Before and After

I look at some of the before and after pictures and can hardly beleive the results.  It's amazing!!!  Give me some insite on how it feels to really see the weight coming off.  I'm so excited to be working toward the same results.   I'm trying to visualize myself down 100 lbs.  I just can't see it. 

 Hi Deborah,

I keep a blog, so rather than repeating it, just click on my picture to read.  Have a great weekend!  Laura

Hi Deborah,

I really understand how difficult it can be to visualize yourself 100 lbs thinner. I know that I didn't have a frame of reference to 'see' what I'd look like and to be honest, I look much different than I thought I would. The last time I was anywhere near slender, I was 16 and still a *****unky. When I slimmed down that summer, I was shaped something like Rachel Ray. Now I'm shaped very differently. I'm barrel chested and slim hipped. Who would have thought? Not me! I found a website called virtualmodel.com that does a pretty good job at giving you a decent representation of what you would look like at different weights, but I had the proportions all wrong.

If you look at my photos, you'll see my metamorphosis, but to be honest, I'm about 136 now and so I'm about 10 to 25 lbs lighter now than I am in most of my photos. I hate my most recent photos because of the excess skin and I haven't posted any lately. My son is getting married soon and I'll probably have some to post after that.

I wish you all the best as you make this incredible journey.

Barb

So far 130 pounds gone is GRRRRRRREEEEEAAAAATTTTTTTT!  But I am shooting for loosing 184.  We don't have enough space for me to tell how that would feel. I still don't see what other people say they see though. I have been told my brain will eventually loose the weight also.
Myrtis

It's a whirlwind!  It's wonderful, but it really does take time for your brain to catch up with the new body.  Mind you, I'm not complaining!  It feels great, I love clothes shopping now, I love being healthier and even a little more confident then I was before!  :)  I know it's hard to visualize, I had no clue what I'd look like.  At 145 I weigh less now then I did in high school.

For awhile, I think I was keeping such close track of it all, I was just revelling in it.  But now that I've been at goal for awhile, I find that my brain is settling in somewhere in the middle weights.  When I look at pictures, I find myself thinking things like: wow, that's a great picture...it makes me look little!  When in reality, that's how I look all the time, it's not a magic picture or anything.  :) 

Yesterday I went shopping with 5 other friends (a friend with a mini van drove.)  As we loaded up the back of the van with all of our purchases, we had to start storing stuff around us on the seats.  After everything started getting filled up, one of my friends said, "We need someone skinny to sit in the back now.  Deb, that's you."  I laughed at first and then realized that next to the driver, I actually was one of the smallest people there!  I appologized for the laughing and explained that I thought she was joking.  They all got a giggle out of the way my brain is still playing catch up too.  :)  Thank God for supportive, understanding friends!

You all are inspiring.  I love looking at the before and after pictures.  I'm sure everybody else did before they had their surgery.  It's so amazing.  I pray one day this will all come about for me.  I really like this site.  It would be nice for this area to have a get together.  Let me know if you hear of any. Thanks for your help.

Deborah

Oh we do!  There are different groups around the state that get together, one of them is in Raleigh, and we get together the 3rd Saturday of every month.  If that's not to far for you, check it out.  The details are on a meet-up site:  http://wls.meetup.com/101/   Many people on there are also on OH (but it's not a requirement.)  Also, our OH NC group is getting together in October at the NC Zoo (families included.)  I can't remember the exact date right now, but maybe someone else will pipe in with that info.