MINI-Me

I also have the "ex-lover" issue. I have kids and a husband in the house who like their occaisional treats. To help me out, I also keep a lot of the 100 calorie packs in the house. Another go-to item is individual ice cream cups. Yes, they have carbs & are sweets, but I know exactly how much I am eating at a time & can't "cheat" and make myself a larger scoop. Know what I mean?

Best wishes. At least you didn't have a lot of time to get worked up about it. He he!

Yes, you can fail. And I agree with Tiff. "Failure" has a lot of definitions. I could fail to use my tool & work around it by putting in slider foods or eating so frequently that I am always full. But, if you use the tool the way it is intended and eat the right foods 90% of the time (Yep! You can even treat yourself every now and then), you will be a success. I can only give you my personal experience ... I had failed at every diet known to mankind. Today, I am in a size 4, my lab results are terrific and I feel great. I posted earlier that I had been eating too many calories the last few weeks & the pounds were sneaking up on me (I normally bounce between 123 and 128) ... I hit 130.2 & knew I had gone passed my "bounce zone". I kept track of my calories for a few days & I am back at 127.6 already. Yeehaw!

Best of luck ... the first few days could be a breeze or "what have I done". Just remember that it will pass & you will be a LOSER in no time. Keep us posted on your progress.

Coops - it is confusing and bodies are definitely not one plan fits all ... I ate 1200 calories in the 2nd half of my losing phase. Anything less than 1000 & I would stall. I seemed to lose faster if I was closer to 1200 than 1000. Erg!!!!!

On another post, I mentioned that I got a quote for a TT. I have about 1/2 of the amount & trying to find a way to raise the rest. I would love to see a flat tummy again. Again? What am I saying, I never remember having a flat tummy.

I remember those crazy emotions ... totally normal. Keep us posted on your progress. Welcome to the Loser's Club!

Glad you've found some good samples. My advice? Don't purchase too many things pre-surgery. You may be surprised how much your taste change. Not sure why, but they do. Excited for both of you!

I definitely depend on my "across the pond friends". You guys are inspiration to me as well. Back on track the last two days ... scales showed 128.4 today. Will closely watch until scale back to 125 and then try my "normal routine" again minus the glutony of treats. You guys rock!

The towel has to be one of the best NSVs out there! You rock!

I met with a plastic surgeon today about my remaining problem areas. I know I have a lot of loose skin on my upper abdomen with some fat and that my lower abdomen has some as well (what woman doesn't). I had seen some before and after photos of women who had liposuction and it really smoothed out the looks of the tummy. So, I made an appointment. I went in with high expectations. Well, today I learned that it's mostly skin & little can be done with liposuction. Yes, they can reduce the volume, but I may look even bumpier on my upper abdomen. And, my lower which is nice and smooth (while a little plump) could look like my upper once the remaining fat is removed. The good news? They can totally smooth out the fat on my bra line - something I wasn't even considering doing. I think I've looked at it in the bathroom 20 times since they pointed it out. (Great – something else to pick apart when I look in the mirror!) To be fair, the doctor wasn't that concerned & said it was minimal; the nurse is the one that pointed it out. So, what to do? A tummy tuck/body lift seems very extreme since you can't see the bumpiness with my clothes on. I figured since I was already going to be on the table, I might as well remove the pooch on the bottom abdomen. I'm trying to reconcile how far I'm come with my "perfect" image of what I want to be. Maybe that sounds vain or like I've gone to the "dark side". And to be honest, I'm not sure. I need to think on it some more. The one thing I do know is that the quote was $800 over what I had set as my "top end" on price for now. I'm not silly enough to let $800 stop me from something I really want to do ... but for now, it's enough to make me step back and consider what I really want. Anyone have any advice or suggestions on what they have done or plan to do? Thanks! MINI

That is soooooooooooooo awesome. Congratulations!

Congratulations on your surgery and becoming a posting member. Glad you are doing so well ... keep us posted on your progress.

Thanks everyone. Off to a great start this morning. Turkey sausage and 1/2 an Oroweat Sandwich thin. Tummy is full and happy with my protein first!

I don't know Dr. Atkinson, but I would definitely recommend Dr. Umbach to anyone. I had an awesome experience with him & he is a very good surgeon.

AWESOME job!!!!!

I like icing!

Never heard of it ... Looked on-line. Here is their site http://www.strivectin.com/. Sounds like a lot of money & I doubt it does much good.

Glad to hear from you again. Sounds like you are doing AMAZING. Fingers are crossed for your hubby.

I doubt you will find a hospital to finance it. There are agencies out there that loan money for surgery, but I've found the rates to be very high. Do you have a low-interest credit card or could you take out a Home Equity Loan?

Thanks for your support. I really appreciate your willingness to cheer us all on. Good luck with your surgery in December - what a great gift to yourself.

Thanks for your input everyone! I met with another plastic surgeon today. I immediately liked him and felt very comfortable. He spent an hour with me discussing options and making sure I understood the procedures. He definitely made me realize that I would not be happy with liposuction alone. It would just give me more sagging skin & he said there really wasn't a lot of fat to remove anyway. He suggested a full tummy tuck and thought that my results would be very good. I know prices differ per region, but he quoted $6,500 for surgery and follow-up care. Does that sound like a good price to you? (Now, just to find that $ laying around somewhere! )

<br /><br /><br /> Perfect. Thanks!

I don't think you are finding excuses at all. We all had to come to a goal based on our feelings, our bodies, and plain luck. You look so happy and healthy in your pictures. That's what it is all about. Stress isn't healthy ... making your own decisions and focusing on yourself is. I say ... remove the stress ... enjoy your success ... and keep running around the park with your adorable little one. Have an awesome day!!!!!!!

I have a Windows Phone. I don't see a Mobile Skin option at the bottom. When I click, all I see is "Vertical Sleeve Talk" which gives me the same page I see on my computer. Any advice?