I don't think I'll ever have plastics

I was thinking the other night about skin removal (I know, still early for me, but I'm sure it is what everyone considers.) The skin removal and various tucks will be a small fortune, and that isn't something I can see spending money on. I did this surgery to make a life for myself, which in turn I wanted to make a good life for my grandma who took me in and adopted me and supported me. If I ever work somewhere and make great money I can use to save back for it, maybe in time, but I think I have set my mind to not getting any. Instead, I want to focus on filling my future bags with muscle. I have always been really interested in the "larger" body physique for women. Not body builder, but someone very strong and fit. That is the goal I am ingraining into my mind! It will be hard, and take time, and won't get rid of all the issues, but I am hoping it is the way for me to go.

Did any of you go down this road instead of plastics? Also, I am not against plastics in anyway, I think they're great! I just don't think they will ever be in my close future.

I very much want plastic surgery and I hope to have it as soon as my body is ready for it. But, I totally understand the desire to be strong. I never thought I would feel that way. I don't think that when I was obese I understood even a small fraction of what my body could be capable of. Exercise meant pain, and lack of oxygen and generally feeling sick. It was something I had to drag myself to do. Now it's like drugs or something. I want to walk/run farther and lift heavier. I push sleds, whip battle ropes and run stairs and it's HARD but my body feels up for the challenge now.

I never, ever thought I would love exercise but I truly mean it when I say that I wouldn't give it up even if someone told me I'd never lose another pound. So yeah, I get the desire to be strong!

I love exercise. I weigh 308 right now (pre surgery) but I'm a jock at heart. My long list of whys regarding this surgery is 75% physical things. In fact, one of my rewards is a hike across Hadrian's Wall (the width of England, 84 miles).

I can't WAIT for the experiences you're talking about!!

Right! I'm an athlete stuck in a fat girl's body! How did this become WHO I am? I can't wait to become muscular! Not body builder muscles but a cut physique. I'm pre-op and have already started working out. I can feel the changes starting in my arms. Hopefully this will help with the excess skin later. The insurance I currently have will cover plastics but when I start to get my new old body back, I want a new job where I'm sure it would be difficult to get insurance coverage.... so do I just wait it out 2 years or go for the new job and hope muscles replace skin?

Exercise will help fill out loose skin, but it will not prevent it.

I know, it sucks, I still got saggy skin from weight loss 8 yrs ago, yucky lol

I don't plan on having any plastics done. I might, at some point, have lipo done on my ankles but I wanted to do that previous to WLS. Cankles run in my family blaaaa

I know the cankle pain

You might surprise yourself. I thought I was going to need some lipo there because that seemed to be the most stubborn fat, my feet got really skinny, I went from wearing a 12W to a 10M (almost need a narrow *sigh*), but the fat at my ankles stayed.

Then the last like 10 or 12 pounds I lost, they are almost totally disappeared.

If you lose low enough they might go, at some point you have lost fast from so many places, your body has to burn off the fat it wants to keep.

I have zero plans to get plastics. I don't think it's worth the money (for me). Plus opiate painkillers don't do squat for me, so I would be recovering from massive incisions on only Tylenol... no thanks!!

How much muscle you can fill out with will really depend on how much skin you end up with, and where. Swimming has built up my arm muscles so my arms don't look too floppy. However, no amount of muscle-building is going to help with my tummy rolls or wobbly thighs.

Being mentally comfortable with however your body turns out is a good goal.