JupiterinVirgo

I think I'm going to just get a lift with no implants. But honestly I really don't want them. Implants, that is. I'm almost 40; I don't need the boobs of a 20-year-old. But I do want the longness to go away. And whatever size they end up being after weight loss and lifting, that's fine with me. Although I can't imagine them being less than a D even when I'm done losing weight. I've always liked having big breasts; and I don't think they would bother me at all if they were big and perkier. But they're uncomfortable in current state.

Post-op care in Mexico can be fantastic, as long as you make a good choice of surgeon and recovery facility. When I went for my TT and breast lift with augmentation, I stayed for 2 full weeks post-op in a recovery house where I had 24/7 nursing care, all my meals prepared for me (made all my food specific to me... had given them a huge list of foods I wouldn't eat), had all sorts of equipment to make my life easier (motorized hospital bed, walker, raised toilet seats with handles...), and my surgeon came and checked on me every single day. Had I had the same surgery in the US, I would have been discharged to fend for myself one day post-op and had to be driven to see my surgeon maybe once or twice those first two weeks? I can't imagine relying on my husband or family to care for me in those early days post-op. I couldn't even use the bathroom by myself! Now, if you are only having breast lift done, the recover is MUCH less intense, so you might not need so much aftercare. I had already discussed with my husband that I might consider staying in the US if all I was having is breast work or an arm lift. But anything like a lower body lift, tummy tuck, or thigh lift, I would definitely want the round-the-clock care you receive in Mexico. Thank you so much. That is so helpful! I may eventually get a Tummy tuck about I don't think I would do them both at the same time. I think I'm going to just start with just the boobs-which from the look of post op pictures on the Internet of the lollipop and anchor cut looks pretty awful to survive as it is! I cannot imagine the pain of having all that work done at one time.

I really like artisan cheeses. There are times in my weight loss journey where cheese takes a starring role as my main source of protein, so I go to artisan cheese shops, farmers markets, and other high-end food stores to find the cleanest, best, most unique and tasty cheeses.

It is probably possible to get by on your own right after surgery, depending on your personality type, I would recommend that if at all possible you have a friend or family member stay with you for at least the first few days. I was heavily medicated for the first week and if I had not had family members staying with me I would've probably dehydrated it ended up back in the hospital, as all I wanted to do was sleep. Moving around was painful, so I didn't want to get up very much. I would say just three days of help would probably be enough for most people.

Wow! Congratulations. Do you feel as good as you look?

Thank you so much for cheering me on! I don't live near my family, and I don't know a lot of people where I am so I don't hear as many acknowledgments as it would take to shift my mind into recognition. Then someone takes a picture of me and I'm like, "holy crap!"

We live in a culture of hidden shame. Having weight-loss surgery is nothing to be ashamed of. Being fat is nothing to be ashamed of. Like your friend, and like many people on this website, I dieted many many times, and I was successful many times. But not permanently successful, and so I decided to make a permanent alteration to my physical anatomy that would help me not only lose the weight, but keep it off. I wish I did this a lot of years ago. I am amazed at how effective the surgery is. But it is a sacrifice. I think most people on this website would tell you that it was worth it to them. But it is a commitment. It cannot be undone. But don't let the shame from our culture stop you, if in your inner self you know that this is the right thing for you.

Losing a lot of weight can be psycho-spiritually profound! Many people on this journey find out that they have become more them selves, not less. More confident, more comfortable, more welcome, more active, more brazen, bolder. The process of losing weight, can definitely change your perception. But the core of who you are, that will not change. If in the core of who you are you are badly hurt, or unhappy, that will still have to be addressed. If in the core of who you are, you are joyful and content, you might find out that you can hold even more joy and even more contentment once there is not so much weight between you your self and the rest of the world. There is nothing to worry about. It can be a beautiful and organic process, but it is a process of transformation so there are bound to be shifts in your perception.

It took me a full 10 days to feel well enough to even consider working. And that was just about the pain. The fatigue went on for months. If you have a non-desk job, I would suggest two weeks off.

It is wise to pay attention, and to notice our little aches and pains. Most of us, however, have the tendency to let our minds run off like wild horses from that moment of noticing into far and unlikely destinations that probably we will not land in. Be proactive but don't be worried. Losing so much weight so fast is so stressful on the body, and it's going to groan and creek occasionally. Give it a good clean water. Eat gently. And find some kind of practice that helps you cope with stress. I have a feeling you're going to be just fine. <3

Seeing all of these before, during and after photos is so inspiring, so amazing! When I was still working up the courage to have the surgery, it was your successes that gave me the faith to go through with it, and I truly have no regrets. I am only five months out from surgery, and I don't know how much weight I've lost. I'm sure that it is at least 80 to 100 pounds, I'm a find out at my surgeons in a couple weeks. But I couldn't help but wish to join in the fun! So here are some progress pics…

I am very seriously considering having this done in Mexico. Not just because it's more reasonably priced, but because what little bits and pieces I've heard about it it seems that the care in Mexico was better than in the United States-or rather, you get the care that you have to pay 100 grand for here for like 10 K. How was it down there? Matt ask for more information about where it went and who your doctor was? If it's too personal I completely understand. Thank you so much for commenting.

Thank you Daisy! I will totally check that out. I'm under growing my clothes like crazy and it's getting really pricey

Thank you I really appreciate everybody's comments. I'm going to post some new pictures soon. It's so weird how your brain doesn't catch up in real time-at least mine doesn't. I can't tell how much weight I've lost until someone takes a picture of me.

So much yay. Also, almond meal or almond flour is a great option!

The BMI chart is very outdated, was created with bad science by insurance companies, who are trying to predict mortality in order to profit from the losses of others. It never ceases to amaze me how antiquated Western medicine remains, and how much Unquestioning faith most people have in it. When your body is comfortable with its weight, it will stop shedding it. Bodies are not uniformly manufactured products. Every single one is unique and individual. The right weight for you is the weight at which you feel healthy and strong. BMI charts are not the end all, be all, of weight loss. Personally, I think they are ridiculous.

I drink with meals, but it means less food at a time, and mindfulness. Because overdoing one or the other means puking.

Saturday, just a few days ago, was the first time I sat down on the hard edge and felt my bones. I was completely shocked. LOL… And you're right, it hurts a bit.

I think that's a great thing. I am five months postop and I do not weigh myself. Not once a day, not once a week, not even once a month. I get Wade when I go to the surgeons office, and the rest of the time I track my Weight loss with non-scale victories. My clothes are literally falling off my body, compliments from people who haven't seen me in a few weeks or months or so, and my own felt sense of the boundaries of my body getting smaller. I decided to do this from the beginning because I didn't want life after surgery to feel like a diet, because every diet I've ever been on has either failed me or otherwise been on sustainable. That is why I needed the surgery to begin with. Since weight-loss surgery is a permanent alterations have the anatomy, it's the long ball Game that really counts. I do not need to know what I weigh from day to day. I just need to see a steady decline in my weight over time, and I am definitely definitely seeing that.

It is that aspect of permanence that appeals to most of us who have had the surgery, I think. I cannot say how many times I have thought to myself, this is not a diet I can just go off. I permanently changed my anatomy. And then I feel a rush of relief, because I know that it means that even if I have a bad day, but I fall into an old habit temporarily, it does not derail my long-term goals. Before I had the surgery, if I made a weight-loss effort and screwed up at some point, that was usually the end. And, in the beginning it most certainly feels like a very artificially imposed relationship with food, but as time goes on it's feels a little more natural, and it's not as bad as it seems like it's going to be right after surgery LOL. I think it is also important to remember that the bariatric gospel given by most bariatric surgical offices, is not the end all, be all of weight loss, and some of those rules might not be appropriate for you personally. To me, it is not sustainable to follow thousand was the day on how to eat and what to eat and all that jazz. I don't do it. And my weight-loss has been extremely successful so far. I do what's right for me. I can eat and drink together as long as I pace myself properly. I can use a straw without any problems. There are still a lot of foods that are very uncomfortable for me to eat, but I find I sold them have an appetite anyway. But it is a sacrifice, about that you actually correct. And you do have to be sure and profoundly OK with the sacrifice you are making in exchange for a golden opportunity to improve the quality of your life over the long term.

Ty

My weight loss journey has definitely shown me very clearly that much of the advice offered by Western medical professionals after sleeve surgery is outdated by at least 20 years, much of that is based on initial studies that were not connected to other studies over a long period of time. That is, their data is incomplete and not integrated with other data, newer data, and data that comes from other areas, including nutritional and food-based approaches that are well documented, well used, and well studied from all over the world that lead to not only the balance of weight, but the balance of all systems in the physical body with the use of food, supplements and other holistic approaches that take into account the individual body, not just some overgeneralized partial study taken 30 years ago. The most powerful and simple advice from my experience, is to attuned to what your personal body needs, and not blindly follow the bariatric gospel, which is very very outdated.

Since surgery, I have been less and less interested in eating meat. I'd like to say that vegetarianism appeals to me because I'm some kind of humanitarian, but really I just feel increasingly disgusted with the thought of dead animal flesh even though I've always been a huge meat eater. I find that occasionally my body requires actual meet but most of the time, I'm OK without it. I get much of my Protein from cheese, a little from yogurt, and the occasional egg. All of the dishes I know how to prepare feature meet as the main attraction. That's not true: Pasta is the other main attraction. I'm getting quite bored with my staple foods, I need some super simple superfast super easy one dish recipes that are high-protein, low-carb, and vegetarian. Can any of you magnificent vegetarian veterans help me out?

Let me state plainly end up front that I do not regret this surgery at all. I wish I could have done this for myself much sooner. But, it is a sacrifice. And you need to be OK with that before you do it I think. Weight-loss surgery is not like dieting; the changes to your body are permanent. Since surgery, my biggest challenges have been the discomfort of eating many foods. I notice it is much more important to pay close attention to the signals of my body, which are no longer Austin glaringly obvious. Because the part of your stomach that makes hunger hormones is removed, after the first few weeks it is very easy to stop thinking about eating almost all together. For me, I no longer eat for pleasure. Eating is a task I must complete to take care of my body. If most of your social functions revolve around large meals, that can be a challenge. Although I simply move my focus to my company, to the fullness of the experience of being with people I enjoy or love, instead of focusing on the food. It is also and adjustment as you lose weight, noticing your body getting smaller, you're clothes falling off or sagging, The softness of your body increasing, etc. I'm sure there are a lot of other things people find challenging besides what I have mentioned, but those are bits and pieces from my own journey. At the end of the day, I truly have no regrets about this but I most certainly i'm aware of this great change I have made every single day. Oh, and hair loss is a common complaint. But a temporary element

Right after surgery your calorie intake is very low, and most people are very tired. I was so exhausted at times in those first few weeks that I actually got stuck in my car waiting for my energy to return enough for me to drive home from the store. You have to really pay close attention to your body after surgery. Not only are you taking him a lot less calories, but your body is using a lot more energy to repair itself from the surgery. Even after the immediate weeks following surgery, I was tired often on for months to the point where I needed to take naps in the middle of the day. Things began to level out a bit around three months out for me.