My tummy - 4 weeks post op LBL...

 Thank you very much!

May I ask who your surgeon was and where they did the surgery?  Your results are amazing enough to make me want to use the same surgeon when it's time for my plastics!

 Hi and thank you so much!!

My surgeon is Dr. James Wade in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.  He is amazing!!! I feel completely comfortable in his abilities as a surgeon and he is also a really, really nice man. His staff is amazing. They are completely professional, but also have great bedside manner and are all very nice and nurturing.  I would recommend him to anyone... and have been doing so ever since my first surgery :). 

I read that you lost your weight through diet and exercise? that is how I am losing mine! how much weight did you lose in total and how long did you wait to have your skin removed and work done? you look beautiful btw! congratulations!

 Thank you so much!! Congrats to you on your weight loss thus far!! I have lost 196 lbs total so far.  14 lbs of that has come off since my skin removal surgeries. I have had about 8 lbs of skin removed so far and have lost a little more as a result of not being able to eat much right after surgery etc.  I actually only maintained my goal weight for about 3 months before I had my first surgery.  I know that isn't optimal, but it is what I needed to do in order to fit all of these surgeries into my schedule.  Technically, I have been maintaining a loss for as long as I have been losing (a little over 1.5 years).  I never experienced a regain.  So, I am confidant in my abilities to maintain this weight loss.  Good luck to you!!

Thanks! and wow! 196 is wonderful! when I get to goal weight I want to have everything done as well, but surgery scares me! I know I will cross that bridge when I come to it and make my decisions then! if nothing else I have alredy decided that I AM going to get my arms done! that I'm sure will be the first thing I tackle! I have been activly losing this weight for about 3 years, I plateaued out (when I lost about 85 to 90 lb's) and gained and lost the same 10 lb's at about 18 months for a long time, then I faced some life crises issues and stayed the same weight for a while, then I have slowly lost a little more since then, recently I have gotten my fire back and I am once again losing on a continual basis, Thank God! I even (in good faith) have set my goal weight to about 20 lower than I was originally shooting for, that will put me at 153 lb's and I don't remember the last time I weighed that much, maybe 4th grade? I am currently weighing in at 214 lb's and that is how much I weighed in about 8th grade of course I was much shorter then too! how did you lose your weight if you don't mind me asking? did you follow a specific plan? just curious you have done wonderful!     

 Thank you!! Congrats to you as well! Life sets us back at times.  It is super important to do as you have done and never give up.  

I basically made up my own plan.  I think it is essential for each of us to find what works for best in our life.  I calorie counted the whole time.  I stuck between 1200 and 1600 calories a day every day.  Occasionally I would go up to 1800, but not higher. I counted everything and weighed everything (I still do). I stuck to as many whole/ natural foods as I could and tried to stay away from as much processed food as I could.  I ate tons of protein and stayed away from sugars, too much fat and too many complex carbs.  My diet actually evolved as the year and a half progressed.  at first, I ate many more fats and sugars etc.  I basically  just ate whatever I wanted as long as it stayed within my caloric limit.  as my diet progressed, I became much more focussed on eating healthier, life giving foods.  My "diet" shifted into a lifestyle change and became something that I will follow for the rest of my life.  I give myself occasional "splurge" days like holidays, birthdays, weddings etc.  However, other than those few days, I stick to healthy eating all day every day.  I couldn't do much exercise throughout this weight-loss journey because I have back disc issues.  I walked a lot and did core exercises.  I believe that when trying to lose weight nutrition is 95% and exercise is 5%.  Don't get me wrong though, exercise is key for a healthy lifestyle and strong body.

Good luck with your weight loss!!! Keep us posted!

that is very similar to my story, I am all about eating life giving foods! staying as far away as possible from processed junk and the standard american diet.... and I too live by the occasional splurge or treat (I got into the bad habit of those coming far too often though and I have recently changed that again to seldom!) and I agree that the nutrition part is the majority of the weight loss! I do walking and bike riding for my exercise and ocasionally some strength training (just my own exercises in my living room) thanks for sharing, i find it helps me keep my focus and keep my eyes on the prize so to speak when I see someone has acomplised what I am moving towards!     

Wow, wow, wow... amazing results!  Did you ever think THIS was possible when you were at your highest weight!?!  You're the poster girl for plastics!  *smile*