*Dean*

Good on you! I agree. Plastics isn't a magic wand. Even the finest of scaring for a tummy tuck can be extensive. It's a fine line between managing what skin v scars you can live with. I think getting your tummy and boobs done and not worrying about your arms and legs can be a good compromise. You don't want to look like you've been attacked by a shark! Or a croc (well, I am an Aussie) Thing is we'll probably never be picture perfect with our gear off. We have to have some war wounds for our past sins. Being happy in your skin is the main thing. I don't mind having a bit of lose skin under my arms to remind me what a great job I've done at losing weight Deano

Not disrespectful at all. The best part of this forum is learning from other peoples mistakes I lost the weight with a personal trainer, training 6 days a week and relentless with my diet. I went from 345 pounds to 191pounds. I was a diet and training machine but still couldn't get below 191. 191 is still overweight for my height. I did make the mistake of starting to think my issues with food were 'cured' and that I was bullet proof now At the time I was in my early 30's. Married. No kids. Working 9 - 5 (ie easy to train and plan food) Over the next couple of years. I changed jobs and had to work shift work. My wife and I had kids, twins 8 years ago. And guess what - I wasn't cured nor bullet proof! I slowly over the next 8 years fell into some old habits and my weight crept up to 301 pounds. I tried and tried but weightloss in your 40's isn't like in your 30's. I had VSG almost 9 weeks ago and that's what the tickers below reflect. I've learnt from my mistakes and I now know I'll never be cured and this is something I'm going to manage my whole life. But this time 'it' won't get the better of me again

The advice I received was introduce anything after 4 weeks. They gave me tips on easier and more difficult choices but that I could try anything.

I guess the meanings of words like 'normal' and 'average' become blurred when we live in the western world where most people are overweight or obese. It sounds like Catracks husband eats how people SHOULD eat. Weather it's common, average or normal for me is pretty irrelevant. I'm more concerned about how I should eat, not how others are eating (including friends and family), not how the population eat (most of us are fat) and I certainly don't want to be average!

I had a tummy tuck when I lost 150 + pounds with diet and exercise in my early 30's. Unfortunately I've put 3/4 of that back on over the last decade or so. My understanding is you want all your skin to finish changing because of the rapid weight loss. If it hasn't done this it will effect the final result. As you'd imagine joining two pieces of skin that previously had a number of inches of skin removed from in between isn't an exact science and results vary. A bit like VSG surgery, I think it's best to do everything possible to help the surgeon get the best outcome for you. Good luck with everything, Deano

I can appreciate waiting the extra time would be / will be frustrating. I'd imagine that over the 12 months at goal, like proudgrammy said, your skin will firm a little, tone a little and change a little. I'm guessing it's about all this happening up front so you get the best result for the plastic surgery.

At work this afternoon (lucky me) but had a good morning. The girls had nippers, so spent it at the beach. I was in the surf helping out the kids on their nipper boards. Now, I don't know if it's the amount of weight I've lost or muscle I've lost or the low calories I'm eating (or a combination of the three) but I'm normally pretty strong in the surf and a strong swimmer. This morning I got thrown around like a rag doll. I wasn't used to it, it was quite funny. Hope you're all having a good weekend. Deano

I could swallow whole pills 2 weeks post op, but I only take a multivitamin. Are they the types of meds that you could take a small break from, for a week or two?

After my bloods were done I was told I only had to take a multi. Will see how it goes next time. I'm 8 weeks out.

I only take a multi post op and have been taking it as a whole pill after two weeks.

All good tips. I only have one thing to say - WHAT A GREAT PROBLEM TO HAVE !!! That is all, Deano

Hey Kennedy. I'm sure you'll get there soon. VSG has been a great thing for me already. There's a LGBT presence on the forum. There are also a lot of LGBT friendly members also. I'm straight (married 16 years) My wife and I lived in a gay community in Sydney Australia for 15 years before making a sea change. I've thought there are a number of similarities between coming out and disclosing WLS. I haven't wanted to say that out loud until you said it, because I worried about offending someone. Lets face it you don't choose to be gay but you choose to have WLS. My WLS surgery is well and truly out there. I've told everyone. Anyone who has had a conversation with me has been supportive (I'm 8 weeks post op). I'm prepared for the day someone won't be, and I'll forgive them their ignorance! People have asked me if I've encountered any negative comments. My standard response is 'People are either going to support me in this or say something stupid'...... Since being on this forum I've told people there's no reason WLS should be anyone's dirty little secret. If someone has walked in my shoes and yoyo dieted forever ....... I'll allow them an opinion Good luck on your journey! All the best, Deano

Kelli, Shell and I were having a conversation at lunch about stomach stapling. We weren't 100% sure what the difference was with VSG, but we suspected that with stapling the stomach may have been folded in on itself / left intact. I'd been meaning to look it up for ages. It looks like we were kind of right. You might have already known this, but for anyone else whose curious. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vertical_banded_gastroplasty_surgery

I love food. I still cook. Watch cooking programs. Take cooking classes with my wife. I'm fussier about what I eat because I can only eat a small amount, but my relationship with food is better. It hasn't affected the people around me except that they're happy that I'm healthier and happier. If my wife was eating a bag of chips in front of the TV, I might have some hommus and some carrot sticks. Or nothing, and that's ok too.

Nope. You get a lot less self concious and pre occupied with food. I couldn't care less what other people are eating, or really what I'm eating to tell the truth. Going out now is more about being social and catching up with people and less about the food and what I can consume. I order what I think will sit well (I'm 8 weeks post op). I eat my Protein first. I eat slowley and usually finish (eating, not my plate) about the same time as everyone else. I have never, for second, felt like I was missing out.

I don't think you'd think anything was 'better' as long as you're sucessful. Lap Band is older than VSG. But I'd assume if someone has got to goal with a band they don't really care. RNY is decades old. If someone had a by-pass a few decades ago and are still at goal, I don't think they'd care that they don't have a VSG. Who knows, it might be 15 years until there's a 'better' proceedure - how long are you prepared to wait? Good luck Deano

That's terrific in 3 months! Another 15 pounds and you'll be half way to goal. Your killing it. Good idea with the desktop background. Deano

Speaking of keeping things in your handbag (and no, I don't have a handbag!). I got a heap of mini Protein bars from Aldi. They look suspiciously the same as the Aussie Bodies Protein FX mini bars. They're small 30g bars. About 90 cals, 9g Protein. I keep a couple in my kit bag in case I'm stuck at a job and can't get anything else. Good for a snack. Definately a good size for a sleeve. Aussie Bodies $2.20 + Aldi 99 cents I can't tell the difference. Deano

That sounds awesful! You poor thing.You definately did a job on yourself! Good luck tomorrow, you're young and healthy (now) you'll be fine Ummmm with the fall ........ was there alcohol involved?? Deano

I've had dry chicken breast come up twice. I'm yet to try red meat (except for mince or my low and slow BBQ lamb that is juicy and falls off the bone!) One time we were at an Indian restaurant. Fortunately I recognised the signs and excused myself. It's all part of the evolving process I guess. A lot to do with what we can eat and how quickly we can eat.

Hey. I haven't experienced anything like this - I hope you're feeling better now. Deano

It was great to meet you guys. The more people that come along to these things the better, although I have to admit, I was pretty pleased with myself having lunch with two good looking girls. It was funny, us all filling our takeaway containers after lunch. I'm not sure how, but mine was filled to the top. Have a good one, Deano

They look great!

Best money you ever spent - I'm sure you feel like you have your life back. Well done, Deano

That's awesome. Imagine how you're going to look in 4, 6, 8 months???