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Every single thing on my body seems different to me. I did not realize how shocking the changes would be. Here are some examples:

I put a necklace on a month or so ago and it hung down at least 1.5" lower than it use to. So I went to my husband and made him look, he told me "Yeah that lump of fat on the back of your neck is gone." I had no idea that I even had one. Gross.

I see my shoulders out of the corner of my eye and they surprise me how thin they are, my forearms have definition, I had to have my rings sized and 3 links taken out of my watch.

My feet have shrunk from 8.5w to 8 medium (I need all new shoes). When I cross my legs, my calf of my top leg lays against the lower one, straight up and down instead of sticking out like a tree limb.

I have the indentions beside my neck back (no idea what they are called) and the hollow at the base of my throat is back.

I do have some flappyness (Is that a word?) in my upper arms but I am too lazy to lift weights enough to fix them and my boobs are gone (much to my husbands chagrin). My belly is somewhat saggy and wrinkly but still better looking than it was when it was filled with fat.

My knees clink together when I am in bed and sometimes the bones hitting each other wakes me up and now I much prefer to sit in a cushioned chair instead of a wooden one because my butt bone gets sore.

I rarely put on makeup now because I think I look fine just like I am. Plus I am probably going to work out at some point in the day and just sweat it off anyway.

I pick up my clothes to put them on and my brain tells me, "Your butt wont fit in those small pants!" Then I put them on and they are too big. When I clothes shop it takes 2 or 3 trips to the racks to get a small enough size because I can't bring myself to pick a 6 or 8 on the first try.

Isn't that just a horrible list of complaints? I don't know if I can suffer thorough it but I guess I will have to try!:thumbup:

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Very nice! And isn't the summer heat more bearable too?

Brad

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Haha its the weird things that change that we would never have thought of!

I went from a ring size of an 8 to now a 5.5. My shoe size shrunk from a 9.5 to an 8. I wear less make up now too cause Im more confident. Its just such a transformation. I am still working on taking compliments and not seeing a "fat girl" in the mirror still. Its hard to die to our old habits that trapped us for so long. Congrats and keep it up!

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The thing that has surprised me the most is that the summer heat is so much more tolerable. I am not sweating and complaining like I have done other summers.

I cleaned out my closet today and I got rid of 6 trash bags of clothes that are too big. I went shopping and bought size XL and even one large. Quite a change from 2X and 3X.

I still have a long way to go, but every day is better.

I love my band!

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Wow! I hope I can add to this list soon! Congratulations on such great accomplishments!!!

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WOW, what an inspiration. I am 3 days post op and am feeling great! In fact, I would love to sneak out for a ride in the car for a while because I'm getting bored. Anyway, thanks for posting your inspirational story!!!! I can't wait for the pounds to come off. Amy

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Nice list! It's so much fun to shop now that I can fit into normal sizes -- in fact I've spent waaay too much, but normal sized clothes are so freakin' cute!!

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thanks for posting that-enjoy the new you!!! Have a great summer!!

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Congrats to you!!! I love hearing about the NSVs. It just means so much more than a number on the scale. This journey just gets better and better along the way. :->

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Leigha, my friend ... I LOVE YOU ! I'm very happy for you, and all of the changez !!

You're my inzpiration ... Keep it up! :thumbup:

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I love to feel my hip bones, I hadnt seen them in a looooong time and the bones around my neck. The best thing is looking younger than I did 8 years ago and going back to the UK after 4 years and the looks on all my friends and families faces.

Jo

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Congrats!! This is my new life too and it's amazingly weirdly wonderful! I'm about halfway to where the doc wants me to be and I actually feel like I can do it! :-) Thanks for posting this!!

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leighamason that was a joy to read. Thank You

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Congratulations on all of your accomplishments! I recently told someone that it feels so good to be able to cross my legs and have them stay that way, rather than pop off like a boomerang. It's the little things! I hope more people on here start sharing their positive joys rather than just their misery...Thanks for sharing!

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This is all so wonderful to hear!! And Brad, I cannot tell you how looking forward to not being hot all of the time I am!!!

I cannot wait to be able to "cross my legs and have them stay that way, rather than pop off like a boomerang" and shop in "normal" sizes~!

Great post, Leigha!

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    • Doughgurl

      2 days until I fly out to San Diego to have my Bypass Surg. in Tiajuana Mexico. Not gonna lie, the nerves are starting to surface. I don't fear the surgery itself, or the fact that I'm traveling alone, but its the aftermath that I'm stressing about the most, after this 8 week wait. I'm excited to finally be here, but I am really dreading the post surgical chapter. I know its going to be tough, real tough and I think I'm just in my head to much now that the day i here. Wish me luck, Hopefully I'm one of the lucky ones, and everything goes smoothly. Cant wait to give an exciting update,. If there is anyone else have a June bypass or even a recent one, Id love to have someone to compare war stories with. Also, anyone near San Antonio Tx? See ya soon with the future me. 💜
      · 1 reply
      1. Phil Penn

        Good Luck this procedure is well worth it I am down to 249.6 lb please continue with the process..

    • LeighaTR

      I am new here today... and only two weeks out from my sleeve surgery on the 23rd. I am amazed I have kept my calories down to 467 today so far... that leaves me almost 750 left for dinner and maybe a snack. This is going to be tough for two weeks... but I have to believe I can do it!
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • Doughgurl

      Hey everyone. I'm new here so I thought I should introduce myself. I am 53y/o and am scheduled for Gastric Bypass on June 25th, 2025. I'm located in San Antonio, Texas. I will be having my surgery in Tiajuana Mexico. I've wanted this for years, but I always had insurance where bariatric procedures were excluded. Finally I am able to afford to pay out of pocket.  I can't wait to get started, and I hope I'm prepared for the initial period of "hell". I know what I have signed up for, but I'm sure the good to come will out way the temporary period of discomfort and feelings of regret. I'd love to find people to talk to who have been through the same procedure or experience before. So I look forward to meeting you all. Hope you have a great week!
      · 2 replies
      1. Selina333

        I'm so happy for you! You are about to change your life. I was so glad to get the sleeve done in Dec. I didn't have feelings of regret overall. And I'm down almost 60 lbs. I do feel a little sad at restaurants. I can barely eat half a kid's meal. I get adults meals often because kid ones don't have the same offerings at times. Then I feel obligated to eat on that until it's gone and that can be days. So the restaurant thing isn't great for me. All the rest is fine by me! I love feeling full with very little. I do wish I could drink when eating. And will sip at the end. Just a strong habit to stop. But I'm working on it! You will do fine! Just keep focused on your desire to be different. Not better or worse. But different. I am happy both ways but my low back doesn't like me that heavy. So I listened (also my feet!). LOL! Update us on your journey! I'm not far from you. I'm in Houston. Good luck and I hope it all goes smoothly! Would love to see pics of the town you go to for this. I've never been there. Neat you will be traveling for this! Enjoy the journey. Take it one day at a time. Sometimes a few hours at a time. Follow all recommendations as best you can. 💗

      2. Doughgurl

        Thank you so much for your well wishes. I am hoping that everything goes easy for me as well. We don't eat out much as it is, so it wont be too bad in that department. Thankfully. Also, I hear you regarding your back and feet!! I'd like to add knees to the list. Killing me as we speak! I'm only 5' so the weight has to go. Too short to carry all this weight. Menopause really did a doosey on me. (😶lol) My daughter also lives in Houston. with her Husband and my 5 grand-littles. I grew up in Beaumont, so I know Houston well, I will be sure to keep in touch and update you on my journey. I may need some advice in the future, or just motivation. Thank You so much for reaching out, I was hoping to connect with someone in the community. I really appreciate it. 💜

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

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