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I'm sorry that you are struggling.... the food addiction and pyschological issues that go along with it are horrible! I've been in therapy for 8 years trying to overcome it ,but its incredibly difficult, since most of us equate food with love. It's something that we learned at an early age, its comforting.... and its very shameful, which is why we mostly eat/ binge alone. And if we're not alone we're always "explaining away" why we're eating what we're eating. It's especially shameful to have gone through weight loss surgery only to be having the same problem. I have been trying a new approach to this... and I don't know how long its going to work, or maybe it will be a new way of eating for me, but a friend gave me this book called The 21 day Virgin Diet, written by JJ Virgin. And its basically a book to see if you have allergies to foods.... foods that maybe you are having an allergic reaction to, that causes inflammation or weight gain, and we just don't realize it. The summary is... you cut out dairy, eggs, gluten, soy, corn, sugar and artificial sweeteners for 21 days. After that, you reintroduce these foods, one at a time for a week at a time, to see if your body has any reaction to it. I've been doing this for about 8 days... and have lost about 4 lbs. But i'm trying to not make it about the weight for me, becuase that takes me to a bad place. If I can convince myself that maybe I do have a food allergy... maybe cheese, although i love it, isnt the best thing for my body to be ingesting? Or maybe i shouldnt be eating soy? Sometimes, we can convince our brains that this is not a diet... I mean, you can eat as much as you want, just not any of those things.. therefore.. i'm not restricted, therefore, its not a diet. I figure its worth a shot... i have nothing to lose... you may want to look into it and see if its something that might help. Take care! Nikki

The Right Mindset for Smart Decisions It is no surprise that you are at your best when you are rested, relaxed, and confident. That goes for almost every aspect of your life, and it holds true for weight loss. Thinking clearly lets you “weigh” the consequences of the hard-boiled egg versus the French fries for a snack so you can see the benefits of choosing the egg for weight loss outweigh the benefits of choosing the fries for a few minutes of pleasure. Self-confidence also lets you make the right choices. When you are confident, you know that you have the power to choose. You realize that are not a victim of circumstances, and you do not need to eat something just because it is available to you. You know that you have the power to say no to the things you should not eat, and the power to find the things you should. Better Sleep, Better Choices Sleep is not just a luxury to feel guilty about. Adequate sleep may be the missing key to your weight loss program. When you get enough sleep, you have lower levels of a hormone called ghrelin. Ghrelin makes you hungry, and less ghrelin helps keep hunger in check. Getting enough sleep also lowers carb and sugar cravings and gives you the strength to make rational decisions. Think protein and veggies, not potato chips and cookies. Stress, Hormones, and Your Weight In addition to your daily choices, there are behind-the-scenes factors that can cause weight gain when you are stressed. Hormones affect your metabolism and can cause weight gain when they are not balanced. Too much stress, for example, raises levels of a hormone called cortisol. Cortisol increases raise your hunger levels, which can lead to you overeat. It also affects your fat storage. You might gain more fat in your abdominal area, which is a health risk for diabetes, heart disease, and more. Tips for Chilling Out The first trick for relaxing is to get over your guilt. It is not only okay to kick back, but it is healthy. It may be surprisingly tough when you are out of practice, though. Here are some ideas for stepping back from your busy life and giving your mind a chance to recover for a healthier body. Set aside 10 minutes for yourself every day. Meditate, take a bath, read, or do something else that is just for you. Get more sleep if you find yourself waking up tired or struggling to get through the day. Exercise most days. A quiet stroll on the beach or a hike may seem like out-of-reach dreams, but any exercise helps clear your mind. Restorative yoga, a cycling class, and home exercise DVDs all do the trick. Stretch. It loosens your muscles and gives you a chance to think through your day. Weight loss surgery success takes a lot of hard work, but there are some ways to get more bang for your buck without working harder. Take a chill pill, and you might find that the extra relaxation gives you the strength and stamina to lose more weight.

I can eat about 6 to 8 oz. of protein in a sitting and don't feel satisfied sometimes. I have also been snacking in between meals which might be the reason for the weight gain. Sometimes at lunch I have a protein drink which is 11 oz and I can drink it all.

After a while you will be able to increase calorie intake the farther out from surgery you are. But you have got to get a firm understanding on nutrition and what does and doesn't work for your body post surgery to consume. As for gaining muscle yes you can have success in doing it. But just like with everything else losing weight gaining muscle, toning shape, losing inches, that take consistent effort. You have to be consistent with the working out (not just cardio, but actual weight lifting and body training), eating sensible and right, and avoiding habit forming things that will make those gains you get in the gym not last as long as you want them to.

Today marks five years since my sleeve surgery. Yay! I look in the mirror & think yep, best decision. I easily snuggle with my 6yr old nephew in a lounge chair & I think yep, best decision. I can jump, dance, walk, skip, scoot up stairs, … and I think, yep, best decision. The potential for health problems are further away & less likely to occur & I think yep, best decision….You get the idea. I’m thankful it’s all gone pretty smoothly. Sure I have some fun & games with the foamies but I had a sensitive, quirky tummy before surgery & I still do so nothing all that different just how it manifests 😉. Sure I have some loose skin. It doesn’t affect what I want to do or wear so unimportant. I’m thankful I have a supportive GP who when I asked about surgery said yes without judgement & wrote the referral right away & continues to be interested in my progress. I’m thankful the doctor who does my follow ups is equally supportive. I have my 6 month check up with her next Monday which hopefully will go well again. It’s become more of a chat & catch up the last couple of years. Apart from the medication issue which caused a small weight gain (a good 2+kg/5lb) a couple of years ago which when sorted saw that gain disappear. I sit at the same fluctuation I did when my weight first stabilised: 48.5 - 49..5kg (though usually a high of 49.3 these days). I often think of the AA mantra of it works if you work it & you’re worth it. It really resonates. It works because I work it every day & I’m worth it.

I went from a 50H to a 36H now. I had a breast reduction in 2003 but they got bigger again after having by son, gaining a lot of weight, and breastfeeding. I was hoping weight loss would get me down to a DD or so, but no such luck. [emoji24] My cup size never did change in the past with weight loss or gain though, just the band. The only time it did was after the weight gain after my reduction. I was a 42DD after thag surgery until my pregnancy and went up to an H. They aren't as big as before my reduction at least! It is SO cool being a 36 band too! Sent from my Pixel 5a using BariatricPal mobile app

I DID IT ! I hit MY weight goal. NOT my surgeon's goal 10 years ago when I started this advent....that was to weigh145 pounds. Then he agreed that having started at 320, (and then 5'3" ) that a more logical goal would be in the area of 160 to 170. The lowest I ever got was 175. And I did not maintain that for even a moment. The the next 8 years of losing my only sibling to the Flu at the age of 49 (please get your flu shot) and then my surviving parent a few years later... personal illness and drama.... and creeping weight gain.... 14 months ago at 220 pounds and 63 years old I got my act back together. I went back to eating protein - first and foremost - protein, healthy vegetables and fruit, and a smattering of healthy whole grain carbs and healthy fats. I ate mindfully - and intentionally to fuel my mind and body. I ate a treat daily I slowly changed HOW I eat, what I eat, and when I eat it. I did not announce it, I did not talk about it. I just did it. I lost 45 pounds in the past 14 months. Not fast weight loss, but steady And I may decide to lose a bit more. Or not. Thank you for being my sounding board. Thank you for being here for support. Today I am thankful for my sleeve, for saggy baggy hanging skin and not caring. And for being healthy !

I know, right? I even have friends that need/want to lose weight but don't know how to get started. They know I have had surgery but they are against the idea. I brought it up once and won't do it again. They weren't offended but made it clear that they won't do it. But it's hard to not say anything! I know that it took me quite a while to get there to accept that this was an option that I would consider. My b-i-l had the surgery and I thought it was ridiculous! But he looks great and feels great. It wasn't until my sister decided to get the surgery that my sibling rivalry kicked in and I decided to do it, too! lol. So childish but I'm so glad!!! But, I don't know what else would have convinced me this was the approach I wanted to take to lose weight. I guess from all the shows on TV (Biggest Loser, Dr. Oz, etc.) where the doctors on there are saying not to do this surgery. I bought into it. As far as the younger girls, you are right. There was always 1 or 2 people that were heavier back then but now a lot of them are. The food in their cafeterias have gotten worse and promote weight gain. I don't know how to make change but I'm sure it can happen somehow.

Lynn, Glad to hear you are doing fine. Please take it easy as you don't want to overtire yourself. Getting up and moving around will definitely help with the gas pain from surgery. Make sure to drink your Protein drinks and get plenty of Water. Once on mushies you can get real creative. My favorite is refried Beans, chili con queso. I mix them together on my plate. Yummy. Also bean and bacon soup puree. It is very tasty and filling. Just remember that when you do go to solids you might see a little weight gain. During this phase you are healing from surgery and shouldn't be concerned with weight loss. The first fill will start giving you restriction. Right now you are wide open so will be able to eat once the swelling goes down. Good luck on your journey.

GE Mom, you are ok. You are building up matter in your colon. DONT go back to liquids because you think you are gaining weight. Please make sure you are getting in your water and your protien. If you are, you will be ok. As far as the port hurting. Where is it? Mine is at my bra line and I layed on my stomach last night and its hurting me now. Think of the last 24 hrs and think if you turned the wrong way or bumped it. The port and the weight gain shouldnt have anything to dowith each other.

There are a lot of variables to consider. IMO, BMI is flawed....the formula is based on an average body composition. It does not take in consideration frame size, bone mass, muscle mass, large breasted vs small breasted (boobs are heavy!), body shape (ectomorph, mesomorph & endomorph). If you were overweight in your youth and/or the majority of your life, your bones had to accommodate more weight so therefore are most likely larger and heavier than someone who has been slim most of their lives. Thirty years ago, the general rule for women was a baseline of 100 pounds for a 5 foot woman and 5 pounds for each additional inch. That is an average, but for me at 5'5", I am chubby at 125, where as; my daughter at 2 inches shorter, looks amazing at 135. Before the weight gain in 2012, my natural shape was hourglass (metomorph) with broad shoulders, heavy chested, small waist and slim legs on a small/medium frame. My daughter is rectangular (ectomorph) with broad shoulders, heavy chested, thick waisted, narrow hipped and thicker legs on a medium/large frame. My best weight is 112 to 117 but my daughter, even though she is 2 inches shorter, looks best at 132 to 138. "It really doesn't take body shape into account as I've never had an hourglass figure - I joke that I'm shaped like a plank with tits. Straight up and down." YES, YES, YES! The variations in the natural body composition of ectomorph, mesomorph or endomorph is not considered when computing BMI. An hourglass shape will carry more fat than a plank shape at the same weight! Weight is a personal matter. You have to find where you are comfortable and a weight that can be easily maintained. Listen to your body and listen to your doctor but don't let others get into your head.

Well first off, yikes. I did not expect someone to imply that I am so stupid I should die. Maybe I have misunderstood. At any rate, Valentina: I like you. I think we're both perhaps sensitive to an extent that other people don't always appreciate a good quality. I've always had very high empathy for others. I appreciate you stepping in when people seem to be attacking me. For the record I had full sodium chicken broth, AFTER talking with my Dr about how I'm routinely exceeding my Water goals. But I shouldn't have to defend myself to others. Especially not when I made my original post with the thought that maybe somebody else could relate and share their experience/struggles as well. Human connection. Relating to one another. We all need this. Instead I feel that I've been condemned by strangers who were quick to judge me based on little information. I hold no grudge, but I certainly feel less than welcome here. Edit: Misspelled Valentina. Whoops 0_0 Marie, that's crazy that full sodium broth caused a weight gain. I didn't realize our new bodies were so sensitive to sodium changes, especially when we so much of our early diets is liquid. You would think just the pure amount of liquid going in would cause your kidneys to kick out excess water. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk

Hey everyone- I got authorized to start working out last week from my doctor. I'm three weeks post op and have been going to the gym every other day. I noticed a 1lb weight gain this morning. Now I'm worried if I keep working out, will it slow down my weight loss? Should I hold off for a bit? I'm also coming up on the 3 week stall so I'm just thinking about everything. Based on your experiences , what have you determined about working out?

Hi all, So, I was just discharged from Hospital yesterday. I had yet another bout of my D.R.E.S.S syndrome. (I had two episodes back-to-back) When I have these flare-ups, I have to go on high doses of IV corticosteroids called Methylprednisolone. Well, the last flare up I had (in the middle of Oct) they gave me the IV and then my treatment was done. Well, I flared up again within 5 days. So this time they did the IV steroids and now they are doing a long tapering down dose of oral Prednisone to see if this extra treatment will nip these flare ups in the bud. (like over 3 months) I am now also on a different corticosteroid/immunosuppressant called Cyclosporine and apparently going to be on it for a year. *whimper *whimper With being on steroids there are A LOT of side effects. Guess which one I'm most petrified of..? WEIGHT GAIN! -it might not be literally weight (or fat) gain but it could be Water weight. -my appetite may increase -my weight can redistribute -I may feel extreme exhaustion all of the time -I may feel jittery and shaky -I may be forever irritable -I may be severely out of breath even with a mild walk -I may have insomnia ** the reason I say I may have these particular symptoms is because I did have them the last time the doctor had me on this tapering dose of the steroids. The difference back then was that I didn't have the WLS, and I DID gain actual weight because I ate a sh*t ton more than usual, wasn't watching it closely and didn't even think about exercising at all. I'm devastated to be back on these steroids and I feel like I am going to be putting my weight loss on hold for at least the 3 months. I weighed myself this morning and I am still up 4 pounds from last week. Even in hospital I ate the best I could, ate my Protein, drank my water, and walked around as best I could. Came home yesterday and the first thing I did was went out for a trail walk. Am I going to be stuck for at least 3 months? WAHHHH To make a LONG story short; I am looking for other people to tell me that they beat the odds and lost weight while on this nasty medication. Please tell me that I am not going to work my ass off, struggle as all heck, but not get anywhere! Has anyone been on Prednisone and lost weight anyways? I know it'll increase my appetite but I will ignore hunger and still eat what I'm supposed to eat. I know I will most likely experience water weight too, but I will do my absolute very best to beat the side effects of Prednisone. I guess I need a little bit of hope that I might actually win this battle.... Heather

sheabh huh, what, oh your done??? oh no you made me so tired i nodded off!! so happy you had a wonderful experience in tiajuana i will be honest and say i would be weary about the travel out of country but so many OP tell of their wonderful experience in Mexico - so it sounds like you did great too!!! great pre-op weight loss weight gain after WLS? yep i've heard that but everything settled out, and you lost more glad your sister came along for the ride support is so helpful/important glad she enjoyed the food - and you enjoyed the aroma see, i can be long winded too!! did you nod off?? you are on your way towards health, happiness and a longer life continued best towards your great recovery - and all your future successes good luck kathy

I am a vet lol. Never thought I'd be happy about that. I am so happy we have this post. Thanks Susan. I agree on no complaining about stalls and the earlier process of our weight loss. I really do like hearing from others about how their doing when in maintenance and about whether they have weight gain etc. right now I'm doing food. I do look kinda baggy too. Noticed how skinny I look in the mirror and went wowZa. I do love my body. /)

You are 100% right it's scientifically proven ....please click on the link incase any one have any doubts For years, studies of obesity have found that soon after fat people lost weight, their metabolism slowed and they experienced hormonal changes that increased their appetites. Scientists hypothesized that these biological changes could explain why most obese dieters quickly gained back much of what they had so painfully lost. But now a group of Australian researchers have taken those investigations a step further to see if the changes persist over a longer time frame. They recruited healthy people who were either overweight or obese and put them on a highly restricted diet that led them to lose at least 10 percent of their body weight. They then kept them on a diet to maintain that weight loss. A year later, the researchers found that the participants’ metabolism and hormone levels had not returned to the levels before the study started. The study, being published Thursday in The New England Journal of Medicine, is small and far from perfect, but confirms their convictions about why it is so hard to lose weight and keep it off, say obesity researchers who were not involved the study. They cautioned that the study had only 50 subjects, and 16 of them quit or did not lose the required 10 percent of body weight. And while the hormones studied have a logical connection with weight gain, the researchers did not show that the hormones were causing the subjects to gain back their weight. Nonetheless, said Dr. Rudolph Leibel, an obesity researcher at Columbia, while it is no surprise that hormone levels changed shortly after the participants lost weight, “what is impressive is that these changes don’t go away.” Dr. Stephen Bloom, an obesity researcher at Hammersmith Hospital in London, said the study needed to be repeated under more rigorous conditions, but added, “It is showing something I believe in deeply — it is very hard to lose weight.” And the reason, he said, is that “your hormones work against you.” In the study, Joseph Proietto and his colleagues at the University of Melbourne recruited people who weighed an average of 209 pounds. At the start of the study, his team measured the participants’ hormone levels and assessed their hunger and appetites after they ate a boiled egg, toast, margarine, orange juice and crackers for Breakfast. The dieters then spent 10 weeks on a very low calorie regimen of 500 to 550 calories a day intended to makes them lose 10 percent of their body weight. In fact, their weight loss averaged 14 percent, or 29 pounds. As expected, their hormone levels changed in a way that increased their appetites, and indeed they were hungrier than when they started the study. They were then given diets intended to maintain their weight loss. A year after the subjects had lost the weight, the researchers repeated their measurements. The subjects were gaining the weight back despite the maintenance diet — on average, gaining back half of what they had lost — and the hormone levels offered a possible explanation. One hormone, leptin, which tells the brain how much body fat is present, fell by two-thirds immediately after the subjects lost weight. When leptin falls, appetite increases and metabolism slows. A year after the weight loss diet, leptin levels were still one-third lower than they were at the start of the study, and leptin levels increased as subjects regained their weight. Other hormones that stimulate hunger, in particular ghrelin, whose levels increased, and peptide YY, whose levels decreased, were also changed a year later in a way that made the subjects’ appetites stronger than at the start of the study. The results show, once again, Dr. Leibel said, that losing weight “is not a neutral event,” and that it is no accident that more than 90 percent of people who lose a lot of weight gain it back. “You are putting your body into a circumstance it will resist,” he said. “You are, in a sense, more metabolically normal when you are at a higher body weight.” A solution might be to restore hormones to normal levels by giving drugs after dieters lose weight. But it is also possible, said Dr. Jules Hirsch of Rockefeller University, that researchers just do not know enough about obesity to prescribe solutions. One thing is clear, he said: “A vast effort to persuade the public to change its habits just hasn’t prevented or cured obesity.” “We need more knowledge,” Dr. Hirsch said. “Condemning the public for their uncontrollable hedonism and the food industry for its inequities just doesn’t seem to be turning the tide.” http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/27/health/biological-changes-thwart-weight-loss-efforts-study-finds.html?_r=1& Sent from my iPhone 5 using VST

I'm still here (guess I need to get a life). I've stabilized and been in the same 5 pound bounce range for 8 months. What I found was I have to nip any weight gain in the very beginning, because I know if I start creeping up my moral will deflate and I'll say f...k it, I might as well just eat anything. For example, if I get even 1 pound above my bounce range, I immediately go back to basics of Protein and veggies until I'm back to the bottom of the range. I usually only weigh 1-2 times a month, but if I notice I'm up I'll monitor a little closer till I'm back down. I pigged out over Christmas and it took 2 weeks to get back down. There are plenty of weekends that I may indulge on crap but then I'm right back on plan on Monday. I don't count calories or carbs or anything, but I know what's going in my mouth. I can actually feel the difference in my cravings by going cold turkey on carbs at those times. The best thing is to not buy the stuff you shouldn't eat in the first place. It's easier to resist once in the store than it is to resist 20 times/day once it's in the house. Unfortunately I'm facing my first real test right now. My best friend killed himself on Sunday. My method of coping in the past has been food and alcohol. I gained almost 50 pounds after my brother died and I can feel myself going to that "dark place" again. My PCP brought me some anti anxiety meds as soon as he heard the news. I finally took some last night instead of reaching for the bottle of whiskey, which for me is no small victory. And have you ever noticed people never bring food containing protein after a death. It's all about baked goods and Pasta salads. Hang in there, try and find the motivation you had in the beginning. Look at old photos. Compare your new clothes to old ones, if you kept any. You've come this far, so you do have it in you to succeed.

HW 267 SW 245 CW 213 I had a weight gain of 7lbs but I attributed it to several factors. So, I'm one pound away from my lowest weight, post-op!

First, here's my idea of how stress has affected you thus far in regards to your health. PLEASE forgive me if I'm being preachy. When we're under a lot of stress the body naturally goes into Fight or Flight mode. While this would work well if you were being chased by godzilla, stress causes numerous physiological responses. For the most part these are good but if you're under continuous stress the body isn't able to function as well over time. In the fight or flight response, the adrenal glands enlarge and spit out large amounts of adrenal cortical hormones. Cortisol, the name of the hormone, has been scientifically proven to cause weight gain because the body thinks that you're in a stressful situation and you may not get food for a while. So it holds onto every last calorie. Just a side note, when cortisol is released the body stops all healing processes and redirects energy to the vital organs. If you are healing from an injury or SURGERY, you need to be low stress to get better. Overtime, chronically elevated cortisol levels lead to abdominal fat, suppressed immunal function and even chronic fatigue syndrome. sleep plays a major role in stress reduction and weight loss. Grehlin a hormone in your stomach can cause you to feel VERY hungry and sleep deprivation raises levels of grehlin and cortisol. Both are released under stress and fatigue which probably significantly contributed to your weight gain thus far. However, I would think (I'm not a doctor yet, just studying medicine.... My mom's a nutritionist/dietician so I grew up with this stuff!) that with the band it will be easier to control your hunger but you might still have head hunger. For that, I would suggest seeing a therapist and getting some extra help for your mom. Also, if your stress continues to be a problem or you have trouble with being hungry after fills, there are all sorts of herbal remedies for helping with adrenal function. Ask your pcp for more information about what would be best for you. Hope this helps. Best of luck. With love, Sheila P.S. I know it's really tough... my grandparents are VERY resistent to change and caring for my grandfather's cancer and my grandmother's diabetes and alcoholism can be VERY stressful and tiring.

Soda has sugar and empty calories, and that's why they gain. Has zero to do with carbonation. But good for you. You're right, you do you. But let's not keep perpetuating the same old tired myths. You don't want to drink carbonation, then don't drink it. People who know carbonation won't cause weight gain and want to drink no/low calorie carbonated drinks, more power to them. Whatever works.

One of the lessons you learn after weight loss surgery is that you are in charge of your health, diet and exercise program. The food no longer rules the roost--you do. The truth of the matter is no matter what the scale says, 110 or 310, everyone puts on a few pounds now and then. As a bariatric surgeon in New Jersey for more than 10 years, one of the biggest anxiety triggers for patients is weight gain. "That's it--it's over--I'm going to gain all the weight back." Of course that's not true. To get back on pace, I’ve listed a few essential steps to help get you back on track to dropping the pounds once again: • Go back to the beginning Post-surgery, you probably followed your healthcare team’s advice to the letter. But as time passed, and you looked and felt healthier, you may have started to deviate from those dietary and exercise guidelines. Pull out your notes and review the program guidelines that brought you this far. Get back on the scale once a week and fire up your food journal again. • Get thyself to the nearest support group ─ STAT Weight loss is a personal journey, but it doesn’t have to be a lonely one. Online support groups on BariatricPal.com are great secondary resources to live weekly or monthly groups with your bariatric doctor or hospital. There is support all-around you, reach out and take it. • Work it out Are you using the ‘too tired’ reason for missing a trip to the gym or 30 minute fast walk around the neighborhood? If you need energy, you know how to get it—get up, get out and get moving. “Too busy,” you say? Remember, only you can prioritize your health and wellness. You matter—make time for your health every single day. • Come to terms with the weight gain This doesn’t mean blaming yourself. Rather, be forthright about how and why it happened and pat yourself on the back that you’ve recognized it now—not later. There’s no need to beat yourself up. You have already done the hard part by recognizing some weight has crept back on. That in itself shows you are going to battle back. We encourage our patients at Sterling Surgicare to call us if they feel frustrated or defeated--everyone needs a pep talk now and then. Remember there are many people supporting you 24/7 in this effort. Life is filled with occasional side-steps and set-backs. It is part of making us who we are. Make a plan, regroup, recommit. You can do this.

I have been on this forum for about a year and a half. I have seen so many posts of people worrying about excess skin after weight loss. I find this to be incredibly trite and shallow, a roadblock thrown up in the mind to justify the subconscious reasons why we put on and hold the weight to begin with. First of all, there are of course permanent consequences for getting so big that your skin has to stretch to be twice the size it would be if we were normal weight. It doesn't go back to a state in which it was as if we never were overweight. And so what? What is often unspoken in these forums is that a very overweight person worrying about how they are going to look if they lose weight because of sagging skin, is silly in a society in which obesity is considered ugly to begin with. More importantly, most of us have the surgery because our bodies and lives were becoming unmanageable due to excess weight, not to look better at speed dating. For those who are asking the question I have seen posted on this forum a million times, no your skin will not go back to being how it was before your weight gain. There is no cream, no wrap, no swanky magic that's going to make it be as if you were never overweight. The only real option for getting rid of excess skin if you are very overweight when you start, is plastic surgery. And that comes with its own price. I am not knocking people who choose to have that, I might even choose that eventually, as vanity is one of my flaws. That said, plastic surgery is very very serious, and fairly savage. And still, your body cannot look like it would have if you had never put on weight. They will be scars. Big ones. Surgery of any kind is a serious injury to the body. The point I am trying to make is that if you are considering having weight-loss surgery to save your life, stop worrying about your skin. Worry about the inner conditions that have led you to the point where this is necessary. Focus instead on changing your behaviors. Focus instead on health, not looks. We have such a distorted view of bodies in this country. Body diversity is beautiful! Stop thinking that you have to look a certain way. Be healthy. Be you. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Carne did gain 50 pounds with her pregnancy! I think this would be a normal weight gain for a lot of pregnancies, and we all know how hard it is to lose weight after having a baby. I think she is wonderful and a great role model. She is REAL! I hope she does lose the excess 40 pounds to prove to the world she can do it! I think my Doctor at my seminar said that Dr. Spiegel in Houston will lapband a gastric bypasser that has gained weight.

Well now this post just sent me flying into the bathroom in front of a full length mirror for stretch mark inspection! I have lost 50lbs so far and have another 50 to go. So far--I'm not seeing sagging or wrinkled skin. I have some stretch marks under my arms toward the top of my arm, some around the outside of my hips, and some toward the top outside corners of my breast. I'm not seeing any on belly or thighs. The 50lbs I just lost is "newer" weight gained in the last 5 years. I'm concerned about the next 50 because it's older weight (a LOT older!) and I'm afraid that because it's been there for a long time -- my skin won't be as elastic for that fat as it has been for the first 50.