Curious: What are you learning about your body?

That I adore thigh high boots, hell any kind of boots, just because I couldn't wear them for all the years.  And if they have heels they are even better.

That I missed my clothes - a lot - in the beginning.  I had collected art clothes for a long time. Now I am not as attached to my clothes or shoes.  In fact, I am not as attached to any material things any more.  I guess getting rid of my very large wardrobe helped to free me from being a mild hoarder. 

That I have grown used to my melted candle look. I am starting to accept it - even with the newest 30 staple addition to my stomach that left it slightly lopsided.  My body is proportionate and I kinda dig it.  I still freak out sometimes when I hold up my underwear.  I have been at this size for almost 18 months!  You would think by now I wouldn't be surprised.

That I want a boob job....bad.  I thought I wouldn't miss having huge breasts but yup, I do.  They are still pretty big proportionately but I want them up where they belong. 

Skin is heavy.

And I can still find the 3x/4x on a rack of medium or large clothes.  It must be a comfort thing. 

I still have some left to lose but I am finding that I actually have a waist. I had no shape before - everything was just kinda square. Now my waist actually goes in! And I am small chested. I am barely a B. When I lost my first 50 lbs, I declared it had all come from my chest! Can't wait to learn more as my body continues on this journey!

Amy

She's so much more capable of most things than I ever gave her credit for. For instance, she can run fast, jump high, endure for long distances, lift heavy objects, and bend into really cool shapes. Structurally, she's quite a great hour-glass shape -- fairly proportionate and fits easily into most fashions (even skinny jeans). I'm learning that some of my previous thoughts about her are just plain wrong: my heel pain wasn't genetic (it was weight related); my blood pressure is genetic (and NOT weight related); my sternum is bony and quite pronounced; my collar bones are freakin' awesome, and my stride is powerful and purposeful. While my Sharpei thighs will always be Sharpei like, my upper body looks damn fine: square shoulders (strong); toned armed (Angela Basset); and capable of great hugs!

This is a good and inspiring post for pre-ops and new patients.  I still have a few pounds to lose but everything seems t be settling down in it's old order.  Boney chest, long arms and thin hands again.  My rings are sliding all over the place.  My calves are trimmer than i thought they would be and even see the muscles getting firm.  Pantyhose fit.  I haven't figured out underwear size yet....or bra size either.  The last time I went shopping I bought some things that look a little to young!!  I don't know what I was thinking but my DILs will probably enjoy them.

My biggest surprise is how thin my face is.  I always thought that when people age their face gets wider.  My old glasses look like clown glasses.  I've hauled out some old old clothes and I still love them.  There are a few that are still tight from a time that i really lost a lot of weight.  I love to wear brightly colored sweat pants around the house now....and gym pants that I would never have gone out it are so cool to wear to the gym.  The weight loss makes me feel 25 years younger and it feels great.  I hope everyone else gets to feel as good.

I'm editing to say that I'm going to try on some high boots in the near future.  I've been looking at Zappo's online.  LOL

Do it! I saw a beautiful, cranberry colored pair of knee high boots on Zappos and mentioned to my husband that I thought they were pretty. He bought them for me as a gift in spite of my fear because Zappos has such an easy return policy. I am SO glad he did; they are my favorite shoes now. You'll never know if you never try:

Oh, very smart!  I put a photo of a pair (from Zappo's) , pn Pinterest so I can look at them often. 

I learned that underneath almost 200 lbs of fat, I'm little!!!  Well, to me I am! LOL

I have always been a 'big' girl my whole life, even as a small child.  Just genetics really being Irish/Hungarian/Sweedish combo!  I was always tall too (I'm 6' tall, have been since junior high) so everyone always told me when I was losing weight that I "Never looked THAT fat!" (Gotta love the quotes you hear!!!) but truth be told, I was.   Weighing in at 320 lbs and a tight size 26, I certainly felt it.

Here's my before, taken the day of surgery:

 

Here's my after, almost 3 years later at goal 155 lbs, and a size 4:

 

So now I'm living life as a normal sized person.  I'm athletic, have tons of energy, active, and eat EVERYTHING!  LOL  The key for me is moderation.  Yes, I will have a few spoons of chocolate rice pudding a few hours after we eat dinner, but everything I eat and prepare is fresh, healthy (for the most part! LOL) and full of delicious flavor.  I'm an avid home chef, and love going on the internet and looking up new recipes to try.  Tonight I made a fresh Cajun chicken pasta with Fettuccine that was loaded with fresh herbs, veggies and healthy fats in a cream wine sauce.  Granted, I can only eat a few bites of it, but we have leftovers galore and I don't have to make anything for lunch later in the week.  Over the weekend I made an awesome pulled pork that cooked all day long in the oven on Sunday.  I also made homemade baked beans and cornbread to go along with it.

Fortunately, my job is very physical (I work for a merchandising company that is contracted with Stop & Shop grocery store) so I don't regularly work out or go to the gym (thank goodness because I lothe the gym! LOL treadmills make me want to gauge my eyes out!) For exercise during the first two years I walked it off.  It was cheap (just need sneakers) and I could do it anywhere, preferably outside weather permitting, and in the mall when it did not.

So life as a regular sized person is pretty weird, but once you get used to people checking you out (it took me a really long time to get used to that where it didn't make me uncomfortable, being a big girl, I was all but invisible walking around the mall or Walmart) life returns to whatever 'normal' is for you and the attention and gasps dies down after seeing that you were successful losing weight.  Then the 'you're too skinny' comments start and you just smile and say 'my doctor and I are very pleased!' and walk the other way!

M'Lane

 

 

 

Your results are fantastic.  It's nice to see hat 155lbs look like.  That's my goal but i don't think I can ever get down to a size 4. 

That's incredible.  More power to you!

Thanks BWB,

Trust me, I NEVER thought I'd EVER see single digits, let alone a 4!  I lost 120 at one year post-op and I thought I was done and I was thrilled with that at a size 16!  In my 2nd year, I lost another 80 lbs and got down to a 4.  I never thought it would ever happen to me to even reach goal, but when I surpassed it, it surprised me the most out of everyone!  Good luck in your journey--the is the most tremulous, crazy time for you right now, but enjoy it, its fantastic and life-changing!

 

M'Lane