Weekly Question: Do you feel FAKE THIN?

I am 1.5 years post op. I lost over 200 pounds in the first year. As we all know, this leaves the once morbidly obese person with the "residuals" to deal with.

Those of us who have not had the plastics yet have to handle the extra skin and jiggliness of it all. The flap of belly, the stretched skin, the waddle under the chin, the bat wings, sagging breasts, thighs and butt.

In the dealing of these issues, I feel like I am a fake thin person. On the outside, to those who don't know me, I look thin. But once those jeans come off, you can clearly see I am NOT thin!

In that sense I feel fake, like I am misrepresenting my body.

So the question is posed: Do you feel Fake Thin?

This sounds like a great topic for us as it falls under the "body image" stuff we talked about last month.  Additionally, it falls under the saying I heard when I first had my surgery:

"The first year, it's about your body; the second year it's about your brain (catching up) and the third year you just get to enjoy it."

I sense that you are at the point post-op when the weight is gone and you what you are left with, so to speak, and now the mind game begins.  It is hard to look at layers of skin once filled with fat and not struggle, feel sad or ________.  I kept reassuring myself "at least it's not filled with fat" but it's still not the most attractive look on the block, no doubt.  I'd love to have my legs and arms done but I don't think that's financially in the cards for me at this time so I've either gotten used to it or I ignore them (not sure which). 

I'm not trying to sugar coat this, what you are feeling right now is very real and I think we all go through it especially when the weight is gone and a portion of our body didn't turn out like we'd hoped.  You'll hear a lot of post-ops, myself included, that didn't want another person, espeically one we were about to be intimate with, see us naked...lots of "turn the lights off!" stuff. 

Kimberlee

You said it all best right there. Do you think we can talk about this on Saturday?

To answer the question: no, I don't feel fake thin.

I'm reading a book called Shape up with the Slow Fat Triathlete and she has a daily affirmation that I think we could all use:

"I look okay. I feel great. And I don't give a crap what anyone else thinks."

I think we get wrapped up too much in perfection and are constantly holding our bodies up to a standard that is not attainable. If I look good in my clothes, that's good enough for me. Yes, I have droopy boobs and stretch marks, but I'm also in my 50s and have had two kids. That's what I'm supposed to look like. I'm not supposed to look like a Victoria's Secret model (and even they get airbrushed) and I really wouldn't want to, anyway.

You truly inspire me. Thank you. I think I will adopt that saying.

I think a lot of what I am going through has to do with being in Television and Film. The Hollywood mentality. Size Negative Two's and such roaming around. But that saying brings it back for me. Thank you for posting.

It's not just that they are all small. It's that they are impossible to emulate. Because mostly what we see is not really them. They are made up professionally, their pictures are airbrushed, they use special lighting in the movies and on tv. Sometimes they do special things in wardrobe -- like sew people into their clothes or use custom-designed clothes that fit perfectly.

Then we are supposed to live up to this standard that these people in real life aren't even living up to.

Thanks for the reality check there. I have been thinking a lot lately on this 'Fake Thin" thing. It helped to go to the support group this past Saturday and hear what others think about it.
Thanks for responding here.

Oop, this Sat. I came home from my tri workout and passed out for 3 hours! LOL