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Had a productive visit with my doctor today, and there's some good news as well as a few adjustments to make. She was happy with my weight loss progress so far, but made it clear that it could be better. Her main concern is the calories I'm consuming, so the goal moving forward is to cut down a bit. One key suggestion was to start considering protein snacks as meal replacements, which makes sense to keep things in check. Since these are my "honeymoon months," she emphasized that it’s essential to get this right now to avoid hitting a stall by the 6-month mark. My workouts, on the other hand, are spot-on, so the primary focus will be on tweaking meals—specifically reducing carbs and being mindful of snack choices. On the health front, I’ve started taking iron supplements and will be getting my vitamin levels checked this Sunday. However, one piece of disappointing news: the counselor is no longer available, so if I need support, I’ll have to look for external options. Overall, I'm feeling a mix of being a little down but also more motivated to fine-tune my food intake and cut back on calories. I’m determined to make the most of these critical months and maximize my progress.

Had a productive visit with my doctor today, and there's some good news as well as a few adjustments to make. She was happy with my weight loss progress so far, but made it clear that it could be better. Her main concern is the calories I'm consuming, so the goal moving forward is to cut down a bit. One key suggestion was to start considering protein snacks as meal replacements, which makes sense to keep things in check. Since these are my "honeymoon months," she emphasized that it’s essential to get this right now to avoid hitting a stall by the 6-month mark. My workouts, on the other hand, are spot-on, so the primary focus will be on tweaking meals—specifically reducing carbs and being mindful of snack choices. On the health front, I’ve started taking iron supplements and will be getting my vitamin levels checked this Sunday. However, one piece of disappointing news: the counselor is no longer available, so if I need support, I’ll have to look for external options. Overall, I'm feeling a mix of being a little down but also more motivated to fine-tune my food intake and cut back on calories. I’m determined to make the most of these critical months and maximize my progress.

I was finally able to get in over 10k steps yesterday. I'm still two weeks post op so no strenuous activity or lifting so I have to walk to work instead of cycling. At first I was annoyed because I love cycling, but I think having to walk will kick-start the weight loss. I've lost 8.5kg (18.7lbs) in the two weeks since surgery and walking helps.

My surgeon said no to caffeine. Two reasons were Gerd and Barretts. It would increase the stomach acid. I love coffee and drank coffee until the day before surgery. Almost 2 weeks post-up and I have not had any coffee. It was a bit difficult, but I don't seem too bad. I had started incorporating more water for months before my surgery and changed my coffee habit by mostly only drinking at work. That seems to help.

Just remember that anything is better than nothing. Even 15 minutes is good for your health and probably enough endorphins to snap you out of the funk. But if you do have an off week it’s not the end of the world either. It’s what we do like 95% of the time that counts.

I agree with @ShoppGirl. Either do it 2 weeks before Christmas or 2 weeks after, or beyond that. Not for your family, but for you so you have full access toy our surgeon and their team. The Christmas holiday is a tricky time because so many leave or are off and nobody wants to come in if there's an emergency. I know the feeling of wanting to hurry up and start your new life, but you have to make sure you're doing what's in your best interest.

My pre-op diet was 12 WEEKS of milk, skimmed milk powder or protein powder and soup.

Welcome to the site! I'm only two weeks post-op (sleeve) so I'm still learning and adjusting as well. Keep us updated!

Hello everyone! I'm checking in - @ShoppGirl- It sounds like you've really been through the wringer! You are a superstar for managing both chemo, a virus, and surgery recovery all at the same time and I hope you're being gentle with yourself and giving yourself lots of pats on the back! @Chatterbox - YES - portion sizes have gotten more flexible; for me taking an ADEK supplement has helped with the hair shedding; I've gone through that to a point as well and typically have VERY thick hair and I've noticed some extra shedding but even with that it hasn't thinned my hair dramatically. @Justarwaxx - You're doing great!! Please be kind to yourself! With increased activity level the calorie consumption does have to go up so you can keep up your energy! Now that I'm using my Fitbit I am able to better see my activity levels - I haven't hit 10k in a day but I got close a couple of days and my average went below 5k per day while I was sick as well (Gosh it's going around!) but I think the important thing is to LISTEN to your body, give it fuel, and just try to have more calories spent than you take in. I'm burning over 3k calories more days than not so if I eat a few carbs, a piece of bread once in a while, a half a sandwich, some veggies - that's ok. I think a lot of it is knowing and understanding the difference like so many have said on 'head hunger' vs 'physical hunger'. Usually at a given meal I eat maybe a total of a cup of food; I try to aim for at least half of each meal to be protein, then veggies, then maybe a little rice or other starch. I'm hit and miss on my food logging; I slipped for a few weeks and am trying to reset. I wanted to repost these recipes I used during the puree period because I don't know about ya'll but I tend to find things that work well and then totally forget they exist! Lately I've been doing lots of soups for myself and my family. I made an easy chicken noodle soup yesterday with half a rotisserie chicken breast, I steamed carrots and celery in the microwave until they were soft, sautéed some diced onion in garlic and onion with a little chicken broth, then added it all together with the cooked chicken breast cut up and more chicken brother. I threw in a small handful of egg noodles and let it all simmer. When I do something like a soup with meat I try to serve myself up a bowl that is heavy on the chicken and light on the veggies. You can do basically the same thing with broccoli, cabbage, and canned or fresh diced tomatoes. Fluids and healthy veggies with a protein is my go to; and I'm doing pretty well with my personal progress. You all got this! Don't get discouraged when you go through stalls; some weeks I will lose about 2 lbs and then the next week I might lose 6 lbs; it's all a process and the weight loss will slow and become more steady as long as you watch your calories, eat healthy at least 80-90% of the time - it's about getting your nutrients and staying at a calorie deficit. ❤️ Reposted recipes from earlier: "I'd say the hardest part for me continues to be the 'No drinking 30 mins before/after meals' but I use the Baritastic app to set a time. I also use the timer to make sure my 'meals' take at least 30 minutes. Want to make sure I don't rush and end up feeling poorly afterward. Things that have worked well for me during my puree stage include egg drop soup, chicken/tuna salad made with puree chicken or tuna, light mayo, and sometimes a bit of relish, and for added protein a boiled egg or two, with or without the yolks per preference. (Dill relish is healthier than sweet relish). I did allow myself 2-3 saltines with those, usually about 3.5 oz of the tuna or chicken salad makes me feel sated. Other recipes that have worked include the ricotta bake and unstuffed cabbage rolls, pureed low fat/0 sugar yogurt or cottage cheese with Genepro powder and cooked, strained strawberries or blueberries (I added a bit of 0% Milk to make it more of a smoothie), Riccotta pureed with either a bit of fruit or avocado, small serving of oatmeal pureed with fruit (test yourself with an ounce or two less than you normally eat for oatmeal because it sits heavy and often swells - add some zero or skim milk to make it thinner if needed. Other recipes include homemade no-noodle chicken soup of sorts with rotisserie chicken, chicken broth, and pureed carrots w/a little bit of onion powder or diced onion. I also made a homemade 'philly cheese steak' filling of sorts with some sautéed bell peppers and a bit of diced onion, some roast beef lunch meat, and cream cheese. Others speak highly of pureed refried beans with a bit of seasoning to taste more like taco meat, adding either a bit of mild salsa or a combination of onion powder and perhaps a bit of cumin. That's a personal choice, and definitely suggest going slow with your seasoning due to possible heartburn. You could add a bit of shredded low-fat/skim mozzarella or even low fat sour cream to round it out. Today I made 'chicken pot pie w/no crust' which was basically just cooked carrots and finely diced celery and onions with finely diced rotisserie chicken with a can each of 98% fat free cream of celery and 98% fat free cream of chicken. I haven't had any yet because I'm a little unsure about the celery, even cooked, but pureed and in a small serving I'm sure it would treat me fine. The Ricotta Bake I made was super simple and I know there are a lot of variations to the recipe online. I made my own marinara sauce by peeling about 5 smallish tomatoes, dicing them, and simmering them with a little less than equal parts water, Italian seasoning, and a bit of diced onion. The ricotta mixture was easy; just used 8oz ricotta cheese, 1 egg, 1/2 cup of grated parmesan (I used the shaker but fresh is better) and 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese. I put a layer of half the mix on the bottom of a buttered baking dish, topped it with 1/2 lb cooked and seasoned ground beef, then put the rest of the mixture on top. Poured about 3/4 of the homemade marinara over it then covered the dish with aluminum foil and baked at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes. It's basically a no-noodle lasagna. The Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls I made were equally easy - I used a rotary grinder (Works SO well, bought on Amazon for around twenty bucks) to grate half a head of lettuce. Instead of canned diced tomatoes I once I again peeled about 5 small/medium tomatoes and diced them, adding to the skillet along with maybe 1/8 cup diced onion and another 1/2 lb of the ground beef. For seasoning the recipe I used just had me add a packet of Italian Dressing Seasoning mix. The family enjoyed it and after pureeing the ground beef a bit I found it fine to eat, although slowly and very well chewed. Both it and the Ricotta bake probably make about eight 1/3 cup servings with about 22g of Protein each.

I used to be like this back in my fertile years (😉). I craved carbs and could eat a loaf of bread in one day. Sandwich after sandwich. I had to consciously stop myself. About year 2 after my surgery, & well into menopause, I’d get these random days where that carb craving for bread would hit me. I couldn’t do anything about it because bread sits so heavily in my tummy so I avoid it & I never buy it. Thank goodness there wasn’t any in my house. I doubt foamies or my restriction would have stopped me. LOL! You joining the hysterectomy club @Starwarsandcupcakes? I’m three weeks out since mine. Yesterday I was feeling pretty good. Even went to the theatre to see a contemporary dance production but today I’m wiped out. Even chose an afternoon session so I could have a little nap before I went. Also had a fun experience with alcohol hitting hard. Drank almost a 1/2 glass of Prosecco and as I took it into the theatre it hit me. Woozily climbed the steep stairs to my seat. Sat with a thump. The stage was moving (it wasn’t) then the electronic music began and lighting effects. OMG! It was not pleasant. Felt like I’d quickly downed a bottle & not sipped a bare 1/2 glass. Damn cheap theatre alcohol!

Hello everyone! I discovered this forum a couple of weeks ago and have found it really helpful (so thank you!) but this is my first time posting. I’m scheduled to have a gastric bypass on September 12, and I’m really anxious and somewhat doubtful. I’m half way through my 2 week pre-op diet (2 shakes, 2 snacks, 1 meal, no carbs); I started 2 days late but still, I haven’t lost a thing. Anyone else experience this? what if it’s the same after the surgery? What if my body’s just broken from gaining and losing so many times? a little context: I’m female, 39 years old, and weigh 266.4 lbs. it’s the biggest I’ve ever been. I have three children, but after my second son passed away at birth in 2020, I was put on antidepressants which I take religiously. Early this year I was also diagnosed with ADHD and put on meds, and the loss of appetite and focus cut my food intake in half— still did not lose any weight.

I hear you, SSS! Mr. Smith thought I looked liked Mrs. Emma Peel/Diana Rigg from the Avengers after my first plastics in compression suit. Haha. I wore it for months - loving the cozy, comfy cocoon it provided. Seven weeks out now, and my first week wearing real clothes! Still some discomfort and swelling BUT making good progress. Yesterday surgeon said I can lift over ten pounds now. If the deep tissue pain and irritation continues after our return from Christmas holiday trip - He'll set up physical therapy for me. Elbows and abdominal still remain tender. Regardless, I am so happy with my new slimmer arms - especially in the winter sweaters. Do post here your favorite sweaters and/or winter outfits. I say, show off those beautiful arms ladies!!! I'll start a mini fashion show here with my chartreuse vest and pom-pom gloves. Getting ready for Pennsylvania winter trip... where I hear, Baby it's cold outside...

Well, it's highly dependent on where I'm at in a training cycle, but it might look a little like this: Monday: Rest Day. Tuesday: This is my speedwork day when I do intervals. What that specifically looks like is different depending on my current goals. For example, If I'm training for a shorter race like a 5k, I'll probably do more intervals at a faster pace, but the intervals will be shorter in duration. For example, I might do 8 total intervals at RPE 9 for ~2 minutes. In between each interval, I'll rest for 2 minutes. On either side of the interval work, I'll do a 10 minute warm up and a 10 minute cool down. Thus the entire run takes roughly 52 minutes. If I'm training more for a half marathon, I'll do more like 3-4 intervals but they may each be as long as 6 or 8 minutes. Rest periods will probably be ~2-3 minutes. Note that these are done at a slower pace, so more like an RPE of 7-8. Regardless of what the intervals look like, I always warm up and cool down for at least 10 minutes each. Wednesday: This is typically a strength training day for me. Sometimes I may run 2-3 miles afterward, though more often than not, I cross train on the bike, or sometimes do some rowing. Thursday: This is what I call my "Distance Run" day. It's typically going to be between 50% and 80% of my long run mileage, so if I'm doing 30 miles a week, it might be somewhere around 5 to 8 Miles. This is almost always done at an easy pace, but I do tend to add in strides toward the end. (Strides, for those that don't know are short 20 to 30 second accelerations followed by a minute or so rest. Because they are so short, they don't tend to add a lot of extra systemic or muscle fatigue or increase injury risk like you'd have for normal speed training.) Friday: This is when I do Race Specific Pace Runs, Hill Running, Tempo Runs or Threshold Runs. Again, this is highly dependent on where I'm at in a training cycle, but an example leading up to a half marathon might be a 10 minute warm up followed by 40 minutes at my half marathon goal pace, followed by a 10 minute cool down. Saturday: This is my other strength training day. Here, since I've accumulated a lot of weekly fatigue by this point, I'm a lot less likely to run afterward, meaning if I do anything after the strength session, it's going to be on the bike or rowing (or nothing at all if I'm wiped 😄). Sunday: This is my long run day. As a general rule, I don't want this to be more than about 30-33% of my overall weekly mileage. Thus if I'm at ~30 miles for the week, my long run won't be more than 10 or at most 11 miles. Most of my long runs are done at an easy pace, but I do sometimes add in some faster pace work toward the middle or end. It's all dependent on my goals. Overall, 30 miles per week is really not that hard for me at this point. Keep in mind, I'm retired now and my kids are grown so I don't have to worry about fitting this in around work or my kids needs. Now as I increase my mileage working up to 50-60 in prep for my fall marathon, I'm expecting that will be a lot more challenging. Physically I think it will be fine, I'm more worried about my ability to dial in my nutrition. It will be a lot of extra calories burned in a week and my fueling strategy has to be really dialed in for the 18 or 20 mile long runs I'll be doing toward the end. I have a tendency toward hypoglycemia if i don't get my fueling perfect. It would not be good to pass out when running!

Hi @Lilia_90! thank you for checking in, and unfortunately not yet 😭 Friday I FINALLY got the okay to do more than leisurely walk, I can do cardio and lower body workouts. I went on the stair master lasted only 20min (pathetic! I used to do 35-40min with juice left in the tank) then did the treadmill for 25 but I am building back to where I was just going to take me a min. I was off 7 weeks, but I did do lower body today, just bands and omg my legs were burning and I was actually sweating LOL so Hopefully with the consistency I will be back to where I was SOON! I miss how lean I felt and looked hahah. The boobies are healing well, still in my post op bra. I really am jealous of others recovery process. Mine seems so cautious which I get but so far its been worth it. They look great and settling where they are supposed to.

I was sleeved in March of 2015 (HW 405, SW 357, LW 238, sustained 260 for a few years), had some regain where I hit 315, so I went on a hybrid Optifast/Numetra diet through a program at Kaiser (my then insurance in California). It worked well, I dropped about 50 pounds and was happy with that, but then I had some mental health issues including some passive ideation, so I decided to move across country (technically back home) to Delaware and share a living space with my brother and his wife and pets. Since that move I've gained back the 50 pounds I lost, I have another hiatal hernia, and severe acid reflux/GERD so now I'm on the path to revision to bypass. Thing is, I never wanted bypass, that's why I had the sleeve in the first place, the reworking of my internal plumbing scares the heck out of me! I've known a ton of people who've had it with no issues, but I've also known a couple who passed away from complications (granted, that was 20 years ago, and I know things have improved medically since then). But the idea of having dumping syndrome, and malabsorption, and needing to take vitamins and supplements forever - UGH - I'm freaking out!! 😨😖 I have an anxiety disorder (SAD & GAD) and my anxiety has been through the ROOF the past few weeks! My surgery date is August 26 - 13 days from today! - and I started my pre-op diet the other day (Monday), but part of me wants to cancel everything! However, there is a part of me that can't wait for the relief from the GERD. I guess I'm not asking for anything here, mostly just venting my anxiety. 🤣

I'm 5 weeks out from surgery and the gas is what they used to "blow up" your abdomen like a balloon so that they can see everything while rearranging things in there. That goes away with time and I found that walking did the best. I also tried to move a lot, not just walking but raising my arms and doing tow pointing while sitting and things like that to move the air out of my abdomen. Also, try and use an abdominal binder, did they give you one to use on discharge? Sometimes that helps. I splinted my tummy with a pillow when I coughed. I had a tough time doing the sipping but got better over time, and even eating real food was a blessing. But as others have said, dehydration is the worst complication so keep sipping. The continued desire for food is called "head hunger". The brain is telling you that you are hungry, but how can you be, there is very little room in your stomach now, it is mind over matter. Time to find a hobby to keep your hands busy and out of the fridge. If you continue to have "head hunger" I would recommend BariNation that you can become a member of and join the support groups and member meet-ups to ask questions or get some group therapy where your people are. I'm a member and am in groups all the time, I started with them before surgery so I knew what to expect, and thankful for the wonderful support from my new friends. It is forty bucks for a month, and to me it is worth it, I spend less now in food. Just a thought to help you through the rough patches that are surely to come, especially the time when you are eating and having rapid weight loss, and hormone changes that cause your emotions to fly about. I find the support groups and meet ups to be so helpful.

Thanks. I think it may actually be more than 4500 a day. Isn’t one pound 3500 calories? I swear I read that somewhere. Not sure if it was accurate, though. But yea, it unrealistic to think when the scale goes up a couple of pounds it’s because we had one thing off plan. I think I just panicked a little because I know that I cannot maintain two or three hours or exercise a day forever so if I’m doing all of this and still not really losing then what happens if I slow down. I figured once I get to maintenance I would probably cut that slowly but probably down to half that. I mean physically I feel like I could do it forever but it’s a very big time commitment between that and the healthy meals taking more time too. Maybe I will get to where I can do like one hour of more intense exercise. And then my Yoga a couple times a week. I really like that. It is a pretty good workout for me still but I can tell it’s eventually going to be really relaxing and feel good. I think I may ask my hubby to hide the scale. Someone else on here said they did that and it seems like a pretty good idea.

I get that, I said that for about two weeks and amazingly I turned the corner a few days ago. Yes, I'm still hungry but I am forcing my self to drink more protein drinks (cafe mocha) in-between meals and lots more water. I found both has helped me considerably and I am used to getting hungry so it's not as bad now. How are you feeling now?

I had problems meeting my protein goals and honestly fluid. I’d get close. I ended up doing water enemas to make up the difference so I didn’t end up needing it fluids the first week. (Yeah, gross I know). I had issues getting the non-premixed protein shakes down after surgery and then eventually any protein shakes. I went from loving sugar to despising it. Literally thought I was prepped and bought tons of crap that I just couldn’t stand after surgery Since you can walk at discharge I ended up going shopping daily for whatever my body said it wanted. Fairlife milk is a godsend. Yes, it’s just milk…. But with added whey protein so it pretty much tastes the same, or darn close. Runny eggs… soufle… custards without sugar, I ended up loving this wanna be 7 layer dip type meal with mashed beans, sour cream, avocado and hot sauce. Tomato basil soup with goat cheese (Campbell made with milk rather than water, basil (paste from a squeeze bottle) and a chunk of goat cheese swirled in after melting. Those ended up being my jam until I could add in tuna packets with various flavors (they make a ton now) and shredded chicken (then blended on pulse and mixed with avocado so it didn’t get dry stuck). Getting used to 1 can of soup being 4-6 meals was a bit of a shock. I had a ton of tiny meals in the fridge and would just sit down every 2 hours with some protein thing and slowly get it in. Then wait 30 min and set water timers. If I wasn’t “caught up” to where I should be by the end of 2 hours… I’d then sit and have to focus it down till I got it in. Don’t leave water till last minute, you can’t chug.

Mid week checkpoint from last week I'm late! I i'm an avid runner. I have taken the last few days off. Crazy how your body craves exercise once you make it a part of your routine. I will say obesity is a smart disease and anyone experiencing stalls for me , I have to constantly find ways to out smart it. If I run at 4am one week, I will run at 6pm the next. It get used to things you do 😡😡😡😡.

Sorry I'm a bit sporadic here. I'm nearly two weeks post op (tomorrow is 2 weeks) and have no trouble at all drinking smoothies, Optifast shakes, tea, thin soup etc. In fact I'm a bit worried because I can easily have a cup (250ml) or more quite quickly - say within ten minutes. I go to Sydney on Wednesday to meet with the bariatric GP and dietician at my surgeons office so I'll ask them about this. If I have anything a bit thicker - pureed but thinnish chicken soup for instance - I can feel it sitting in my belly as a lump for a minute or two, so I'm hoping when I move onto puree on Wednesday it will slow me down a bit. Water I find difficult - it makes me burp painfully and feels really rough. I've had something called Vital Zing drops recommended, they add flavour, and apparently help to make water easier to drink. Problem is I don't like flavoured water and I particularly hate artificial sweetener. So I'm battling on with water. I'm hoping the tea I drink is helping to keep me hydrated! I used to drink sparkling water so perhaps I'm also not used to plain water. I haven't had sparkling since the op for obvious reasons! I've wanted something savoury and a bit solider so I've been having my husband's home made hummus for lunch, 100g. It feels a bit lumpy in my belly too but I get sick of all the sweet shakes and things. He thinned it out a bit with the aqua faba but it is still thicker than could be drunk through a straw. I've lost ~9kg so far since start of pre-op diet - 107 to 98. So it's good to break the 100kg barrier. The next one is 96kg, which I got down to in 2023 with a gastric balloon.

I struggled to eat enough to slow my losing though not as much as you are. I reached goal at 6 months and was barely eating 900 calories. It took another year to get to about 1300 calories and for my weight loss to stabilise. To increase my intake I was eating all day long or it certainly felt that way. I had three meals and 5 or 6 snacks, predominately in the afternoon and evening. It took another year +/- to get to around 1600 calories which is about what I eat now to continue to pretty much maintain that initial stabilised weight.. And yes I still snack but only 3 or 4 times a day now to meet my caloric needs. So, yes, some of us do take time to get those calories up. But you are a more extreme case. If this has happened in rare other cases, what did they say what treatment was used in those cases? Can they stretch your pouch via an endoscopy or balloon? Have they suggested you incorporate those nutrient dense, high calorie smoothies like Ensure used for those with digestive and eating issues?

Thanks for this! I'm only 2 months post op and I'm struggling with holiday snacks and sweets. It's helpful to know I'm not alone in this struggle and it's sometimes not easier even a few more months out. I think i've been a slow loser after the first two weeks, but knowing it will keep going even if it's slowly is easier to deal with. I'm currently at 209 lbs (94.8kg) and I just wanted to get under 200lbs by the new year, but I don't think that's going to happen yet. But by the end of January, I hope so.

Coloxyl is a stool softener. A bottle has had a regular place in my bathroom cabinet since my sleeve - LOL! I’m going to take another one (not doing two again 😱) tonight @Spinoza as there was nothing again today. I only took one in the past if I hadn’t gone for two or three days and that would be enough to get things soft and moving again but two is obviously too much and cleans me out. Probably why I haven’t been for two days - had nothing left.

In my view for what its worth, Your arms are brilliant. The surgeons have given you good advice and saved you some money. Your torso is not bad. Do you really need a 360 ? There are smaller surgeries these days. If you put your surgery into the search engine you will get pictures of the scarring. Everyone heals differently so scarring is never the same on two people. There is also a small risk of infections and abcesses that will make a mess of any surgeons handy work. Any work on your stomach area would hurt for at least the first 5 days. Three months ago, I was opened from my pubic bone up to my navel for unrelated surgery and I was walking around like a woman broken in half. Just sitting up from lying in bed is a feat that will leave you sweating. Which is why people advocate recliners, because they stand you up with out using your sore midsection. With a 360, you will struggle to find a comfy spot to lay on. BUT all this passes, good meds help, having someone with you helps. In the end its a very personal thing. If I were younger and unmarried I may think differently but I am old, I have a mass of extra skin but I live in a fairly cold country. I am only ever showing my arms and legs when I go abroad on holiday. I don't give much thought to what people say as long as I don't hear it. I park myself on the beach, doff off and enjoy the sun on all my saggy baggy bits. Then I come home and hey presto, I back in leggings and long sleeves that hide everything. Good luck with whatever you decide to do. Be happy in what ever amount of skin you can live with.