My family has been so supportive and encouraging me every step of the way. However they are around me a lot so they don't notice the changes from day to day. Just like I don't. I swear when I look in the mirror I still see the fat me and not this thinner, healthier body that has been emerging for 9 months now.

I know it is happening because my clothes continue to get smaller and when I see a picture of my self I am shocked at how thin my body looks compared to 9 months ago.

Well the other day my oldest son was here. We have spent a lot of time together and of corse he has told me how great I look. I actually weigh less than him now and both my boys are at healthy weights. He just happens to be 4 inches taller. He was talking on his phone and I got up to go into the other room. I walked past him and mid phone conversation he says "Mom! I cannot believe how skinny you are getting!" You look absolutely incredible! "

When he got off the phone he said, it just shocked him when I walked past him.

That made me go back to some professional photos that were taken of me 3 weeks before my surgery when I was at my heaviest and feeling like crap. We had gone on a cruise.

I pulled them out and literally I started crying for pure joy. I look so different now.

I have chosen not to post any pictures of myself and won't until I get to my goal weight. I am 34 lbs away. I am now looking forward to posting those pictures.

Now of course my family debates how my weight loss will stop. They don't want me to get too thin. I have had to pull out the healthy weight charts several times to explain that my goal is to get there. I do plan to have some plastics done so the big debate is should I lose all the way to my goal knowing that a body lift, abdominalplasty and arm wing surgery will take even more weight off. Because I am focused on the top end of the weight chart I believe it will be fine, they are a little worried I will be too thin.

For those of you who have had plastics, when did you start shopping for surgeons. What approach did you take to when you did this surgery? Did you wait until you got to goal and if so, did you lose a lot more weight post plastics?

I thought I would get to goal and maintain for a while before having plastics just to get stabilized.

Not sure what the best approach is and could use some guidance.

There are a couple of approaches to this - I will share what I learned on my 5 plastics consults.

1. For very high BMI people, it might make sense to do some skin removal while they are losing weight (ie not to goal) as the skin may be causing problems like constant rashes, interfere with exercise etc. I didn't fit in that catogory

2. For some people, they should wait until at goal at least 1 year, maybe longer, because the skin can firm up SOME and if you are on the fence... you might decide to skip a procedure after all those changes become apparent. I didn't fit in that catgory either since I lost over 150# even with some "snapping back" it didn't change the procedures I needed.

3. Most of us are advised to wait until we are at goal, feel confident that is where we want to be and start getting consults then. Your best results are if you stay wihin about 10% of that weight/size. I had plastics when I weighed 150 which gives me approx 15# leeway on either end of that number.

Don't imagine you are going to lose massive weight due to plastics. The doc only removed about 5.5# from my lower body lift for example. I did lose more weight later, but it had nothing to do with plastics.

I did my first consult the month I hit goal, had plastics about 8 months later.... I took a lot of time researching, talking to others who had been down this path, seeking opinions and thinking....

I had a tummy tuck with muscle repair when i was i year and 1 month post opt i was not at my goal yet but i had lost 119 pounds and my stomach look horrible, i have had no complications and i now have a hour glass figure that I love any my hubby loves, my kids calls my clothes doll clothes who would have thought to go from a size 32 to a size 12/14 pants and a 3 x dress to a medium. I research my doctors and had it done and i love the new me. I exercise 7 days a week for 2-3 hours and feel great. i still have 18 pounds to loose but even if i don't i know that i love me and i am still loosing inches every day. Good luck. I should motioned that I am 5 feet 11 inches and now I have hour glass figure. So discuss with your doctors they know best and my plastic surgeon work withy doctors .

I am desperate for plastic surgery but it has denied twice due lack of medical necessity on found in reality it's totally medically necessary.

If anyone has a new advice on how to get it to go through insurance please do let me know

I was self pay as my excess skin caused no health issues.

I am desperate for plastic surgery but it has denied twice due lack of medical necessity on found in reality it's totally medically necessary.

If anyone has a new advice on how to get it to go through insurance please do let me know

I was self pay as my excess skin caused no health issues.

I am desperate for plastic surgery but it has denied twice due lack of medical necessity on found in reality it's totally medically necessary.

If anyone has a new advice on how to get it to go through insurance please do let me know

Thank you for your info

I'm sorry my post

Just keeps duplicating for some reason I apologize