuff that she and maybe her hubby noticed but IMHO, she looked really good.
The other sister was tight tight tight. not a bulge or sag or looseness anywhere. I was really impressed with her body & thought right away- she must've had PS TT. Nothing hung, jiggled or wiggled. I thought: "wow! I wonder if I could get that result on my saggy, wrinkly, jiggly body?"
The difference between the two sisters was staggering, even though they were both naturally skinny women. Very noticeable, side-by-side. Probably not noticeable at all if the non-PS TT sister were there by herself. She looked really good at 50-something
Another big difference I noted was:
The young, muscular, handsome beach waiters and beach umbrella staff were extremely attentive to the woman with the TT- made sure every little detail was done for her - wouldn't let her lift a pinky while her sis huffed her lounge chair & umbrella around positioning them by herself. Sadly, the heavy woman- sat in the sand in her neck-to-toe beach coverup while she waited for her lounge chair to arrive- a good 15-20 min later- AFTER making sure the PS TT woman had every little thing she wanted- which was a lot. lol
This observation was very telling for me; how people are actually treated, according to what they look like/ how firm they are. Sad but true.
I felt bad for the sister and really bad for the heavier woman- who was basically ignored like she didn't exist. IMHO, it's a sad state for humanity in general but it made me really start thinking hard about getting PS TT with stitching the muscles together so I can be flat, flat, flat, and lower body lift- so I can get that same sort of attentive service that woman commanded- just with her figure!
I was blown away by this harsh realization that I'd just observed.
Of course, I'll be doing it for ME- to feel better about myself but also, In a sadder, real sense, it'll make me better able to compete in life: career, socially, dating, getting good quality service, etc.

My personal experience with Dr. Q and his staff was amazing. I'm thrilled with my decision and would make it again in a heartbeat. I traveled alone from SC (my choice, not my husband's, LOL) and never felt concerned about it.

I eat clean, lots of veggies, good quality Protein, fruit, and avoid as much processed food as I can though I do make conscious decisions to enjoy some other things at time. The gym at 4:30am is my friend as I know I'm actually going to make it there and I love having it to myself and the podcasts on my iPhone.

The sleeve is an amazing tool and I'm so glad I chose Dr. Q to help me.

I'm pretty comfortable traveling alone - much to my husband's dismay - and went to TJ on my own for sleeve surgery. I would not have chosen Juarez period.

Sounds like one and it's your body's way of protecting itself. It's pretty sure you're trying to kill it right now and it's in survival mode. KEEP ALL THE FATS!

Don't forget to take measurements too. That's saved me from killing the scale a few times!

From LiveStrong.com
Perhaps nothing can be more vexing than uncontrollable itching while exercising. The burning and swelling add to your discomfort and ruin the quality of your workout. Some cases of itchy legs are caused by lack of fitness. Your body has not adapted to exercise to better direct blood flow. It can also indicate an allergic reaction or a more serious health condition, depending upon your symptoms. If your itchiness is accompanied by shortness of breath, seek medical attention immediately.
Your symptoms are caused by the body going into an inflammatory response directed by the immune system. Your body releases histamine, which in turn causes the redness and swelling you experience. Blood vessels dilate, which results in increased circulation. Hives develop with areas of redness. Several triggers can exist, including perspiration, heat or emotional stress. Scratching your itchy legs can aggravate the condition and increase your discomfort.
There are several biological causes for your itchiness. One condition is cholinergic urticaria, a disorder of the immune system. In this case, your body is responding inappropriately and becoming hypersensitive to some trigger. Your skin condition may also be indicative of a rare allergy called exercise-induced anaphylaxis. This disorder is accompanied by other symptoms, including wheezing, nausea and a choking sensation. Your itchiness may also be a reaction to some type of airborne allergen such as pollen.
On a personal note, I have been experiencing this same issue. It became so bad that it's all I can think about for the second half of my walk and when I go home, I run into the shower and scratch my skin till it becomes so red and then scrub my body like crazy. After reading a lot about the issue, I decided to change what I'm wearing on my walks because I noticed when I'm out walking with friends, I never experience the issue! So I switched from yoga pants to my old "fat" jeans, and wow, nothing! I just had the most amazing and peaceful walk ever and I am so happy! So try playing around with the materials you wear... and hopefully, it's not a circulation issue - you just have dry, sensitive skin like me because it's very unlikely for you to have a poor circulation issue before the age of 45 (from my readings) and I would think after getting sleeved, our overall health is better so we should not be having such an issue anyway.
Wishing you all the best! Don't give up and keep moving! It's the icing on the cake!

Pardon Me!! But shame on your friend!! Be proud that you are strong enough to take hold of being obese
and are doing something about it. All surgeries have complications, I had a few of my own.
Write a letter to your friend for when she can't recognize the strong beautiful woman you will become.
Have faith you are getting well for your family and good luck.

10W to 9.5W. Bring on the 9's and please can I be done with wides? I doubt it as my whole bio family has wide feet, but still, a girl can dream...

Milagro the Mexican Wonder Tummy

I used to eat 10 double cheese burgers with no problems. I'm lucky now to even eat half of one. I used to eat two extra large pizzas from Papa Johns with no issues. Now, 1 slice does me in.
I do miss the taste. LOL

I've got to chime in here about Dr. Joseph F. Capella. I've written extensively about my experience with Dr. Capella (Capella Plastic Surgery) on RealSelf and HealthCentral. My results have been terrific aside from a serious complication that I had with my right arm from the brachioplasty. A long time ago I spoke with Dr. Capella about writing about the complication and he encouraged me to do so. He felt that patients should understand that complications can and do happen. And even when a few patients tried to cancel their surgeries because of the photos of my arm that I posted, he still did not hold it against me.
As far as there being only vanity surgeries posted on Dr. Capella's photo gallery??? He has more photos on his gallery than any surgeon I've ever seen and he takes on so many of the tough cases that other surgeons won't touch. There are very deformed bodies in his photo gallery. He has operated on people with pannis down to their ankles. As for me, I had a monster crouch that belonged in a freak show. Even when I was thin the damn thing was an anomaly. Want to talk about shame for a woman? But Dr. Capella gave me a sexy tight little kitty, to be blunt about it.
The before photos must be nude because they are vital for him to refer to during the operation. Why does he need nude photos when you are lying nude on his OR table? Because you look different when you are lying down than when you are standing erect. For my after photos we did one nude set and one set with the thong, which he has in his office. It is important to have the nude after photos for the medical records and the thong photos can be used for publication.
I have written fair balanced reviews of Capella Plastic Surgery staff and Dr. Capella, including issues I've had with staff and my complication, as well as my amazing results. And BTW as a journalist I am required by the FTC to be honest so that my reviews are ones that patients can trust. And despite my issues with his staff and my complication, this I believe is true: Dr. Capella is very talented at reconstructing the post massive weight loss body AND his prices are comparatively reasonable. People are of course entitled to their opinions, but I would hate to see a patient deterred from going to Dr. Capella for a consult because of some of the misperceptions stated in this string of posts. I would not do my body contouring with anyone besides Dr. Capella, which is why I have flown from IN to NJ to have him.
I wish that I knew how to post photos, but you can see my before and after photos in this video: http://vimeo.com/mybariatriclife/mybariatriclife-transformation-video

Due to genetic differences in how scars heal....surgeons tend to cherry pick their very best "afters" which is why I like seeing posts shared by patients who might not make it to the surgeon website.

For a lot of people getting LBL, having the genital area lifted up is an important part of the surgery. So I think it is great that at least some of the pictures show the results there as well!