Hi everybody. I think we do a great job supporting each other on this site. I need your ideas. Our support group, which meets at the university hospital where we had our surgeries, is trying to come up with event/activity ideas for both pre-op and post-op patients. We have full support from the university hospital. We are planning a clothing exchange in an open house format. If you have any suggestions on how to be as successful as possible with this I would love to hear from you. During this event we were thinking of talking about or providing a handout on foundation garments for both men and women should they want to wear them (i.e. bras, thigh shapers, butt shapers, smoothing shirts etc). We have had quite a few people ask about masking problem areas and how to dress their new figures.

We are also planning a patients only event at the aquatic center to encourage exercise especially for those that have joint/pain issues. Any additional ideas for events/activities out there? Inquiring minds want to know...????

When I go to the YMCA, primarily it is to swim. I put on a pair of scuba flippers [which I purchased at a local scuba store] and swim on my back. I find it to be very relaxing and at the same time with the flippers, I can move across the Water at a nice clip. It is not difficult to swim a mile. It's almost like being a fish.

[There are two types of scuba flippers: those designed for someone wearing a wetsuit and those designed for someone not wearing a wetsuit. I chose the latter. These flippers are ordered and sized for my feet and are about twice the size of flippers that you might find in a normal store.]

You could offer a Protein shake sample tasting/fair. Everyone could bring marked baggies of servings of their favorite protein powders and swap. They could also bring copies of their favorite recipes.

An open swim event could be fun, especially if you had a sample Water aerobics or other water class.

For those who are almost ready or just had surgery and are willing you could have a before-picture photo booth and offer help taking measurements.

You could get a photographer and offer headshots for Facebook/LinkedIn.

You could have a journaling/meditation/relaxation session.

You could have someone teach self-massage and stretching.

Fashion show.

I like the idea of the Protein shake tasting but would also add cooking classes!! How to transform your old recipes into healthy recipes or find new healthy recipes.

Workshops on how to use some of the apps.

Wow! Great ideas please keep them coming! Really appreciated.

I know it would be too soon to be looking into plastic surgery just post op, but maybe you could invite a surgeon who specialises in bariatric post op skin removal surgery to give a talk, or you have a nutritionist, maybe a fitness coach and a life coach a motivational speaker, a professional under garment bra fitter for the ladies and maybe even a glamour booth to dress up but a bit of makeup on and get the after pic as suggest above.