8TH MONTH ANNIVERSARIES

Good morning, all! It's ccccoooooolllllldddddd in Connecticut! I can't do my walking after work any more because it gets so dark, so early. Am thinking to join Curves, anyone having any success with that? Anyway, yesterday marked 8 months for me and I'm at exactly 201 lbs. Down from 332 on day of surgery, down from 352 since I saw my surgeon last December. Weird. Just plain weird. So many conflicting emotions and thoughts. I am really going to try to get to my goal of 150 by my one year anniversary but until then, just going to try to concentrate on physical activity. My arms are just too gross for words -- very slender and well defined on the top, but the skin is so loose on the bottom - I could sail a boat with 'em! My tummy isn't as bad as I thought it would be but, hey, it's early. My face looks like it's made of rubber, lots of lines and wrinkles, I look tired all the time. Anyone have any helpful ideas for toning up the face??? Anyway, this is the greatest group of people in the world and I am sooooo happy I found you a little over 8 months ag. God bless and be well. Maureen

Reenie, Sorry I have no answers for you. My body grosses me out. I need a lot of tucks and whatever... At least most of it can be hidden in public.

Oh its awful cooold in PA/DE too!!! brrr!!! Wow! 201 congrats! You are doing so awesome Maureen! I know what you mean about the arms and feeling "melty" I was washing out the tub and saw the greusome hanging flesh on my arms! eeeep!!! I am thinking...extreme makeover or the swan for my final transformation! If it weren't for being away from the family for 3 months I would do it in a heartbeat! A friend of mine mentioned she was getting her tummy, thighs and arms done and it was going to cost her 10,000 dollars! 'sigh' but so well worth every penny! My thighs and arms I am most wanting done! to be able to wear short shorts and tank tops is a dream for me! I was a kid last time I was able to pull that off! In the mean time I am using shea butter and coco butter on my thighs and arms and massaging best I can. To no avail really but heck I'm gonna keep trying! You keep up the good work! Elizabeth M

Maureen - good to hear from you! I'm going to hit 8 months tomorrow. I'll wait until then to give my total. Think I can lose 3 lbs overnight to get me to 100? Yeah, me neither! I'm with you and Connie on the plastics. I want everything nipped and tucked. I know it's vanity, but it's almost like I feel like I traded one problem for another. I'd MUCH rather have this problem of hanging skin, but I can't help but pine for the day I too can wear shorts and tank tops. I'm finding my tummy isn't rashing up like I had hoped (so insurance would pay for a tt), but around the outside of my flap of skin, it hangs out in a roll toward my hips. I have to wear tummy control or have some shirt to wear over it because it's just gross. I do think that will be the first thing to go. And the boobs. Get the girls done at the same time...may as well! I'm hoping that I can have all this done by next year. I don't think it will be any time really soon, but I'm hoping for maybe next summer or fall. That should give me enough time to get to goal and be there for awhile. Until then.....SPANDEX baby!!! Dina

Maureen, You are doing so awesome. I love your grit and determination. I've got lots of friends who belong to Curves and love it. In fact, one of my angels here is now employed by Curves. As for the face and skin. I swear by Avon ANEW. I don't sell it, but I've used it for years. I really credit it with keeping me from looking like a Sharpei. I spent way too much time in the sun as a kid and young adult. I was so proud of the fact that people always told me I had the darkest tan they'd ever seen. Little did I know that I was cooking myself into Wrinkleville. In my 30's I started slathering on face cream and trying to make up for the horrors that I had done to my face. I have some pretty bad sun spots on my face, but very few wrinkles. I have less wrinkles than my sister who is 8 years younger than me and spent less time in the sun. It ****** her off that people always ask who is older. I thought I was unwrinkled because I was a chunkette and I was afraid that as the weight left, I was going to look like a road map of North America. I'm really fortunate that didn't happen. Like I said, I credit Avon ANEW. I use night cream all the time. I don't bother with day creams, just apply night cream with a putty knife and plaster a layer of foundation over that. My old boss who is in her 60's and has the facial skin of a 30 year old swears by Dove cleansing clothes. So, Happy Anniversary to me TODAY! I think I've lost about 120. That's according to my scale, buck naked, first thing in the morning, right after I pee. I say I think because some days I'm up a couple and some days I'm down a couple. The last couple of months have been agonizingly slow, but it will all go. This afternoon, I saw one of my chiropractors. This guy is the BEST chiropractor, but a little obtuse. Mind you I see this guy a couple of times a month, but today he comes into the room and walks around me, looking me up and down as if he's seeing me for the first time. "What?!?!", I ask him. "Are you losing weight?" "I've lost over a 100 pounds! Are you just now noticing? I don't know if I want you to touch me anymore. How did you get through bone cruncher school?" It's no wonder he loves me and looks forward to my visits. "You're getting skinny." "Hardly, I still have a long way to go." "How much more do you want to lose?" "Another 40 or 50 pounds." "So you want to get down to 100 pounds? Are you crazy?" I love this man. Next month I will be 9 months out on the 9th of the month. I'm looking forward to that date. I really hope I can dump another 10 pounds by then. Love, Connie

See? There ya go Connie - get yer meathooks into a doctor and you'll never have to pay to get manipulated again!!!! Okay - that doesn't sound quite right, but hey - I'm leaving it in!!! Dina

Hi-- Boy, I love to be with my age peers on the over 50 forum, but there is a lot to be said of being around all of you where we are at the same place! Eight months for me will be on the 16th....and I have lost 55 of the 70 I intended to have gone by that time. But, I am ok with it...and speaking of wrinkles, I can live with the tummy....but am kind of vain with the face...and right now it looks good for 63 and some of it is good genes and I swear by Mary Kay products, but I think some of it is that I haven't lost it all yet. I am thinking of the pros and cons of having a skinnier body but a wrinkled face or stay at the 10/12 I am at and keep my face looking better. I guess I will just try to maintain for awhile. Of course if I could afford a tummy tuck and a face lift (my insurance won't pay for any cosmetic surgery) I would do it all! Sally

Hi Maureen, I'm logging on to this message board at your suggestion. I'm amazed at the changes in you since surgery and just want to encourage you and everyone else to "Keep the Faith". For the rest of you... Maureen and I had our surgery on the same day(March 8,2004); and by the same surgeon(Dr. Aranow) and have been trying to provide support for each other. She has been a great friend and source of encouragement. Thanks and "HAPPY ANNIVERSARY" kiddo!!!!!!!!