Off The Wall..........

I don't post much any more, just occasionally when the topic hits me or I feel my input might be useful to someone....but......

I was talking to someone at work the other day on the elevator.  She mentioned how great she thought I looked even though I said it has been MONTHS since I have lost an ounce.  She reminded me that I am in a lot better shape than I was a year ago and I look better.  She asked me don't you feel you look better.

I didn't even have to think about it, I just told her it will never be good enough for me.....there will always be something wrong.  Sad as it sounds, that is the way it is...I have only lost about 70% of the weight I wanted to lose so far.....yes, I am still working on it, but I still see rolls when I look in the mirror and worse than that are the wrinkled batwings and saggy thighs!  I am afraid that it will never be good enough for me!

 I know how you feel ..  I never lost the last 50+ lbs. I wanted to, and on top of it have regained about 40+ lbs.  

  I recall, though, that WLS surgeon, who was interviewed as part of that 60 Minutes show on WLS a couple of years or so ago, saying how WLSers should not expect to become "thin" or even a normal weight after surgery ..  The usual result, he said, is going from SSMO or SMO to just O, or if O. to just "overweight" ..      I found that comment kind of surprising and a downer, but then if you look at the EWL % stats for the different kind of surgeries (e.g. 60%-80%), he seems to be right .. 

  Good luck, though .. and don't stop trying!   

Oh, I'm so sorry you feel this way!!!  I do wish I could have plastic surgery right now to get rid of my excess skin but am sooooooo thankful for my weight loss that I'm happy whether or not that ever happens.  The past few months something has just clicked in my brain and I actually LIKE the me I see in the mirror, skin and all.  I hope you can figure out a way to get to that place, too!!

Laura

I do understand how you feel. You are not alone. Give it some time, the more time goes by the more comfortable I have become in all my excess skin! I have talked of nothing but plastics sin before I hit goal over a year ago. I know I look good in clothes it is naked that bothers me, and there are fashions I want to wear but won't work because of the skin. However, now that plastics are unlikely for a long time, I am now learning to come to terms with the excess and appreciate how far I have come and don't EVEr want to go back!! You might want to think about counseling to help--it couldn't hurt!
Meggie

I didn't have this surgery so I would look good, I had this surgery so I could live a better quality of life, so I could play with my grandkids or take them to Six Flags, so I would have a better chance of living to be 80... LOL

I'm sorry that you seem to be fixated on how you look... every time your mind tries to go there.. just remind yourself that you are in better shape... remember how hard it was to climb stairs, or walk long distances, or whatever your biggest hurdle was back then.... remind yourself that no matter how you look now, you don't ever want to go back to living like that again....

Hugs,

This is an interesting, thought-provoking post.

I have been through one round of plastics and have one to go.  This next one will get rid of the batwings, the thigh flab, and the stomach flab.  Unfortunately my work calendar is just too full to schedule the surgery anytime soon.  But I WILL do it this year ... I am determined.

That said, when I look in the mirror and see the saggy skin, even though it looks gross, I am so proud that those wrinkles and bags are no longer full of fat!!  They are badges of honor and achievement to me.  They mean I am so much healthier and better looking than I was before.  They mean I can shop in any store I want and find clothes that fit.

So, while I'll be glad to see the saggy skin go, I'd rather have that than the fat any day of the week.

It might not ever be good enough for you - I know rail thin women who are unhappy with the way they look - there is always something to find fault with.

I am with Laura - I am happy with the way I look and feel - batwings, wrinkles, gray hair and all.  I will never have plastics so I may as well be content with what I have and it sure beats being fat all to hell!  I love squeezing in between tight tables at restaurants, picking stuff off the floor, squatting down and standing back up without support.

I have many roles and job duties - mother, wife, engineer.......... nowhere do I see "beauty queen" in any of my job decriptions, so I am safe! 

 

Thanks for your thoughts and suggestions.

Kat

You know... I finally had to come to terms with the fact that I may never be happy with how i look naked, but darn - I look good in clothes!!!  So, with that said, my wings, hmmmm sorry arms giggle, my thighs wiggle, but in the end, I'm healthy, generally happy and lovin' life.  So, it's not all about being the slimmest thing out there anymore; it's about being happy in my own skin.   I understand how you feel, but in the end you have to live with yourself.  I hope you can find happiness in what you've accomplished vs what's still to be done.