Meg - I think you're right!!! What I'll do is move it to...errrmm...Diet Plans I suppose? That's probably the most visited forum at 3FC (other than the Buddy Up! which wouldn't apply anyway).

We'll leave a sticky here at the WLS board though.

And Lisa and Meg - PLEASE come by the BFL/Bodybuilding board! Meg - I know you've been there before and remember your response to QZ - the reason I asked Suzanne to rename the forum from just regular ol' Body for Life to BFL/Bodybuilding is that so many of us BFLers have gone on to different things, using the same basics that we learned in our BFL challenge(s). One thing I've learned about bodybuilding...there isn't just 'one way to go'. However, I do believe that BFL is a great way to get started with weight training, which can look pretty intimidating and scary to the beginner (especially if she/he has a HUGE amount of bodyfat to lose!).

Lisa - Your gym sounds amazing! a rock climbing wall huh?

Take care and hope to see you both at the BFL/BB Board!

I don't know very much about weight loss and the extra skin. Do any of you think pregnancy has anything to do with the elasticity of the skin? :?: :^:

Hm, you'd have to ask someone who's been pregnant - that wouldn't be me...

There was an interesting article in Oxygen Magazine a month or two back about stretch marks, how some women get them, and others don't. I think part of it HAS to be genetic IMO.

MrsJim i have a q for you.

Iv been thinking alot about starting weight training. Iv started my new diet and exercise lifestyle 2 months ago and have so far lost 2kg (4.4lbs). Now that im on a roll (iv been told its good to loose it slow), i think its very important to start the weights. I dont have any loose skin atm, and i would like to prevent it as much as possible, or at least minimize it.

i am currently trying to decide on a good gym or trainer (dont mind paying for personal trainer). I think i trainer would be better for me, so i am shown the right way to life the weights (i would forget otherwise...lol).

Im 18, female, 164cm tall ( 5'5")currently 74kg (162lbs). Im only 6kg (13lbs) overweight, but i had put on 17kg(37lbs) within the span of a year, 2 years ago! I use to weigh 58kg (127lbs) which is my goal weight. My q to you is, what kind of free weights, how heavy weights, and what kind of exercises, would i be looking at for a beginner. I do want muscle defination, the "toned" look, but i dont want lots of muscle. I do realsise that those small hand lightweights dont tone much, or at all.

Could you recomend or at least gimme an idea of what im after. I dont want to like turn up to a gym and have someone tell me to not do heavy weights and just do aerobics classes. With a little extra knowledge, i will then know if there really going to help well or just want my $$.

Thanx heaps, your an insperation!

Cheers!

Mrs Jim,
I am also wondering about weights. I read somewhere that women were suppose to use 'light weights' in order to get the best results. "Low weight; high repetitions".

Is that correct??? Thanks!!!!

If you're referring to using those pink 3-5-8 pound weights and doing a kajillion reps, well, that's a myth.

If you want to make changes and burn fat, lifting heavy is the way to go. Sometimes I'll use lighter weights and throw in a high-rep set (for example - 95-pound squats for 15-20 reps or 50-pound leg extensions for 15 reps - going slow and pausing/squeezing at the top of the movement) but if you want to build muscle (which in turn BURNS FAT) you need to push your limits and train to failure. If you don't push yourself, you can't expect changes, right?

I went from a size 10 to a size 4 (don't ask me about scale weight - I don't know and I don't care!) lifting heavy weights...

Here's part of a terrific article from Think Muscle (you can see the entire article at http://www.thinkmuscle.com/articles/volk/women-iron.htm ) called "Women & Iron": For more info, I invite you and EVERYONE to visit our "Body for Life/Bodybuilding" forum here on Diet Plans! See ya there!

Thankyou so much for that information! Ill take your advise

I am so glad there are people like Mrs. Jim and Krista the Weightlifting Goddess out there to dispel the myths of female weightlifting. Weightlifting (slow and heavy) is what got me to goal, in addition to turning into a compulsive runner, that is. You will look ten, twenty, thirty times more fabulous than you currently look (and I am sure you already look fabulous) if you start lifting slow and heavy with a good, regular program of basic exercises. Read Krista's website from top to bottom! I used to go there and revisit my favorite pages, just as inspiration when I was feeling a long way from goal. Like Krista, my most triumphant moment came when I could do my first unassisted chinup!

I also find lifting mentally relaxing. The hard effort causes my entire body AND mind to relax after the workout. It feels like narcotics, girls. For stress-busting, you can't beat it. You will get NO such benefits from hefting little old dumbbells around a few times. In my humble opinion (or not so humble, since I did lose 135 lbs doing this .... hee hee), you have got to exhaust each muscle before moving on. Lift heavy enough that you cannot do another rep with good form, then you'll know you're done!

And back to the original topic of loose skin ... I am so glad I had the arm surgery. Not to throw a wrench into the works, because I HEARTILY endorse weight training as an alternative to surgery if it works for you, but my arms were a mess. I had skin hanging down over my elbow in the back, and the entire upper arm was crepey and full of stretch marks. I was miserable every time I looked at it. All my hard work did not alter what looked like "shredded skin" to me. Surgery did NOT get rid of the stretch marks, which will be my lifetime reminder of spending most of my life obese ... but it DID pull them tight and make them much less visible and it lopped off the excess skin. I am pleased with the arms but recognize the futility of ever achieving "perfection." Oh, well!

Bottom line -- pump iron! I never knew what my body was born to look like until I reduced my bodyfat to about 15% and developed my musculature. I look pretty damn good for an FMO (formerly morbidly obese)!

--Diamonda
266/135

Hey Diamonda - feel free to drop in at the BFL/Bodybuilding forum anytime! You said it all - wish I were as eloquent...

Just a thought
 

I am also very interested in getting surgery both arms and stomach after about a 80 pound loss. I have been doing a lot of research and attended a consultation. So far the amounts I hear are so high. Evethough they offer financing it is very hard without the help of your health insurance contributing.

Isn't it sad that after all the reports that america waists so much on medical care yearly because of various illnesses, many times caused obesety. Still insurances do not find it in there best interest to help us achieve an ideal weight in order to prevent these illness from ever starting. For those of us whom have shown a true interest in being healthy members of society there shoud be some kind of help with plastic surgery. Those are my thoughts.

PS: Very inspired by all of you ladies. There are
some strong persevering women in this site and together
we will overcome. Lots of continued success to all..

Hi-this is my first reply to this thread-It is pretty long, so I have skimmed over most of it.
I myself do not think plastic surgery is necessary to remove excess skin is necessary unless you have lost over 100 pounds-and it should definietly not be done unless you are done having children, or do not plan to.
Tummy tucks, arms, and breast lifts leave exstensive scarring, which I think is more unattractive than the skin, especially in the breast lifts. It is not to be taken lightly. You can hide the tummy tuck and breast scars obviously under clothing, but the arms scars are long and go almost to your elbow area. if I were to consider this type of surgery, I would be just as unhappy and self consieous about the scars as I am the skin-so it is not even a consideration when I get to my goal weight. I'll just stick on a good bra to hold up my breasts, and tone up my arms and abs as much as possible with resistance training.
If any of you are considering it, take a look at the plastic surgeon websites and look at the scarring to see if it is something you can live with.
As far as the weightlifting issue-it is really about how much tone and definition you want. My stepfather is a bodybuilder, and my mother and I also weight train. You CAN get tone from smaller weights-5-10 pounds, especially beginners who have never weight trained. If you are not strong enough to keep proper form during the exercise, then you are doing too much weight and need to use less until you are stronger. What Mrs.J is doing is GREAT, but you can't just walk into the gym and start using the heavies-work up to it. I am only saying this to help beginners avoid injury or feel disappointed if they cannot do heavy weight right away.
You will also find that you can do more weight with some exercises, and others you have to be careful. Triceps, for example, is one you have to really watch your form on-and if you cannot do it with correct form, than you are better of doing light weight and doing it RIGHT.
Small boned ladies-if you have small wrists, it helps to wear wrist braces/weightlifting gloves to relieve the stress on them during some exercises, such as bicep curls. This can also keep you from getting any callouses if you tend to squeeze your weights too much.
Aphil

Point taken...
 

This is in reply to Aphil's post...

Many women I know start with the 5-8-10 pound weights - because that's as much as they can lift. In fact, when I started doing this in April 2001, my triceps were my weakest muscle group - I would use the 7.5 pound weights to do lying dumbbell extensions and just BARELY be able to finish 8 reps.

However - once you're able to do, say, 12 reps in a set at one weight level - it's time to MOVE UP to a higher weight. Muscles won't develop (sorry, can't stand that word "tone" - that's a knob on my stereo!) unless you CHALLENGE them. I do emphatically agree that FORM is most important. Let's say you're doing dumbbell kickbacks using 10 pound weights, using perfect form (see Krista's website - she has an EXCELLENT page on form called "from Dork to Diva") and you can do 12 reps easily - well, pardner, it's time to move up to the 12- or 15-pound weights.

When I'm moving to a higher weight, sometimes I'll do a 'drop set' when I can't finish all my reps at that higher weight. What that means, is when I positively can't do another rep at, say, 20 pounds, but I still have a few reps to go, I'll drop down to the 17.5 pound dumbbells and finish my set.

Again - form is MOST important - but once the weight you're lifting becomes easy - it's time to move up - otherwise you're just wasting your time. You have to keep challenging your muscles for them to grow (and again, don't worry - you WON'T end up looking like Ms. Steroid Freak - muscle is SEXY and it BURNS FAT like you wouldn't believe - plus you can eat more than if you were just doing cardio or nothing at all - gotta feed those muscles!).

PS - as far as my triceps - they've defnitely gotten stronger (and my upper arms MUCH less jiggly) - I can now do 10 reps of skullcrushers @60 pounds!!! Woo hoo!

Do you recommend joining a gym, or is it possible to get the same results at home? Where should one look to find a good regime for beginners?

:)
Thanks!

Personally I prefer a gym - but I do know some folks who work out at home. I've been a member of 24 Hour Fitness since 1994 - the one I belong to is two floors, has a WEALTH of free weights, machines and cardio equipment - and only costs me $24 a month!

"Body for Life" is a GREAT program for getting your feet wet in strength training. You should be able to find the book at any library or purchase it for less than $20. The reason I recommend BFL is that it is a COMPLETE program - nutrition and training. Bill Phillips (the author) does recommend his Myoplex shakes, but you can get great results with just real food.

This was mentioned earlier in the thread but DO check out Mistress Krista's website at http://www.stumptuous.com/weights.html - I'm pretty sure it's the only weight training website around specifically geared towards women (AND it's a fun read to boot!).

Oh, one more thing - we do have a BFL/Bodybuilding forum right here under Diet Plans - feel free to check it out - we're a happening group!

Hi,
I was the original starter of the Doin' it the Old Fashioned Way thread on diet plans. Feel free to join us also. We are all women who are losing through a balanced diet and exercise.
I am one of those who prefers to work out at home. You CAN get gym results with some basic equipment-If you can get a simple weight bench that can be flat or inclined, and have a sturdy chair-like from your kitchen table, and some weights you will be fine. I also do MANY exercise that do not require weights at all, but utilize your own body weight as resistance. You do not have to have a ton of dumbells, just start with a couple pairs and buy more or add weight to yours (depending on what you are using) as you progress.
I like to do my training alone rather in the gym.-it is my time. I do it when my husband leaves for work before my kids get up. It relaxes me and frees me of stress.
I also have some basic cardio eqipment at home-just a bike, and some dance supplies-I bellydance and do yoga also.
When you look at my signature-do not let my 200 pound weight fool you-I had lost and gotten to goal and was VERY firm and fit, and had baby#2-I am a gestational diabetic which causes the mom and baby to gain excess during pregnancy-so I am slowly going down the scales again!
I also wanted to say that on the DITOFW thread-we are not all on the same plan. We do not advocate one plan over another, as far as BFL, WW, Richard Simmons, etc. They all have their advantages and disadvantages. We welcome anyone following a balanced plan-meaning no fad diets, diet pills,etc.-and a lot of our posters are also on another board as well. What is great for one person is not great for another. Some of us on 3FC do not want to be bodybuilders or run in marathons-some of us do. Some of us need the emotional support Richard Simmons provides to the seriously overweight and just want to be able to walk and perform normal activities without getting winded. Some of us need the weekly weigh in and meetings of WW to keep themsleves honest. Whatever works for you is fine with me. BFL is great-and while I follow some principles of the plan-and did even before the book was written-I do some things differently, like while I am a "grazer" I do not stick to the exact number of meals, etc. Some of us love the idea of having a free eating day once a week-I prefer having a small treat under 100 calories each day and other than that pretty much staying on plan. Do what works for you, and you have to do what you like.
As far as exercise-on our thread while I preach the benefits of weight training-I am happy if my ladies are doing ANYTHING. We have a lady that walks miles and miles each week, and we have a runner-(I hate running and will only run if being chased)-and so on.
I am in support of anyone who wants to make a change in their lives, and at whatever stage they are in in their journey of getting healthy.
I wish everyone well in their journeys to better selves, and everyone is welcome to our thread also.
Aphil

My Visit To A Plastic Surgeon
 

I posted earlier on this thread about my experiences with excess/loose skin after losing 120 or so pounds. Currently I weigh 134 pounds, am 5'4" and am at 13% bodyfat (and am 47).

I am satisfied with my upper body but not with my legs (where I was heaviest) so I scheduled a consultation with a plastic surgeon. I found a very reputable one (head of the department at our medical school) and went yesterday with my list of questions. First, and the good news is, he was absolutely blown away by how good of shape I am in (as I posted previously, I've been lifting weights all through my weight loss -- very similar to BFL). He said he has never had a patient who has lost as much as I have with visible abs! Most of his patients who have lost significant weight have done it through weight loss surgery and he said they frequently have rolls and rolls of fat remaining. He called everyone in his office in to see me (as I am standing there in my panties!).

My first question to him was how much of what I see on my legs is fat and how much is excess skin and he said that (at 13% BF) there is very little fat left on my body and it is ALL excess skin on my legs and butt. He took his hands and circled them around my thigh at my knee and lifted and yes, it is all skin. All of a sudden I had a slim leg with muscle definition, which is of course what I want. To my consternation, he said that I have an "enormous" amount of excess skin on my lower stomach and thighs and butt, and that, if removed and spread out, it would cover yards (not just feet). Yikes! How can I fit into size 4 pants with yards of excess skin? How small WOULD I be without it?

My next question was: will it improve over time and the bad news is that he said "no." Usually he would tell someone who had lost a great deal of weight to give it time to stabilize, but due to my low body fat % and good muscle tone, he said there won't be much in the way of change. Time isn't going to make it go away.

On one hand, it makes me happy that it is not fat and maybe I've done all I can in terms of diet and exercise to get rid of it but then the question is -- what to do about it? The doctor suggested a surgical procedure -- and I don't know the medical name (obviously I have a lot of research to do) -- in which he basically circumnavigates my lower body around my butt and in front at what would be the bikini line and pulls everything up -- he said about 6 - 7 inches! -- and gets rid of the loose lower abdominal skin at the same time. He would also tighten up those lower ab muscles stretched by pregnancy. It is major surgery but he said not very painful since no organs or joints are involved. It's about a 2 - 3 week recovery. He said that he felt I would have excellent results due to my muscularity and low body fat % -- you need something to anchor the skin to!

I don't have a lot more details because this is all preliminary but I am thinking seriously about doing it if it is the only way to get rid of the skin. I've worked awfully hard to get to where I am and I still wouldn't wear a bathing suit or shorts, so what else can I do?
Unfortunately it looks like insurance won't cover it (although it would if I had WLS -- go figure!) and he is going to send me a proposal with prices at the end of the week. I'll keep everyone updated.

It was worthwhile to spend the $75 for the consultation and I would urge this (consultation, not necessarily surgery) as a possibility for all who have lost a lot of weight and have concerns about this skin issue.

Meg
257/134
57.7%/13.1% BF

WOW
 

I see nothing wrong with having those type of surgeries. From your experience I have a question for you. What type of exercises did you do for your abs??

A lot of times doctor's won't give you surgery until you've maintained your weight loss for at least a few years. Did he ask you about that??

You are simply amazing!!! I'm in awe of how you've lost so much weight!! How long did it take you????? Sorry to be so full of questions but it really motivates me and surprises me how people can lose so much weight!!! :^:

Good Luck!! I wish you all the best!

Hi Happy Housewife_- don't apologize for your questions -- if I can help one person experience the joy of FINALLY conquering the weight loss monster, I'll be thrilled! I don't know about you, but my struggles with my weight have been the biggest frustration of my life. Everything else that I wanted to accomplish, I could, through hard work and perseverance. And finally, at the ripe old age of 47, I learned how to lose weight and it’s just what they’ve always said: diet and exercise. No magic pills or drinks in a can or ab exercisers.

Briefly (and I'd be happy to go into greater length in a PM if you want more details), it seems like I had been a WW member for my whole life, never losing more than 25 or 30 pounds and then putting it back on -- plus more -- and then trying again in a vicious cycle that put me up to 257 pounds. I'm hypothryoid also and I figured I was doomed to be fat by my metabolism (wrong!). Last May (2001), my daughter wanted to join a gym and I went around with her to look at them and joined with her on a whim, not knowing if I'd ever go (major intimidation factor plus I hated to exercise). At that point, I realized that I was clueless about the gym and signed up for five weeks with a personal trainer. I told myself I would do EXACTLY what he told me to do for those five weeks and I did. He explained to me that there are three parts to losing weight -- nutrition, cardio (to burn calories) and lifting weights (to build muscle). You see, I never realized that I was losing muscle as well as fat on WW and then gaining back strictly fat with all my yo-yo'ing. That's how I ended up with 57% body fat -- a truly horrendous number. So I did exactly what he said and in the first four weeks, I lost 25 pounds of fat and gained ten pounds of muscle, for a net loss of 15 pounds. And I've never looked back. Now I am completely hooked on lifting weights and going to the gym. Who would have thought?

I did (and still do) an hour of cardio a day, which admittedly some people think is excessive, and lift weights five days a week (again, some may think that's too much). I eat 5 - 6 small meals per day of about 1300-1400 calories total, made up of about 50% protein, 30% complex carbs (no sugar or white stuff, very little fruit and dairy), and 20% fat. It's really quite similar to Body For Life and you can find a lot of great info on BFL on their threads.

And I kept losing steadily for 11 months until I reached 136 and 16% fat in May, 2002. My weight has stayed fairly steady since then, but my body fat % is still dropping, indicating that I am still adding muscle and losing fat, even if the scale stays the same. I went from a size 22 to a 4 in those 11 months. Can you say “whole new wardrobe”?

I don't do anything particularly special for abs -- just crunches and the usual. I'm just fortunate that my body does not store fat there. It was all on my hips and thighs and butt, which is why I have the excess skin problems there. Everyone is different where they hold their fat and you can't spot reduce -- you just have to lose the fat from all over until you see abs and biceps and triceps and quads and all the cool muscles (and there is nothing more fun than being a 47 year-old mom with muscles).

The plastic surgeon did say that ordinarily he would advise someone to wait on the surgery to see if their body continues to change, but because I have so little fat left (13% -- maybe less by now -- I'm aiming for 12% as a final goal) and I'm in such good shape, he said I should do it now. If I do decide to go ahead with it, I'll wait until after the holidays, so I have plenty of time to think and to research.

Ask away on the questions. I think that places like 3FC are invaluable sources of information for all of us and help us in our common journey. You are doing fabulously well yourself. What program are you following or are you doing your own? How long has it taken you?

Meg
257/134
57.7%/13.1% BF

Well, I'm still amazed at you! WAY TO GO, GIRL!!! I'm actually doing my own thing. I'm trying to do the 3-meal a day thing. Maybe one or two snacks, if I'm hungry. (But I am rarely really hungry), I just eat out of bordom. It's taken me since the beginning of April to lose this measley 30 pounds. The rest just won't seem to come off. No matter what!! :(
I just try to start over everyday. I'm going to do about 30 minutes worth of cardio now.
Do you eat a mostly vegetarian diet, or do you eat mostly meats and low-carb foods???
Have a great day! Catch ya later!!

Meg - I think you've done wonderfully judging from your numbers :)

Believe me, I'd be tempted to get a thigh lift/tummy tuck as well (I believe that's the procedure you're referring to) because even though my skin IS tightening up, it's a long process. In addition, I'd been on the diet rollercoaster since I was 7 years old...

Here are my reasons why I can't do it:

1) MONEY!!!! I live in the Bay Area so I expect the procedure would be even more costly here than elsewhere. Using my sister as an example - when she had her breasts lifted, it cost $4,000. From what I've read a thigh lift alone (without the tummy tuck) can run from $5,500 - $8,000 in surgical costs. I just don't have that kind of money lying around and I refuse to go into hock for it. (and if I HAD the money - I'd probably buy a horse :lol: )

2) I'm a big chicken as far as pain and surgery go - my dentist has to give me a Valium BEFORE the novocaine when I get a filling done! Even though they knock you out for this kind of surgery...it still scares me.

3) I have a real tendency to develop keloid scarring - I have a 2" keloid on my wrist from 7 years ago. Not pretty. I can only imagine how horrible a keloid running around my waist would look!

Fortunately I love training with weights and will keep pumping! :strong:

Keep us posted on how your consultation goes!

Someone in the success thread was asking about this, just bumping it up for them to see.

I am with Mrs.Jim on this one...while I usually shy away from cosmetic surgery, if I were tempted to do it for my belly...the sheer fact of the scarring is a main concern. My skin does not heal well anyway, and I have thought to myself..."What looks worse, the sagginess in my tummy, or a big scar going across it?"
The money thing is also a big issue-(as I am pretty frugal, and don't buy anything without checking Ebay to see if I can get a better deal,) and I am pretty much a no hock type person also, save for home mortgages and necessities.
Liek Mr.Jim-if I had $5000 right now, I would probably use it towards siding my house!
Aphil

Just wanted this at the top of the forum again!!!

More Plastic Surgery Info
 

Also check out the following thread in the Success forum that has been active lately -- both MrsJim and I have posted about recent plastic surgery procedures: http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/show...threadid=24374

Meg

Good move Meg! :)

And I must say that even I can change my mind - the gals at the BFL/BB forum know (along with the ones who read the thread linked above) that I had liposuction of the inner/outer thighs, hips and flanks on 10 Feb...and the bruising is already rapidly fading away - along with the scars (tip: Mederma helps a great deal!). Not to mention that for the first time EVER (including last year when I was doing a competition diet) my thighs are NOT RUBBING TOGETHER!! YEE HAW! :)

Now as far as scarring - I asked my PS about that since I have a small keloid scar on my wrist from an accident in 1995. My surgeon told me that a scar from an accidental cut is MUCH different than a surgical scar. (It also didn't help that I went mountain biking with Jim a week after the accident - likely pulling at the stitches and causing the keloid in the first place).

My sister went to the same PS a little over five years ago for her breast lift - after 'milking' two kids :lol: Five years later, she has NO VISIBLE SCARS (and I saw 'em two days after she had the procedure done) except for a tiny one underneath her breast (she had to point it out to me). Her boobs still look great - and while I wasn't planning on having mine done (although who knows now - not like I'm addicted to PS or anything, but this has been VERY EASY pain-wise and I am the world's biggest chicken - my dentist has to give me a Valium before she gives me Novocaine so I don't freak out!) I wouldn't say it isn't a possibility at this point ;) Going from a 44D to a 34B/C does have a certain affect on your body, ya know...

Pain - I've felt surprisingly little. More like "discomfort". The worst was the first week or so - trying to sit on the toilet was a bit ouchy! Tip: if you're gonna have lipo, invest in a soft toilet seat. Second best would be to roll up hand towels and sit as far back as possible on the seat.

As far as the surgery - I've never had surgery before - the only pain I felt was when the IV went into my arm - the next thing I knew I was in the recovery room with my two sisters (so glad they were there to nurse me - Jim helped too but guys just aren't as good at that sort of thing now are they?). They actually nursed Jim too - brought him dinners and peanut butter sandwiches (which he just loves but doesn't get at home!).

Okay, I've written a book here...questions, class?? :lol:

Hello MrsJim!
I want to tell you how great I think it is that you have talked to us all here about your procedure. I know that it is a personal issue, and it is great when you can open up and talk about it to people that you are stilla bit "anonymous" to, rather than have everyone in your town know about it. Procedures like this are not as obvious as boob implants...so you can still keep it a secret if you want! ;)
I have been on the roller coaster from the time I was a child until my very early twenties...fad diets and exercise spurts...and just when I got into exercise and found the eating plan that worked for me...I got pregnant and the REAL damage began...I tried eating right and exercising...but my stomach skin will never look great on its own...I bathed in cocoa butter but with 9 and 10 pounds babies...you're GONNA get stretch marks. I swear my tummy would look just like a road map if I colored them in. :lol:
I also "milked 2 kids" like your sister...and that also takes a toll...so even after I get back to my goal weight/size and continue to exercise-I just don't know if my tummy and boobs will ever be up to par...and my flabby tricep skin may shrink down a bit, and it may not.
I can see why you had this procedure done-I can understand the years of working out and eating right, and still having that one area that won't improve. I don't know if I will ever have anything done surgically...although I have thought about getting a tattoo to camoflauge my stretch marks...but I am glad to know that there are women here I can talk to if in a year from now I am at goal, and I am unsucessful in shaping up these boobs or arms...and considering having something done. I appreciate your sharing.
Aphil

Hi Lisa,
I'm 4' 10" also not too many of us out there. My loose skin on my abdomen is from 4 pregnancies. Before my last child was born I was 172. I stayed at about 152 for 3 years then one day reality set in. I couldn't close my size 14 pants. So I joined a gym. It is now 3 years laTer and I weigh 122 and am a 6 finally. But I have a wrinkled stomach. I have come to the conclusion a tummy tuck is in my future. My sister in law had one done. One year later the scar are almost invisible. No more hanging skin from her stomach.


Gina

Update - January 2004
 

Thought I'd post a quick update regarding myself on this thread.

This thread was a pretty big happening for me in retrospect - the first time I 'met' the Megster - who is now the moderator of our new Maintainers forum :cool: and she started me really thinking about going the plastic surgery route and ridding myself of the saddlebags and tummy hang that was just NOT going to go away by itself, no matter how much weight I lost or gallons of water I would drink, etc.

Ya know, the Internet is a great resource for info, but there are also a lot of erroneous myths being perpetrated online as well. So many people are apt to think that because it's 'in writing' on the World Wide Web, it 'must be true'. As you can see by the interactions in this thread I was one of the believers that as long as I worked out hard, ate superclean, drank a lot of water and took supplements such as flaxseed and Udo's, that my pouch and extra skin on my thighs would just magically tighen up like a Shrinky Dink, even after stretching it out with 100+ pounds of excess weight. Think of skin like a balloon; before a balloon is stretched out, it it small and tight. Then after it is filled up with air for awhile, and the air leaks out - even though the balloon loses its air, it does not go back to the tight smaller balloon it was prior to being filled up. (I know I'm not wording that very well but hopefully you get the picture).

Now, no one's going to say that you SHOULDN'T lose the weight for fear of loose skin. Most folks can cover it up with clothes, and there's always the possibility of having plastic surgery - it's not just for the rich folks anymore.

Most of the ladies who hang out at LWL and Maintainers forums know that on 8 December 2003, I had a tummy tuck with muscle repair (BTW - that's something else that causes your tummy to look big - if you've been pregnant and/or heavy, the ab muscles (six pack) will separate in the middle - during a full tummy tuck, the surgeon will stitch those muscles together, kind of like lacing a corset, so the tightened skin will have a nice flat surface underneath...). Saying I am happy with the results so far would be a DRASTIC understatement. Incidentally in February of 2003, I had liposuction of the inner/outer thighs and flanks and that got rid of the saddlebags forever (remember that you can lose the fat, but the fat CELLS, even though empty, are there to stay unless you have them surgically removed!).

Expensive? Yup. Well worth it? Double YUP! :lol:

One of my favorite websites for info on these procedures is www.tuckthattummy.com (along with www.liposuction4you.com). I'm not trying to make y'all get surgery - just keep it in mind as an OPTION. And again, don't stop trying to lose weight just for fear of loose skin!

My two cents...

Argh, this thread is depressing. I think I actually felt more comfortable with my appearance at a higher weight than I do with sags and wrinkles.

Snack, I felt like that too, until I put some of that weight back on. I ddidn't feel better, that's for sure. The weight is back off, and I'm comtemplating plastic surgery. Losing the weight is far better than having your skin filled up with fat. :D

Mel

Snack - all I can do here is affirm what Mel says - I'm DELIGHTED I had my tummy tuck done (incidentally - just got back awhile ago from a followup appointment with my plastic surgeon - she says I'm looking great! :) ) but when all is said and done, if it was a choice between being fat without loose skin and being not-fat with loose skin...I would take the latter and just wear clothes that cover up the skin.

So how much does it all cost? I'm sure there must be a range, of course, but how is the cost determined? Did you pay for it cash or finance it? What's the interest rate? Was everything included with the plastic surgeon's fee, or were there separate fees from the hospital?

Hi Seek! Check out the sticky at the top of this forum that some of us put together about skin and weight loss -- some of your questions might be answered there.

The way it worked for me is that my doctor gave me one price for everything that included his fee, the hospital fees, the anesthesiologist etc. I prepaid with cash and didn't see any other bills. The only thing that wasn't included were the prescriptions that he wrote for antibiotics and pain killers and my medical insurance paid for those.

It's not unusual for people to finance the surgery. There's more info about financing in the sticky.

Meg, what is a sticky?? And where can I find it? THANKS SO MUCH!

Meg - I found the sticky!

although, I have a few questions....

First, I am 28 and have not had kids. Is it useless to have the excess skin removed around my abdomen before I have kids? But I feel like I'm young NOW and I want to look young while I'm young. And while I'm young I want to wear cute skirts, shorts and bathing suits... and they still don't look good.

I lost 88 pounds, and sometimes I feel like I look worse now. I'm not comfortable in my body. My boyfriend is supportive and says he thinks I'm beautiful... but I'm not comforable around him...

But I'm torn because I do want kids and I'm afraid to do this if it will be useless after I have children.

Personally (and what my own surgeon advises) I would say that if you have plans for kids in the future, it would be optimal to wait until after you've had your children - that way you won't have to have a revision!

What *I* would do if I were you...start a savings account for your surgery and put a little aside each month towards that goal. Have your babies...lose the baby weight...and maintain that weight while you start researching plastic surgeons in your area. ;)

Tilley -- boy, can I relate to the "I lost all this weight and now I look worse" feeling! It's still worth it to have all the fat gone, but it sure can be disheartening sometimes when we look in the mirror. :cry:

If the skin really is bothering you NOW, maybe go see a doctor and ask his/her opinion about the skin and babies and all. I think Mrs. Jim's right that they generally advise you to wait until after you're done having babies, but only a doctor can tell you for sure and then you can evalutate that info in terms of your personal life and future plans.