Body image changes after WLS

[chilo1 62]

I haven't even reached goal yet and a few people have already called me skinny, which I love!! The other day my neighbour, (who is a quite "fit" around 60 yr old grandad) said hey skinny winny, I didn't even look at him as I never dreamnt he was referring to me. Then he said yes, I'm talking to you, you've lost loads of weight, well done (he doesn't know I had surgery of course)

As for plastic surgery all i can say is go for it, just do your research (no doubt you will). I'm definetely going for a Tummy Tuck and small boob implants (funny as a few years ago I had to have a boob reduction because my glands were proliferating as well as having huge dangly boobs)

[NtvTxn 1,262]

Good morning Lissi!!

I think it's hard, if not impossible for someone who has not gone through this to understand. I read on this forum that we should have a friend, relative or significant other point out people who are our size when we are at a mall or something. I have done this since shortly after surgery when I started losing weight, and I have also had my husband point out people who are the size I WAS before surgery, which is interesting. I was heavy but I don't think we ever see ourselves the way others see us. Or maybe he was biased, I felt heavier and more uncomfortable in my own skin than he saw me. It is soooo weird though for him to point to others now and say, you are her size.

I know IN MY HEAD that I am thin (skinny, yikes, I STILL CANNOT wrap my head around that word) but because of the size I am wearing, an 8 in jeans and a medium top, I do know I am thin, but still, it is hard to "really" equate "thin" with ME!!!!

I still find myself glancing at the women's clothing as I walk by and know, I KNOW that I will never shop in that dept. again. Isn't that a cool feeling??!! I hoped for this, and I knew that I would lose weight, a size 8 was my personal goal, but part of me knew I'd be happy if I could get down from 18's and 20's to a 12!! An 8 just seemed like a long shot!!! I would have never really thought I could go from a 1x and 2x to a medium and be comfortable in it!!! Wow!!

As far as exercising, I do a little, nobody can ever say I lost weight because I started exercising. I have a theory on this!! I have made life changes with eating, I started this several months before surgery. I cut out a lot of carbs, cold Cereal, which I ate almost every morning, had as an afternoon snack and a bowl every night before bed; chips....gone forever unless I have guacamole, then I will have several baked "Scoops" ; I eat very little bread; as far as sweets, I don't have them often, very seldom, although since I'm at goal, I do have a little, but I do NOT feel deprived. I'm lucky, I am not hungry. With the sleeve, we have forced Portion Control and I lost my hunger on June 11th!! Thank God and Dr. Davidson!! I attended an exercise class offered by a physical therapist for six weeks...it was one day a week, no big deal. I went to get ideas mainly because we have a stationary bike here at the house. I was riding it for two miles a couple of times a week. I discovered I liked the weighted ball and the band. The weighted ball, throwing it in the air 20 - 35 x's randomly is quite a workout, believe it or not. It weighs 5 lbs. It is something I can do here in front of the TV and I like it....I found one at WM and I DO IT, some times two times a day. I also like the band, the PT gave us all one, I am sure you can buy one too....I tied a knot in one end, threw it over a door and shut it. I do arm exercises with it. My arms are what I have really been working on. So, that is the extent of my exercising.

My theory is this.....I lost weight, and really have been quite sucessful in my opinion, because I've made changes in eating and because I listened to the dietitian and surgeon. I park as far out in the parking lot as possible so I have to walk, I go up and down our stairs and I "move" like they said. I do a LITTLE exercise but I didn't want to have surgery, become and "exericise nut" for six months, lose weight.....and then burn out on exercising... I KNOW ME!!! If exercising were a big part of WHY I LOST weight rather than change in how I dealt with food....then when I got bored with it and slowed down or quit.....then what happens???? I am afraid I'd gain.....so, I lost weight doing what I can do from now on, making choices and changes that will "stick". I attended this exercise class with five other women, THREE were 3 - 5 yrs out and regained weight. Granted, all three were RNY patients, but still. I had the opportunity to talk to the physical therapist alone after class one evening and asked her WHY they'd gained the weight back. The first class is when we'd all introduced ourselves and given a little of our story and that's when I'd learned that they had gained some back, all three had gained approx. 30 lbs. Anyway, the PT said that they'd fallen back into some bad eating habits and also had been exercising, then stopped. NOT ME!!! See my theory, my weight loss is because of changes I've made that are life changes I can stick too; I did not go from not exercising, to being a exercise guru, which is NOT ME.....losing weight, then burning out, quitting, only to regain. I've lost weight, reached my goal by making changes I can live with!! Make sense??!!!! I know.....way to wordy!! Have a great week!!!

Lol...I know exactly what you mean (the look on your face) when someone refers to you as skinny! I'm in shock...I'm thinking ME? No way!! cause I just don't see it at times...It's good to know that I'm not crazy My twin sister gets annoyed with me...she says "You have to be kiddin me, right? You just like people to tell you that you're skinny!" How can you not see it? She just doesn't understand... Are you exercising? how often? how long if you are?

[AJW 18]

I read this post and thought size 8 sounds pretty normal size to me. Skinny is my size 2-4 when you're over 5'-7" tall; that's skinny. I wear a size 26 waist pants in skinny jeans/leggings, and the thighs are a little loose. I'm definitely skinny, as in "too thin," and am having trouble gaining or keeping weight on. I gave away all my size 8s and 6s already as they were way too big. I will have to have my husband point out someone else who's as thin as I am, but to tell you the truth, it's hard to find anyone. I look all the time, and most people are overweight in my part of the country - So. California.

Saw my granddaughter yesterday. She's only 11 and approx 5'-2" tall and I'm guessing 135 pounds, with quite a big belly and butt on her. Her Mother has gained approx. 20 pounds since I saw her last time, and she was 170 then; now she's easily 190 or 200. I'm sad to see my granddaughter this heavy, she's an obese child, and the parents aren't doing anything to make sure she's getting the right Portion Control or good food choices. They eat a lot of junk food, so there you go. It's setting her up to be an obese adult unless she gets a handle on it. Nothing we can say, though. They think she's just fine, I'm sure. Oh well.

Good morning Lissi!!

I think it's hard, if not impossible for someone who has not gone through this to understand. I read on this forum that we should have a friend, relative or significant other point out people who are our size when we are at a mall or something. I have done this since shortly after surgery when I started losing weight, and I have also had my husband point out people who are the size I WAS before surgery, which is interesting. I was heavy but I don't think we ever see ourselves the way others see us. Or maybe he was biased, I felt heavier and more uncomfortable in my own skin than he saw me. It is soooo weird though for him to point to others now and say, you are her size.

I know IN MY HEAD that I am thin (skinny, yikes, I STILL CANNOT wrap my head around that word) but because of the size I am wearing, an 8 in jeans and a medium top, I do know I am thin, but still, it is hard to "really" equate "thin" with ME!!!!

I still find myself glancing at the women's clothing as I walk by and know, I KNOW that I will never shop in that dept. again. Isn't that a cool feeling??!! I hoped for this, and I knew that I would lose weight, a size 8 was my personal goal, but part of me knew I'd be happy if I could get down from 18's and 20's to a 12!! An 8 just seemed like a long shot!!! I would have never really thought I could go from a 1x and 2x to a medium and be comfortable in it!!! Wow!!

As far as exercising, I do a little, nobody can ever say I lost weight because I started exercising. I have a theory on this!! I have made life changes with eating, I started this several months before surgery. I cut out a lot of carbs, cold Cereal, which I ate almost every morning, had as an afternoon snack and a bowl every night before bed; chips....gone forever unless I have guacamole, then I will have several baked "Scoops" ; I eat very little bread; as far as sweets, I don't have them often, very seldom, although since I'm at goal, I do have a little, but I do NOT feel deprived. I'm lucky, I am not hungry. With the sleeve, we have forced portion control and I lost my hunger on June 11th!! Thank God and Dr. Davidson!! I attended an exercise class offered by a physical therapist for six weeks...it was one day a week, no big deal. I went to get ideas mainly because we have a stationary bike here at the house. I was riding it for two miles a couple of times a week. I discovered I liked the weighted ball and the band. The weighted ball, throwing it in the air 20 - 35 x's randomly is quite a workout, believe it or not. It weighs 5 lbs. It is something I can do here in front of the TV and I like it....I found one at WM and I DO IT, some times two times a day. I also like the band, the PT gave us all one, I am sure you can buy one too....I tied a knot in one end, threw it over a door and shut it. I do arm exercises with it. My arms are what I have really been working on. So, that is the extent of my exercising.

My theory is this.....I lost weight, and really have been quite sucessful in my opinion, because I've made changes in eating and because I listened to the dietitian and surgeon. I park as far out in the parking lot as possible so I have to walk, I go up and down our stairs and I "move" like they said. I do a LITTLE exercise but I didn't want to have surgery, become and "exericise nut" for six months, lose weight.....and then burn out on exercising... I KNOW ME!!! If exercising were a big part of WHY I LOST weight rather than change in how I dealt with food....then when I got bored with it and slowed down or quit.....then what happens???? I am afraid I'd gain.....so, I lost weight doing what I can do from now on, making choices and changes that will "stick". I attended this exercise class with five other women, THREE were 3 - 5 yrs out and regained weight. Granted, all three were RNY patients, but still. I had the opportunity to talk to the physical therapist alone after class one evening and asked her WHY they'd gained the weight back. The first class is when we'd all introduced ourselves and given a little of our story and that's when I'd learned that they had gained some back, all three had gained approx. 30 lbs. Anyway, the PT said that they'd fallen back into some bad eating habits and also had been exercising, then stopped. NOT ME!!! See my theory, my weight loss is because of changes I've made that are life changes I can stick too; I did not go from not exercising, to being a exercise guru, which is NOT ME.....losing weight, then burning out, quitting, only to regain. I've lost weight, reached my goal by making changes I can live with!! Make sense??!!!! I know.....way to wordy!! Have a great week!!!

[Georgia 2,911]

You're so young with wrinkles; imagine being my age (61) with a face that is too thin and wrinkled after the loss of so much weight. It's an issue, big time, only I need a face lift and neck re-do, along with fillers and whatever else I can manage. That on top of new implants - my skin shrunk around the saline implants so now you can clearly see them if viewing naked. All the clevage went away, so I look like I have (basically) bolt-ons. I'd be happy with face/neck work and a boob re-do. I don't even care that much about the stomach, although there is loose skin, none is hanging off. It reabsorbed pretty well considering the 132 pound loss.

AJW, I know just what you mean! I have lost 90 lbs and wearing a size 10 right now. I am about 7 lbs from goal but think I will continue to slowly lose. I am 5'8" and large framed so I look thin now. In fact, my husband said today "Are you still losing weight and when will you stop?". Lol. And I am almost 57 so I am really fixated on all the wrinkles that appear each day! My face seems to be falling in on itself! Ha! So now I definitely see fillers and possibly plastics in my future! BUT lovin the thin part!

[weightnomore 8]

In one of our pre-surgical nutrition classes, they suggested that we take pictures of ourselves every month in the same doorway for reference. Then keep looking at the pictures to give yourself a better sense of your true body size.

I haven't been thin since I was 13 and weighed 115 lbs. It will sure be interesting to see where this goes!