Kai-shek

Unfortunately, if you have the excess skin, it's there unless you have it surgically removed. You can tone muscles but if the skin didn't shrink as you were losing it's not going to after.
I've lost over 230 pounds and had over 12 pounds of skin removed from my tummy this past spring. My upper arms, legs, and butt still look like a Shar Pei when naked because of all the excess skin. Believe me, I totally feel your pain.
But here's how I look at it- I can easily hide the excess skin under clothes and still look good. There was no hiding over 230 pounds of fat. I'll take the excess skin over the fat any day.
Hang in there

Me too!!! I love crossing my legs and do it often now!!! Don't you love it?

Woo hoo ... Awesome NSV

I used to get real bad...would leave a bad rash that hurt for days....
I remember going to places like Disney World where it was hot (sweat) and would be doing a lot of walking...
I had to carry a tube of cream with me, and every so often go into the stall at a bathroom and "Lubricate"...also could only wear a certain type of underwear....
God I'm glad those days are behind me....

Good for you!! I can cross my legs now too!! It's great!!

That is a major NSV!!!!Woohoo!

Nice! Congrats I can now cross my legs at my desk how exciting.

It happened so gradually, I just noticed yesterday that my thighs no longer rub together! I can wear pants, stockings or go bare legged without making a sound or creating friction! I also have a "gap" between my legs...I've never seen space there before - LOL!

Thank you for sharing your success!! What an inspiration. Happy New Year!! And congrats!

Congrats GoWalking! And a very good point about the long term view of this.
Much continued success to you, and Happy New Year!

I was just thinking something similar to this , thankyou for posting.

What a wonderful post....Happy New Year to you!

I put my calendar for 2014 up on the kitchen wall today and as I always do...I took a look at my calendar from the year ending to revisit the last 12 months and see how the year went. I was also able to follow my weight loss journey as well because I started my preop diet exactly one year ago tomorrow. How very appropriate to start the new year with a chance to be a new me, right?
So...what I was able to see very clearly, was that the weight did not come off in a dramatic fashion. Well...the first 20 or so lbs. came off quickly but that includes the preop diet. After that, I saw because I weighed and kept track every Sunday, what my progress looked like. Most of the time, I lost anywhere from 1/2 lb. to once in a while around 3 lbs. over the course of the week. Most of the time, the loss was less than 2 lbs.
And today...one year after I started the preop diet, those mostly 1-2 lb. losses per week have added up to a total of 103 lbs. so far. Now that's an incredible number I realize, but...and this is a big but....it came off a little at a time. Just goes to prove that it really is about taking it one day at a time, one week at a time and not looking too far forward, but being able to look back and see where you came from and where you are now.
For those of you just starting out, remember this post, put one foot in front of the other, and keep your eyes on the prize. The goals you seek will come....
Happy New Year to all..and much success in 2014!

I have another NSV relating to clothes & sizes - yesterday I go (with my husband) to Dress Barn. I was looking for skinny jeans (my 1st pair-lol). They have a plus side & a "regular" side. So I go over to the plus side and grab a 16 and I told the little girl working in there - I swear if these fit me I'm going to be balled up crying on the floor. I told her that I had wls recently and I've been losing weight & I don't know my size. Well They fit! And I come out of the dressing room and the little girl was like I think you can fit in the size 16 on the other side. So she goes over to the other side & sure enough all of the ones she picked out fit!
My husband was saying "see you don't have to be on the "other side" anymore (meaning the PLUS size). So I got a pair of skinny jeans in a regular 16!!! I used to wear a 22W - 3 months ago! I got so emotional.
Recently the office manager was talking to me about my body changing. I told her that I was still overweight and that I needed to lose more weight. She said "you aren't seeing yourself like everyone else sees you, you honestly look like you've lost half of what you were." Well - right now I still see myself as being that overweight person because I was her for so long. I'm still trying to wrap my head around it. I'm happy and this is what I want more than anything, but I think that my mind is my old size and my body has changed but my mind doesn't know it yet? I can't be the only one that feels this way. Sorry - ranting...

If anyone wants to know if the band works the answer is YES, YES, YES

Yesterday made three years I've been banded. I can't believe how quickly time has flown by. I am below goal, I don't count calories anymore, I do watch what I eat because I don't want to get stuck. Life below goal is AWESOME!!!!

Oh, I just saw the picture -- wow! Gorgeous......

So happy for you! What a beautiful way to start off the new year. Sounds like you have an excellent plan for yourself. I always love reading your posts -- very inspiring!

It is the holidays, right? Can someone tell me how I've lost 7 lbs. in a week? I'm only 6 lbs. from my goal, but I'm going to drop another 11lbs and get a slight unfill to stick and stay at 150. Yes, I'll still be technically overweight, but I'm about as small now as I think I want to be. My 14 year old and I are now wearing the same size - 8/9's. Funny thing is, I haven't worn this size since I was 8 or 9 years old, LOL

Hi all , this is a before and after picture , 6 weeks post op,!!

My mind has wondered to all my NSVs of 2013 all day!! I had surgery April 5th and my greatest NSV was finally making the decision to have the surgery!! Overcoming that fear, financial worry and other people's opinions was by far the greatest non scale victory! That NSV has led to countless NSVs over the following months. I spent the summer at the pool with my kids in a bathing suit, I went back and rode a roller coaster I was kicked off of because I didn't fit, I am able to wear my wedding ring again, a bath towel wraps around me, I can tie my shoes with no problem, I started my exercise regime with walking and now I can sprint at 11 mph on the treadmill, my daughter shows me her muscles and says "look I have muscles like you", I can dry my jeans in the dryer, I can shop in the regular section (down to a 13/14 from a 24/26), I look forward to getting up every day and I'm not ashamed to see myself in the mirror, I don't avoid going grocery shopping and wait until after midnight when the store is free of people, I am active with my children. I can keep going for days! My NSVs have changed my life in ways most people can't comprehend. I work very hard and use my band as a tool to keep me from binging. I have never had a fill. I workout 4-6 days a week now and I loosely follow Chris Powell's carb cycling plan. The band isn't losing the weight for me, it sure helps but I take credit for every drop of sweat I have left in my gym since I joined at the end of May! Lol 103 pounds gone and never going back! 19 pounds left to lose!

Thank you for your kind words.

If anyone wants to know if the band works the answer is YES, YES, YES

Congrats and Happy New year, no diet to you! Karen..aka.kll724