CowgirlJane

Dang Cathy, how does tall blonde and handsome feel about older women... haha. My sons are 21 & 24 - both of them great young men. Dating is hard at any age and i guess like most people i never dreamed I would be facing it again at 49... and yet here I am. And yes Sarsar, I think of all the work I had done, the arms are what wows me the most. I went out for happy hour with my good friend Mary tonight. She came out of the ladies room saying "I don't recognize you!". It is astounding what a difference my overall shape change has made. I couldn't be happier with that "Big picture improvement" to my entire siloutte.

Squirrels are evil but entertaining. I moved to the country and there are none... now it is the coyotes who look in longingly thinking they can eat my lil dog or kitty. whataburger and that 5 guys place are good - but I have a serious question... don't you get ill eating that food? Problem I have is that I am not in training..haha...not used to junky and fast good so when I do eat it, it gives me a tummy ache.

I remember reading She's Come Undone. Couldn't put it down and then I was sorta depressed by it. This was at least 10 years ago and now I don't remember anything except her being obese. I am not inclined to read it again... Hey, I saw a fun movie - HEAT with Sandra bullock and the very funny actress from Bridesmaids, highly recommend. Female cop buddy action comedy type fluff - lotsa fun! I read a great book too - the Book Thief. Yet another depressing nazi book, but I still loved it. I love books and literature so somehow telling the story through "that story telling angle" grabbed me. I haven't seen my "friend" in ages because he is really really sick. So bad he is rehabbing at his son's house. I am trying to decide if it makes sense to sort of let things just go away now that I am not used to seeing him (well, even less then normal!). Yet, I find myself thinking of him daily which I guess is the main reason I need to devise my exit strategy I admit I am falling for him even as i realize how incredibly insane that is. I went on a very casual date though - can you believe it? It was with someone I met before. He seems a super great guy and there are so many things I like about him, but he doesn't set me on fire. I know that I ask for way too much,... because I think he would do a good 30-50% of the things on the list I posted. He is boisterous and outgoing and active. He is also a foreigner who became a citizen here - was a professional soccer player many decades ago and still coaches girls teams. He seems to like me a great deal, evidence - he has a friend who is a plastic surgeon across the country and discussed me with his friend...LOL. He was worried about my going to Mexico and wanted to make sure I wasn't likely to have big problems now as a result. (do you see the humur in a person from another country being biased against Mexican surgeons??). And he is good looking which is a fairly rare thing in men that I meet anyway. Not tall enough, but I can get over that. See paragraph above, when you have someone you feel that chemistry with (ie my parttime bf), everybody else is just "eh" by comparison. I think I need to go back to work. The private patient FB support group for my surgeon is controlled by ... well... a difficult personality and I want to kill her. That is the sign that you have too much free time when you get pissed off by some online control freak...LOL. She picks on me (really, it isn't my imagination) but I actually think it is because of some jealousy based on remarks she has made to me over the last 6 months, but the latest is a doozy. Makes no sense to me... and maybe I am hallucinating which is why I need to go back to work. I get chastised for about every 3 rd post I make and I don't even know why I bother except I like to share...LOL. Get a life Sheryl, get a life. I do seem to be back in favor with the scale gods which is what really matters, right (thats a joke in case that wasn't clear). I am back down to 150 (actually 148.9 nekkid). I fasted and then I ate more carbs then I normally do for a couple of days. I was thinking about the whole "shake it up" concept and sure enough changing SOMETHING always seems to make the scale move, sometimes in mysterious ways. I want to maintain 150 as my top weight which I think is very realistic for a 5'5" woman with a large frame - well, at least I have broad shoulders and wide ribcage so I claim the large frame catagory. This week, I am feeling better and better but man do I get itchy. I no longer regret plastics and am in amazement at my hourglass measurements. Who thought such a thing is even possible? Over the compression garments I measure 40-29-39. Most of my life my waist measurement has been in the same ballpark as my hips... I think without the compression garments my waist is 30" not 29" but I haven't checked recently. I complain about my compression garments - bitterly - and monday is the magic day when I can stop wearing it, but I can't imagine not wearing it. It has become like a second skin, it gives me security, it holds me together. They are also starting to fall apart a little and I need more comfy ones that don't make my ass look like a pancake.... That is my Friday morning ramble...

I posted things here because I thought it was private. I don't have an alternate I'D to test it. Why do we think it changed?

Julian Michaels dvds... ripped in 30 days. Cheap... 10 bucks in the usa anyway

We socialize and play board games on thanksgiving! we eat too but in my family the holidays are about the family as we like each other!

I luckily dont have a reflux problem with sleeve until after my plastic surgery. uber tight compression garments!! Not eating after about 7 and laying propped by pillows solved it. I agree that if you do eat late make it Greek yogurt and really small portion. (In fact itty bitty portions earlier in the day is also key. ) I think a sandwich before bed would give me reflux.

Most amazing thing was losing over 150# and now maintaining at a healthy weight. 10 years of the lapband and I never got under 200#; never moved out of obese catagory.

What I meant to say is that obesity kept my estrogen high even through menopause. So, I had delayed symptoms and it was no surprise to the doctors even though I had never heard of this. The fat seems to not just store estrogen, I suspect that fat actually helps maintain it. The reality of it is that weight loss is impacted by all sorts of things and hormones are probably just one of them. One thing we don;t talk alot about but really made a difference to me was changing my exercise approach. I went from long duration to short duration/high intensity workouts - including HIIT training. Changing things up like that really help me lose a few pounds. I am also convinced that our bodies fight pretty hard to hold on to a certain weight - like the setpoint theory. I maintained at about 156-158 range for many months before dropping to the low 150s where i am currently maintaining/bouncing. I have a feeling that I am in the ballpark of what my body wants to weigh; not sure I can go much lower and still actually live a normal life...lol

You look amazing Butter - I am so happy for you! Honestly, you do not look like someone that was ever morbidly obese, that must make you feel wonderful. I agree with you that plastics are tough, but it is so nice to see you coming out the other side and returning to normal!!

coops - i don't remember your age, but I went through menopause in my early 40s when I was very obese. I blame it on the trauma and stress of my little sisters long illness and horrible death from breast cancer but who knows. Anyway, I had pretty mild menopause symptoms - basically I just got irritable at times. Very limited hot flashes and I had too much vaginal moisture, no dryness. Then, I lost like a 125# or so and dang, my girl parts started hurting from horseback riding, biking etc. It turns out that all that fat kept my estrogen high even through menopause. After losing the weight, my estrogen dropped. I use a bio-identical hormone cream a few times a week and my girl parts are happy again and I have no other symptoms. I mention this because I do wonder if the weight loss has now "unveiled" the estrogen changes. Some women go through perimenpause for YEARS before the real menopause happens.

The price list is here, but you do get some savings when you do multiple procedures. The only way to really know is to get a quote. What I will say is that I paid less, way less, for getting all my procedures done at once then I was going to pay for just having the extended tummy tuck and breast aug/lift in the USA. http://www.medicaltourism.com.mx/mtpl.html AkMama - I haven't had alot of pain... I expected the thighs and arms to really really hurt and they haven't. The thighs are definately most difficult to live with though. Do you have any idea how hard it is to go for 6 weeks without parting your thighs or otherwise stressing those incisions? (get your mind out of the gutter!). getting in and out of a car, bending and reaching down low, daily normal tasks - you CAN do them, you just have to be careful to not do them - not because of pain but to avoid putting tension on the incision and widening your scar. I had the added bonus of having some skin problems. I have very delicate skin and the tape caused one abrasion. Anyway, it is all coming along okay. I think the very hardest thing for me personally is accepting the physical limitations. I have found this to be very very hard. I realized that it reminds me of my darkest days of being 300+ pounds. I am a naturally high energy, likes to move and do stuff kind of person... and to be forced to sit... or lay... and rest... day after day... has definately played with my mind. Sometimes, it makes me feel fat and I have to remind myself that I am not fat, I am not disabled, I am just healing. I have literally been watching the doghair grown on the carpet. My horses are filthy (caretaker feeds them, but doesn't really attend to them like I would). I have felt stircrazy at times and thank goodness I have friends who have rescued me by getting me out of the house, but like a baby I would get tired fast and need a nap. It sucks. I would say that around week 3 I was regretting surgery - not because of pain, i was happy with results, but because I felt I was going crazy not being able to do the most simple tasks for fear of interfering with my healing. Anyway, my summary is that I worried way too much about pain and stuff and underestimated just how long it takes to heal. In another week I am cleared to start exercising, but I don't think I am really ready to do much besides walking. I am supposed to be okay to ride horses in 3 weeks, but based on how I feel now - no way - I need longer. I still have trouble opening heavy doors at commercial buildings - like wow - I used to feel so strong and now I am a weakling. (horses are a highly physical activity as they can do unpredictable things and they do weigh like 1200 pounds!). I think I am finally ACCEPTING that this takes a lot of time. All I can say is I am sure glad I waited till autumn to do this. I would have cried over losing my summer (horseback riding, camping and hiking season) because it takes MONTHS to be back to full steam. Well, at least for me and probably for most people that have so many procedures at once. I finally no longer regret having done the surgery and really am pleased with my results. I was always an apple shape and to finally have something that is more balanced, and womanly looking... makes me so happy. My clothes fit better and people see the difference in my shape even under winter clothes. My ex made the statement that I needed to do plastics to sort of close a certain chapter and I think he was right. I can see that it is making me feel just so normal, which is all I ever really wanted.

Okay, I am one month out now and in the process of scar treatment. I have alot more swelling now, so my results don't look that great, but I am confident that in another month or so - I will have a flat tummy again. I am using a product called gelzone that is a silicone infused athletic wrap. It gives me great compression which helps with the belly swelling. So far it is easy to use. I cut one of them up to make little thigh and arm strips. The arm ones are held down by the compression garment. Wrapped up in gelzone, i wear this under my compressin garments. Bikini bottoms are on for photo purposes only More swelling in the belly then I had a few weeks ago, but scar is still flat and making progress Arms scars still look good. Remember, it takes 1-2 years for scars to "mature"

Oh I wish it were so simple! I LIKE sex and I would even be willing to cook if I could get even 1/3 of the other list!!!

You know my favorite Thanksgiving stories are from some of my work colleagues from India that have been here a few years. The year of the "tackling of the turkey" the stories are hilarous. appartently those large birds are scary to cook if you didn't grow up with the custom. If I ever have a situation where I don't have a family Thanksgiving I will definately host a group of non American friends just for the entertainment value - as I try to convince them that pumpkin pie REALLY IS awesome...LOL So, on the emotional journey about food addictions - I think you go through multiple iterations of this experience. I think this is one reason people regain. You think you have beat the demons, and then a new angle comes up. I continue to do well staying on plan, but lately I have noticed a certain feeling of "it's not fair that I can't eat whatever I want" which was not how I felt a year ago. I assume a year from now, I will have a different feeling about food and eating. For me, so far, daily accountability (the scale and non stretchy clothes), ongoing support, and determination to live the life I WANT (as opposed to eating the food I think I want) is working.

Well, I have tried to make hot cocoas, coffee-mocha type drinks etc and I never got that great of results with the regular Protein powders. I did the same thing which was to mix it with room temp Water and then add the hot water or coffee. The ProtiDiet really does hold up to the heat and you can have an actual HOT cocoa without weirdness. It does settle, so you do need to either swirl or stir, but it mixes well. anyway, I guess I will order more of it since I didn't hear a groundswell of another one to try! In the winter, a nice hot cocoa is such a treat and the protein is good for me!

Globe - I can't explain it, but something about Neibles made me nervous - I think it was his deranged fan. By the way, Dr Sauceda has a few of them too. I came to realize that someone who used to weigh 500# and now has lost a bunch of weight and has had plastics but has no real relationships (I am not talking about just with a man - I mean in general) is a prime candidate to become obsessed with a surgeon. Dr S I promise is not difficult in spite of some of his crazy ass fans. Anyway, some of the pix I have seen of Niebles work are amazing, but the key is to see lots and lots and lots of before and afters. Dr Sauceda has done about 300 jumbo procedures (ie multiple stuff at once) and I have seen before and afters of probably 50 of them. That helps build confidence - but not everyone gets the same results, it is very individual. Some of these women started out much heavier and in much worse condition. When I posted some before pix one of the ladies told me that I look as good as some of the "afters" - you need to keep all of that in mind. A doc who takes on more difficult cases is not going to have as perfect of looking afters either. Take a look at this thread and I would contact TulipTwy to try to understand the specifics. Every surgeon has some that are less then ideal and this woman has NOT shared photos so I don't know what to think, but it is just another data point. http://www.gastricsleeve.com/forum/body-makeovers-and-cosmetic-surgery/23333-lower-body-lift-belt-lipectomy.html What I mean about less tight - is Dr S doesn't remove as much skin as some surgeons. Lower risk of wound separation etc. i know he removes less because I was ready to do plastics in the USA in the spring and I know how much she was planning on taking of my tummy and he did less. Also, he TOLD me that he is more conservative. He told me he would rather have to revise someone (ie take more skin) then have too high risk of complications. This is part of the sane approach which allows him to do a bunch at once. Flip side is, she was going to do my work over 3 surgeries - something I could NOT deal with so the trade off is worth it to me. The key thing to understand about plastics is it is a serious of tradeoffs - risk versus benefits. Scars versus results... that sort of thing. Thank you FYE - you are a true artist and that comes across in the way your present yourself too. I sometimes think I am just an ordinary middle age woman trying to look 20 years younger, not really an ideal goal. I am adjusting myself though, i still dress fashionably, youthfully (dresses and tights and boots and skinnies and all that) but trying to rein it in to get a nice look rather then a "trying too hard" look. Work in process

Globe- I can't send private messages from my kindle. I Iooked into 2 other Mexican surgeons and I don't know the name of the other one you are considering but I wanted to warn you about very mixed reviews for Niebles. I was really impressed with results that I saw but was turned off my his patient coordinator. She was eventually booted off gastricsleeve forums. Anyway, there is a thread on that forum from someone with really terrible results. Let me tell you the primary negative to Dr Sauceda, my surgeon. He is less aggressive than many. That is why he has very low complication rates and can do jumbo procedures, alot at once, but you won't be quite as tight.

Have you tried the to go herbal tea that helps with staying regular?

Interesting. I was raised to believe that I was ugly because my dad called me that, and fat, and useless and stupid and all those things. Somehow in life, feedback through successful career and schooling etc led me to feel very confident in my intelligence, in my innate value as a human. I have struggled with seeing myself as someone physically attractive but more importantly, as seeing myself as someone who is lovable. I have been seeing a counselor and one of the things that I realize is that the not being lovable or worthy of love or those things is actually much more compelling then the attractiveness factor but i have confused the two in my mind at times. Here is the crazy thing - even when I was fat, I could still get dates/had relationships. Even my non communicative EX have told me i am pretty. I have no explanation of why my belief system is such that I am unattractive/unapplealing other then the fact that it was pounded into my head by my dad. Now, I joke about being vain, but to some extent I am embracing it. i LIKE looking good. As time goes on, it isn't even really about attracting prospective boyfriends, it is about do I LIKE it! I think that I am living through some missed experiences in life and one of them is this vain stage that i was never really allowed as a teen or twenty something when most women go through it. I think it is all tied up in the being sad about getting old, like I missed out and will never regain a certain aspect of my life. whenever I get feeling too sorry for myself - I remind myself of the many many people who would LOVE to have to turn 50. My dear little sister didn't make it past 40 due to breast cancer and I let her memory give me a kick in the butt for my ungratefulness when it rears it's ugly head. Truth of the matter is that this is a GREAT decade for me coming up. Kids are nearly out of the house (one more year of college tuition!), I have a good career, lots of friends, am physically very capable and active. I have a good life and so much freedom! When I was young, I made so many decisions toward getting to this place in life - and I have made it! Getting rid of the excess weight was my nemisis and even that is under control. ya hoo - so what if there is a little chin wattle and wrinkles to go with it.

I always buy dark jeans ala what not to wear. They always put women in Bootcut or straight jeans never in skinny. I just think that skinny jeans are more up to date looking. I am not petite but I fit a 8 easily am flat tummy now so I think it is a good way to go. As soon as I am freed from my compression garment I will get some Date night outfits and ask for feedback. I wore some faux leather trimmed treggings from H&m with a beautiful blue tunic and my friends really liked that look.

The only way to fix the bra strap rolls is to have an upper body lift. However, I would say I got a 70% improvement by having the arms and breasts done. My recommendation is to get a couple of "in person" consults with local surgeons - very educational. Dr Sauceda and many other Mexican docs do consults by email. If you are really thinking you are close to ready - you can email him photos and he will give you a quote that is good for 6 months. If you need a link to his webpage and ObesityHelp info forum, let me know. I am just a patient, not trying to promote or anything so wasn't sure it is appropriate to post it hear. (but, easy to find if you google his name).

I started with an initial goal which I revised after losing 100#. I currently am under my revised goal... undecided if This is truely my new goal.

I started with an initial goal which I revised after losing 100#. I currently am under my revised goal... undecided if This is truely my new goal.

Go to the cosmetic surgery forum and look at the thread I started called something like "two weeks progress". There are before WLS after goal and then after plastics. Still healing from plastics so dont have final results yet..