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Hi Annie,

I'm delighted to see you posting and I look forward to getting to know you.

While I'm much shorter than you at about 5' 5.75", I have a similar issue with being bigger on top than on the bottom. I wear a size 6/8 on the top most of time and a 4/6 on the bottom.

If you can wait about a year or so past your first surgical anniversary before deciding on plastics you may find that you will have some 'redraping' that will occur. I don't mean to say that everything will 'snap back,' but I think you may find that things will drape a bit better with some time. It will also give you some time to shop plastic surgeons and compare, while you prioritize what you want done most/first.

Re: feeling like you like what you see. This really takes some time and I think it's for a myriad of reasons. First of all, we are somewhat dysmorphic... we have trouble see the changes others are telling us they are seeing. I had some formal portraits taken of myself and that really did help me see what others were telling me that they were seeing. You can see some of them on my profile. The other thing that I think contributes to this issue, is that while we have taken major steps to gain control of our health now, we have also done some major damage and it can be hard to look at the damage we have done. I know that it has taken me some time to come to grips with it and to forgive myself. Thirdly, I found that I look at myself much more critically and judgementally now, than I ever did before and than I ever would look at anyone else. If I were as gentle with me as I am with you or any of my other friends, I would be much easier on me. Try to talk to yourself as you would your best friend. Congratulate yourself on all of the positives. Try mall watching... if you look at 99.9% of the ladies walking around the mall, you and I look as good or better than they. Remember that Christy Brinkley and Beyonce are anomolies, not the norm.

Re: how low to go... My Dr gave me 137 as my 'ideal' weight. I skoffed at that weight as being much too low and thought I would never attain it. I actually not only attained it, but went lower. Having got there, I wasn't so comfortable, physically or with my appearance. Now, I'm about 5 to 7 lbs heavier than what he considers to be my ideal weight, but if I had my excess skin removed, I'll bet we'd be about even ;-). At any rate, I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'm glad I went down there and tried it on. Now, I won't wonder if I should be lighter. I'll know I'm not because I'm more comfortable with how I look and feel a little heavier. You may want to do the same. If you like how you look and feel lighter, then stay there... If not, you can bounce back to a weight that makes more sense for you.

Wishing you all the best as you learn to maintain the enormous losses and gains you have made in the past year.

Nope! I do.

I couldn't eat them right after surgery, but don't have a problem with them know. As a matter of a fact, nuts are a great go to for protien if I'm out and about and need protien laden snack. You just need to watch the quantity because they can be calorie dense, but they are also chock full of good stuff.

Check with your Nutritionist and your Dr's office before having something like this though. You want to be sure that you stay with their program as you lose weight.