Jump to content
×
Are you looking for the BariatricPal Store? Go now!

I'm trying to come to terms with the idea that...



Recommended Posts

Well said, LL!

I just booked a flight for my son and I to go abroad - and I booked a middle seat. I have never willingly sat in the middle but come June, I will. Why?

Because I fit in the seat. Inside it. I am nowhere near the sides. Even my arms are within the seat. No one who comes to sit next to me will look disappointed or disgusted at sitting next to me. I won't get all sweaty and hot from sitting with my arms pressed as close to my body as I can get them (which usually meant squeezing my boobs too!)

Woo hoo, go sleeve!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Congrats! I can relate to some as well and it's an awesome feeling! It's nice to read a positive post!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Ah Lipstick, you are a dear!

I am fat, no matter what I weigh. I have a fat brain.

But I am in control!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I am no longer looking around to see if I am the biggest person in the room because I'm not. Ever. Not even in Zumba.

... I'm now just a regular sized fit mom (with some loose skin)

I love this post Lipstick Lady. So inspiring! I too am looking forward to being the regular-sized mom, not the wide-and-wobbly mom.

I used to love taking my children swimming (when I was a normal weight wi the the band), now I felel so self-conscious I can't bear to go, except occasionally and all the time looking and seeing that I am the fattest and wobbliest. This makes me sad.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Because I fit in the seat. Inside it. I am nowhere near the sides. Even my arms are within the seat. No one who comes to sit next to me will look disappointed or disgusted at sitting next to me. I won't get all sweaty and hot from sitting with my arms pressed as close to my body as I can get them (which usually meant squeezing my boobs too!)

So true. I am looking forward to being uncomfortably comfortable in an airplane seat. Right now when I fly I feel squashed up against the sides of the seat. And, I can feel my belly bulging forward and can't get comfortable at all.

Then there's eating the disgusting airplane food. I am looking forward to having a sleeve and saying in to all the processed carby junk food as well.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I'm not fat (on the outside) any more! I'm not skinny by any means, but I'm not fat. I weigh 157 pounds which is still far too much for my 5.3 frame, but I wear size medium tops and size 8 pants, which is officially smaller than the average American woman.

I am no longer shopping in the women's section.

I am no longer wearing the largest size in the ladies' department.

I pick up clothes in consignment shops and often have to reject them for being too big. ( WTF?!?!?!)

I fit in bathroom stalls and dressing rooms with room to spare.

I can walk through turnstiles/bus aisles/theatre rows front ways instead of turning sideways and sucking it in.

I no longer stress when some jackhole parks too close to my minivan when I can barely open my car door to squeeze in.

Every seatbelt fits.

I can put my handbag in my seat with me instead of on a different chair.

I can sit in a booth without my tummy and/or boobs smooshing up against the table.

People don't mind sitting next to me at the movies or in tight restaurants.

More people make eye contact/open doors/smile/initiate conversation with me than ever before.

I am no longer looking around to see if I am the biggest person in the room because I'm not. Ever. Not even in Zumba.

I can wear my leggings home from the gym and stop at the store without caring if I run I to anyone I know.

I could go on forever. I'm still a fat girl on the inside so this whole thing is very surreal. It's just finally starting to set in that after 20 years of being obese, I'm now just a regular sized fit mom (with some loose skin) who can do anything I fracking want to do because I gifted myself with the least easy "easy way out" I could have ever chosen to do.

Love love love. Love.

So happy for you Lipstick Lady! Your successes are great.

I've lost 92 lbs since my surgery 10/15/13 and I feel the same way. It's so wonderful. I still have about 90 more lbs to lose, but with my 5'8" height I look thinner than I am. I can walk without back pain and fast too!!! I am so grateful that Bariatric Surgery works. I avoided it for the past 10 years thinking it was 'the easy way out." I now realize that for someone who was 180 lbs overweight, it is probably the 'only' option since my metabolism was really messed up due to yo-yo dieting. So happy with my decision.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Mr. McButterpants and I had a conversation the other day about what I call The Fat Girl Syndrome. I told him I cannot imagine I will ever get to the point where I don't feel like the Fat Girl anymore - that's been me since I was 17 years old...the Funny Fat girl. (I seriously had a dream that night that the clerk at the grocery store referred to me as "the Big Girl" - I woke up pissed off!!!!!)

I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror of a bathroom this morning - I didn't recognize the person as me; I took a double take and realized it was me! My body has changed in so many ways. Even my face sometimes - I don't recognize that person looking back at me. I still get an anxious feeling when pulling on my jeans - prior to surgery, I'd have to lay down on the bed to get them zipped. I'm down 3 sizes and my jeans are loose, but I still feel like the Fat Girl pulling on my jeans.

I flew on a plane recently and I felt that same nervousness as before - I don't want to slap someone in the face with my ass as I walk by them in the aisle. I could feel my heart race as I sat down and prepared to buckle the seat belt - OMG how many times did I worry I was going to need an extender. Here I am 60 pounds lighter, I fit in the seat and no risk of needing an extender, yet I'm still worried about it.

I know our perceptions of ourselves has to change - my perception of myself has been shaped over 20 years...I'm only 4 months into my journey (I count the month before surgery in that timeframe). I'm starting to like what I see in the mirror. I slather lotion on my body every day - I avoided looking at and touching my own body before. I can talk to people easier and I see their reaction to me is different as well - perhaps I don't have that "go screw yourself" look on my face anymore. I wear makeup and do my hair - I try to look nice every day.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Love this.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

So well put!!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I love what you wrote and it is inspiring me. My surgery isthis coming Wednesday the 26th and I am excited and scared. I have had a wieght problem since I was 14 and have been on every diet known and did lose weight but always put it back on plus more after 6 months. I weigh 40 pounds more now than I did pregnant with my biggest 9 pound plus baby!!! Am looking forward to a permanant weight loss journey with lots of support and encouragement from this site.Pat

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I can't wait to stop being the "fat mom" - Love all the reasons you listed. I'm looking forward to chaperoning the kiddo's band trips and being able to stand without being exhausted.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I can't wait to stop being the "fat mom" - Love all the reasons you listed. I'm looking forward to chaperoning the kiddo's band trips and being able to stand without being exhausted.

From one Band Mom to the Next - AMEN! I was at my worst last fall. I won't be to goal this coming fall, but I'm gonna feel so much less self conscious, have less pain, walk to and from the band buses without feeling like I'm gonna die, I'll fit into the bus seats. I'm looking very forward to those things. I hate being the fat mom too!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I love this! I'm 3 months post op and about 50lbs lighter. My shape has changed and I'm starting to notice the little things....

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

For the first time at my husbands fiftieth birthday I wasn't the biggest woman in the room, and it felt fantastic

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

  • Trending Products

  • Trending Topics

  • Recent Status Updates

    • Prdgrdma

      So I guess after gastric bypass surgery, I cant eat flock chips because they are fried???  They sell them on here so I thought I could have them. So high in protein and no carbs.  They don't bother me at all.  Help. 
      · 1 reply
      1. NickelChip

        It's possible for a very high fat meal to cause dumping in some (30% or so) gastric bypass patients, although it's more likely to be triggered by high sugar, or by the high fat/high sugar combo (think ice cream, donuts). Dietitians will tell you to never do anything that isn't 100% healthy ever again. Realistically, you should aim for a good balance of protein, carbs, and fat each day. Should you eat fried foods every day? No. Is it possible they will make you sick? Maybe. Is it okay to eat some to see what happens and have them for a treat every now and again? Yes.

    • NovelTee

      I'm not at all hungry on this liquid pre-op diet, but I miss the sensation of chewing. It's been about two weeks––surgery is in two days––and I can't imagine how I'll feel a couple of weeks post-op. Tonight, I randomly stumbled upon a mukbang channel on YouTube, and it was strangely soothing... is it just me, or is this a thing? 
      · 1 reply
      1. NickelChip

        I actually watched cooking shows during my pre-op, like Great British Baking Show. It was a little bizarre, but didn't make me hungry. I think it was also soothing in a way.

    • Clueless_girl

      How do you figure out what your ideal weight should be? I've had a figure in my head for years, but after 3 mths of recovery I'm already almost there. So maybe my goal should be lower?
      · 3 replies
      1. NickelChip

        Well, there is actually a formula for "Ideal Body Weight" and you can use a calculator to figure it out for you. This one also does an adjusted weight for a person who starts out overweight or obese. https://www.mdcalc.com/calc/68/ideal-body-weight-adjusted-body-weight

        I would use that as a starting point, and then just see how you feel as you lose. How you look and feel is more important than a number.

      2. Clueless_girl

        I did find different calculators but I couldn't find any that accounted for body frame. But you're right, it is just a number. It was just disheartening to see that although I lost 60% of my excess weight, it's still not in the "normal/healthy" range..

      3. NickelChip

        I think it's important to remember that the weight charts and BMI ranges were developed a very long time ago and only intended to be applied to people who have never been overweight or obese. Those numbers aren't for us. When you are larger, especially for a long time, your body develops extra bone to support the weight. Your organs get a little bigger to handle the extra mass. Your entire infrastructure increases so you can support and function with the extra weight. That doesn't all go away just because you burn off the excess fat. If you still had a pair of jeans from your skinniest point in life and then lost weight to get to the exact number on the scale you were when those jeans fit you, chances are they would be a little baggy now because you would actually be thinner than you were, even though the scale and the BMI chart disagree. When in doubt, listen to the jeans, not the scale!

    • Aunty Mamo

      Tomorrow marks two weeks since surgery day and while I'm feeling remarkably well and going about just about every normal activity, I did wind up with a surface abscess on on of my incision sights and was put on an antibiotic that made me so impacted that it took me more than two hours to eliminate yesterday and scared the hell out of me. Now there's Miralax in all my beverages that aren't Smooth Move tea. I cannot experience that again. I shouldn't have to take Ativan to go to the lady's. I really looking forward to my body getting with the program again. 
      I'm in day three of the "puree" stage of eating and despite the strange textures, all of the savory flavors seem decadent. 
      I timed this surgery so that I'd be recovering during my spring break. That was a good plan. Today is a state holiday and the final day of break. I feel really strong to return to school tomorrow. 
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • BeanitoDiego

      Now that I'm in maintenance mode, I'm getting a into a routine for my meals. Every day, I start out with 8-16 ounces of water, and then a proffee, which I have come to look forward to even the night before. My proffees are simply a black coffee with a protein powder added. There are three products that I cycle through: Premier Vanilla, Orgain Vanilla, and Dymatize Vanilla.
      For second breakfast on workdays, I will have a low-fat yogurt with two tablespoons of PBFit and two teaspoons of no sugar added dried cherries. I will have ingested 35-45 grams of protein at this point between the two breakfasts, with 250-285 calories, and about 20 carbs.
      For second breakfast on non-workdays, I will prepare two servings of plain, instant oatmeal with a tablespoon of an olive oil-based spread. This means I will have had 34 grams of protein, 365 calories, and 38 carbs. Non-workdays are when I am being very active with training sessions, so I allow myself more carbohydrate fuel.
      Snacks on any day are always mixed nuts, even when I am travelling. I will have 0.2 cups of a blend that I make myself. It consists of dry roasted peanuts, cashews, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, pistachios, and Brazil nuts. This is 5 grams of protein, 163 calories, and 7 carbs.
      Breakfast and snacks have been the easiest to nail down. Lunch and dinner have more variables, and I prepare enough for leftovers. I concentrate on protein first, and then add vegetables. Typically tempeh, tofu, or Field Roast products with roasted or sautéed vegetables. Today, I will be eating leftovers from last night. Two ounces of tempeh with four ounces of roasted vegetables that consist of red and yellow sweet peppers, sweet potatoes, small purple potatoes, zucchini, and carrots. I will add a tablespoon of olive oil-based spread, break up 3 walnuts to sprinkle of top, and garnish with two tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese. This particular meal will be 19 grams of protein, 377 calories, and 28 grams of carbs. Bear in mind that I do eat more carbs when I am not working, and I focus on ingesting healthy carbs instead of breads/crackers/chips/crisps.
      It's a helluva journey and I'm thankful to be on it!
       
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
  • Recent Topics

  • Hot Products

  • Sign Up For
    Our Newsletter

    Follow us for the latest news
    and special product offers!
  • Together, we have lost...
      lbs

    PatchAid Vitamin Patches

    ×