My Fat Legs and Butt!!!

Ok, I am losing good but I am concerned about my rear and my legs. They have always been the biggest parts of me. I have lost 80 pounds since March 24 and I can tell in my face, shoulders and stomach. But my hips and legs still look hug to me. To me my legs are gross. I just want to have knees again. Not gorgeous legs, but legs smaller than they are now. I am so scared I will get to my goal of 150 and still have huge ugly fat legs. I started this journey at 313 and am now at 233. Did any of u have big legs and then lost them? Do u have normal legs now? I know thats a stupid question but this is something that bothers me, lol. Thanks Angela Open RNY 3/24/05 313/233/150???

Hi Angela, I don't have your exact "problem," but a variation - most of my excess weight is in my belly area. So guess where I have been showing the most change from weight loss? My FEET and my BOOBS! I was never big in the chest, about a C cup at my highest weight of 368, but now at 270 I am wearing my old B cups and they are too big! I don't know what the answer is, I have no idea how the body decides where to drop weight, but if anybody has any wisdom about how to exert some INFLUENCE, I'd sure love to know how Good luck, Angela! Kat C

Hi Angela.... I am having issues with how I'm losing weight too, but in different areas. It can be discouraging. I have lost 80lbs as well and my stomach is losing slower than the rest of me and I'm extremely self conscious about it. Then theres the boob issue ... OMG! I had gorgeous big boobs before surgery..... now they are still big, but sagging so bad I don't even want my boyfriend to see them. Hopefully our bodies will even out more as we lose more weight. Keep your chin up.... your doing great! Scarlette

Your boyfriend shouldn't be seeing yhour boobs any way.HA HA HA

I know that people say this all the time, but are you taking your measurements? I don't take mine, so feel free to not take this advice. You may be losing inches there that you don't see. Also, I notice that I lose first in my breasts and stomach (these are not my biggest weight loss concerns) and then in my hips and thighs (which is where I'd like to lose). It is frustrating, but once the rest of me gets smaller, the only place left to lose will be there, so my body hopefully won't have choice. Hopefully yours won't either. Good luck. Becky

Angela, I'd like to echo Becky's comment on the measurements! If you haven't taken them yet, start now. It's not too late. I was a pear before surgery, am still a pear and will always be a pear...but a smaller one!!! That has been one of my struggles as I look in the mirror, I still see the "thunder thighs". However, because I have taken measurements, I can see the change on paper -- 8 inches per thigh and 12 inches in the hips -- and can see the change in my pant size. There is no way I could have gone from a 24 to a 14 without my thighs, hips and bottom getting smaller. My big gripe is my chest -- or lack there of -- LOL!! Oh well, I guess it is a small price to pay!! Chin up...Don't loose heart!! Gail

Angela, remember that you can't spot reduce. If your body shape leans towards large legs and rear ends, they will reduce, but you will still tend towards large legs and rear ends--not as large, but likely not super trim, either (though it HAS been known to happen.) Now, once you've reached goal and stablized, you can talk to a surgeon about tucking the loose skin, but we bring to the table what God (plus mom and dad's DNA) gave us. Measuring to see how it's actually going is a wonderful idea, and remember that we all pretty much see ourselves as heavier than others perceive us. I was still thinking fat until I walked by a mirror and unexpectedly saw my own reflection and wasn't prepared. Suddenly, I saw myself as thinner and looking like most "slightly overweight" folks (if you can call 40 lbs overweight "slightly"). It might just take a sudden realization to see yourself in a different light. But, unless our bodies tend towards Jennifer Aniston or Brad Pitt (bad combination, I know), we're probably not going to look like them. Greg (342/214/178) PS. You're doing great, by the way!

Angela, Ohhh boy do I know what you are talking about! I must admit I have a beautiful face, waist, slim hips and a not so bad rear BUT my thighs are huge! I look so nice except this area. Frankly, I NEVER wear shorts or short skirts because of this problem. It has haunted me forever. I absolutely hate them. My thighs and calves just do not match the rest of me. It is humiliating! I am 43 now but when I was 22 I had liposuction on my thighs. As it turned out when I ended up obese a few years later they looked lumpy from the lipo! It wasn't smooth. I am so pissed. This is one of the down sides of lipo....but now they have new techniques that should help smooth this out but I need to find the best leg plastic surgeon I can find. Can anyone recommend the best leg doctor in the country? I am willing to pay out the wazooo to have my legs match the rest of me. I want to be able to wear shorts without making a scene. And NO I don't have a body image issue I truly have thick thighs!Honey, you are not alone! Melanie Melanie

Oh Angela ... you and I are so alike! I've lost 110 lbs (as of this morning) and it's all been above my waist ... or so it feels. My butt and thighs are still huge. My thighs are beginning to look like something out of a horror movie (think "The Blob", think bags and lumps, think ... no, on second thought, DON'T think about it or you won't get any sleep ). I knew going into this these would be my problem areas, and, like you, I've worried about them. I HAD taken my measurements before surgery, so one morning last week, when I was feeling pretty down about my "below-the-waist", I took them again. Result(?): while they are still HUGE (and becoming more grotesque as my skin loosens), they ARE smaller than they were. So take your measurements ... I'm sure you'll see a difference then too. Oh ... and before I went to surgery I *was* huge ... but I felt solid, you know? I didn't "jiggle" much when I walked. Now everything's loose and I feel like this huge bag of half-melted jello when I walk ... arrrgh! Keep your chin up, Angela, and blessings your way. Just keep remembering we're doing much better than we were, and we can only get better from now on ... Myra (jiggle,jiggle,jiggle,jiggle!)

Oh Myra! Thank you thank you thank you!!! I too, was "solid" before surgery and with jeans/pants on I can look down and see that my legs are finally starting to shrink. But with shorts on!!!! OMG, little kids tremble and ask their moms if thats what happens when you eat too much jello. (You are what you eat ya' know). I do know my but and legs are shrinking slowly, at the beginning of August I started wearing hubby's old jeans. Now at the beginning of September they are beginning to hang on me. I will be nekkid by the beginning of October. (I can't afford new clothes and will have shrunk out of the clothes I am borrowing from hubby and son!) I just feel sorry for the children of the area who will have to see all my saggy, baggy skin flapping around-jello sales are going to plummet! Have a great week! Rebecca