Hey 50 & over gang We have a new spot

[JoannMarie 0]

YOU GALS ARE GREAT!!! I love all your rewards - you are very creative. I am filing all this away for future reference! You never know when I might need one or two of these. (heehee)

Apples - to what do you attribute the lack of flab? (is that a real sentence?) Have you exercised through all of this? My nutritionist says that is the best way to avoid the dreaded saggy skin. I want to know your secret.

I sure understand the feeling about buying clothes. It's not fun and I avoid it as much as possible. But that is about to end! I can hear the sounds of hoofs right now and it ain't Santa's reindeer! That cute little clothes horse is on the way back into my life.

[lynnt1215 1]

Body flad - I am having a terible issue with body image. I feel great and think I look fantastic IN clothing, but my issue is getting naked. (Hope I am not offending anyone)

Being single and having the thought of being in a relationship and maybe getting naked.... it really bugs me. All the flab and sagging skin

any boost for my self body image would be appreciated..

[orea15 0]

a) If he really loves you he will understand -- your body is your container, not you!

If he doesn't, kick him to the curb

c) If he is in our age bracket. he'll likely be sagging a bit, too. (Hopefully not where it counts!)

[Apples2 19]

YOU GALS ARE GREAT!!! I love all your rewards - you are very creative. I am filing all this away for future reference! You never know when I might need one or two of these. (heehee)

Apples - to what do you attribute the lack of flab? (is that a real sentence?) Have you exercised through all of this? My nutritionist says that is the best way to avoid the dreaded saggy skin. I want to know your secret.

I sure understand the feeling about buying clothes. It's not fun and I avoid it as much as possible. But that is about to end! I can hear the sounds of hoofs right now and it ain't Santa's reindeer! That cute little clothes horse is on the way back into my life.

Don't get me wrong...I do have places where my skin looks like melting butter (especially inner thighs) But, they are my thighs and I liken 'um. I just happened to luck out and not have flab on my tummy, boobs didn't go south, my arms are OK and no back flab. I can deal with the inner thigh thing. If my DH were repulsed by inner thigh flab...he just wouldn't be invited to visit there any more!

I am a fairly active person and even was when I was heavy. I am not sure if that helped at all? I did walk a lot during the weight loss process and would do exercise to dvd's also. I certainly did not kill myself exercising. I really think that a lot has to do with genetics.

[flowers 0]

I worry about that too, even in clothes. In shorts you can see my saggy skin in my thighs and my neck and arms.

I see plastic surgery in my future and even then, I will have remnants of cottage cheese that will always be there, as I understand it.

I lost 80 lbs on nutrisystem and gained it all back, didnt think I looked better after I lost the weight and got all saggy. This time, Im just going to plan on doing something about it, in spite of the cost. I was also self pay for the band, and determined to get this done.

I do agree with you that saggy skin is a issue, especially as we age and our skin doesnt go back like it once did.

[phyllser 3]

where do you guys buy your Protein powder at. do you order it over the net or do you buy it in the store. which is cheaper?

I like E.A.S. and I get it at costco. I think Wal-Mart might have it to. I know I've seen it in smaller quantities somewhere else, and Wally World is the most likely spot!

OK...JoannMarie was talking about rewarding ourselves. This may sound vain, self-indulgent or what have you but I guess I am brave enough to share how I have rewarded myself throughout this process. I kind of watched what I spent on clothes throughout the weight loss process. I shopped at Target and Walmart for tops during the summer and tried to get by with stretchy bottoms. At my 75# milestone I went and got permanent eyeliner and eyelashes. LOVE THEM. I now wear no makeup. When I started to see the light at the end of the tunnel (goal) I went shopping. (Blush) Bought everything I needed and now have a closet full. Today I treated myself (goal day) to a boiled wool red winter coat. It is soooooooo beautiful I could cry. When I was thin 14 yrs ago, I was truly a clothes horse. I guess I'm back on that pony!!!!!!!!!

Yes, I've been doing a lot of my clothes shopping at Goodwill/Salvation Army! Plus Wal-Mart and K-Mart. I'm fitting in to some XLs now and got some closeouts for $2 and $3!! And a very nice bathing suit for $35 that had a $68 price tag on it!

I'm within shouting distance of 100 lb loss and I'm thinking I might need a diamond stud for the top of my left ear!!

  

I worry about that too, even in clothes. In shorts you can see my saggy skin in my thighs and my neck and arms. I see plastic surgery in my future and even then, I will have remnants of cottage cheese that will always be there, as I understand it.

I lost 80 lbs on nutrisystem and gained it all back, didnt think I looked better after I lost the weight and got all saggy. This time, Im just going to plan on doing something about it, in spite of the cost. I was also self pay for the band, and determined to get this done.

I do agree with you that saggy skin is a issue, especially as we age and our skin doesnt go back like it once did.

Yeah, I have a lot of saggy skin and hoping some PS is in my future, too!!

[LoriLei 0]

Originally Posted by Little Bit

where do you guys buy your Protein Powder at. do you order it over the net or do you buy it in the store. which is cheaper?

Hey Little Bit, I buy Unjury Protein powder online. I was given free samples when I went for my education class. I love the chocolate and I have also used the vanilla flavor and I drop a frozen strawberry "Fruit Chillers" in it and blend thoroughly. It tastes awesome! Unjury cost a little more than some other Proteins but the good taste is worth it. You can get a full refund if you try it and don't like it.

[orea15 0]

So true. I just returned their chicken Soup flavor and they sent me my favorite, the French vanilla. It is lots cheaper online than at my local drugstore.

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

I shopped a lot at Goodwill and other thrift stores. You can really get some good deals. I got a bathing suit that was like new for $2. I just bought a blouse that I swear is brand new.

I did weight lifting and I don't have any flabby skin anywhere other than my arms. I was into the gym way before I got the band, only I never lost any weight until the band. I love what the weight lifting has done for my thighs. I have been working on my arms and so far, there is muscle in there, but all the saggy skin covers it up.

I think at our age, saggy skin really can't be avoided. Some people aren't as saggy as others in certain spots, but it's just something that comes with age. I hate all the wrinkles on my face and neck that weren't there when they were covered in fat.

I used Atkins Protein drinks and EAS that you can buy at Walmart. I used to drink slim fast low carb but somehow now it's too sweet for me. I never thought I would ever say that.

[dashound_lady 0]

just wanted to say hi to all. and best wishes

[lynnt1215 1]

Hello dashondlady, welcome

Saggy Skin saga - I had my consult with PS yesterady. Got the low down on procedures, cost and recovery. Told him I was looking more towards Spring 2009 and would get back to the office after the first of the year.

It was interesting hearing give me the options and his opinion on best way to proceed. I hope to lose another 20-30# before I get anything done.

[flowers 0]

I knew a couple of ladies who their ladies were sagging, they said they were 32DDD, lol. One also had a Tummy Tuck. They said their plastic surgeons wanted them to wait a year for stuff to settle and some skin would firm up a little and to make sure they kept the weight off.

Maybe with lapband the surgeons dont have the same fear you wouldnt gain some back? Is that why they said they would do you next spring?

I think I will need my whole body tucked and plucked. I hear its painfull and long recovery and dont have anyone who can take care of me. I broke my shoulder last christmas and just getting help to change my socks was iffy with my parents being older and my mom totally engrossed in my dad's problems and my sister is a special learner. My fear is I dont know how I will be able to recover without help. But its so far down the line, too early to worry about it.

Im finally more solidly below that darn 200 lbs mark. I still cant believe I let myself get back over it. Im swearing to myself never again.

[JoannMarie 0]

I have also heard the PS likes for you to wait a year or so after goal to let everything settle in and skin tighten as much as it's going to. Maybe as you age and your skin is less elastic they figure they can do the surgery sooner? I don't know...

Flowers, about your recovery from PS - check out a rehab facility. That was offered to me after my knee replacement since my husband worked full time. He was able to take time off to help me, so I recovered at home instead, but some time at that type of facility might be an answer for you when you are ready for this next step.

[flowers 0]

As I mentioned I dont have any insurance, and those Rehab places start at $125 a day here, to $145, to share a room, double if you want a room by yourself. If I broke a bone and had to do surgery, thats one thing but for elective surgery, that sure an expensive way to mend.

I think it would be cheaper if you could hire someone to come in a few hours a day? I dont have any easy answers though, so Im just saying "sometime in the future", this is what Id like to do. Im just concentrating now on losing the weight and adding distance to my daily walking. I figure it will take at least a year to get to thin where I want to be and another year for my skin to tighten up a little I hope before I have to decide. I hear the clinics in Mexico you can stay with them the first two weeks, so that helps.

[Great2BThin 5]

Hello dashondlady, welcome

Saggy Skin saga - I had my consult with PS yesterady. Got the low down on procedures, cost and recovery. Told him I was looking more towards Spring 2009 and would get back to the office after the first of the year.

It was interesting hearing give me the options and his opinion on best way to proceed. I hope to lose another 20-30# before I get anything done.

So what kind of procedure are you looking at? Is it super expensive? We had a plastic surgeon come to a support group meeting and it sounded like it was going to cost about the same as my band (selfpay). Not sure I'd want anything done though, at least at this point. We'll see what 50 more pounds lost does to my body.