Just realised (while answering the leg shaving thread) that since the surgery I have been taking better care of my self all over. I exfoliate all over, shave, pluck, wax, mani/pedi, moisturise, oil, preen and basically spend way more time on me than I can ever recall doing before.

Is this a common phenomenon or have I just become more vain?

I feel good. And I think I look better than ever. So I am not complaining, I just never realised how much care I wasn't giving myself prior to surgery.

I tried to post pictures yesterday and fAiled, so I just changed my profile picture instead. I am 65 pounds lighter than I was 10 weeks ago. I love my sleeve and the new me. I loved the old me as well, but interesting how the love of the new me involves a lot more attention!

I posted the picture I have here as my profile picture onto Facebook yesterday and was swamped with messages telling me how great I look. I wept reading them all I was just so happy.

I know I look different but I am surprised to find that I am treating myself better as I never thought I treated myself poorly.

Sorry this is a bit of a ramble, I was working it all out in my head as I typed!

treating myself better

LouiseC

i think its great that you are taking better care of yourself , treating yourself better, feeling good - just for you

nice that Facebook friends are giving you encouragement with their heartfelt compliments, always nice to hear.

i don't know how common it is for WLS patients to start taking better care of themselves. when anybody does their "grooming" better, it shows that you care for yourself more, and feel better about yourself too - so with WLS i could understand this happening

in this case you've had WLS, lost a lot of weight, (or anyone at anytime of their journey) you are looking great, you just want that good feeling from inside to show on the outside too

you don't need WLS for this change to occur - this happens to "normal" people too

btw your new picture does look great

keep up the great work

kathy

I went over a year without shaving my legs. I shave my legs almost every day, I get my eyebrows done, I paint my toenails. Shaving my legs, omg it doesn't cause me to feel like I'm going to pass out bending over to shave my legs. I can bring my legs up to do it.

I cannot believe I am the same person that I was a year ago. I care about what I look like, I also don't care anymore either, if that makes sense. I used to go to the store and look to make sure every hair was in place and that I was hidden enough and that my coat covered all of me, and that my sunglasses were on, and I prayed nobody would recognize me. Now, I go with whatever I have on, I don't cover up, I don't have to have huge sunglasses on to hide, if my hair is out of place, it's okay, because I know I actually look good. I am not afraid to shop on a weekend, where I know I will run into people.

I have left the grocery store, with a full cart sitting there, because I saw people I knew and I was too embarrassed...<~~how sad huh.

It's an amazing feeling, and I am still overweight and I still have weight to lose, but I am happier now than I have been since 1999.

I hope I lose 65 pounds in 10 weeks

Any thing u did different

Thank you :-)

I guess I was surprised to realise I was treating myself better as I never thought I treated myself poorly. But funny how those little self cares can make all the difference.

Kind of like matching bra and panties, even though I may be the only one to know I am wearing them it just feels better to know I am!

Though I do spend more time looking at myself in the mirror than I have in decades, so perhaps I am just gaining in vanity!

I hope I lose 65 pounds in 10 weeks

Any thing u did different

No, I just listened to my doctor, my NUT, and (most importantly) my body.