I'm gonna be brave

Hey girl! Thanks for the sweet words. I think I finally said good bye to the hair loss...I didn't have to borrow my brother's drag queen wigs afterall!

Wow, what a transformation! Lori

Wow Lori! I almost didn't recognize the newer photo! You are looking wonderful!!! You've lost so much already.

Great Pictures Ana! Congrats! You look awesome and what a great husband to remind you and take your pictures! Cute kids too!!

Thanks! You're looking pretty good yourself!

Hey I must say your photos are amazing, you look great. Of course you started out with this surgery weighing alot less then me, but thats not the point. I wanted to ask you... being you look so great, did you work out alot? Is excersize the reason your skin didnt hang?Honestly, I would like to know becuase I dont work out really atall I find it very hard to find time but thats besides the point, I just wanted to know if you worked out alot? again, you look great congrats to you Michelle 267/205/135

Hey Michelle. Thanks for the kind words. Since you said honestly, I'll answer honestly. At first I walked 30 minutes everyday and then as soon as August came here I just about completely stopped exercising. To me it was a time issue. After having the baby last year and staying home I had to learn to balance 2 kids, hubby, house AND back to my teaching job. I started adding some weights in September but it wasn't until October that I started doing it nightly. It was just recently that I've begun running every day. I've spoken with my doc about skin issues and here's what he has to say about that: 1. It's genetics. (My mom does have wonderful skin, almost 60 and hardly a wrinkle.) 2. It depends on your age. He said the younger you are the more elastic you are. I'm 30 so I guess I barely got in. He mentioned 30 and younger have fewer problems. 3. It depends how heavy you were to begin with and how long you've been overweight in your life (the longer you've been heavier the more saggy the skin will be). I've been obese for the past 10 years and it was always around 75 pounds overweight. It was only the last few years I hit 90+. My goal is under 100 pounds total loss. He said exercise does help lots but depending on the above factors, there's not more you can do. That said, I will tell you my good friend had the surgery 4 years ago. She's been obese since she was very small. She was 350 pre-op and now she's 180 and has stayed that way the past few years. She has tons of excess skin but can't afford surgery. She had a consult and they mentioned she would shed 20 pounds + if they did several surgeries...but man that's stuff is expensive. I do feel very lucky. I know if I did not have the surgery I would definitely be headed down the path of more gain. I would gain more as a year went by anyway. So, now yes, I exercise. I've always played by the eating rules and never cheated. It was only recently with my dr's permission that I allow sugar in my diet. I wish you the best of luck and I hope I answered your questions. Thanks again and good luck to you...you're already doing so well Michelle. You'll get to goal!

Ana you look fantastic! You are so close to goal. You just look amazing. Keep up the great job! Deanna

OMG Deanna! I was looking at your profile and you have made such progress. You're looking so amazing and you're so pretty! Beautiful family.