I have always had that "fat stomach", i.e I have a huge bulge UNDER my belly button that "hangs" down (i'm only 4 weeks sleeved... and am losing slowly, so I havent seen much change yet".

I have (even when I was a KID... I was always overweight all my life... and I can look at a pic as an 8 yr old and I had that "under belly button-fat bulge". Now, ABOVE the belly button, it has always been pretty flat (strange, I know...)

I have always been sooooooo jealous of the heavier women who still, by the grace of God, had a "flat stomach" pretty much. If I had one wish, it would be to have a flat stomach after all this! (something I have NEVER had in all of my almost 43 years of living!

I have never been able to "tuck in shirts", because even as a size 14 (this is the smallest I can remember myself being.... and that was since middle school)..... I STILL had that FKIN bulge!

Now, I am praying that I go down waaaaay below a 14 (currently a 20, hope to be at LEAST a size 8-10!), but my question is...... if YOU have this body type and HAVE lost weight, does this bulge go away... at least mostly ? ( and for the record I do NOT believe that this "buldge" is something that excercise can take away either .... just like guys with chicken legs will NEVER have Arnold Schwarzenegger calves, unless you are so constantly trying to focus on that stomach and honestly..... that just doesn't sound appealing. I will and have been walking and will work out, but that just seems like it is fighting an uphill battle.....forever)

After this surgery though,......... I am reticent to potentially even THINK about a tummy tuck though (eek!), wven when the time is right (i.e. when close to/at goal weight).

Thoughts??? Is plastic surgery my best bet once i lose weight?

I have always had that "fat stomach"' date=' i.e I have a huge bulge UNDER my belly button that "hangs" down (i'm only 4 weeks sleeved... and am losing slowly, so I havent seen much change yet".

I have (even when I was a KID... I was always overweight all my life... and I can look at a pic as an 8 yr old and I had that "under belly button-fat bulge". Now, ABOVE the belly button, it has always been pretty flat (strange, I know...)

I have always been sooooooo jealous of the heavier women who still, by the grace of God, had a "flat stomach" pretty much. If I had one wish, it would be to have a flat stomach after all this! (something I have NEVER had in all of my almost 43 years of living!

I have never been able to "tuck in shirts", because even as a size 14 (this is the smallest I can remember myself being.... and that was since middle school)..... I STILL had that FKIN bulge!

Now, I am praying that I go down waaaaay below a 14 (currently a 20, hope to be at LEAST a size 8-10!), but my question is...... if YOU have this body type and HAVE lost weight, does this bulge go away... at least mostly ? ( and for the record I do NOT believe that this "buldge" is something that excercise can take away either .... just like guys with chicken legs will NEVER have Arnold Schwarzenegger calves, unless you are so constantly trying to focus on that stomach and honestly..... that just doesn't sound appealing. I will and have been walking and will work out, but that just seems like it is fighting an uphill battle.....forever)

After this surgery though,......... I am reticent to potentially even THINK about a tummy tuck though (eek!), wven when the time is right (i.e. when close to/at goal weight).

Thoughts??? Is plastic surgery my best bet once i lose weight?[/quote']

We have nearly the same issues, I've always remembered being heavy and I have that same tummy issue. I'm goimg to work on my abs(as soon as I get clearance to do so, I'm only 7 days post-op), and pray for a miracle but I absolutely refuse to go under any more knives unless its an emergency situation.

I have that F@#$%^! bulge!!! LOL I was a size 24 this past xmas. Today i am in a size 6. Yep - size 6 . Holy **** -right. Well unfortunately--- that bulge is still annoyingly there. I have started a new DVD -- called Ab Assault by Gunnar Peterson. For the next 12 months - I am going to give it everything I got to deflate that area. And then - I am going to consult with a plastic surgeon. If I keep this weight off-- I want my tummy to look good and look good in clothes.

I have that F@#$%^! bulge!!! LOL I was a size 24 this past xmas. Today i am in a size 6. Yep - size 6 . Holy **** -right. Well unfortunately--- that bulge is still annoyingly there. I have started a new DVD -- called Ab Assault by Gunnar Peterson. For the next 12 months - I am going to give it everything I got to deflate that area. And then - I am going to consult with a plastic surgeon. If I keep this weight off-- I want my tummy to look good and look good in clothes.

First , CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! That is awesome!!! I am praaaaaaying to be where you are!! I have a girlfriend who went from a 20 to a 6 as well, and I am hoping I can be there..... But am trying to be "easy" with that expectation..... So I won't be disappointed if I don't get to a size 6, too.

But you are telling me EXACTLY what I was afraid of..... Because of how my body "makeup" is..... Excessive attention to the abs and such or plastic surgery..... will be my only damn option

I've always had the 'belly button bulge'. Then I had two kids and it just got worse. It has gotten much smaller- much much smaller, but it is still there. I'm a size 10 maybe 8 in some pants, but I've been able to disguise the belly bulge pretty well in clothes. We are planning on trying for another kiddo in the next year or so, and after that I'm seriously considering a tummy tuck.

I mean you can't completely disguise it, but it's not totally obvious.

I've always had the 'belly button bulge'. Then I had two kids and it just got worse. It has gotten much smaller- much much smaller' date=' but it is still there. I'm a size 10 maybe 8 in some pants, but I've been able to disguise the belly bulge pretty well in clothes. We are planning on trying for another kiddo in the next year or so, and after that I'm seriously considering a tummy tuck.

I mean you can't completely disguise it, but it's not totally obvious.[/quote']

I would love to get there! You look great! Like I said before, I could care less about a pouch as long as I don't look like tweedle-dee anymore.

What I have seen is that if your are an "apple shape" person before the surgery you will still be an "apple" shape person afterwards. I always carried my weight in my butt and thighs so more "pear" shape. My stomach is pretty darn flat now except for the loose skin but it doesn't hang, it's just sort of shriveled over my abs.

I've always had the 'belly button bulge'. Then I had two kids and it just got worse. It has gotten much smaller- much much smaller, but it is still there. I'm a size 10 maybe 8 in some pants, but I've been able to disguise the belly bulge pretty well in clothes. We are planning on trying for another kiddo in the next year or so, and after that I'm seriously considering a tummy tuck.

I mean you can't completely disguise it, but it's not totally obvious.

You look awesome!!!! I hope to get there too!! I feel like the only option to TRULY get what i really want ( a flat stomach at SOME POINT in my life...) is to get surgery, and since I am definitely not having anymore kids, I may look into it as time goes.... Lol

In the meantime, since I am verrrrrry well versed at "hiding" my bulge, if I look like YOU DO, I think that's pretty dang great!!!!

What I have seen is that if your are an "apple shape" person before the surgery you will still be an "apple" shape person afterwards. I always carried my weight in my butt and thighs so more "pear" shape. My stomach is pretty darn flat now except for the loose skin but it doesn't hang, it's just sort of shriveled over my abs.

I'm soooooo jealous......

I have the same issues. I'm 11-12 wks post op and losing slowly. Everything seriously looks like it's "deflating". Still there, just less full and sagging more now. I've heard the advice on this site multiple times to wait til you're at goal for a year before doing it because things DO tighten up a bit on there own if you work at it. Depending on the severity, however, many times exercise alone isn't going to get you the results you really want - not when you've had that pouch your whole life.

I already know I'll need some surgery to remove the skin. I've had my big belly since I was a kid too, so it won't likely just go away from losing weight. Probably not what you wanna hear, but everyone really is different, so it's possible that it will go away for you! I'm wishing us both luck on that, hon!

I'm doing what I can with using firming lotions, keeping hydrated and exercising. But I think surgery is ultimately in my distant future... I'll take the advice to be a year at goal first just so I'm as firm as I can get in the end.

The funny thing about me is I'm not an apple- I'm an hourglass by definition. My measurements a few weeks ago were 44 (I'm a 36f)-33-45. I will take a pic in a bit to show what the belly looks like without being 'hidden'

At 5 months out I'm in a size 12 pants. And a large top. I've lost the mostly in my legs. Lol

I have most of my fat left in the lower belly.

I'm already researching for a TT. I just want to get

Down to 170lbs before I seriously consider Plastics.

Considerding Fat transfer to other areas. Lol

Check out vsggoodlife.com. It's an old blog from someone, but she has before and after pics with a belly and you can really see the progress. I was quite impressed. Unfortunately, she hasn't posted to it since 2011, but the info is still useful.

One of my best friends was an apple shape her whole life. Then she had RnY (and worked out 2 hours each day for years) and went from a bulging 24/26 to a 4/6. When she was nearing goal we would laugh because she never had thighs and that is where she seemed to be losing the most.

Then all of a sudden she lost much of her tummy. In clothes you don't notice it at all. But naked she has a hanging tummy. She really doesn't mind at this point because it is much more proportioned with her body. Before, she felt she looked bad due to the skinny arms, legs and bulging tummy.

I feel you, Disco! No matter how small I've been, it always looks like my lower tummy has a boner. A "FUPA," as the kids are calling it nowadays. I call it my "belly-rection". My pants literally hang off of it, even when they've gotten so loose in the butt and thighs I'd swear they were about to drop. When I push it in with my hands, it changes my entire physique and I don't even look heavy anymore. I'm so sick of carrying fat there, if the pooch is still there when I'm at goal, it's off to the surgeon I go!

I feel you' date=' Disco! No matter how small I've been, it always looks like my lower tummy has a boner. A "FUPA," as the kids are calling it nowadays. I call it my "bell-erection". My pants literally hang off of it, even when they've gotten so loose in the butt and thighs I'd swear they were about to drop. When I push it in with my hands, it changes my entire physique and I don't even look heavy anymore. I'm so sick of carrying fat there, if the pooch is still there when I'm at goal, it's off to the surgeon I go![/quote']

I do that too! I pull it up and out of the way and think I can just cut this off and be fine lol not so much