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Look how trim you are from the side, such pretty skin and a stunning figure 8. Love the look! ;]

Hello, I started at 338lbs in September of ‘18 and had gastric sleeve completed on Dec 27th of ‘18. I’m currently 193.6lbs and am shooting to reach my Ideal BMI weight of 160. The ideal weight is just a target and my surgeon and nutritionist are closely monitoring my weight and blood levels and have told me repeatedly they will stop me if I need to stop prior to that. I know you stated you are planning bypass, that is what my surgeon wanted me to have, however, I had previous abdominal surgeries from a appendix that ruptured and the bypass wasn’t an option. The surgery, the “pain”, the pre-op diet....EVERYTHING WAS WORTH IT! I was down around 50lbs at surgery and have been steadily loosing weight since then. Some months more than others. Everyone sees the change in themselves a little differently in my opinion. I sometimes still see the Big Me, so I weigh myself every day. It’s my reassurance and my accountability to myself and my family. I will tell you, I lost weight faster from month 1-4 than from 5 to current. But if I track my food, make good eating decisions (forever), I will reach my goal weight. I will not be in the statistic that only looses a portion of the excess or even regains. If there’s ever anything I can answer, I’d be happy to give you my opinion based on my experience. You can message me in my inbox. Regards

The stomachs skin is pretty thick so scars ought to fade and be flatter. My stomachs scars from LBL and BL in 2016 are hard to find. Arms from 2018 are more visible as skin is thinner. Thigh lift this Jun - 6 weeks and scars are flat Obviously my body is one tight road map! LOL.

VSG: October 24, 2018, in maintenance. July 1st Weight: 118.5 lbs July 31st Weight 115.1 lbs July Goals Results: Keep weight stable-ish and maintain a BMI of no less than 22 I dropped down to a BMI of 21.2, but I think I'm ok with this. This is still in the healthy range for my height, so am not going to sweat it that much. Plus I'm counting on the weight to bounce back up a few pounds eventually. Complete every single one of the arm challenges. I can say I did all the challenges this month...I missed a couple days here and there, but I made up the missed sets on the following days. Firm up my butt, lol. Not sure how to measure success on this one, but will do a bunch of squats, leg lifts and bridges anyway. Every. Day. ❌ I CAN NOT say I did this every day, lol. First I totally forgot I even said I would do it, and then I just said eff it. Take pretty pictures. I tried, thats what counts, right?!?! July Arms Before and After: At first I thought I didn't see a difference the arm exercises made, but now that I put the pics side by side, I do see a tiny bit of difference, after all... (and of course my excess arm skin is still in all its abundant glory...)

Hey friends. Doing an update. I will be sleeved one year on August 17th. I have lost 95lbs. I am 5’2” 26 years old and weigh 138lbs. I am a size 8 in pants/dresses and a medium/small in shirts. I have saggy skin. Luckily it can be hidden with clothes. Photos are before and now. Problems: I am terrible with my water intake. I am always exhausted. I have zero energy. I don’t do pasta or breads: I tend to overdo it and end up vomiting. I am able to eat bad. That’s something I am scared of. Just like before the surgery, I am still constantly thinking about what I am going to put in my mouth. My brain will always have a fat soul. I have to use little plates or else I make my servings too large. I think I am content with my weight now. I need to start exercising. I do not exercise at all. It’s hard to eat well during the summer since I am a teacher. However, during the school year, I am strict with my diet on week days. I allow slip ups on the weekends. I still snack and drink alcohol, but that is just a weekend thing. Still trying to learn how to change my mindset. So beyond grateful for this surgery and my new life!

Hello Everyone! I am going to try this...I finally caught the post at the beginning of the month😀 My personal goal for this month is to log what I eat everyday and set and keep a consistent exercise schedule and...stop comparing my weight loss to others! Surgery: Sleeve May 14...trying to loose but it is a slow processing Weight: 207 BMI: 33.4 Fun fact: Hmmm...I am obsessed with finding bargains- especially at thrift stores. Best to everyone this month!

Lol. Okay okay. Honestly I’ve always worn baggy clothes to “hide” fatness (yeah, not possible, but that was my logic). Then WLS and things really got loose. It feels really really weird to wear clothes that aren’t bagging off of my body and I guess I’m going to have to get used to it when things fit “more snugly” than I’m used to. I’m going to have to get over the feeling of “if my waistband digs into my waist when I sit down” and associate that feeling with wearing clothes In my actual size rather than associate that feeling with “omg, I gained 5 pounds this month!” The former will be a good feeling, the latter is something I’ve felt shamed by most of my adult life. I think for that reason it’s been tough for me to buy things that fit me, fit me. Ya know?

Whew, ok thank you because, I was worried af. I heard the faster you loose the weight the more loose skin you will have as well. Im happy im loosing again because i was stalling for a while but im definitely not looking forward to loose ass skin tbh. U made me feel less worried tho thanks sus. Sent from my LG-Q710AL using BariatricPal mobile app

I hit 100 lbs lost a couple weeks ago, which I had mixed feeling about. It's been a goal I've been waiting for but now loosing weight brings me mixed emotions as... I am pregnant! This was a surprise as I had been on bc and previously unable to get pregnant without the help of a reproductive endocrinologist, I'm about 18 weeks now and me and baby are healthy. This pregnancy is nothing like my previous 2 and I'm so excited to meet my third daughter at the end of December.

Its all about taking time to research better options. Healthier options. If you go out try eat protein like chicken or turkey skin off. Try fish but watch the sauces. Don't be afraid to ask the server about healthier options like gluten free or fat free options, most decent places will cater to you and your needs! If you have a burger just take away the bun and eat the turkey burger with salad etc You don't need to copy your friend if they continue to indulge. You will need to watch your calories long term

I am also coming up to the one year mark and have lots of ups and downs scale and mental both with my demons maintaining so far or loosing which is a positive thing started my journey at 346 now i am at 195 feeling great so far stay positive and keep moving forward every day

Soooooo, I was 280 pounds last month. I went to get checked today and im now 260lbs. Thats crrrraaaaaazy to me..... 20 pounds in 1 month? Whoa, is that even healthy? You know what i did.... I swear all i did was Drink water and eat fruit. I dont exercise and i dont eat a bunch of salad. I just Drink water eat cherries and Ice ALLLL DAY. My surgeon said the more water i drink the More weight i loose. I found my new diet. Water, fruit, and protein. Sent from my LG-Q710AL using BariatricPal mobile app

Mine fluctuate really. If I'm having an issue, then I eat less fat and just end up eating fewer cals for the day. It's not that much per meal, lean protein plus maybe 1/2tsp of olive oil or 1oz of avocado. It adds up very quickly. So it's not as if I'm eating gooey cheesy casseroles dense in cals/fat. Right? And pretty much, if we still have fat strapped to our as*es, we have enough "fat" that we won't go into rabbit starvation (too high protein and too low fat). LOL. The body will just choose to burn the fat on our bum rather than the fat in our diet. So these are just a loose guide for me each day. Even my protein fluctuates. Some days I eat way higher than that and other days I struggle. I just don't force it anymore and my protein, albumin, and pre-albumin are just perfect every test. So I don't worry. I'm usually in the 36-45g of fat per day very loosely. No tummy issues. But if I did that in one meal? I'd be in trouble.

Celebrate where you are now! There will always be parts of our bodies that aren't perfect. We just switch from focusing on our fat to our extra skin, or lack of boobs/butt, or whatever. Don't wait until you're perfect or you'll miss out on the fun. Join in!

This was posted by someone way back in 2015, but is one of the best responses Ive seen about stall concerns: It seems that at least 50% of the posts on BariatriPal are bemoaning a stall. Daily, and sometimes hourly, I am reading about how someone ONLY lost x number of pounds and now the scale hasn't moved in ___ [fill in the blank] days/months, etc. Oh no, they write, I am a failure/unique/my surgery didn't work/life is not fair, ... Why am I in a stall? I know I am exaggerating but I think you get the idea. Guess what? STALLS are a NORMAL part of the PROCESS of losing weight. If you want to lose weight, you will stall. Not just once, but over and over. And, guess what? A stall is where your body actually does the hard work of becoming smaller. It takes a lot of work and energy to dismantle a structure that has been holding up, in some cases, hundreds of pounds. For those who think they have to DO something to somehow "break a stall" (in my opinion, you do not break a stall, you just ride them out), here is my response: What can you do to "break" a stall? 1) STAY OFF THE SCALE Relax and stay off the scale if it bothers you so much. Weigh no more than once a week, or even less often. Weighing only at your doctor's appointments early in the process is a good strategy if your mood and self-worth are dictated by the numbers on the scale. 2) PICK UP A TAPE MEASURE In addition to using the numbers on the scale to measure your progress, take your measurements. Inches lost are also a great way to see physical progress when the scale isn't moving. Most people see the biggest physical changes in their body when the scale seems stuck. 3) TRACK YOUR Protein AND Water AND MEET OR EXCEED YOUR PROTEIN AND WATER GOAL EVERY DAY As long as you are getting in all your protein and water and following your NUT and surgeon's instructions, you are doing what you are supposed to do. If you aren't getting in all your protein and water, then increasing your protein and water is something you can do (and should be doing anyway whether or not you are in a stall). 4) EXERCISE If you aren't exercising, then you can exercise (and should be whether or not you are in a stall). You can start slowly by walking or even moving more around the house. Exercising will help you feel better, tone your skin and build fat-burning muscle. 5) MAKE AN APPOINTMENT WITH YOUR NUT If you are unsure or unclear about what you are supposed to be, or should not be eating, then make an appointment with your NUT (which you should be doing whether or not you are in a stall). 6) REASSESS AND REEVALUATE About the only good result I see that comes from complaining about a stall is when you take an honest look at what you are doing and realign with the program recommended by your NUT and surgeon. Have you started eating more outside of your plan? Are you restricting calories? Are you eating enough carbs and protein for your exercise? Are you taking your Vitamins? Are you eating often enough? Are you eating slowly with protein first? Sometimes, all you need to DO is go back to basics. 7) JOURNAL One of the biggest things I have noticed from the various posts is how anxious and out-of-control some people feel when they notice a stall. Journaling can help you gain some perspective and deal with some of the emotional turmoil. -- Write about how you are feeling about the stall and your weight loss, and surgery in general. -- Write about why you had the surgery in the first place. -- Write about what life was like before surgery. -- Write about what you hope and dream about accomplishing in the future. -- Write about your fears. -- Write about your NSVs. -- Make a gratitude list. -- Make a bucket list. -- Write a letter to your old self; write a letter to your new self. Just write. 😎 SEEK HELP Stalls are when too many people seem to revert to old, counterproductive dieting behaviors (restricting calories, over exercising, bingeing, etc.). If this is you, then another thing you can DO is to talk to a counselor or therapist or consider joining a bariatric support group or a twelve-step group like Overeater's Anonymous. The discomfort of being in a stall can also drive people to develop new, unhealthy coping habits or even transfer addictions. This is where you want to marshall all the resources you have available to you and use them. The last, and most important thing you can DO is: 9) EMBRACE THE STALL Stalls are a normal and natural part of the process. Our bodies are complex systems and not simple machines. Stalls go hand-in-hand with weight loss. If you had Weight Loss Surgery, then you probably want to lose a significant amount of weight. So, get ready to embrace the many stalls you will experience as your body is transformed. It will be worth it.

Ok, I have finally realised that I need to start doing exercise. I think my weight loss has stalled and that's probably it now until I actually start to move this lump of a body around haha. Can anyone give me some pointers as to what excercise and how much to do per week to see some poundage loss? I have access to a gym - I'm not a lover of walking outside... it's just too hot for my limey skin and I get bored.

I have a FDL and it's healing really well. I also had a ton of skin above my navel and a regular TT wouldn't have taken care of it at all. I'm actually having it revised in my next surgery to take more/extend it a little higher as I still have loose skin there even with the first FDL. I can't easily post pics from my work computer, but I can later if that would be helpful. As far as needing help, I think after a couple days you should really be okay especially without any muscle repair. Just take it very easy.

I’m 5+ months RNY. I’m past my goal at 140lbs. The past 2 weeks intermittently I will get a quick twinge. Not pain just a twinge usually near the incision sites. Maybe 3-4 of the sites randomly. My guess is maybe the nerves that were cut are growing back or that since I’ve lost a lot that the fat padding the sites isn’t as thick so the skin etc is more tender. Anyone relate to this?

Im hoping for that for me hehe I don’t want to loose sizes but the width I don’t mind

Hair skin and nails gummies are very helpful, I like natures way with biotin And collagen. Another beneficial supplement is hyaluronic acid. I would also highly recommend coq10 gummies. Plus garden of life makes the best multivitamin gummies for women, they are Whole food based so you get more nutrition. It does cost a little more but you get more benefits. I also take hero nutritional slice of life omegas. My hair is already very fine like baby hair and thin. I’m not as far out from surgery yet though. But I can say we still need healthy fats for healthy hair and skin. I’d recommend a massaging scalp/ shampoo brush I massage my scalp when I shampoo, healthy scalp = healthy hair. (I got it from bed bath and beyond)

I don’t eat the skin on mine. I couldn’t stand the smell or taste for the first 11 mos after surgery. Only recently I tried it again and I can eat it again! I’m so happy bc pre surgery salmon was my fav fish! Glad I can eat it again!!

Nice! Glad you have had a loss. Our bodies just seem to need a break from losing. I'm at almost 73, but have so far to go. I need to lose 87 more pounds to get to my Dr's goal which would leave me with a lot of hanging skin, so I guess that's why he says 180. Your trip sounds so wonderful! Never been there, but we are planning a month of just traveling the United states in 2 years one my husband can retire part time, so will definitely checking NOLA off our list! I had myself a b52 coffee about a month ago and was out of this world! Tonight my daughter is making pina coladas and trying to tempt me, but my calories are at 1200 and I don't wanna add more sugar, so wah for me🤪 Glad you're losing again and I know it's frustrating losing so slow. I weigh so much more and only lost about 6 pounds in June and about 5 this month. We will look back in 6 months and we will both be closer to the finish line! Wishing you all the best! Edit: I checked my Fitbit, I weigh in there, and I lost 5.1 for June and I lost 7.3 do far this month. Hoping to get to 10, but who knows? I would be happy with 5 pounds a month, that would put me near goal.

It's actually better NOT to shave at least a couple of days before surgery. Shaving causes micro abrasions in the skin and can lead to infections, Of course, this is critical if you are having a knee replacement - not so much with abdominal surgery. Pre-op nurses are VERY accustomed to unshaved legs, as it is the instruction that many patients are given. Besides, no one else is gonna see them because you will have SCDs (Sequential Compression Device) on your legs, and perhaps TED hose as well.

I don't eat the skin on salmon, but that's because I bake the salmon in a foil packet with lemon juice and dill, so the skin remains soft and soft salmon skin is yucky! But the salmon flesh itself is lovely and moist this way.

What I did as I was loosing was to buy just a few things to get me through. Or go to thrift stores for better deals. Otherwise I would be left with a lot of clothing that was too big. Good Luck!