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speaking of thighs...while MY thighs look nice while standing up, they dont look the greatest from an aerial view when im laying down cuz my excess butt skin gets flattened and seeps to the sides, which merges into my upper thigh area. here is me channeling my favourite melted barbie meme. (i forced mr. to take me pic...he was mortified lololololzzz)

Officially 8 weeks and 2 days Post-op and honestly I'm pretty comfortable with my progress though a little disappointed with my hydration. The weight loss is steady, protein intake was a little tricky but I think I got it, and keeping up with physical activity has been smooth. Last month's first follow up with the nutritionist did get under my skin, I questioned returning to my previous vitamins vs these nasty Flinstones...and she went on and on about my calcium, iron and protein levels wouldn't be sufficient due to me not eating meat. I explained I had no problem taking additional calcium or iron IF necessary, and finding new ways to add my protein BUT I wanted to see how my bloodwork came back. She finally conceded in saying "well, you're an adult, if you want to take more vitamins that's your choice". I mean OBVIOUSLY it is my choice and her condescending tone is one of the many reasons I've never cared for nutritionist. Nevertheless, guess who's blood work is PERFECT?! In other news, I will say this ketosis stage, while extremely beneficial... it is giving me the "ick" with side effects, smells, body odor etc... I've introduced some carbs hoping things will balance out but it seems to be a slow process. Uranalysis confirmed I'm still burning ketones sooooo there's that. 🤷🏽‍♀️but when will these side effects end ? Speaking of introducing carbs... I had a small bowl (4 oz) of mac and cheese (chickpea pasta)... this is a true trigger food for me, but I ate it, I enjoyed it and I moved on... it wasn't until the next day, I was thinking wow, I really didn't "Want" another bowl... "I'm good". In the head scratching category... I overheard my co-workers having a convo about individuals on the show "My 600lb life"... DISCLAIMER: I say overheard loosely, there's 3 of us in a small room, they were speaking freely as we usually do but I had my earbuds on and wasn't a part of the beginning of the convo. While I can't say I've ever watched a full episode, I am familiar with the premise of the title as well as what "reality shows" really entail when it comes to production and I'm sure I've caught a snippet of an episode on a meme, commercial etc. They also do not know I've had a procedure. I digress, at some point in the convo, they were both giving their opinions on "how could someone let it get so bad"..." when your pants stop fitting..." "when you're out of breath walking from house to mailbox..." etc. and while I have no doubt that they did not have malicious intentions nor have I personally fit into any of these examples... I suddenly became very offended. I even thought to myself have I lost that much weight that this is how "skinny" people speak freely among you ? (The answer is no, regarding me... I've lost a good amount, but they've known me for several years...at my heaviest). I thought, are they thinking I'm really deep into my work and not paying attention ? (The answer is no, we always engage with each other based off of body language to get the others attention and they were engaging). The answer boiled down to, they were just ignorant to the reasons this could happen to someone and the fact that reality tv has a way of making people look and behave at their worse. So I chimed in with "As a fellow big girl..." and explained to them that food addiction is real, and it's real easy to forget that unlike, drugs and alcohol, people have to eat for survival/nutrition and if you are addicted to such it's easy to forget how someone can "let it get so bad", there are also health issues and medication side effects. They were both receptive and admitted that didn't even consider that thought. We went on to talk about the state of "healthy" food choices, labels, vending machines in schools and all. But I definitely walked away from that convo scratching my head because they are both thin and love to eat and not always the "healthy" stuff... so I'm thinking it didn't occur to you others JUST CAN'T do that. Anyways, it was an experience and I'm glad I had it.

Hey everyone! I'm 2.7 years post op. I've maintained about a 140 lb weight loss. I have a lot of loose skin and I honestly feel like I can't fully enjoy my body until I get some of this skin off. The problem is I can't afford it. I spent everything on the surgery (insurance didn't cover) and I'm not making much money right now because I decided to go back to school. I am currently living in Texas. I would love to know how some of you paid for your plastics. Was it hard to make payments? What options are there usually? I'd like to get my belly skin, breasts and arms lifted. I am just looking at arms right now and just that alone is $14000. I just need any ideas or out-of-the-box suggestions. The weight loss surgery and weight loss/maintenance was one thing, but making this next step happen feels impossible sometimes.

13 days out - Progressing nicely, but still a BRUTAL recovery. Surgeon removed an excess of 3 ¾ pounds along with hair + sweat glands, so no need for underarm shaving or deodorant. Continuing oral and ointment antibiotics for a bit longer, as my right arm has been extra red and sensitive. Swelling, soreness, stiffness remain as the skin heals from the trauma. Six feet of sutures. Very uncomfortable, but I continue to set my eyes on the prize. Wearing Mr. Sophie's big, loose shirts with button down fronts for ease. No desire to drive or venture out. Enjoy long walks (not power walking) at night in the neighborhood with hubby and puppy - quiet and refreshing. The Happy Halloween decorations are also entertaining!

Good eye! They are LMAO! I bought them just a couple of months ago and they’re already loose (size S mind you). Nothing like the snug lululemon and Alo yoga pants! They hug you just right.

well u def need new yoga pants...these ones are way too loose on the waist!

same. i make a mean, super duper sweet filipino milk flan. i limit myself to like a single bite or two at a time but i will say its a hit at parties. FILIPINO LECHE FLAN: INGREDIENTS 10 room temperature egg yolks ( i usually use the unused egg whites to make a palvova or almond cookies or macarons) 1 can condensed milk 1 can evaporated milk 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional) 1 tsp fresh lime juice 1/2 cup sugar DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 350 melt sugar in bottom of pans whisk egg yolks add condensed milk, stir until combined add evaporated milk, vanilla and optional lime & mix well (slowly so no air bubbles) pour mixture through cheesecloth or sieve to remove any undissolved bits pour into pans tap the pans onto hard surface to remove any bubbles cover pans loosely with foil put pans into a roasting pan then fill roasting pan with water until reaches halfway up the flan pans bake 35-40 mins until set (firm but still jiggly) let cool and put in fridge for at least 3 hours remove from pan by placing a plate on top and carefully flipping over to release to goodness lol

7 years out this November (I can’t believe it’s been that long!) 1. The surgery did all of the work. I didn’t wake up hungry, I didn’t feel like I could eat more than recommended. I didn’t have any (initial) complications that slowed the weight loss process. 2. I was really strict and followed every rule pre and post op. I was super serious because I absolutely needed this to work. My motivation remains for medical reasons first and aesthetics second. 3. I limited calories from liquids. 4. I am finally ready to admit that I have a narrow palate. I don’t like most food and definitely not most fast food but in a pinch I will eat it *some* things. I cook the vast majority of my meals and most are very boring by foodie standards. 5. I was converted from VSG to RNY at my goal weight (GERD etc) and I’m sure the durability of RNY has made a difference in maintaining. 6. I was given a higher BMI range by my surgeon and thank goodness because getting any lower would have been a real struggle without added benefits. 7. I invested in plastics. I shouldn’t make sense or a difference but I didn’t want to mess up the work I had done plus removed skin and fat cells are gone forever. 8. I address the smallest regains IMMEDIATELY adjusting behavior and intake. I’m not ashamed of it or ignore it, I weigh often to stay accountable to myself. 9. I found what works for me and focused on that, adjusting as needed. I try very, very hard not to compare myself with anyone else. I never attached self worth or morality to weight (gained or lost). I think it helped immensely that no one ever bothered me about weight. I realize it maybe a different story if this wasn’t the case. 10. I check in yearly with my bariatric team.

I am coming at this thread from a slightly different perspective. I'm not a long termer (whose experience I know you were asking for) so please do place more weight on those people's posts. I do rely SO MUCH on the stalwarts here to be my guiding stars and four of them have shared their wisdom already. I have struggled a bit to maintain my loss. I reached my original goal weight about a year after my surgery. The second year or so I lost much more slowly but ended up about 20lbs under my goal. In my third year I slowly regained 16lbs. I eat pretty well I think. I cannot, and never have, eaten breakfast. Coffee only before about 11am. Looking at the link above I do wonder whether I should just start stuffing something down. I think my regain has been due to bits of sneaky sugar creeping in, and alcohol (totally empty calories - if you can do without then this is the smart way forward, I simply cannot completely LOL). I reached a point a couple of months back when I was unhappy, thought I'd gone beyond the well known third year rebound and decided to cut out the sugar and (mostly!) the alcohol. Since then I've lost 10lbs of the 15 I gained. Still loosing now. My maintenance calorific intake seems to be 1500 or a little less. I am pretty tall and moderately active. It's weird because I lost large amounts of weight consistently on much more than this a year ago. I think some people get blessed with a new set point weight that is easier to maintain with a much higher calorific intake and some get cursed with a lower set point so that inhaling a random breath of air containing just a whiff of bacon can disrupt. Sadly I appear to be in the latter category now. Take home message - everyone's weight loss in the initial and the maintenance phases seems to be individual to them. Yes we can look for patterns and try to emulate those in order to maximise our own losses, but it doesn't mean our own loss will follow any particular trajectory. Sugar and alcohol are our enemies. I wish you all the best after your op OP. Keep posting, it's endlessly fascinating to hear others' experiences.

It sounds like you've been on quite the journey, and your persistence through that plateau really paid off. It’s so inspiring to see how listening to your body and making those small adjustments with your diet made such a difference. It takes a lot of trust in the process and faith in yourself to try eating more when every instinct says otherwise, but it clearly worked out well for you! It's amazing to hear how your body is responding with more energy and the positive changes you’re seeing in your clothes and measurements. I’ve been going through a bit of a journey myself, having hit some frustrating moments and uncertainties with shifting to new foods post-surgery. Just like you, I’m learning to listen to my body and trust that it’ll tell me what it needs. I’m also focusing more on not letting anxiety get the best of me and staying patient with the process. Getting your steps in, adding weights, and having clear personal goals is such a strong way to take control of your health! I recently got a fitness watch, and I’m slowly working up to more focused routines too. It’s so satisfying seeing the numbers tick up and knowing you’re getting stronger day by day. I just switched to a split workout routine because I realized it fits better with what my body needs right now. The key seems to be finding what works for you, just like you've been doing. Also, it must feel fantastic to be buying clothes two sizes down! I'm excited for you—I remember not too long ago feeling that looseness in my own clothes and needing to size down. Those milestones are proof of all the hard work you’re putting in, even if the scale doesn’t always cooperate right away. It’s motivating to hear about your experience, and it’s a reminder that we’re not alone in this. Keep going, be gentle with yourself, and continue doing what feels right for you!

Hello everyone!! I know I did a bit of a vanishing act, but I have things to report in. First of all - I hit a really frustrating plateau that lasted about 3.5 weeks from around weeks 7-10. That had me feeling pretty bummed, as it was post-two month check in and I had been feeling great about my progress before switching from purees to solids. I had last posted about hearing somewhat contradicting information from the nurse and Nutritionist. I had been told that I didn't need to really worry about staying on keto because I wasn't eating much as long as I hit my protein goal and by the nurse to try to stay Keto because eventually I'd get this great burst of energy from going into ketosis. WELL -- After doing some research I found out that the thing your brain tells you would be the worst thing to do - EAT MORE - was actually the solution. I started bringing in more vegetables and an occasional grains while sticking to mostly lean meats, plus using a protein shake for breakfast to keep me on track with my protein goals. I was already using Genepro; and I since picked up one of the Whey protein powders in a chocolate plus some of the PB2. That did the trick! I have started allowing myself an occasional 'cheat' type meal on days that I'm locked in on my protein, and find myself often meeting my protein goal and then some - more like 70g of protein per day rather than the minimum of 60g/day. The result of spreading my meals out - breakfast, three hours later lunch, three hours later 'dinner' and three hours later 'protein snack' if I'm still hungry - DID IT. My energy is up now that I've been walking more and giving my body more fuel. I am seeing the weight loss finally, and even when the scale doesn't show it right away I'm seeing my measurements shift and the way my clothing fits feeling different. I had purchased a cute pair of jeans about a week before my surgery and a button down short sleeve gingham shirt. At the time I couldn't get the jeans all the way up over my thigh; and now they fit loosely. My bras don't fit properly and I already had to buy one in a smaller size. I'm turning down plus sizes clothes I like that I find at the thrift store for pretty much the first time because - they're too big. I'm borrowing shirts from my Mom that I handed down to her previously and other friends handed down to her rather than me because she was a 2x/3x for a long time (mostly due to her chest) and I was a 4x+. I can feel where my arms have gotten smaller in the way shirts don't feel snug in the arms, shoulder, and chest area. I've gone down 2.5 ring sizes! All in all, I've found that portion control is still a big deal, but so is listening to your body and remembering that if it sends you a message about hunger, there is a reason. I DO have to focus on making sure I drink enough water, but the Baritastic app has helped me keep my sugar low. Even if I do hit over 30g of carbs in a day it's rare and because of something like beans, rice, or vegetables. I'm feeling more comfortable loosening the reins a bit on how strictly I adhere to my diet - although I still don't do anything carbonated, do minimal caffeine, and keep sugar very low. The idea to bring your own tupperware to restaurants along with a cooler is really smart. I'm not in an organized group exercise of any kind yet but I do have personal goals like trying to get in over 10k steps three times per week. I'm working my way up and have gotten to an average of around 5k steps each day, which I'm very proud of. My calorie deficit is usually 800+ calories less taken in than what I'm burning via exercise per day, and this week I have lost almost 6 lbs due to exercise and losing the bloat from my first period post surgery. I wanted to mention that - I did miss my first month's period and my second month's was late. As to exercise - I feel the activity in my back and as a low ache across my lower abdomen mainly, which I think is a result of using those core muscles and the way my figure is redistributing the weight on my joints. I'm shopping Marketplace to add weights to my exercise and still use my exercise bike when the weather isn't nice enough to walk. OH! And Old Navy has an amazing 50% off sale on their website right now and I just finally ordered myself some pants in two sizes below my pre-surgery size! I'm so excited for them to get here. Best wishes all, keep up the amazing work and be kind to yourselves!

As we all know loosing the weight after bariatric surgery can be quick and easy, but I have noticed throughout various bariatric groups, That maintenance seems to be the hardest. What were some of your Keys to success that helped you maintain your goal weight over the years? What was steadfast and True?

Uncovered. For sure! That way it gets the little crispy bits on it. If you don’t want those then flip it over skin side out and poke a few times with a knife to vent the steam

I’m going to reiterate the above poster, you honestly can’t compare yourself to others. My tweak is that you might not get to “the weight of your dreams.” As an older post menopausal woman I am a powerhouse of strength that lives quite comfortably on 800-1000 kcals a day and still weighs roughly 200lbs at 5’4”. I honestly can’t eat less food or risk malnutrition. I work an extremely strenuous job physically with severely disabled children. I wear size 16-18 American bottoms and size large or size 14-16 tops, large dresses. The only things that jiggle is leftover skin. I know I’m one injury away from switching to general education kids, but I’m living life full throttle and enjoying it! So, you are doing awesome work! Keep following your plan and taking care of yourself. You’re way younger than me so you have an honest shot at getting all the way down. BUT, who you are isn’t determined by how much you weigh. Are you staring down diabetes anymore? Are you pursuing your life goals, career goals, kindness to self goals? Are you involved in real life relationships and groups? Just from your post I can tell you are a caring person that works hard to make things better. Keep going! (Therapy helps you see fabulous you too.)

OMG please do not compare yourself to anyone else, its the road to ruin. This is not a quick fix, it may take over a year to loose your extra weight. My journey took nearly 3 years. If you stick at the program you will get to the weight of your dreams. Everyone who does this surgery has a different regime to follow. Some can have solids straight away, some have liquids for 4 weeks then puree for 2 weeks. Some eat low calorie, zero sugar, zero fat etc Some of us [me] eat full fat. Some have Carbs, some of us don't [me] Some exercise, some don't. What I am trying to say is don't try to compare to the unknown. You are doing amazing. Right on track. Follow your teams regime. You are just beginning. Slow and steady wins this race. Any time now you may have a fright when you don't loose anything, your body needs these stalls to regroup.

I'm actually technically able to get plastics right now if I want them, and BELIEVE ME I do, but I only just got my weight stable and not going down down down, so I want to give it a few months and see how it goes through the winter months and then revisit around March or April. I'd love to at least have my boobs, neck, arms, and tummy done by my birthday next year. That's really what I'm the most self conscious about. I'll eventually get the rest done, but spanx pretty much takes care of any loose and wobbly skin on my butt and thighs. I don't do dresses or shorts, I wear capris or pants/jeans, so that's perfectly fine. But it's better to let your weight be stable for a while before you go have surgery. Too much fluctuation one way or the other could mess up what the surgery does and then you'll have wasted the money, time off work, and healing effort and time.

I had my gastric sleeve in Turkey on 1/10/24 couldn’t believe have smooth it went, 2.5 weeks post op and not loosing anything this week 😕

I can't afford plastic surgery so have had to make do without. My skin laxity has definitely improved in the almost 3 years since my surgery. I was also certain in the first blush of weight loss in the first year that never would I ever regain even a single ounce, but I did regain quite a lot despite my resolution not to. Haha that's all I have to say! My arms are still the most visible saggy skin I have and they look way better 3 years on. I would rather times a million have this 'problem' than my previous morbid obesity. No brainer. Stomach and bum and legs nobody gets to see and have saggy skin - but also seem better as time progresses. Breasts were the least unforgiving luckily, appearance wise. I know we're all different and we want different things as we progress. Hoping you all get to where you want to be soon. 💚

New NSV! I got a Pandora bracelet as a gift a few years ago and have built up a collection of charms. (8 or 9) I had to take off 5 of them because they bracelet was too tight! Now I can wear all of them and the bracelet is still a bit loose!

Winter approaching and I am cleaning out my closet. Realizing I have no winter clothing that fit me properly. I also clean out a whole box of clothing that no longer fits. I tried to look more throughly to see if I can find anything, but looks like the whole closet does not fit me anymore… over 10 years worth of clothing gone. Well, time for some retail therapy. lol I will have to try to refraining myself from getting too much new clothes. So far I bought myself 3 sweaters from Quince and 2 pair of jeans from Gap about a month ago, they are fitting loose already.

Do you mean SADI? Or is SASI another newer surgery? I had a sleeve revision to SADI and they warned me that diarrhea would be an issue for the first three or so months. For me I haven’t had this issue. Some days my stool is loose but it’s only once a day. I have been eating extremely clean though so perhaps that’s part of it. I would keep a log of what you’re eating and when it is happening and get with your team. You may have developed an allergy to something. That’s not at all uncommon.

Thank you very much! Congratulations to you as well for your successful journey. It's amazing to finally be free of the fat and, more importantly for me, the addiction to food and the total control/power I have over food now. It's seriously my lifelong dream at 55 so staying motivated was baked in.. Thank you again. I am sure I didn't elaborate or explain my reasons enough but actually I am concerned about slowing down the weight loss. I still eat very small portions and am worried it would be hard to sustain on just protein, without carbs. I like my body running more ketogenic than carbed up with the ups and downs of carbs. Without adding fat, and with our malabsorption aspect of the surgery, I am wondering if its possible or not so much..If I am being honest, at 240lbs, I started eating dirtier with carbs to try and stabilize at 240 until I got my knee surgeries, but then just dropped another 20+ within a month and a half or so. My steps and activity increased, small by normal people standards, but a lot for where I have been, after I got another Cortisone shot to the knees. This just illustrates my concern once I reach goal weight and I am rucking, hiking, and lifting. Those three things will be lifelong for longevity and mobility going forward. Obviously everyone is different as far genetically and such, but I have been extremely low calorie, plenty of short fasts up to three days, and have plateaued at certain points during my weight loss, and after doing a refeed with carbs and basically whatever I want to eat, I recharged my metabolism for another huge run of weight loss. The refeed was usually only a couple days to a few days but less than a week. Now with this approach remember I am lifting weights. I mean hard as I can weight lifting 4 days a week. It sucks! Low energy lifting is not fun but the recomp.. I really believe the built-in calorie burn from lean muscle mass is the most efficient way to permanently stay in shape. Male or female doesn't matter. IMHO if your metabolism is slow and you are struggling with the last few pounds, I mean the literally like 5-10 pounds from goal BF, man or woman, start lifting weights. The body recomp will floor you. And that weight or really I think just your body composition after significant weight loss without adding lean muscle mass leaves you looking(Sometimes) like a no muscle bag of skin. Flat. It's not fun but the results.. Anyways thank you for the reply and just to make clear if any of the vets care to weigh in, the WLS gave me the tool, the only tool I will ever need again to lose weight. It's so powerful for me that I need to think about slowing down my weight loss combined with, if possible, being low carb and more ketogenic as a lifestyle choice I prefer. I just don't know if low carb is sustainable without the fat calories. that specifically is what I am looking for. Does anyone prefer low carb/ketogenic after surgery and is it possible? I already realize that fats can be problematic, is anyone doing carnivore after DS Sadi. Not my preference but the only option it seems for low carb without the keto fat plan. Thanks in advance for any tips.

Firstly...big congratulations on your weight loss success. Amazing results from a recliner. Wowo!!! I didn't have DS and haven't tried Keto post surgery. But I did the diet for a year right before WLS, coupled with intermittent fasting. Despite my efforts I only lost 30 pounds on the average then hit a wall. Eating high fat meats might not be the best for you at this point but everyone is different in how their body responds to food after WLS. Lean meats and veggies is pretty much our food plan now. I am interested to hear what others have to say on this subject because although I have been able to lose weight adding carbs to my diet (at the urging of my nutritionist and to my keto minded horror), I haven't tried any types of "diets" to get the last few pounds off post surgery. Some say I have probably met my goal weight and the excess pounds are lose skin?? But I don't have a lot of excess to be honest, so not sure about that. I am also a big advocate of extended water fasting a couple times a year for cleansing purposes, but have not attempted it post. I was told it might mess up my sped up metabolism tool. I don't want to risk that happening. Also, I don't relish the idea of returning to a diet mentality. And I will admit, I enjoy being able to eat some carbs now where before, I could just look at them and gain weight. LOL Godspeed on your healing process for the bilateral knee surgery. I have a feeling after you are able to get up and move around, you just might lose those last 40 pounds without the Keto, GL

I’ve only done it with Roma tomatoes which have a thinner skin you don’t need to skin. I don’t cut /scrape out the seeds either with romas. (May be known as plum tomatoes I think in the US.) I started buying the little basil plants in the supermarket and plant them out. Get about 4 or so months out of the plant before it gets sparse looking and doesn’t produce many leaves. The little pots cost about $5 in Australia so pretty cheap for having fresh leaves on hand.

TBH using fresh tomatoes is over rated. A good quality tin with a spoon of tomato puree works just fine. BUT, if you want to use them, Peel them first. Put in boiling water and then plunge in to cold. The skins will fall off easily.