Loose Skin and Self Acceptance (X post)

Don, I think I woke up my neighbor laughing at your shar peis comment!  I so understand!  :-)  Good luck with the work stuff!

Janice,

As my 50th birthday gift to myself, I had a TT and brachioplasty.  Did I mind turning 50, heck no!!!!  Why? My RYN and my PS have given me my health and confidence back.  I am able to wear a 2 piece bathing suit and am in the best shape of my life.   

Before I had RYN, I thought of plastics but always said, no just losing the weight will be a great achievement.  But I will tell you what,  if you can afford to have it done,,,,, go for it.  I did not have alot of loose skin.  I had a roll above my belly button that would hang over my pants.  I wore a 6/8 before and after my plastics.  The TT made my clothes fit better and gave me a nice waist line.  My arms are 100% nicer looking, no loose skin or bat wings.  Being thin is great, but the PS also allowed me to have a more positive body image of myself.  You only live once, make the best of it.

Would I do it again?  Definitely!!!!

Kathy

Thanks, Kathy, I appreciate your thoughts! And love the picture in front of the boat.  For some reason, I am fairly excited about turning 50.  :-)

 I want and need plastics.  I would look and feel so much better.  Probably not in my future though.  Not enough $$$$.

Are those your legs in your profile pic?  You are my HERO!

 Yes, they are but it's a flattering pose and the legs are sll that turned out well.  But thank you!

If you really want it, you can make it happen. If you have good credit, you can get a loan. It's all about priorities. If I can make it happen, anyone can.

Laura

This is an excellent topic. 

You are a great writer and very inspiring.  I wanted to LOL about the way you describe certain things but can't because I'm 5 days out from a TT/LBL   For me self-acceptance (and now age-acceptance) is a work in progress.  I just hit the BIG ONE and am changing my perspective from "I'm old" to "this is the beginning of the second half of my life."  In fact for each self-deprecating expression I think about myslef I have to come up with 5 positives based on life experience, e.g. the wisdom you can only get from life experience, and finding the parts of "think positive" that ring more true than cliche, no longer feeling like I have to find the perfect weight etc...  I accept that this will be a lifelong process - change takes work both mentally and physically.

So before I go getting all philosophical on you, I'll end this post by saying that changing decades is a challenge, and your list of 'things to do before I'm 50' just got shorter!

Many congrats on a job well done!  --Carolyn

Thanks, Carolyn!  I will keep good thoughts for you and your medical team this week.  Perhaps I have to admit that I am a little afraid of more surgery, so your decision is a brave one in my eyes.  :-)  I think the 50's will rock!  And yours is off to a great start!

Janice

Hi Janice!
I just saw a few pictures of you on your profile, WOW lady, you are absolutely  gorgeous!!! Your before pictures you looked so much older, certainly looked a whole lot older than 50! And NOW, you are just beautiful!

PS is a gift we give to ourselves! I want to age gracefully, and with my "clean" eating and healthy habits I look forward to aging. But the condition of my body  looked like a war zone! And reminders of how much I abused my body for so many years and not a vanity issue for me.. 

I exercised to death, to try to firm and tone what I could to reduce my chances of needing plastics. But only so much of exercising could help. The exercise  did help in my healing after PS , as I was in better condition health wise, and mentally. I did really well disguising the evidence of loose skin (after many episodes of "What Not To Wear"), ruffles down the center of my tops disguised my  apron.

But, being "intimate", I felt very self conscience. My husband was fine with everything, but I wasn't. Now I feel at such peace, and really enjoying  being intimate again!!!!!

Prek3
Carmen