bayardtrustin
Explorer
Absolutely, that's right!
Big Weight Loss Crew: What Surprised You Most?
- Thread starter bayardtrustin
- Start date
bayardtrustin
Explorer
Someone hold my GLP1 — I'm about to give this a shot this very second!
bayardtrustin
Explorer
Still, out of that whole group, you came off as the youngest-looking guy! That's no small feat!
bayardtrustin
Explorer
The boost in day-to-day quality of life has been a genuine pleasure. Taking long walks now feels good, and it doesn't come across as a task anymore!
bayardtrustin
Explorer
97lbs! That's a fantastic achievement! I never imagined I'd fit into skinny jeans, but look at us now!
mybodyisasewer
Explorer
Some folks will never be satisfied — they're happiest when they have something to complain about. Now that I see this pattern clearly, I make a point of spotting those people and paying them no mind.
Oh definitely, I could practically plot it on a graph. At roughly 200 lbs, when I started looking more or less ordinary, that's when the questions about why I'd order a diet soda began, along with similar remarks.
After that, the moment any muscle became even slightly noticeable, out came the "protein kidneys" line
good grief — I was still eating the exact same junk, only in smaller portions. If anyone genuinely worried about my health, they'd be telling me to quit the McDonalds and put down the cigarettes, yet as far as I could tell, everyone was perfectly fine with those habits.The thing that caught me off guard the most has been how everyone else responded. I've dropped 112 lbs — that works out to 46% of my starting body weight, and my BMI went from 39 down to 21. My spouse was going through some old pictures from before the weight loss. Looking at them hurt, though I get why people react the way they do. When I see myself, I don't see the same person. Everything has changed. After so many decades of seeing the heavy version of me, I'm still having a hard time believing this newer me is actually who I am.
TooGood76
Explorer
When you're fat, people definitely treat you as lesser and dismiss you more readily — it happens on instinct, and research has backed this up.bayardtrustin said:
I can really relate to this! At work, I've noticed that I get treated with more respect. My guess is that it comes down to how much better my suits fit now.cheaperseeker said:
83 lbs gone, and I'm holding steady.
Flying, without a doubt! Beyond just having more room in the seat, these days I'm typically pulling the belt tighter than the previous passenger left it, instead of letting it out nearly all the way.
Strangers treat me better when I'm out and about. Unfortunate, yet accurate.
Friends of my husband and kids say I'm hot.
No more perspiring from the tiniest bit of warmth or effort.
Needing a whole new wardrobe.
Loose skin hanging on my belly and beneath my chin.
And yes, hard chairs.
RubbaDubba1
Explorer
That photo of your Sammy is adorable — in my entire life, I've spotted just 3 of them outside. Gorgeous pups! Over the years I've kept 3 Chow Chows and a German shepherd, and currently I have a Husky. Fluffy dogs are totally my thing,ThunderBird said:
The saggy skin and the rough journey really get to me
professorpeppy
Explorer
The upsides of dropping weight (close to 70 lbs for me) are so numerous I hardly know where to begin.
My clothes actually fit again, I've gone back to how I used to dress, and as a woman I've noticed men treat me far better and are quick to offer assistance (unfortunately it's real — guys practically swarm to help me now, whereas back when I was heavy I might as well have been invisible. Not that I'm trying to boast, but I was always reasonably attractive even then!). I can get on roller coasters without any anxiety (I was never actually refused, but it was dangerously close), I fit into seats properly, simply moving around is less of a strain, and my self-assurance has grown (strange as it sounds, I'm actually harder on myself these days and dislike what I see in the mirror more than I did at 240 lbs, yet seeing photos of myself genuinely stuns me in a positive way). Intimacy has improved too, having my picture taken no longer sends me into a panic, and there's plenty more beyond that....
My clothes actually fit again, I've gone back to how I used to dress, and as a woman I've noticed men treat me far better and are quick to offer assistance (unfortunately it's real — guys practically swarm to help me now, whereas back when I was heavy I might as well have been invisible. Not that I'm trying to boast, but I was always reasonably attractive even then!). I can get on roller coasters without any anxiety (I was never actually refused, but it was dangerously close), I fit into seats properly, simply moving around is less of a strain, and my self-assurance has grown (strange as it sounds, I'm actually harder on myself these days and dislike what I see in the mirror more than I did at 240 lbs, yet seeing photos of myself genuinely stuns me in a positive way). Intimacy has improved too, having my picture taken no longer sends me into a panic, and there's plenty more beyond that....
SeaGypsy
Explorer
bayardtrustin
Explorer
Getting used to the "new me" is still a work in progress. If I pick up a shirt in size M or S, my brain doubts it could ever fit. And every so often I spot myself in the background of a picture and need a second look—wait, that's me?
bayardtrustin
Explorer
The moment I hit my lowest point happened at a theme park. Roughly 3 years back, during a Florida trip, my weight kept me off a ride that my children were able to enjoy. This summer we're returning—and I plan to settle the score.
domin8brix
Explorer
Pros:
-135lbs gone for me. That's wild. Basically the size of another human being. Seeing those scale numbers is genuinely wild.
-No more looking pregnant, which means no more strangers wandering up asking my due date or rubbing my belly expecting a baby kick (something is going to kick them, guaranteed.)
-My overall health improved dramatically: sleep apnea gone, asthma treatment no longer needed, and a whole list of prescriptions either reduced or dropped entirely.
-These days doctors ALMOST actually treat me like a real patient, instead of telling me "if you'd lose weight, you wouldn't have whatever ailment that has nothing to do with weight."
-My back got repaired, which meant avoiding paralysis, and I got 2 1/2 inches of height back.
-Running is something I can do now, and I do a lot of it. Lifting heavy too. I'm strong AF.
-Pretty much any outfit works for me. A good chunk of my wardrobe is kids sizes now, which is a total flip from never finding anything big enough.
-Strangers treat me better these days, like I've suddenly earned worth and permission to exist, at least when they aren't throwing shade or dismissing how hard I worked.
-Summer heat no longer destroys me.
-Being unrecognizable means I don't have to talk to people lol (seriously such a massive perk!)
-Nearly every nice dinner out stretches into 3-4 meals for me.
Cons:
-Loose skin on my belly hides the progress I've made, and getting it removed costs more than a car. The turkey neck situation can be partially handled with Botox, but that's another hefty bill.
-I can't perceive my actual appearance--the mirror still shows that fat person, and I still call myself fata**.
-Keeping this up is pricey...Botox runs more, GLPs, protein products, meat, all of it. And replacing my wardrobe wasn't cheap either. (Kids clothes cost way less though, so that's a win!)
-The time commitment for maintenance is huge--rebuilding muscle lost to rapid weight loss plus recovery from major surgeries has been a long, hard road. Meal prep, keeping GLPs stocked, way more Botox than before, all of it.
-Scale fluctuations set off my OCD badly. Tirz helps with that, but sometimes it turns into a full compulsion spiral.
-People can be nasty, and while I'm perfectly capable of handling it impolitely, it's still irritating. Also bizarre: despite being visibly ripped, folks assume I'm some fragile weakling.
-Men still don't approach me (mostly fine with that
), and sadly the only ones who return "interest" when I make a move are married, which I won't tolerate.
-Dehydration hits me SUPER fast, so I'm constantly pounding electrolytes because water passes through me quicker than most people (bariatric surgery related). Tournament weekends mean hauling a ton of water just to stay hydrated.
-This ties more to the bariatric side, but spontaneous meals out aren't possible. Timing and planning are always involved.
That extra skin though...ugh. I busted my ass to get ripped, and I know my abs are probably solid underneath, but the skin hides everything. If removal didn't cost a fortune, I'd do it in a heartbeat.
My therapist follows my instagram (my surgeon does too), and part of my therapy was posting a selfie or full body shot every single day so I could see what everyone else sees -- so any workout or progress post had to include one. I absolutely HATE it, I still hate it every damn day I post, and I always apologize to anyone who follows me because it's basically a vanity nightmare for me. Like my face is this whole sea for yeeears. I hate it.
-135lbs gone for me. That's wild. Basically the size of another human being. Seeing those scale numbers is genuinely wild.
-No more looking pregnant, which means no more strangers wandering up asking my due date or rubbing my belly expecting a baby kick (something is going to kick them, guaranteed.)
-My overall health improved dramatically: sleep apnea gone, asthma treatment no longer needed, and a whole list of prescriptions either reduced or dropped entirely.
-These days doctors ALMOST actually treat me like a real patient, instead of telling me "if you'd lose weight, you wouldn't have whatever ailment that has nothing to do with weight."
-My back got repaired, which meant avoiding paralysis, and I got 2 1/2 inches of height back.
-Running is something I can do now, and I do a lot of it. Lifting heavy too. I'm strong AF.
-Pretty much any outfit works for me. A good chunk of my wardrobe is kids sizes now, which is a total flip from never finding anything big enough.
-Strangers treat me better these days, like I've suddenly earned worth and permission to exist, at least when they aren't throwing shade or dismissing how hard I worked.
-Summer heat no longer destroys me.
-Being unrecognizable means I don't have to talk to people lol (seriously such a massive perk!)
-Nearly every nice dinner out stretches into 3-4 meals for me.
Cons:
-Loose skin on my belly hides the progress I've made, and getting it removed costs more than a car. The turkey neck situation can be partially handled with Botox, but that's another hefty bill.
-I can't perceive my actual appearance--the mirror still shows that fat person, and I still call myself fata**.
-Keeping this up is pricey...Botox runs more, GLPs, protein products, meat, all of it. And replacing my wardrobe wasn't cheap either. (Kids clothes cost way less though, so that's a win!)
-The time commitment for maintenance is huge--rebuilding muscle lost to rapid weight loss plus recovery from major surgeries has been a long, hard road. Meal prep, keeping GLPs stocked, way more Botox than before, all of it.
-Scale fluctuations set off my OCD badly. Tirz helps with that, but sometimes it turns into a full compulsion spiral.
-People can be nasty, and while I'm perfectly capable of handling it impolitely, it's still irritating. Also bizarre: despite being visibly ripped, folks assume I'm some fragile weakling.
-Men still don't approach me (mostly fine with that
), and sadly the only ones who return "interest" when I make a move are married, which I won't tolerate.-Dehydration hits me SUPER fast, so I'm constantly pounding electrolytes because water passes through me quicker than most people (bariatric surgery related). Tournament weekends mean hauling a ton of water just to stay hydrated.
-This ties more to the bariatric side, but spontaneous meals out aren't possible. Timing and planning are always involved.
Absolutely yes about the sweating. I can spend all day at a summer baseball tournament or go for a lunchtime run in jeans when it's 95 degrees, and yeah I sweat, but I'm not dying of heat exhaustion! That's huge.cheaperseeker said:
83 lbs gone, and I'm holding steady.
Flying, without a doubt! Beyond just having more room in the seat, these days I'm typically pulling the belt tighter than the previous passenger left it, instead of letting it out nearly all the way.
Strangers treat me better when I'm out and about. Unfortunate, yet accurate.
Friends of my husband and kids say I'm hot.
No more perspiring from the tiniest bit of warmth or effort.
Needing a whole new wardrobe.
Loose skin hanging on my belly and beneath my chin.
And yes, hard chairs.
That extra skin though...ugh. I busted my ass to get ripped, and I know my abs are probably solid underneath, but the skin hides everything. If removal didn't cost a fortune, I'd do it in a heartbeat.
THAT. That's a big one. I don't see myself in the mirror at all. Side-by-side before and after photos have always been the only way I can kind of see it, and even then, I don't.
My therapist follows my instagram (my surgeon does too), and part of my therapy was posting a selfie or full body shot every single day so I could see what everyone else sees -- so any workout or progress post had to include one. I absolutely HATE it, I still hate it every damn day I post, and I always apologize to anyone who follows me because it's basically a vanity nightmare for me. Like my face is this whole sea for yeeears. I hate it.
Beardboost
Explorer
Seeing the number drop each week feels good, but nothing tops the joy of jiggling your stomach as those fat cells get smaller — just strolling around all day with that thing bouncing 
Smiter
Explorer
Huh, I never realized that could be an issue. I havedomin8brix said:
Pros:
-135lbs gone for me. That's wild. Basically the size of another human being. Seeing those scale numbers is genuinely wild.
-No more looking pregnant, which means no more strangers wandering up asking my due date or rubbing my belly expecting a baby kick (something is going to kick them, guaranteed.)
-My overall health improved dramatically: sleep apnea gone, asthma treatment no longer needed, and a whole list of prescriptions either reduced or dropped entirely.
-These days doctors ALMOST actually treat me like a real patient, instead of telling me "if you'd lose weight, you wouldn't have whatever ailment that has nothing to do with weight."
-My back got repaired, which meant avoiding paralysis, and I got 2 1/2 inches of height back.
-Running is something I can do now, and I do a lot of it. Lifting heavy too. I'm strong AF.
-Pretty much any outfit works for me. A good chunk of my wardrobe is kids sizes now, which is a total flip from never finding anything big enough.
-Strangers treat me better these days, like I've suddenly earned worth and permission to exist, at least when they aren't throwing shade or dismissing how hard I worked.
-Summer heat no longer destroys me.
-Being unrecognizable means I don't have to talk to people lol (seriously such a massive perk!)
-Nearly every nice dinner out stretches into 3-4 meals for me.
Cons:
-Loose skin on my belly hides the progress I've made, and getting it removed costs more than a car. The turkey neck situation can be partially handled with Botox, but that's another hefty bill.
-I can't perceive my actual appearance--the mirror still shows that fat person, and I still call myself fata**.
-Keeping this up is pricey...Botox runs more, GLPs, protein products, meat, all of it. And replacing my wardrobe wasn't cheap either. (Kids clothes cost way less though, so that's a win!)
-The time commitment for maintenance is huge--rebuilding muscle lost to rapid weight loss plus recovery from major surgeries has been a long, hard road. Meal prep, keeping GLPs stocked, way more Botox than before, all of it.
-Scale fluctuations set off my OCD badly. Tirz helps with that, but sometimes it turns into a full compulsion spiral.
-People can be nasty, and while I'm perfectly capable of handling it impolitely, it's still irritating. Also bizarre: despite being visibly ripped, folks assume I'm some fragile weakling.
-Men still don't approach me (mostly fine with that
-Dehydration hits me SUPER fast, so I'm constantly pounding electrolytes because water passes through me quicker than most people (bariatric surgery related). Tournament weekends mean hauling a ton of water just to stay hydrated.
-This ties more to the bariatric side, but spontaneous meals out aren't possible. Timing and planning are always involved.
Absolutely yes about the sweating. I can spend all day at a summer baseball tournament or go for a lunchtime run in jeans when it's 95 degrees, and yeah I sweat, but I'm not dying of heat exhaustion! That's huge.cheaperseeker said:
83 lbs gone, and I'm holding steady.
Flying, without a doubt! Beyond just having more room in the seat, these days I'm typically pulling the belt tighter than the previous passenger left it, instead of letting it out nearly all the way.
Strangers treat me better when I'm out and about. Unfortunate, yet accurate.
Friends of my husband and kids say I'm hot.
No more perspiring from the tiniest bit of warmth or effort.
Needing a whole new wardrobe.
Loose skin hanging on my belly and beneath my chin.
And yes, hard chairs.
That extra skin though...ugh. I busted my ass to get ripped, and I know my abs are probably solid underneath, but the skin hides everything. If removal didn't cost a fortune, I'd do it in a heartbeat.
THAT. That's a big one. I don't see myself in the mirror at all. Side-by-side before and after photos have always been the only way I can kind of see it, and even then, I don't.
My therapist follows my instagram (my surgeon does too), and part of my therapy was posting a selfie or full body shot every single day so I could see what everyone else sees -- so any workout or progress post had to include one. I absolutely HATE it, I still hate it every damn day I post, and I always apologize to anyone who follows me because it's basically a vanity nightmare for me. Like my face is this whole sea for yeeears. I hate it.
a few ideas about the cause. Hmmmm.... Normally I'm not the type to see the glass as half full, but here, I guess I'd file it under good problems to have.
Damn! Nope, that problem is all yours.domin8brix said:
Pros:
-135lbs gone for me. That's wild. Basically the size of another human being. Seeing those scale numbers is genuinely wild.
-No more looking pregnant, which means no more strangers wandering up asking my due date or rubbing my belly expecting a baby kick (something is going to kick them, guaranteed.)
-My overall health improved dramatically: sleep apnea gone, asthma treatment no longer needed, and a whole list of prescriptions either reduced or dropped entirely.
-These days doctors ALMOST actually treat me like a real patient, instead of telling me "if you'd lose weight, you wouldn't have whatever ailment that has nothing to do with weight."
-My back got repaired, which meant avoiding paralysis, and I got 2 1/2 inches of height back.
-Running is something I can do now, and I do a lot of it. Lifting heavy too. I'm strong AF.
-Pretty much any outfit works for me. A good chunk of my wardrobe is kids sizes now, which is a total flip from never finding anything big enough.
-Strangers treat me better these days, like I've suddenly earned worth and permission to exist, at least when they aren't throwing shade or dismissing how hard I worked.
-Summer heat no longer destroys me.
-Being unrecognizable means I don't have to talk to people lol (seriously such a massive perk!)
-Nearly every nice dinner out stretches into 3-4 meals for me.
Cons:
-Loose skin on my belly hides the progress I've made, and getting it removed costs more than a car. The turkey neck situation can be partially handled with Botox, but that's another hefty bill.
-I can't perceive my actual appearance--the mirror still shows that fat person, and I still call myself fata**.
-Keeping this up is pricey...Botox runs more, GLPs, protein products, meat, all of it. And replacing my wardrobe wasn't cheap either. (Kids clothes cost way less though, so that's a win!)
-The time commitment for maintenance is huge--rebuilding muscle lost to rapid weight loss plus recovery from major surgeries has been a long, hard road. Meal prep, keeping GLPs stocked, way more Botox than before, all of it.
-Scale fluctuations set off my OCD badly. Tirz helps with that, but sometimes it turns into a full compulsion spiral.
-People can be nasty, and while I'm perfectly capable of handling it impolitely, it's still irritating. Also bizarre: despite being visibly ripped, folks assume I'm some fragile weakling.
-Men still don't approach me (mostly fine with that
-Dehydration hits me SUPER fast, so I'm constantly pounding electrolytes because water passes through me quicker than most people (bariatric surgery related). Tournament weekends mean hauling a ton of water just to stay hydrated.
-This ties more to the bariatric side, but spontaneous meals out aren't possible. Timing and planning are always involved.
Absolutely yes about the sweating. I can spend all day at a summer baseball tournament or go for a lunchtime run in jeans when it's 95 degrees, and yeah I sweat, but I'm not dying of heat exhaustion! That's huge.cheaperseeker said:
83 lbs gone, and I'm holding steady.
Flying, without a doubt! Beyond just having more room in the seat, these days I'm typically pulling the belt tighter than the previous passenger left it, instead of letting it out nearly all the way.
Strangers treat me better when I'm out and about. Unfortunate, yet accurate.
Friends of my husband and kids say I'm hot.
No more perspiring from the tiniest bit of warmth or effort.
Needing a whole new wardrobe.
Loose skin hanging on my belly and beneath my chin.
And yes, hard chairs.
That extra skin though...ugh. I busted my ass to get ripped, and I know my abs are probably solid underneath, but the skin hides everything. If removal didn't cost a fortune, I'd do it in a heartbeat.
THAT. That's a big one. I don't see myself in the mirror at all. Side-by-side before and after photos have always been the only way I can kind of see it, and even then, I don't.
My therapist follows my instagram (my surgeon does too), and part of my therapy was posting a selfie or full body shot every single day so I could see what everyone else sees -- so any workout or progress post had to include one. I absolutely HATE it, I still hate it every damn day I post, and I always apologize to anyone who follows me because it's basically a vanity nightmare for me. Like my face is this whole sea for yeeears. I hate it.
I've heard Brazil, Turkey, India, South Korea mentioned as excellent destinations... Benjamin Franklin carries a lot of weight there, though even George Washington has some value.domin8brix said:
Pros:
-135lbs gone for me. That's wild. Basically the size of another human being. Seeing those scale numbers is genuinely wild.
-No more looking pregnant, which means no more strangers wandering up asking my due date or rubbing my belly expecting a baby kick (something is going to kick them, guaranteed.)
-My overall health improved dramatically: sleep apnea gone, asthma treatment no longer needed, and a whole list of prescriptions either reduced or dropped entirely.
-These days doctors ALMOST actually treat me like a real patient, instead of telling me "if you'd lose weight, you wouldn't have whatever ailment that has nothing to do with weight."
-My back got repaired, which meant avoiding paralysis, and I got 2 1/2 inches of height back.
-Running is something I can do now, and I do a lot of it. Lifting heavy too. I'm strong AF.
-Pretty much any outfit works for me. A good chunk of my wardrobe is kids sizes now, which is a total flip from never finding anything big enough.
-Strangers treat me better these days, like I've suddenly earned worth and permission to exist, at least when they aren't throwing shade or dismissing how hard I worked.
-Summer heat no longer destroys me.
-Being unrecognizable means I don't have to talk to people lol (seriously such a massive perk!)
-Nearly every nice dinner out stretches into 3-4 meals for me.
Cons:
-Loose skin on my belly hides the progress I've made, and getting it removed costs more than a car. The turkey neck situation can be partially handled with Botox, but that's another hefty bill.
-I can't perceive my actual appearance--the mirror still shows that fat person, and I still call myself fata**.
-Keeping this up is pricey...Botox runs more, GLPs, protein products, meat, all of it. And replacing my wardrobe wasn't cheap either. (Kids clothes cost way less though, so that's a win!)
-The time commitment for maintenance is huge--rebuilding muscle lost to rapid weight loss plus recovery from major surgeries has been a long, hard road. Meal prep, keeping GLPs stocked, way more Botox than before, all of it.
-Scale fluctuations set off my OCD badly. Tirz helps with that, but sometimes it turns into a full compulsion spiral.
-People can be nasty, and while I'm perfectly capable of handling it impolitely, it's still irritating. Also bizarre: despite being visibly ripped, folks assume I'm some fragile weakling.
-Men still don't approach me (mostly fine with that
-Dehydration hits me SUPER fast, so I'm constantly pounding electrolytes because water passes through me quicker than most people (bariatric surgery related). Tournament weekends mean hauling a ton of water just to stay hydrated.
-This ties more to the bariatric side, but spontaneous meals out aren't possible. Timing and planning are always involved.
Absolutely yes about the sweating. I can spend all day at a summer baseball tournament or go for a lunchtime run in jeans when it's 95 degrees, and yeah I sweat, but I'm not dying of heat exhaustion! That's huge.cheaperseeker said:
83 lbs gone, and I'm holding steady.
Flying, without a doubt! Beyond just having more room in the seat, these days I'm typically pulling the belt tighter than the previous passenger left it, instead of letting it out nearly all the way.
Strangers treat me better when I'm out and about. Unfortunate, yet accurate.
Friends of my husband and kids say I'm hot.
No more perspiring from the tiniest bit of warmth or effort.
Needing a whole new wardrobe.
Loose skin hanging on my belly and beneath my chin.
And yes, hard chairs.
That extra skin though...ugh. I busted my ass to get ripped, and I know my abs are probably solid underneath, but the skin hides everything. If removal didn't cost a fortune, I'd do it in a heartbeat.
THAT. That's a big one. I don't see myself in the mirror at all. Side-by-side before and after photos have always been the only way I can kind of see it, and even then, I don't.
My therapist follows my instagram (my surgeon does too), and part of my therapy was posting a selfie or full body shot every single day so I could see what everyone else sees -- so any workout or progress post had to include one. I absolutely HATE it, I still hate it every damn day I post, and I always apologize to anyone who follows me because it's basically a vanity nightmare for me. Like my face is this whole sea for yeeears. I hate it.
Yeah, that makes sense. Women and their hypergamy also bring in their built-in pre-screening and social validation. It's because of the extra X chromosome. It comes naturally. It's instinctual. Why resist evolutionary psychology? It's as instinctual as dressing like you're hunting for a husband who's about to kick the bucket.domin8brix said:
Pros:
-135lbs gone for me. That's wild. Basically the size of another human being. Seeing those scale numbers is genuinely wild.
-No more looking pregnant, which means no more strangers wandering up asking my due date or rubbing my belly expecting a baby kick (something is going to kick them, guaranteed.)
-My overall health improved dramatically: sleep apnea gone, asthma treatment no longer needed, and a whole list of prescriptions either reduced or dropped entirely.
-These days doctors ALMOST actually treat me like a real patient, instead of telling me "if you'd lose weight, you wouldn't have whatever ailment that has nothing to do with weight."
-My back got repaired, which meant avoiding paralysis, and I got 2 1/2 inches of height back.
-Running is something I can do now, and I do a lot of it. Lifting heavy too. I'm strong AF.
-Pretty much any outfit works for me. A good chunk of my wardrobe is kids sizes now, which is a total flip from never finding anything big enough.
-Strangers treat me better these days, like I've suddenly earned worth and permission to exist, at least when they aren't throwing shade or dismissing how hard I worked.
-Summer heat no longer destroys me.
-Being unrecognizable means I don't have to talk to people lol (seriously such a massive perk!)
-Nearly every nice dinner out stretches into 3-4 meals for me.
Cons:
-Loose skin on my belly hides the progress I've made, and getting it removed costs more than a car. The turkey neck situation can be partially handled with Botox, but that's another hefty bill.
-I can't perceive my actual appearance--the mirror still shows that fat person, and I still call myself fata**.
-Keeping this up is pricey...Botox runs more, GLPs, protein products, meat, all of it. And replacing my wardrobe wasn't cheap either. (Kids clothes cost way less though, so that's a win!)
-The time commitment for maintenance is huge--rebuilding muscle lost to rapid weight loss plus recovery from major surgeries has been a long, hard road. Meal prep, keeping GLPs stocked, way more Botox than before, all of it.
-Scale fluctuations set off my OCD badly. Tirz helps with that, but sometimes it turns into a full compulsion spiral.
-People can be nasty, and while I'm perfectly capable of handling it impolitely, it's still irritating. Also bizarre: despite being visibly ripped, folks assume I'm some fragile weakling.
-Men still don't approach me (mostly fine with that
-Dehydration hits me SUPER fast, so I'm constantly pounding electrolytes because water passes through me quicker than most people (bariatric surgery related). Tournament weekends mean hauling a ton of water just to stay hydrated.
-This ties more to the bariatric side, but spontaneous meals out aren't possible. Timing and planning are always involved.
Absolutely yes about the sweating. I can spend all day at a summer baseball tournament or go for a lunchtime run in jeans when it's 95 degrees, and yeah I sweat, but I'm not dying of heat exhaustion! That's huge.cheaperseeker said:
83 lbs gone, and I'm holding steady.
Flying, without a doubt! Beyond just having more room in the seat, these days I'm typically pulling the belt tighter than the previous passenger left it, instead of letting it out nearly all the way.
Strangers treat me better when I'm out and about. Unfortunate, yet accurate.
Friends of my husband and kids say I'm hot.
No more perspiring from the tiniest bit of warmth or effort.
Needing a whole new wardrobe.
Loose skin hanging on my belly and beneath my chin.
And yes, hard chairs.
That extra skin though...ugh. I busted my ass to get ripped, and I know my abs are probably solid underneath, but the skin hides everything. If removal didn't cost a fortune, I'd do it in a heartbeat.
THAT. That's a big one. I don't see myself in the mirror at all. Side-by-side before and after photos have always been the only way I can kind of see it, and even then, I don't.
My therapist follows my instagram (my surgeon does too), and part of my therapy was posting a selfie or full body shot every single day so I could see what everyone else sees -- so any workout or progress post had to include one. I absolutely HATE it, I still hate it every damn day I post, and I always apologize to anyone who follows me because it's basically a vanity nightmare for me. Like my face is this whole sea for yeeears. I hate it.
Yeah, my problem is the reverse. Stick me in the Grand Canyon, and it'll become a riverbank. I mean, there's hyperhidrosis, and then there's the level beyond it—me.domin8brix said:
Pros:
-135lbs gone for me. That's wild. Basically the size of another human being. Seeing those scale numbers is genuinely wild.
-No more looking pregnant, which means no more strangers wandering up asking my due date or rubbing my belly expecting a baby kick (something is going to kick them, guaranteed.)
-My overall health improved dramatically: sleep apnea gone, asthma treatment no longer needed, and a whole list of prescriptions either reduced or dropped entirely.
-These days doctors ALMOST actually treat me like a real patient, instead of telling me "if you'd lose weight, you wouldn't have whatever ailment that has nothing to do with weight."
-My back got repaired, which meant avoiding paralysis, and I got 2 1/2 inches of height back.
-Running is something I can do now, and I do a lot of it. Lifting heavy too. I'm strong AF.
-Pretty much any outfit works for me. A good chunk of my wardrobe is kids sizes now, which is a total flip from never finding anything big enough.
-Strangers treat me better these days, like I've suddenly earned worth and permission to exist, at least when they aren't throwing shade or dismissing how hard I worked.
-Summer heat no longer destroys me.
-Being unrecognizable means I don't have to talk to people lol (seriously such a massive perk!)
-Nearly every nice dinner out stretches into 3-4 meals for me.
Cons:
-Loose skin on my belly hides the progress I've made, and getting it removed costs more than a car. The turkey neck situation can be partially handled with Botox, but that's another hefty bill.
-I can't perceive my actual appearance--the mirror still shows that fat person, and I still call myself fata**.
-Keeping this up is pricey...Botox runs more, GLPs, protein products, meat, all of it. And replacing my wardrobe wasn't cheap either. (Kids clothes cost way less though, so that's a win!)
-The time commitment for maintenance is huge--rebuilding muscle lost to rapid weight loss plus recovery from major surgeries has been a long, hard road. Meal prep, keeping GLPs stocked, way more Botox than before, all of it.
-Scale fluctuations set off my OCD badly. Tirz helps with that, but sometimes it turns into a full compulsion spiral.
-People can be nasty, and while I'm perfectly capable of handling it impolitely, it's still irritating. Also bizarre: despite being visibly ripped, folks assume I'm some fragile weakling.
-Men still don't approach me (mostly fine with that
-Dehydration hits me SUPER fast, so I'm constantly pounding electrolytes because water passes through me quicker than most people (bariatric surgery related). Tournament weekends mean hauling a ton of water just to stay hydrated.
-This ties more to the bariatric side, but spontaneous meals out aren't possible. Timing and planning are always involved.
Absolutely yes about the sweating. I can spend all day at a summer baseball tournament or go for a lunchtime run in jeans when it's 95 degrees, and yeah I sweat, but I'm not dying of heat exhaustion! That's huge.cheaperseeker said:
83 lbs gone, and I'm holding steady.
Flying, without a doubt! Beyond just having more room in the seat, these days I'm typically pulling the belt tighter than the previous passenger left it, instead of letting it out nearly all the way.
Strangers treat me better when I'm out and about. Unfortunate, yet accurate.
Friends of my husband and kids say I'm hot.
No more perspiring from the tiniest bit of warmth or effort.
Needing a whole new wardrobe.
Loose skin hanging on my belly and beneath my chin.
And yes, hard chairs.
That extra skin though...ugh. I busted my ass to get ripped, and I know my abs are probably solid underneath, but the skin hides everything. If removal didn't cost a fortune, I'd do it in a heartbeat.
THAT. That's a big one. I don't see myself in the mirror at all. Side-by-side before and after photos have always been the only way I can kind of see it, and even then, I don't.
My therapist follows my instagram (my surgeon does too), and part of my therapy was posting a selfie or full body shot every single day so I could see what everyone else sees -- so any workout or progress post had to include one. I absolutely HATE it, I still hate it every damn day I post, and I always apologize to anyone who follows me because it's basically a vanity nightmare for me. Like my face is this whole sea for yeeears. I hate it.
When you're up against catties, you bring a laser. It drives them crazy, every single time. Yeah, politeness is overrated AF. Only the mission matters: No mercy. Let those futhercuckers head to North Korea.domin8brix said:
Pros:
-135lbs gone for me. That's wild. Basically the size of another human being. Seeing those scale numbers is genuinely wild.
-No more looking pregnant, which means no more strangers wandering up asking my due date or rubbing my belly expecting a baby kick (something is going to kick them, guaranteed.)
-My overall health improved dramatically: sleep apnea gone, asthma treatment no longer needed, and a whole list of prescriptions either reduced or dropped entirely.
-These days doctors ALMOST actually treat me like a real patient, instead of telling me "if you'd lose weight, you wouldn't have whatever ailment that has nothing to do with weight."
-My back got repaired, which meant avoiding paralysis, and I got 2 1/2 inches of height back.
-Running is something I can do now, and I do a lot of it. Lifting heavy too. I'm strong AF.
-Pretty much any outfit works for me. A good chunk of my wardrobe is kids sizes now, which is a total flip from never finding anything big enough.
-Strangers treat me better these days, like I've suddenly earned worth and permission to exist, at least when they aren't throwing shade or dismissing how hard I worked.
-Summer heat no longer destroys me.
-Being unrecognizable means I don't have to talk to people lol (seriously such a massive perk!)
-Nearly every nice dinner out stretches into 3-4 meals for me.
Cons:
-Loose skin on my belly hides the progress I've made, and getting it removed costs more than a car. The turkey neck situation can be partially handled with Botox, but that's another hefty bill.
-I can't perceive my actual appearance--the mirror still shows that fat person, and I still call myself fata**.
-Keeping this up is pricey...Botox runs more, GLPs, protein products, meat, all of it. And replacing my wardrobe wasn't cheap either. (Kids clothes cost way less though, so that's a win!)
-The time commitment for maintenance is huge--rebuilding muscle lost to rapid weight loss plus recovery from major surgeries has been a long, hard road. Meal prep, keeping GLPs stocked, way more Botox than before, all of it.
-Scale fluctuations set off my OCD badly. Tirz helps with that, but sometimes it turns into a full compulsion spiral.
-People can be nasty, and while I'm perfectly capable of handling it impolitely, it's still irritating. Also bizarre: despite being visibly ripped, folks assume I'm some fragile weakling.
-Men still don't approach me (mostly fine with that
-Dehydration hits me SUPER fast, so I'm constantly pounding electrolytes because water passes through me quicker than most people (bariatric surgery related). Tournament weekends mean hauling a ton of water just to stay hydrated.
-This ties more to the bariatric side, but spontaneous meals out aren't possible. Timing and planning are always involved.
Absolutely yes about the sweating. I can spend all day at a summer baseball tournament or go for a lunchtime run in jeans when it's 95 degrees, and yeah I sweat, but I'm not dying of heat exhaustion! That's huge.cheaperseeker said:
83 lbs gone, and I'm holding steady.
Flying, without a doubt! Beyond just having more room in the seat, these days I'm typically pulling the belt tighter than the previous passenger left it, instead of letting it out nearly all the way.
Strangers treat me better when I'm out and about. Unfortunate, yet accurate.
Friends of my husband and kids say I'm hot.
No more perspiring from the tiniest bit of warmth or effort.
Needing a whole new wardrobe.
Loose skin hanging on my belly and beneath my chin.
And yes, hard chairs.
That extra skin though...ugh. I busted my ass to get ripped, and I know my abs are probably solid underneath, but the skin hides everything. If removal didn't cost a fortune, I'd do it in a heartbeat.
THAT. That's a big one. I don't see myself in the mirror at all. Side-by-side before and after photos have always been the only way I can kind of see it, and even then, I don't.
My therapist follows my instagram (my surgeon does too), and part of my therapy was posting a selfie or full body shot every single day so I could see what everyone else sees -- so any workout or progress post had to include one. I absolutely HATE it, I still hate it every damn day I post, and I always apologize to anyone who follows me because it's basically a vanity nightmare for me. Like my face is this whole sea for yeeears. I hate it.
Exactly. "Hands open doorknobs, legs break down doors"—Thunderlegs. Kick away.domin8brix said:
Pros:
-135lbs gone for me. That's wild. Basically the size of another human being. Seeing those scale numbers is genuinely wild.
-No more looking pregnant, which means no more strangers wandering up asking my due date or rubbing my belly expecting a baby kick (something is going to kick them, guaranteed.)
-My overall health improved dramatically: sleep apnea gone, asthma treatment no longer needed, and a whole list of prescriptions either reduced or dropped entirely.
-These days doctors ALMOST actually treat me like a real patient, instead of telling me "if you'd lose weight, you wouldn't have whatever ailment that has nothing to do with weight."
-My back got repaired, which meant avoiding paralysis, and I got 2 1/2 inches of height back.
-Running is something I can do now, and I do a lot of it. Lifting heavy too. I'm strong AF.
-Pretty much any outfit works for me. A good chunk of my wardrobe is kids sizes now, which is a total flip from never finding anything big enough.
-Strangers treat me better these days, like I've suddenly earned worth and permission to exist, at least when they aren't throwing shade or dismissing how hard I worked.
-Summer heat no longer destroys me.
-Being unrecognizable means I don't have to talk to people lol (seriously such a massive perk!)
-Nearly every nice dinner out stretches into 3-4 meals for me.
Cons:
-Loose skin on my belly hides the progress I've made, and getting it removed costs more than a car. The turkey neck situation can be partially handled with Botox, but that's another hefty bill.
-I can't perceive my actual appearance--the mirror still shows that fat person, and I still call myself fata**.
-Keeping this up is pricey...Botox runs more, GLPs, protein products, meat, all of it. And replacing my wardrobe wasn't cheap either. (Kids clothes cost way less though, so that's a win!)
-The time commitment for maintenance is huge--rebuilding muscle lost to rapid weight loss plus recovery from major surgeries has been a long, hard road. Meal prep, keeping GLPs stocked, way more Botox than before, all of it.
-Scale fluctuations set off my OCD badly. Tirz helps with that, but sometimes it turns into a full compulsion spiral.
-People can be nasty, and while I'm perfectly capable of handling it impolitely, it's still irritating. Also bizarre: despite being visibly ripped, folks assume I'm some fragile weakling.
-Men still don't approach me (mostly fine with that
-Dehydration hits me SUPER fast, so I'm constantly pounding electrolytes because water passes through me quicker than most people (bariatric surgery related). Tournament weekends mean hauling a ton of water just to stay hydrated.
-This ties more to the bariatric side, but spontaneous meals out aren't possible. Timing and planning are always involved.
Absolutely yes about the sweating. I can spend all day at a summer baseball tournament or go for a lunchtime run in jeans when it's 95 degrees, and yeah I sweat, but I'm not dying of heat exhaustion! That's huge.cheaperseeker said:
83 lbs gone, and I'm holding steady.
Flying, without a doubt! Beyond just having more room in the seat, these days I'm typically pulling the belt tighter than the previous passenger left it, instead of letting it out nearly all the way.
Strangers treat me better when I'm out and about. Unfortunate, yet accurate.
Friends of my husband and kids say I'm hot.
No more perspiring from the tiniest bit of warmth or effort.
Needing a whole new wardrobe.
Loose skin hanging on my belly and beneath my chin.
And yes, hard chairs.
That extra skin though...ugh. I busted my ass to get ripped, and I know my abs are probably solid underneath, but the skin hides everything. If removal didn't cost a fortune, I'd do it in a heartbeat.
THAT. That's a big one. I don't see myself in the mirror at all. Side-by-side before and after photos have always been the only way I can kind of see it, and even then, I don't.
My therapist follows my instagram (my surgeon does too), and part of my therapy was posting a selfie or full body shot every single day so I could see what everyone else sees -- so any workout or progress post had to include one. I absolutely HATE it, I still hate it every damn day I post, and I always apologize to anyone who follows me because it's basically a vanity nightmare for me. Like my face is this whole sea for yeeears. I hate it.
Yeah, see, it's hardwired in us. You might deadlift more than us, but our Y chromosome doesn't have eyes.domin8brix said:
Pros:
-135lbs gone for me. That's wild. Basically the size of another human being. Seeing those scale numbers is genuinely wild.
-No more looking pregnant, which means no more strangers wandering up asking my due date or rubbing my belly expecting a baby kick (something is going to kick them, guaranteed.)
-My overall health improved dramatically: sleep apnea gone, asthma treatment no longer needed, and a whole list of prescriptions either reduced or dropped entirely.
-These days doctors ALMOST actually treat me like a real patient, instead of telling me "if you'd lose weight, you wouldn't have whatever ailment that has nothing to do with weight."
-My back got repaired, which meant avoiding paralysis, and I got 2 1/2 inches of height back.
-Running is something I can do now, and I do a lot of it. Lifting heavy too. I'm strong AF.
-Pretty much any outfit works for me. A good chunk of my wardrobe is kids sizes now, which is a total flip from never finding anything big enough.
-Strangers treat me better these days, like I've suddenly earned worth and permission to exist, at least when they aren't throwing shade or dismissing how hard I worked.
-Summer heat no longer destroys me.
-Being unrecognizable means I don't have to talk to people lol (seriously such a massive perk!)
-Nearly every nice dinner out stretches into 3-4 meals for me.
Cons:
-Loose skin on my belly hides the progress I've made, and getting it removed costs more than a car. The turkey neck situation can be partially handled with Botox, but that's another hefty bill.
-I can't perceive my actual appearance--the mirror still shows that fat person, and I still call myself fata**.
-Keeping this up is pricey...Botox runs more, GLPs, protein products, meat, all of it. And replacing my wardrobe wasn't cheap either. (Kids clothes cost way less though, so that's a win!)
-The time commitment for maintenance is huge--rebuilding muscle lost to rapid weight loss plus recovery from major surgeries has been a long, hard road. Meal prep, keeping GLPs stocked, way more Botox than before, all of it.
-Scale fluctuations set off my OCD badly. Tirz helps with that, but sometimes it turns into a full compulsion spiral.
-People can be nasty, and while I'm perfectly capable of handling it impolitely, it's still irritating. Also bizarre: despite being visibly ripped, folks assume I'm some fragile weakling.
-Men still don't approach me (mostly fine with that
-Dehydration hits me SUPER fast, so I'm constantly pounding electrolytes because water passes through me quicker than most people (bariatric surgery related). Tournament weekends mean hauling a ton of water just to stay hydrated.
-This ties more to the bariatric side, but spontaneous meals out aren't possible. Timing and planning are always involved.
Absolutely yes about the sweating. I can spend all day at a summer baseball tournament or go for a lunchtime run in jeans when it's 95 degrees, and yeah I sweat, but I'm not dying of heat exhaustion! That's huge.cheaperseeker said:
83 lbs gone, and I'm holding steady.
Flying, without a doubt! Beyond just having more room in the seat, these days I'm typically pulling the belt tighter than the previous passenger left it, instead of letting it out nearly all the way.
Strangers treat me better when I'm out and about. Unfortunate, yet accurate.
Friends of my husband and kids say I'm hot.
No more perspiring from the tiniest bit of warmth or effort.
Needing a whole new wardrobe.
Loose skin hanging on my belly and beneath my chin.
And yes, hard chairs.
That extra skin though...ugh. I busted my ass to get ripped, and I know my abs are probably solid underneath, but the skin hides everything. If removal didn't cost a fortune, I'd do it in a heartbeat.
THAT. That's a big one. I don't see myself in the mirror at all. Side-by-side before and after photos have always been the only way I can kind of see it, and even then, I don't.
My therapist follows my instagram (my surgeon does too), and part of my therapy was posting a selfie or full body shot every single day so I could see what everyone else sees -- so any workout or progress post had to include one. I absolutely HATE it, I still hate it every damn day I post, and I always apologize to anyone who follows me because it's basically a vanity nightmare for me. Like my face is this whole sea for yeeears. I hate it.
I want this. Right now. Give.domin8brix said:
Pros:
-135lbs gone for me. That's wild. Basically the size of another human being. Seeing those scale numbers is genuinely wild.
-No more looking pregnant, which means no more strangers wandering up asking my due date or rubbing my belly expecting a baby kick (something is going to kick them, guaranteed.)
-My overall health improved dramatically: sleep apnea gone, asthma treatment no longer needed, and a whole list of prescriptions either reduced or dropped entirely.
-These days doctors ALMOST actually treat me like a real patient, instead of telling me "if you'd lose weight, you wouldn't have whatever ailment that has nothing to do with weight."
-My back got repaired, which meant avoiding paralysis, and I got 2 1/2 inches of height back.
-Running is something I can do now, and I do a lot of it. Lifting heavy too. I'm strong AF.
-Pretty much any outfit works for me. A good chunk of my wardrobe is kids sizes now, which is a total flip from never finding anything big enough.
-Strangers treat me better these days, like I've suddenly earned worth and permission to exist, at least when they aren't throwing shade or dismissing how hard I worked.
-Summer heat no longer destroys me.
-Being unrecognizable means I don't have to talk to people lol (seriously such a massive perk!)
-Nearly every nice dinner out stretches into 3-4 meals for me.
Cons:
-Loose skin on my belly hides the progress I've made, and getting it removed costs more than a car. The turkey neck situation can be partially handled with Botox, but that's another hefty bill.
-I can't perceive my actual appearance--the mirror still shows that fat person, and I still call myself fata**.
-Keeping this up is pricey...Botox runs more, GLPs, protein products, meat, all of it. And replacing my wardrobe wasn't cheap either. (Kids clothes cost way less though, so that's a win!)
-The time commitment for maintenance is huge--rebuilding muscle lost to rapid weight loss plus recovery from major surgeries has been a long, hard road. Meal prep, keeping GLPs stocked, way more Botox than before, all of it.
-Scale fluctuations set off my OCD badly. Tirz helps with that, but sometimes it turns into a full compulsion spiral.
-People can be nasty, and while I'm perfectly capable of handling it impolitely, it's still irritating. Also bizarre: despite being visibly ripped, folks assume I'm some fragile weakling.
-Men still don't approach me (mostly fine with that
-Dehydration hits me SUPER fast, so I'm constantly pounding electrolytes because water passes through me quicker than most people (bariatric surgery related). Tournament weekends mean hauling a ton of water just to stay hydrated.
-This ties more to the bariatric side, but spontaneous meals out aren't possible. Timing and planning are always involved.
Absolutely yes about the sweating. I can spend all day at a summer baseball tournament or go for a lunchtime run in jeans when it's 95 degrees, and yeah I sweat, but I'm not dying of heat exhaustion! That's huge.cheaperseeker said:
83 lbs gone, and I'm holding steady.
Flying, without a doubt! Beyond just having more room in the seat, these days I'm typically pulling the belt tighter than the previous passenger left it, instead of letting it out nearly all the way.
Strangers treat me better when I'm out and about. Unfortunate, yet accurate.
Friends of my husband and kids say I'm hot.
No more perspiring from the tiniest bit of warmth or effort.
Needing a whole new wardrobe.
Loose skin hanging on my belly and beneath my chin.
And yes, hard chairs.
That extra skin though...ugh. I busted my ass to get ripped, and I know my abs are probably solid underneath, but the skin hides everything. If removal didn't cost a fortune, I'd do it in a heartbeat.
THAT. That's a big one. I don't see myself in the mirror at all. Side-by-side before and after photos have always been the only way I can kind of see it, and even then, I don't.
My therapist follows my instagram (my surgeon does too), and part of my therapy was posting a selfie or full body shot every single day so I could see what everyone else sees -- so any workout or progress post had to include one. I absolutely HATE it, I still hate it every damn day I post, and I always apologize to anyone who follows me because it's basically a vanity nightmare for me. Like my face is this whole sea for yeeears. I hate it.
-}-Oh yes, and personally, I still have no clue why, but losing around 80lbs suddenly caused patches of "chicken skin" on my body.
-}-On top of that, my skin dries out fast, nearly as quickly as something else does when The View comes on TV.
-}-That same appendage, allergic to The View, is now dealing with a delusion typically found in those lacking a Y chromosome. It believes it's Forever 21.
domin8brix
Explorer
Not long ago I figured I was dealing with hyper-hydrosis, but nope — hot flashes. That's 1 thing you're welcome to hang onto.Smiter said:
Huh, I never realized that could be an issue. I havedomin8brix said:
Pros:
-135lbs gone for me. That's wild. Basically the size of another human being. Seeing those scale numbers is genuinely wild.
-No more looking pregnant, which means no more strangers wandering up asking my due date or rubbing my belly expecting a baby kick (something is going to kick them, guaranteed.)
-My overall health improved dramatically: sleep apnea gone, asthma treatment no longer needed, and a whole list of prescriptions either reduced or dropped entirely.
-These days doctors ALMOST actually treat me like a real patient, instead of telling me "if you'd lose weight, you wouldn't have whatever ailment that has nothing to do with weight."
-My back got repaired, which meant avoiding paralysis, and I got 2 1/2 inches of height back.
-Running is something I can do now, and I do a lot of it. Lifting heavy too. I'm strong AF.
-Pretty much any outfit works for me. A good chunk of my wardrobe is kids sizes now, which is a total flip from never finding anything big enough.
-Strangers treat me better these days, like I've suddenly earned worth and permission to exist, at least when they aren't throwing shade or dismissing how hard I worked.
-Summer heat no longer destroys me.
-Being unrecognizable means I don't have to talk to people lol (seriously such a massive perk!)
-Nearly every nice dinner out stretches into 3-4 meals for me.
Cons:
-Loose skin on my belly hides the progress I've made, and getting it removed costs more than a car. The turkey neck situation can be partially handled with Botox, but that's another hefty bill.
-I can't perceive my actual appearance--the mirror still shows that fat person, and I still call myself fata**.
-Keeping this up is pricey...Botox runs more, GLPs, protein products, meat, all of it. And replacing my wardrobe wasn't cheap either. (Kids clothes cost way less though, so that's a win!)
-The time commitment for maintenance is huge--rebuilding muscle lost to rapid weight loss plus recovery from major surgeries has been a long, hard road. Meal prep, keeping GLPs stocked, way more Botox than before, all of it.
-Scale fluctuations set off my OCD badly. Tirz helps with that, but sometimes it turns into a full compulsion spiral.
-People can be nasty, and while I'm perfectly capable of handling it impolitely, it's still irritating. Also bizarre: despite being visibly ripped, folks assume I'm some fragile weakling.
-Men still don't approach me (mostly fine with that
-Dehydration hits me SUPER fast, so I'm constantly pounding electrolytes because water passes through me quicker than most people (bariatric surgery related). Tournament weekends mean hauling a ton of water just to stay hydrated.
-This ties more to the bariatric side, but spontaneous meals out aren't possible. Timing and planning are always involved.
Absolutely yes about the sweating. I can spend all day at a summer baseball tournament or go for a lunchtime run in jeans when it's 95 degrees, and yeah I sweat, but I'm not dying of heat exhaustion! That's huge.cheaperseeker said:
83 lbs gone, and I'm holding steady.
Flying, without a doubt! Beyond just having more room in the seat, these days I'm typically pulling the belt tighter than the previous passenger left it, instead of letting it out nearly all the way.
Strangers treat me better when I'm out and about. Unfortunate, yet accurate.
Friends of my husband and kids say I'm hot.
No more perspiring from the tiniest bit of warmth or effort.
Needing a whole new wardrobe.
Loose skin hanging on my belly and beneath my chin.
And yes, hard chairs.
That extra skin though...ugh. I busted my ass to get ripped, and I know my abs are probably solid underneath, but the skin hides everything. If removal didn't cost a fortune, I'd do it in a heartbeat.
THAT. That's a big one. I don't see myself in the mirror at all. Side-by-side before and after photos have always been the only way I can kind of see it, and even then, I don't.
My therapist follows my instagram (my surgeon does too), and part of my therapy was posting a selfie or full body shot every single day so I could see what everyone else sees -- so any workout or progress post had to include one. I absolutely HATE it, I still hate it every damn day I post, and I always apologize to anyone who follows me because it's basically a vanity nightmare for me. Like my face is this whole sea for yeeears. I hate it.
a few ideas about the cause. Hmmmm.... Normally I'm not the type to see the glass as half full, but here, I guess I'd file it under good problems to have.
Damn! Nope, that problem is all yours.domin8brix said:
Pros:
-135lbs gone for me. That's wild. Basically the size of another human being. Seeing those scale numbers is genuinely wild.
-No more looking pregnant, which means no more strangers wandering up asking my due date or rubbing my belly expecting a baby kick (something is going to kick them, guaranteed.)
-My overall health improved dramatically: sleep apnea gone, asthma treatment no longer needed, and a whole list of prescriptions either reduced or dropped entirely.
-These days doctors ALMOST actually treat me like a real patient, instead of telling me "if you'd lose weight, you wouldn't have whatever ailment that has nothing to do with weight."
-My back got repaired, which meant avoiding paralysis, and I got 2 1/2 inches of height back.
-Running is something I can do now, and I do a lot of it. Lifting heavy too. I'm strong AF.
-Pretty much any outfit works for me. A good chunk of my wardrobe is kids sizes now, which is a total flip from never finding anything big enough.
-Strangers treat me better these days, like I've suddenly earned worth and permission to exist, at least when they aren't throwing shade or dismissing how hard I worked.
-Summer heat no longer destroys me.
-Being unrecognizable means I don't have to talk to people lol (seriously such a massive perk!)
-Nearly every nice dinner out stretches into 3-4 meals for me.
Cons:
-Loose skin on my belly hides the progress I've made, and getting it removed costs more than a car. The turkey neck situation can be partially handled with Botox, but that's another hefty bill.
-I can't perceive my actual appearance--the mirror still shows that fat person, and I still call myself fata**.
-Keeping this up is pricey...Botox runs more, GLPs, protein products, meat, all of it. And replacing my wardrobe wasn't cheap either. (Kids clothes cost way less though, so that's a win!)
-The time commitment for maintenance is huge--rebuilding muscle lost to rapid weight loss plus recovery from major surgeries has been a long, hard road. Meal prep, keeping GLPs stocked, way more Botox than before, all of it.
-Scale fluctuations set off my OCD badly. Tirz helps with that, but sometimes it turns into a full compulsion spiral.
-People can be nasty, and while I'm perfectly capable of handling it impolitely, it's still irritating. Also bizarre: despite being visibly ripped, folks assume I'm some fragile weakling.
-Men still don't approach me (mostly fine with that
-Dehydration hits me SUPER fast, so I'm constantly pounding electrolytes because water passes through me quicker than most people (bariatric surgery related). Tournament weekends mean hauling a ton of water just to stay hydrated.
-This ties more to the bariatric side, but spontaneous meals out aren't possible. Timing and planning are always involved.
Absolutely yes about the sweating. I can spend all day at a summer baseball tournament or go for a lunchtime run in jeans when it's 95 degrees, and yeah I sweat, but I'm not dying of heat exhaustion! That's huge.cheaperseeker said:
83 lbs gone, and I'm holding steady.
Flying, without a doubt! Beyond just having more room in the seat, these days I'm typically pulling the belt tighter than the previous passenger left it, instead of letting it out nearly all the way.
Strangers treat me better when I'm out and about. Unfortunate, yet accurate.
Friends of my husband and kids say I'm hot.
No more perspiring from the tiniest bit of warmth or effort.
Needing a whole new wardrobe.
Loose skin hanging on my belly and beneath my chin.
And yes, hard chairs.
That extra skin though...ugh. I busted my ass to get ripped, and I know my abs are probably solid underneath, but the skin hides everything. If removal didn't cost a fortune, I'd do it in a heartbeat.
THAT. That's a big one. I don't see myself in the mirror at all. Side-by-side before and after photos have always been the only way I can kind of see it, and even then, I don't.
My therapist follows my instagram (my surgeon does too), and part of my therapy was posting a selfie or full body shot every single day so I could see what everyone else sees -- so any workout or progress post had to include one. I absolutely HATE it, I still hate it every damn day I post, and I always apologize to anyone who follows me because it's basically a vanity nightmare for me. Like my face is this whole sea for yeeears. I hate it.
I've heard Brazil, Turkey, India, South Korea mentioned as excellent destinations... Benjamin Franklin carries a lot of weight there, though even George Washington has some value.domin8brix said:
Pros:
-135lbs gone for me. That's wild. Basically the size of another human being. Seeing those scale numbers is genuinely wild.
-No more looking pregnant, which means no more strangers wandering up asking my due date or rubbing my belly expecting a baby kick (something is going to kick them, guaranteed.)
-My overall health improved dramatically: sleep apnea gone, asthma treatment no longer needed, and a whole list of prescriptions either reduced or dropped entirely.
-These days doctors ALMOST actually treat me like a real patient, instead of telling me "if you'd lose weight, you wouldn't have whatever ailment that has nothing to do with weight."
-My back got repaired, which meant avoiding paralysis, and I got 2 1/2 inches of height back.
-Running is something I can do now, and I do a lot of it. Lifting heavy too. I'm strong AF.
-Pretty much any outfit works for me. A good chunk of my wardrobe is kids sizes now, which is a total flip from never finding anything big enough.
-Strangers treat me better these days, like I've suddenly earned worth and permission to exist, at least when they aren't throwing shade or dismissing how hard I worked.
-Summer heat no longer destroys me.
-Being unrecognizable means I don't have to talk to people lol (seriously such a massive perk!)
-Nearly every nice dinner out stretches into 3-4 meals for me.
Cons:
-Loose skin on my belly hides the progress I've made, and getting it removed costs more than a car. The turkey neck situation can be partially handled with Botox, but that's another hefty bill.
-I can't perceive my actual appearance--the mirror still shows that fat person, and I still call myself fata**.
-Keeping this up is pricey...Botox runs more, GLPs, protein products, meat, all of it. And replacing my wardrobe wasn't cheap either. (Kids clothes cost way less though, so that's a win!)
-The time commitment for maintenance is huge--rebuilding muscle lost to rapid weight loss plus recovery from major surgeries has been a long, hard road. Meal prep, keeping GLPs stocked, way more Botox than before, all of it.
-Scale fluctuations set off my OCD badly. Tirz helps with that, but sometimes it turns into a full compulsion spiral.
-People can be nasty, and while I'm perfectly capable of handling it impolitely, it's still irritating. Also bizarre: despite being visibly ripped, folks assume I'm some fragile weakling.
-Men still don't approach me (mostly fine with that
-Dehydration hits me SUPER fast, so I'm constantly pounding electrolytes because water passes through me quicker than most people (bariatric surgery related). Tournament weekends mean hauling a ton of water just to stay hydrated.
-This ties more to the bariatric side, but spontaneous meals out aren't possible. Timing and planning are always involved.
Absolutely yes about the sweating. I can spend all day at a summer baseball tournament or go for a lunchtime run in jeans when it's 95 degrees, and yeah I sweat, but I'm not dying of heat exhaustion! That's huge.cheaperseeker said:
83 lbs gone, and I'm holding steady.
Flying, without a doubt! Beyond just having more room in the seat, these days I'm typically pulling the belt tighter than the previous passenger left it, instead of letting it out nearly all the way.
Strangers treat me better when I'm out and about. Unfortunate, yet accurate.
Friends of my husband and kids say I'm hot.
No more perspiring from the tiniest bit of warmth or effort.
Needing a whole new wardrobe.
Loose skin hanging on my belly and beneath my chin.
And yes, hard chairs.
That extra skin though...ugh. I busted my ass to get ripped, and I know my abs are probably solid underneath, but the skin hides everything. If removal didn't cost a fortune, I'd do it in a heartbeat.
THAT. That's a big one. I don't see myself in the mirror at all. Side-by-side before and after photos have always been the only way I can kind of see it, and even then, I don't.
My therapist follows my instagram (my surgeon does too), and part of my therapy was posting a selfie or full body shot every single day so I could see what everyone else sees -- so any workout or progress post had to include one. I absolutely HATE it, I still hate it every damn day I post, and I always apologize to anyone who follows me because it's basically a vanity nightmare for me. Like my face is this whole sea for yeeears. I hate it.
Yeah, that makes sense. Women and their hypergamy also bring in their built-in pre-screening and social validation. It's because of the extra X chromosome. It comes naturally. It's instinctual. Why resist evolutionary psychology? It's as instinctual as dressing like you're hunting for a husband who's about to kick the bucket.domin8brix said:
Pros:
-135lbs gone for me. That's wild. Basically the size of another human being. Seeing those scale numbers is genuinely wild.
-No more looking pregnant, which means no more strangers wandering up asking my due date or rubbing my belly expecting a baby kick (something is going to kick them, guaranteed.)
-My overall health improved dramatically: sleep apnea gone, asthma treatment no longer needed, and a whole list of prescriptions either reduced or dropped entirely.
-These days doctors ALMOST actually treat me like a real patient, instead of telling me "if you'd lose weight, you wouldn't have whatever ailment that has nothing to do with weight."
-My back got repaired, which meant avoiding paralysis, and I got 2 1/2 inches of height back.
-Running is something I can do now, and I do a lot of it. Lifting heavy too. I'm strong AF.
-Pretty much any outfit works for me. A good chunk of my wardrobe is kids sizes now, which is a total flip from never finding anything big enough.
-Strangers treat me better these days, like I've suddenly earned worth and permission to exist, at least when they aren't throwing shade or dismissing how hard I worked.
-Summer heat no longer destroys me.
-Being unrecognizable means I don't have to talk to people lol (seriously such a massive perk!)
-Nearly every nice dinner out stretches into 3-4 meals for me.
Cons:
-Loose skin on my belly hides the progress I've made, and getting it removed costs more than a car. The turkey neck situation can be partially handled with Botox, but that's another hefty bill.
-I can't perceive my actual appearance--the mirror still shows that fat person, and I still call myself fata**.
-Keeping this up is pricey...Botox runs more, GLPs, protein products, meat, all of it. And replacing my wardrobe wasn't cheap either. (Kids clothes cost way less though, so that's a win!)
-The time commitment for maintenance is huge--rebuilding muscle lost to rapid weight loss plus recovery from major surgeries has been a long, hard road. Meal prep, keeping GLPs stocked, way more Botox than before, all of it.
-Scale fluctuations set off my OCD badly. Tirz helps with that, but sometimes it turns into a full compulsion spiral.
-People can be nasty, and while I'm perfectly capable of handling it impolitely, it's still irritating. Also bizarre: despite being visibly ripped, folks assume I'm some fragile weakling.
-Men still don't approach me (mostly fine with that
-Dehydration hits me SUPER fast, so I'm constantly pounding electrolytes because water passes through me quicker than most people (bariatric surgery related). Tournament weekends mean hauling a ton of water just to stay hydrated.
-This ties more to the bariatric side, but spontaneous meals out aren't possible. Timing and planning are always involved.
Absolutely yes about the sweating. I can spend all day at a summer baseball tournament or go for a lunchtime run in jeans when it's 95 degrees, and yeah I sweat, but I'm not dying of heat exhaustion! That's huge.cheaperseeker said:
83 lbs gone, and I'm holding steady.
Flying, without a doubt! Beyond just having more room in the seat, these days I'm typically pulling the belt tighter than the previous passenger left it, instead of letting it out nearly all the way.
Strangers treat me better when I'm out and about. Unfortunate, yet accurate.
Friends of my husband and kids say I'm hot.
No more perspiring from the tiniest bit of warmth or effort.
Needing a whole new wardrobe.
Loose skin hanging on my belly and beneath my chin.
And yes, hard chairs.
That extra skin though...ugh. I busted my ass to get ripped, and I know my abs are probably solid underneath, but the skin hides everything. If removal didn't cost a fortune, I'd do it in a heartbeat.
THAT. That's a big one. I don't see myself in the mirror at all. Side-by-side before and after photos have always been the only way I can kind of see it, and even then, I don't.
My therapist follows my instagram (my surgeon does too), and part of my therapy was posting a selfie or full body shot every single day so I could see what everyone else sees -- so any workout or progress post had to include one. I absolutely HATE it, I still hate it every damn day I post, and I always apologize to anyone who follows me because it's basically a vanity nightmare for me. Like my face is this whole sea for yeeears. I hate it.
Yeah, my problem is the reverse. Stick me in the Grand Canyon, and it'll become a riverbank. I mean, there's hyperhidrosis, and then there's the level beyond it—me.domin8brix said:
Pros:
-135lbs gone for me. That's wild. Basically the size of another human being. Seeing those scale numbers is genuinely wild.
-No more looking pregnant, which means no more strangers wandering up asking my due date or rubbing my belly expecting a baby kick (something is going to kick them, guaranteed.)
-My overall health improved dramatically: sleep apnea gone, asthma treatment no longer needed, and a whole list of prescriptions either reduced or dropped entirely.
-These days doctors ALMOST actually treat me like a real patient, instead of telling me "if you'd lose weight, you wouldn't have whatever ailment that has nothing to do with weight."
-My back got repaired, which meant avoiding paralysis, and I got 2 1/2 inches of height back.
-Running is something I can do now, and I do a lot of it. Lifting heavy too. I'm strong AF.
-Pretty much any outfit works for me. A good chunk of my wardrobe is kids sizes now, which is a total flip from never finding anything big enough.
-Strangers treat me better these days, like I've suddenly earned worth and permission to exist, at least when they aren't throwing shade or dismissing how hard I worked.
-Summer heat no longer destroys me.
-Being unrecognizable means I don't have to talk to people lol (seriously such a massive perk!)
-Nearly every nice dinner out stretches into 3-4 meals for me.
Cons:
-Loose skin on my belly hides the progress I've made, and getting it removed costs more than a car. The turkey neck situation can be partially handled with Botox, but that's another hefty bill.
-I can't perceive my actual appearance--the mirror still shows that fat person, and I still call myself fata**.
-Keeping this up is pricey...Botox runs more, GLPs, protein products, meat, all of it. And replacing my wardrobe wasn't cheap either. (Kids clothes cost way less though, so that's a win!)
-The time commitment for maintenance is huge--rebuilding muscle lost to rapid weight loss plus recovery from major surgeries has been a long, hard road. Meal prep, keeping GLPs stocked, way more Botox than before, all of it.
-Scale fluctuations set off my OCD badly. Tirz helps with that, but sometimes it turns into a full compulsion spiral.
-People can be nasty, and while I'm perfectly capable of handling it impolitely, it's still irritating. Also bizarre: despite being visibly ripped, folks assume I'm some fragile weakling.
-Men still don't approach me (mostly fine with that
-Dehydration hits me SUPER fast, so I'm constantly pounding electrolytes because water passes through me quicker than most people (bariatric surgery related). Tournament weekends mean hauling a ton of water just to stay hydrated.
-This ties more to the bariatric side, but spontaneous meals out aren't possible. Timing and planning are always involved.
Absolutely yes about the sweating. I can spend all day at a summer baseball tournament or go for a lunchtime run in jeans when it's 95 degrees, and yeah I sweat, but I'm not dying of heat exhaustion! That's huge.cheaperseeker said:
83 lbs gone, and I'm holding steady.
Flying, without a doubt! Beyond just having more room in the seat, these days I'm typically pulling the belt tighter than the previous passenger left it, instead of letting it out nearly all the way.
Strangers treat me better when I'm out and about. Unfortunate, yet accurate.
Friends of my husband and kids say I'm hot.
No more perspiring from the tiniest bit of warmth or effort.
Needing a whole new wardrobe.
Loose skin hanging on my belly and beneath my chin.
And yes, hard chairs.
That extra skin though...ugh. I busted my ass to get ripped, and I know my abs are probably solid underneath, but the skin hides everything. If removal didn't cost a fortune, I'd do it in a heartbeat.
THAT. That's a big one. I don't see myself in the mirror at all. Side-by-side before and after photos have always been the only way I can kind of see it, and even then, I don't.
My therapist follows my instagram (my surgeon does too), and part of my therapy was posting a selfie or full body shot every single day so I could see what everyone else sees -- so any workout or progress post had to include one. I absolutely HATE it, I still hate it every damn day I post, and I always apologize to anyone who follows me because it's basically a vanity nightmare for me. Like my face is this whole sea for yeeears. I hate it.
When you're up against catties, you bring a laser. It drives them crazy, every single time. Yeah, politeness is overrated AF. Only the mission matters: No mercy. Let those futhercuckers head to North Korea.domin8brix said:
Pros:
-135lbs gone for me. That's wild. Basically the size of another human being. Seeing those scale numbers is genuinely wild.
-No more looking pregnant, which means no more strangers wandering up asking my due date or rubbing my belly expecting a baby kick (something is going to kick them, guaranteed.)
-My overall health improved dramatically: sleep apnea gone, asthma treatment no longer needed, and a whole list of prescriptions either reduced or dropped entirely.
-These days doctors ALMOST actually treat me like a real patient, instead of telling me "if you'd lose weight, you wouldn't have whatever ailment that has nothing to do with weight."
-My back got repaired, which meant avoiding paralysis, and I got 2 1/2 inches of height back.
-Running is something I can do now, and I do a lot of it. Lifting heavy too. I'm strong AF.
-Pretty much any outfit works for me. A good chunk of my wardrobe is kids sizes now, which is a total flip from never finding anything big enough.
-Strangers treat me better these days, like I've suddenly earned worth and permission to exist, at least when they aren't throwing shade or dismissing how hard I worked.
-Summer heat no longer destroys me.
-Being unrecognizable means I don't have to talk to people lol (seriously such a massive perk!)
-Nearly every nice dinner out stretches into 3-4 meals for me.
Cons:
-Loose skin on my belly hides the progress I've made, and getting it removed costs more than a car. The turkey neck situation can be partially handled with Botox, but that's another hefty bill.
-I can't perceive my actual appearance--the mirror still shows that fat person, and I still call myself fata**.
-Keeping this up is pricey...Botox runs more, GLPs, protein products, meat, all of it. And replacing my wardrobe wasn't cheap either. (Kids clothes cost way less though, so that's a win!)
-The time commitment for maintenance is huge--rebuilding muscle lost to rapid weight loss plus recovery from major surgeries has been a long, hard road. Meal prep, keeping GLPs stocked, way more Botox than before, all of it.
-Scale fluctuations set off my OCD badly. Tirz helps with that, but sometimes it turns into a full compulsion spiral.
-People can be nasty, and while I'm perfectly capable of handling it impolitely, it's still irritating. Also bizarre: despite being visibly ripped, folks assume I'm some fragile weakling.
-Men still don't approach me (mostly fine with that
-Dehydration hits me SUPER fast, so I'm constantly pounding electrolytes because water passes through me quicker than most people (bariatric surgery related). Tournament weekends mean hauling a ton of water just to stay hydrated.
-This ties more to the bariatric side, but spontaneous meals out aren't possible. Timing and planning are always involved.
Absolutely yes about the sweating. I can spend all day at a summer baseball tournament or go for a lunchtime run in jeans when it's 95 degrees, and yeah I sweat, but I'm not dying of heat exhaustion! That's huge.cheaperseeker said:
83 lbs gone, and I'm holding steady.
Flying, without a doubt! Beyond just having more room in the seat, these days I'm typically pulling the belt tighter than the previous passenger left it, instead of letting it out nearly all the way.
Strangers treat me better when I'm out and about. Unfortunate, yet accurate.
Friends of my husband and kids say I'm hot.
No more perspiring from the tiniest bit of warmth or effort.
Needing a whole new wardrobe.
Loose skin hanging on my belly and beneath my chin.
And yes, hard chairs.
That extra skin though...ugh. I busted my ass to get ripped, and I know my abs are probably solid underneath, but the skin hides everything. If removal didn't cost a fortune, I'd do it in a heartbeat.
THAT. That's a big one. I don't see myself in the mirror at all. Side-by-side before and after photos have always been the only way I can kind of see it, and even then, I don't.
My therapist follows my instagram (my surgeon does too), and part of my therapy was posting a selfie or full body shot every single day so I could see what everyone else sees -- so any workout or progress post had to include one. I absolutely HATE it, I still hate it every damn day I post, and I always apologize to anyone who follows me because it's basically a vanity nightmare for me. Like my face is this whole sea for yeeears. I hate it.
Exactly. "Hands open doorknobs, legs break down doors"—Thunderlegs. Kick away.domin8brix said:
Pros:
-135lbs gone for me. That's wild. Basically the size of another human being. Seeing those scale numbers is genuinely wild.
-No more looking pregnant, which means no more strangers wandering up asking my due date or rubbing my belly expecting a baby kick (something is going to kick them, guaranteed.)
-My overall health improved dramatically: sleep apnea gone, asthma treatment no longer needed, and a whole list of prescriptions either reduced or dropped entirely.
-These days doctors ALMOST actually treat me like a real patient, instead of telling me "if you'd lose weight, you wouldn't have whatever ailment that has nothing to do with weight."
-My back got repaired, which meant avoiding paralysis, and I got 2 1/2 inches of height back.
-Running is something I can do now, and I do a lot of it. Lifting heavy too. I'm strong AF.
-Pretty much any outfit works for me. A good chunk of my wardrobe is kids sizes now, which is a total flip from never finding anything big enough.
-Strangers treat me better these days, like I've suddenly earned worth and permission to exist, at least when they aren't throwing shade or dismissing how hard I worked.
-Summer heat no longer destroys me.
-Being unrecognizable means I don't have to talk to people lol (seriously such a massive perk!)
-Nearly every nice dinner out stretches into 3-4 meals for me.
Cons:
-Loose skin on my belly hides the progress I've made, and getting it removed costs more than a car. The turkey neck situation can be partially handled with Botox, but that's another hefty bill.
-I can't perceive my actual appearance--the mirror still shows that fat person, and I still call myself fata**.
-Keeping this up is pricey...Botox runs more, GLPs, protein products, meat, all of it. And replacing my wardrobe wasn't cheap either. (Kids clothes cost way less though, so that's a win!)
-The time commitment for maintenance is huge--rebuilding muscle lost to rapid weight loss plus recovery from major surgeries has been a long, hard road. Meal prep, keeping GLPs stocked, way more Botox than before, all of it.
-Scale fluctuations set off my OCD badly. Tirz helps with that, but sometimes it turns into a full compulsion spiral.
-People can be nasty, and while I'm perfectly capable of handling it impolitely, it's still irritating. Also bizarre: despite being visibly ripped, folks assume I'm some fragile weakling.
-Men still don't approach me (mostly fine with that
-Dehydration hits me SUPER fast, so I'm constantly pounding electrolytes because water passes through me quicker than most people (bariatric surgery related). Tournament weekends mean hauling a ton of water just to stay hydrated.
-This ties more to the bariatric side, but spontaneous meals out aren't possible. Timing and planning are always involved.
Absolutely yes about the sweating. I can spend all day at a summer baseball tournament or go for a lunchtime run in jeans when it's 95 degrees, and yeah I sweat, but I'm not dying of heat exhaustion! That's huge.cheaperseeker said:
83 lbs gone, and I'm holding steady.
Flying, without a doubt! Beyond just having more room in the seat, these days I'm typically pulling the belt tighter than the previous passenger left it, instead of letting it out nearly all the way.
Strangers treat me better when I'm out and about. Unfortunate, yet accurate.
Friends of my husband and kids say I'm hot.
No more perspiring from the tiniest bit of warmth or effort.
Needing a whole new wardrobe.
Loose skin hanging on my belly and beneath my chin.
And yes, hard chairs.
That extra skin though...ugh. I busted my ass to get ripped, and I know my abs are probably solid underneath, but the skin hides everything. If removal didn't cost a fortune, I'd do it in a heartbeat.
THAT. That's a big one. I don't see myself in the mirror at all. Side-by-side before and after photos have always been the only way I can kind of see it, and even then, I don't.
My therapist follows my instagram (my surgeon does too), and part of my therapy was posting a selfie or full body shot every single day so I could see what everyone else sees -- so any workout or progress post had to include one. I absolutely HATE it, I still hate it every damn day I post, and I always apologize to anyone who follows me because it's basically a vanity nightmare for me. Like my face is this whole sea for yeeears. I hate it.
Yeah, see, it's hardwired in us. You might deadlift more than us, but our Y chromosome doesn't have eyes.domin8brix said:
Pros:
-135lbs gone for me. That's wild. Basically the size of another human being. Seeing those scale numbers is genuinely wild.
-No more looking pregnant, which means no more strangers wandering up asking my due date or rubbing my belly expecting a baby kick (something is going to kick them, guaranteed.)
-My overall health improved dramatically: sleep apnea gone, asthma treatment no longer needed, and a whole list of prescriptions either reduced or dropped entirely.
-These days doctors ALMOST actually treat me like a real patient, instead of telling me "if you'd lose weight, you wouldn't have whatever ailment that has nothing to do with weight."
-My back got repaired, which meant avoiding paralysis, and I got 2 1/2 inches of height back.
-Running is something I can do now, and I do a lot of it. Lifting heavy too. I'm strong AF.
-Pretty much any outfit works for me. A good chunk of my wardrobe is kids sizes now, which is a total flip from never finding anything big enough.
-Strangers treat me better these days, like I've suddenly earned worth and permission to exist, at least when they aren't throwing shade or dismissing how hard I worked.
-Summer heat no longer destroys me.
-Being unrecognizable means I don't have to talk to people lol (seriously such a massive perk!)
-Nearly every nice dinner out stretches into 3-4 meals for me.
Cons:
-Loose skin on my belly hides the progress I've made, and getting it removed costs more than a car. The turkey neck situation can be partially handled with Botox, but that's another hefty bill.
-I can't perceive my actual appearance--the mirror still shows that fat person, and I still call myself fata**.
-Keeping this up is pricey...Botox runs more, GLPs, protein products, meat, all of it. And replacing my wardrobe wasn't cheap either. (Kids clothes cost way less though, so that's a win!)
-The time commitment for maintenance is huge--rebuilding muscle lost to rapid weight loss plus recovery from major surgeries has been a long, hard road. Meal prep, keeping GLPs stocked, way more Botox than before, all of it.
-Scale fluctuations set off my OCD badly. Tirz helps with that, but sometimes it turns into a full compulsion spiral.
-People can be nasty, and while I'm perfectly capable of handling it impolitely, it's still irritating. Also bizarre: despite being visibly ripped, folks assume I'm some fragile weakling.
-Men still don't approach me (mostly fine with that
-Dehydration hits me SUPER fast, so I'm constantly pounding electrolytes because water passes through me quicker than most people (bariatric surgery related). Tournament weekends mean hauling a ton of water just to stay hydrated.
-This ties more to the bariatric side, but spontaneous meals out aren't possible. Timing and planning are always involved.
Absolutely yes about the sweating. I can spend all day at a summer baseball tournament or go for a lunchtime run in jeans when it's 95 degrees, and yeah I sweat, but I'm not dying of heat exhaustion! That's huge.cheaperseeker said:
83 lbs gone, and I'm holding steady.
Flying, without a doubt! Beyond just having more room in the seat, these days I'm typically pulling the belt tighter than the previous passenger left it, instead of letting it out nearly all the way.
Strangers treat me better when I'm out and about. Unfortunate, yet accurate.
Friends of my husband and kids say I'm hot.
No more perspiring from the tiniest bit of warmth or effort.
Needing a whole new wardrobe.
Loose skin hanging on my belly and beneath my chin.
And yes, hard chairs.
That extra skin though...ugh. I busted my ass to get ripped, and I know my abs are probably solid underneath, but the skin hides everything. If removal didn't cost a fortune, I'd do it in a heartbeat.
THAT. That's a big one. I don't see myself in the mirror at all. Side-by-side before and after photos have always been the only way I can kind of see it, and even then, I don't.
My therapist follows my instagram (my surgeon does too), and part of my therapy was posting a selfie or full body shot every single day so I could see what everyone else sees -- so any workout or progress post had to include one. I absolutely HATE it, I still hate it every damn day I post, and I always apologize to anyone who follows me because it's basically a vanity nightmare for me. Like my face is this whole sea for yeeears. I hate it.
I want this. Right now. Give.domin8brix said:
Pros:
-135lbs gone for me. That's wild. Basically the size of another human being. Seeing those scale numbers is genuinely wild.
-No more looking pregnant, which means no more strangers wandering up asking my due date or rubbing my belly expecting a baby kick (something is going to kick them, guaranteed.)
-My overall health improved dramatically: sleep apnea gone, asthma treatment no longer needed, and a whole list of prescriptions either reduced or dropped entirely.
-These days doctors ALMOST actually treat me like a real patient, instead of telling me "if you'd lose weight, you wouldn't have whatever ailment that has nothing to do with weight."
-My back got repaired, which meant avoiding paralysis, and I got 2 1/2 inches of height back.
-Running is something I can do now, and I do a lot of it. Lifting heavy too. I'm strong AF.
-Pretty much any outfit works for me. A good chunk of my wardrobe is kids sizes now, which is a total flip from never finding anything big enough.
-Strangers treat me better these days, like I've suddenly earned worth and permission to exist, at least when they aren't throwing shade or dismissing how hard I worked.
-Summer heat no longer destroys me.
-Being unrecognizable means I don't have to talk to people lol (seriously such a massive perk!)
-Nearly every nice dinner out stretches into 3-4 meals for me.
Cons:
-Loose skin on my belly hides the progress I've made, and getting it removed costs more than a car. The turkey neck situation can be partially handled with Botox, but that's another hefty bill.
-I can't perceive my actual appearance--the mirror still shows that fat person, and I still call myself fata**.
-Keeping this up is pricey...Botox runs more, GLPs, protein products, meat, all of it. And replacing my wardrobe wasn't cheap either. (Kids clothes cost way less though, so that's a win!)
-The time commitment for maintenance is huge--rebuilding muscle lost to rapid weight loss plus recovery from major surgeries has been a long, hard road. Meal prep, keeping GLPs stocked, way more Botox than before, all of it.
-Scale fluctuations set off my OCD badly. Tirz helps with that, but sometimes it turns into a full compulsion spiral.
-People can be nasty, and while I'm perfectly capable of handling it impolitely, it's still irritating. Also bizarre: despite being visibly ripped, folks assume I'm some fragile weakling.
-Men still don't approach me (mostly fine with that
-Dehydration hits me SUPER fast, so I'm constantly pounding electrolytes because water passes through me quicker than most people (bariatric surgery related). Tournament weekends mean hauling a ton of water just to stay hydrated.
-This ties more to the bariatric side, but spontaneous meals out aren't possible. Timing and planning are always involved.
Absolutely yes about the sweating. I can spend all day at a summer baseball tournament or go for a lunchtime run in jeans when it's 95 degrees, and yeah I sweat, but I'm not dying of heat exhaustion! That's huge.cheaperseeker said:
83 lbs gone, and I'm holding steady.
Flying, without a doubt! Beyond just having more room in the seat, these days I'm typically pulling the belt tighter than the previous passenger left it, instead of letting it out nearly all the way.
Strangers treat me better when I'm out and about. Unfortunate, yet accurate.
Friends of my husband and kids say I'm hot.
No more perspiring from the tiniest bit of warmth or effort.
Needing a whole new wardrobe.
Loose skin hanging on my belly and beneath my chin.
And yes, hard chairs.
That extra skin though...ugh. I busted my ass to get ripped, and I know my abs are probably solid underneath, but the skin hides everything. If removal didn't cost a fortune, I'd do it in a heartbeat.
THAT. That's a big one. I don't see myself in the mirror at all. Side-by-side before and after photos have always been the only way I can kind of see it, and even then, I don't.
My therapist follows my instagram (my surgeon does too), and part of my therapy was posting a selfie or full body shot every single day so I could see what everyone else sees -- so any workout or progress post had to include one. I absolutely HATE it, I still hate it every damn day I post, and I always apologize to anyone who follows me because it's basically a vanity nightmare for me. Like my face is this whole sea for yeeears. I hate it.
-}-Oh yes, and personally, I still have no clue why, but losing around 80lbs suddenly caused patches of "chicken skin" on my body.
-}-On top of that, my skin dries out fast, nearly as quickly as something else does when The View comes on TV.
-}-That same appendage, allergic to The View, is now dealing with a delusion typically found in those lacking a Y chromosome. It believes it's Forever 21.
So I've begun looking into going overseas for plastics, though it still feels pretty intimidating. For face work, South Korea stands out; for the body, I've been told Mexico, Brazil and above all Turkey are strong options. Even so, I can't get myself to commit to doing it in another country. I know a few people who had tummy tucks done nearby — ranging from straightforward panniculectomies all the way to full fleur de lis 360s — and every one of them had a brutal recovery, the bigger procedures especially, given that it's essentially abdominal wall repair. Boarding a plane just days afterward, facing all those hours and layovers, doesn't appeal to me at all. Still, I've got to dress for the dying husband I'm after, so maybe it's worth it
Or perhaps the move is to marry him first and let him foot the bill.
Smiter
Explorer
Look, the proof is right there. People claim we're all about appearance, yet this shows inner qualities matter to us as well. No doubt about it. We do pay attention to whether it's a C or D rather than an H or I.
Smiter
Explorer
Now that's the kind of calculated approach I'm referring to. Logic is something I'm pretty good at. So why settle for one when you can have both? Find yourself an elderly fellow whose vision isn't what it used to be, get him to open his wallet, or get yourself written into his will.domin8brix said:
Not long ago I figured I was dealing with hyper-hydrosis, but nope — hot flashes. That's 1 thing you're welcome to hang onto.Smiter said:
Huh, I never realized that could be an issue. I havedomin8brix said:
Pros:
-135lbs gone for me. That's wild. Basically the size of another human being. Seeing those scale numbers is genuinely wild.
-No more looking pregnant, which means no more strangers wandering up asking my due date or rubbing my belly expecting a baby kick (something is going to kick them, guaranteed.)
-My overall health improved dramatically: sleep apnea gone, asthma treatment no longer needed, and a whole list of prescriptions either reduced or dropped entirely.
-These days doctors ALMOST actually treat me like a real patient, instead of telling me "if you'd lose weight, you wouldn't have whatever ailment that has nothing to do with weight."
-My back got repaired, which meant avoiding paralysis, and I got 2 1/2 inches of height back.
-Running is something I can do now, and I do a lot of it. Lifting heavy too. I'm strong AF.
-Pretty much any outfit works for me. A good chunk of my wardrobe is kids sizes now, which is a total flip from never finding anything big enough.
-Strangers treat me better these days, like I've suddenly earned worth and permission to exist, at least when they aren't throwing shade or dismissing how hard I worked.
-Summer heat no longer destroys me.
-Being unrecognizable means I don't have to talk to people lol (seriously such a massive perk!)
-Nearly every nice dinner out stretches into 3-4 meals for me.
Cons:
-Loose skin on my belly hides the progress I've made, and getting it removed costs more than a car. The turkey neck situation can be partially handled with Botox, but that's another hefty bill.
-I can't perceive my actual appearance--the mirror still shows that fat person, and I still call myself fata**.
-Keeping this up is pricey...Botox runs more, GLPs, protein products, meat, all of it. And replacing my wardrobe wasn't cheap either. (Kids clothes cost way less though, so that's a win!)
-The time commitment for maintenance is huge--rebuilding muscle lost to rapid weight loss plus recovery from major surgeries has been a long, hard road. Meal prep, keeping GLPs stocked, way more Botox than before, all of it.
-Scale fluctuations set off my OCD badly. Tirz helps with that, but sometimes it turns into a full compulsion spiral.
-People can be nasty, and while I'm perfectly capable of handling it impolitely, it's still irritating. Also bizarre: despite being visibly ripped, folks assume I'm some fragile weakling.
-Men still don't approach me (mostly fine with that
-Dehydration hits me SUPER fast, so I'm constantly pounding electrolytes because water passes through me quicker than most people (bariatric surgery related). Tournament weekends mean hauling a ton of water just to stay hydrated.
-This ties more to the bariatric side, but spontaneous meals out aren't possible. Timing and planning are always involved.
Absolutely yes about the sweating. I can spend all day at a summer baseball tournament or go for a lunchtime run in jeans when it's 95 degrees, and yeah I sweat, but I'm not dying of heat exhaustion! That's huge.cheaperseeker said:
83 lbs gone, and I'm holding steady.
Flying, without a doubt! Beyond just having more room in the seat, these days I'm typically pulling the belt tighter than the previous passenger left it, instead of letting it out nearly all the way.
Strangers treat me better when I'm out and about. Unfortunate, yet accurate.
Friends of my husband and kids say I'm hot.
No more perspiring from the tiniest bit of warmth or effort.
Needing a whole new wardrobe.
Loose skin hanging on my belly and beneath my chin.
And yes, hard chairs.
That extra skin though...ugh. I busted my ass to get ripped, and I know my abs are probably solid underneath, but the skin hides everything. If removal didn't cost a fortune, I'd do it in a heartbeat.
THAT. That's a big one. I don't see myself in the mirror at all. Side-by-side before and after photos have always been the only way I can kind of see it, and even then, I don't.
My therapist follows my instagram (my surgeon does too), and part of my therapy was posting a selfie or full body shot every single day so I could see what everyone else sees -- so any workout or progress post had to include one. I absolutely HATE it, I still hate it every damn day I post, and I always apologize to anyone who follows me because it's basically a vanity nightmare for me. Like my face is this whole sea for yeeears. I hate it.
a few ideas about the cause. Hmmmm.... Normally I'm not the type to see the glass as half full, but here, I guess I'd file it under good problems to have.
Damn! Nope, that problem is all yours.domin8brix said:
Pros:
-135lbs gone for me. That's wild. Basically the size of another human being. Seeing those scale numbers is genuinely wild.
-No more looking pregnant, which means no more strangers wandering up asking my due date or rubbing my belly expecting a baby kick (something is going to kick them, guaranteed.)
-My overall health improved dramatically: sleep apnea gone, asthma treatment no longer needed, and a whole list of prescriptions either reduced or dropped entirely.
-These days doctors ALMOST actually treat me like a real patient, instead of telling me "if you'd lose weight, you wouldn't have whatever ailment that has nothing to do with weight."
-My back got repaired, which meant avoiding paralysis, and I got 2 1/2 inches of height back.
-Running is something I can do now, and I do a lot of it. Lifting heavy too. I'm strong AF.
-Pretty much any outfit works for me. A good chunk of my wardrobe is kids sizes now, which is a total flip from never finding anything big enough.
-Strangers treat me better these days, like I've suddenly earned worth and permission to exist, at least when they aren't throwing shade or dismissing how hard I worked.
-Summer heat no longer destroys me.
-Being unrecognizable means I don't have to talk to people lol (seriously such a massive perk!)
-Nearly every nice dinner out stretches into 3-4 meals for me.
Cons:
-Loose skin on my belly hides the progress I've made, and getting it removed costs more than a car. The turkey neck situation can be partially handled with Botox, but that's another hefty bill.
-I can't perceive my actual appearance--the mirror still shows that fat person, and I still call myself fata**.
-Keeping this up is pricey...Botox runs more, GLPs, protein products, meat, all of it. And replacing my wardrobe wasn't cheap either. (Kids clothes cost way less though, so that's a win!)
-The time commitment for maintenance is huge--rebuilding muscle lost to rapid weight loss plus recovery from major surgeries has been a long, hard road. Meal prep, keeping GLPs stocked, way more Botox than before, all of it.
-Scale fluctuations set off my OCD badly. Tirz helps with that, but sometimes it turns into a full compulsion spiral.
-People can be nasty, and while I'm perfectly capable of handling it impolitely, it's still irritating. Also bizarre: despite being visibly ripped, folks assume I'm some fragile weakling.
-Men still don't approach me (mostly fine with that
-Dehydration hits me SUPER fast, so I'm constantly pounding electrolytes because water passes through me quicker than most people (bariatric surgery related). Tournament weekends mean hauling a ton of water just to stay hydrated.
-This ties more to the bariatric side, but spontaneous meals out aren't possible. Timing and planning are always involved.
Absolutely yes about the sweating. I can spend all day at a summer baseball tournament or go for a lunchtime run in jeans when it's 95 degrees, and yeah I sweat, but I'm not dying of heat exhaustion! That's huge.cheaperseeker said:
83 lbs gone, and I'm holding steady.
Flying, without a doubt! Beyond just having more room in the seat, these days I'm typically pulling the belt tighter than the previous passenger left it, instead of letting it out nearly all the way.
Strangers treat me better when I'm out and about. Unfortunate, yet accurate.
Friends of my husband and kids say I'm hot.
No more perspiring from the tiniest bit of warmth or effort.
Needing a whole new wardrobe.
Loose skin hanging on my belly and beneath my chin.
And yes, hard chairs.
That extra skin though...ugh. I busted my ass to get ripped, and I know my abs are probably solid underneath, but the skin hides everything. If removal didn't cost a fortune, I'd do it in a heartbeat.
THAT. That's a big one. I don't see myself in the mirror at all. Side-by-side before and after photos have always been the only way I can kind of see it, and even then, I don't.
My therapist follows my instagram (my surgeon does too), and part of my therapy was posting a selfie or full body shot every single day so I could see what everyone else sees -- so any workout or progress post had to include one. I absolutely HATE it, I still hate it every damn day I post, and I always apologize to anyone who follows me because it's basically a vanity nightmare for me. Like my face is this whole sea for yeeears. I hate it.
I've heard Brazil, Turkey, India, South Korea mentioned as excellent destinations... Benjamin Franklin carries a lot of weight there, though even George Washington has some value.domin8brix said:
Pros:
-135lbs gone for me. That's wild. Basically the size of another human being. Seeing those scale numbers is genuinely wild.
-No more looking pregnant, which means no more strangers wandering up asking my due date or rubbing my belly expecting a baby kick (something is going to kick them, guaranteed.)
-My overall health improved dramatically: sleep apnea gone, asthma treatment no longer needed, and a whole list of prescriptions either reduced or dropped entirely.
-These days doctors ALMOST actually treat me like a real patient, instead of telling me "if you'd lose weight, you wouldn't have whatever ailment that has nothing to do with weight."
-My back got repaired, which meant avoiding paralysis, and I got 2 1/2 inches of height back.
-Running is something I can do now, and I do a lot of it. Lifting heavy too. I'm strong AF.
-Pretty much any outfit works for me. A good chunk of my wardrobe is kids sizes now, which is a total flip from never finding anything big enough.
-Strangers treat me better these days, like I've suddenly earned worth and permission to exist, at least when they aren't throwing shade or dismissing how hard I worked.
-Summer heat no longer destroys me.
-Being unrecognizable means I don't have to talk to people lol (seriously such a massive perk!)
-Nearly every nice dinner out stretches into 3-4 meals for me.
Cons:
-Loose skin on my belly hides the progress I've made, and getting it removed costs more than a car. The turkey neck situation can be partially handled with Botox, but that's another hefty bill.
-I can't perceive my actual appearance--the mirror still shows that fat person, and I still call myself fata**.
-Keeping this up is pricey...Botox runs more, GLPs, protein products, meat, all of it. And replacing my wardrobe wasn't cheap either. (Kids clothes cost way less though, so that's a win!)
-The time commitment for maintenance is huge--rebuilding muscle lost to rapid weight loss plus recovery from major surgeries has been a long, hard road. Meal prep, keeping GLPs stocked, way more Botox than before, all of it.
-Scale fluctuations set off my OCD badly. Tirz helps with that, but sometimes it turns into a full compulsion spiral.
-People can be nasty, and while I'm perfectly capable of handling it impolitely, it's still irritating. Also bizarre: despite being visibly ripped, folks assume I'm some fragile weakling.
-Men still don't approach me (mostly fine with that
-Dehydration hits me SUPER fast, so I'm constantly pounding electrolytes because water passes through me quicker than most people (bariatric surgery related). Tournament weekends mean hauling a ton of water just to stay hydrated.
-This ties more to the bariatric side, but spontaneous meals out aren't possible. Timing and planning are always involved.
Absolutely yes about the sweating. I can spend all day at a summer baseball tournament or go for a lunchtime run in jeans when it's 95 degrees, and yeah I sweat, but I'm not dying of heat exhaustion! That's huge.cheaperseeker said:
83 lbs gone, and I'm holding steady.
Flying, without a doubt! Beyond just having more room in the seat, these days I'm typically pulling the belt tighter than the previous passenger left it, instead of letting it out nearly all the way.
Strangers treat me better when I'm out and about. Unfortunate, yet accurate.
Friends of my husband and kids say I'm hot.
No more perspiring from the tiniest bit of warmth or effort.
Needing a whole new wardrobe.
Loose skin hanging on my belly and beneath my chin.
And yes, hard chairs.
That extra skin though...ugh. I busted my ass to get ripped, and I know my abs are probably solid underneath, but the skin hides everything. If removal didn't cost a fortune, I'd do it in a heartbeat.
THAT. That's a big one. I don't see myself in the mirror at all. Side-by-side before and after photos have always been the only way I can kind of see it, and even then, I don't.
My therapist follows my instagram (my surgeon does too), and part of my therapy was posting a selfie or full body shot every single day so I could see what everyone else sees -- so any workout or progress post had to include one. I absolutely HATE it, I still hate it every damn day I post, and I always apologize to anyone who follows me because it's basically a vanity nightmare for me. Like my face is this whole sea for yeeears. I hate it.
Yeah, that makes sense. Women and their hypergamy also bring in their built-in pre-screening and social validation. It's because of the extra X chromosome. It comes naturally. It's instinctual. Why resist evolutionary psychology? It's as instinctual as dressing like you're hunting for a husband who's about to kick the bucket.domin8brix said:
Pros:
-135lbs gone for me. That's wild. Basically the size of another human being. Seeing those scale numbers is genuinely wild.
-No more looking pregnant, which means no more strangers wandering up asking my due date or rubbing my belly expecting a baby kick (something is going to kick them, guaranteed.)
-My overall health improved dramatically: sleep apnea gone, asthma treatment no longer needed, and a whole list of prescriptions either reduced or dropped entirely.
-These days doctors ALMOST actually treat me like a real patient, instead of telling me "if you'd lose weight, you wouldn't have whatever ailment that has nothing to do with weight."
-My back got repaired, which meant avoiding paralysis, and I got 2 1/2 inches of height back.
-Running is something I can do now, and I do a lot of it. Lifting heavy too. I'm strong AF.
-Pretty much any outfit works for me. A good chunk of my wardrobe is kids sizes now, which is a total flip from never finding anything big enough.
-Strangers treat me better these days, like I've suddenly earned worth and permission to exist, at least when they aren't throwing shade or dismissing how hard I worked.
-Summer heat no longer destroys me.
-Being unrecognizable means I don't have to talk to people lol (seriously such a massive perk!)
-Nearly every nice dinner out stretches into 3-4 meals for me.
Cons:
-Loose skin on my belly hides the progress I've made, and getting it removed costs more than a car. The turkey neck situation can be partially handled with Botox, but that's another hefty bill.
-I can't perceive my actual appearance--the mirror still shows that fat person, and I still call myself fata**.
-Keeping this up is pricey...Botox runs more, GLPs, protein products, meat, all of it. And replacing my wardrobe wasn't cheap either. (Kids clothes cost way less though, so that's a win!)
-The time commitment for maintenance is huge--rebuilding muscle lost to rapid weight loss plus recovery from major surgeries has been a long, hard road. Meal prep, keeping GLPs stocked, way more Botox than before, all of it.
-Scale fluctuations set off my OCD badly. Tirz helps with that, but sometimes it turns into a full compulsion spiral.
-People can be nasty, and while I'm perfectly capable of handling it impolitely, it's still irritating. Also bizarre: despite being visibly ripped, folks assume I'm some fragile weakling.
-Men still don't approach me (mostly fine with that
-Dehydration hits me SUPER fast, so I'm constantly pounding electrolytes because water passes through me quicker than most people (bariatric surgery related). Tournament weekends mean hauling a ton of water just to stay hydrated.
-This ties more to the bariatric side, but spontaneous meals out aren't possible. Timing and planning are always involved.
Absolutely yes about the sweating. I can spend all day at a summer baseball tournament or go for a lunchtime run in jeans when it's 95 degrees, and yeah I sweat, but I'm not dying of heat exhaustion! That's huge.cheaperseeker said:
83 lbs gone, and I'm holding steady.
Flying, without a doubt! Beyond just having more room in the seat, these days I'm typically pulling the belt tighter than the previous passenger left it, instead of letting it out nearly all the way.
Strangers treat me better when I'm out and about. Unfortunate, yet accurate.
Friends of my husband and kids say I'm hot.
No more perspiring from the tiniest bit of warmth or effort.
Needing a whole new wardrobe.
Loose skin hanging on my belly and beneath my chin.
And yes, hard chairs.
That extra skin though...ugh. I busted my ass to get ripped, and I know my abs are probably solid underneath, but the skin hides everything. If removal didn't cost a fortune, I'd do it in a heartbeat.
THAT. That's a big one. I don't see myself in the mirror at all. Side-by-side before and after photos have always been the only way I can kind of see it, and even then, I don't.
My therapist follows my instagram (my surgeon does too), and part of my therapy was posting a selfie or full body shot every single day so I could see what everyone else sees -- so any workout or progress post had to include one. I absolutely HATE it, I still hate it every damn day I post, and I always apologize to anyone who follows me because it's basically a vanity nightmare for me. Like my face is this whole sea for yeeears. I hate it.
Yeah, my problem is the reverse. Stick me in the Grand Canyon, and it'll become a riverbank. I mean, there's hyperhidrosis, and then there's the level beyond it—me.domin8brix said:
Pros:
-135lbs gone for me. That's wild. Basically the size of another human being. Seeing those scale numbers is genuinely wild.
-No more looking pregnant, which means no more strangers wandering up asking my due date or rubbing my belly expecting a baby kick (something is going to kick them, guaranteed.)
-My overall health improved dramatically: sleep apnea gone, asthma treatment no longer needed, and a whole list of prescriptions either reduced or dropped entirely.
-These days doctors ALMOST actually treat me like a real patient, instead of telling me "if you'd lose weight, you wouldn't have whatever ailment that has nothing to do with weight."
-My back got repaired, which meant avoiding paralysis, and I got 2 1/2 inches of height back.
-Running is something I can do now, and I do a lot of it. Lifting heavy too. I'm strong AF.
-Pretty much any outfit works for me. A good chunk of my wardrobe is kids sizes now, which is a total flip from never finding anything big enough.
-Strangers treat me better these days, like I've suddenly earned worth and permission to exist, at least when they aren't throwing shade or dismissing how hard I worked.
-Summer heat no longer destroys me.
-Being unrecognizable means I don't have to talk to people lol (seriously such a massive perk!)
-Nearly every nice dinner out stretches into 3-4 meals for me.
Cons:
-Loose skin on my belly hides the progress I've made, and getting it removed costs more than a car. The turkey neck situation can be partially handled with Botox, but that's another hefty bill.
-I can't perceive my actual appearance--the mirror still shows that fat person, and I still call myself fata**.
-Keeping this up is pricey...Botox runs more, GLPs, protein products, meat, all of it. And replacing my wardrobe wasn't cheap either. (Kids clothes cost way less though, so that's a win!)
-The time commitment for maintenance is huge--rebuilding muscle lost to rapid weight loss plus recovery from major surgeries has been a long, hard road. Meal prep, keeping GLPs stocked, way more Botox than before, all of it.
-Scale fluctuations set off my OCD badly. Tirz helps with that, but sometimes it turns into a full compulsion spiral.
-People can be nasty, and while I'm perfectly capable of handling it impolitely, it's still irritating. Also bizarre: despite being visibly ripped, folks assume I'm some fragile weakling.
-Men still don't approach me (mostly fine with that
-Dehydration hits me SUPER fast, so I'm constantly pounding electrolytes because water passes through me quicker than most people (bariatric surgery related). Tournament weekends mean hauling a ton of water just to stay hydrated.
-This ties more to the bariatric side, but spontaneous meals out aren't possible. Timing and planning are always involved.
Absolutely yes about the sweating. I can spend all day at a summer baseball tournament or go for a lunchtime run in jeans when it's 95 degrees, and yeah I sweat, but I'm not dying of heat exhaustion! That's huge.cheaperseeker said:
83 lbs gone, and I'm holding steady.
Flying, without a doubt! Beyond just having more room in the seat, these days I'm typically pulling the belt tighter than the previous passenger left it, instead of letting it out nearly all the way.
Strangers treat me better when I'm out and about. Unfortunate, yet accurate.
Friends of my husband and kids say I'm hot.
No more perspiring from the tiniest bit of warmth or effort.
Needing a whole new wardrobe.
Loose skin hanging on my belly and beneath my chin.
And yes, hard chairs.
That extra skin though...ugh. I busted my ass to get ripped, and I know my abs are probably solid underneath, but the skin hides everything. If removal didn't cost a fortune, I'd do it in a heartbeat.
THAT. That's a big one. I don't see myself in the mirror at all. Side-by-side before and after photos have always been the only way I can kind of see it, and even then, I don't.
My therapist follows my instagram (my surgeon does too), and part of my therapy was posting a selfie or full body shot every single day so I could see what everyone else sees -- so any workout or progress post had to include one. I absolutely HATE it, I still hate it every damn day I post, and I always apologize to anyone who follows me because it's basically a vanity nightmare for me. Like my face is this whole sea for yeeears. I hate it.
When you're up against catties, you bring a laser. It drives them crazy, every single time. Yeah, politeness is overrated AF. Only the mission matters: No mercy. Let those futhercuckers head to North Korea.domin8brix said:
Pros:
-135lbs gone for me. That's wild. Basically the size of another human being. Seeing those scale numbers is genuinely wild.
-No more looking pregnant, which means no more strangers wandering up asking my due date or rubbing my belly expecting a baby kick (something is going to kick them, guaranteed.)
-My overall health improved dramatically: sleep apnea gone, asthma treatment no longer needed, and a whole list of prescriptions either reduced or dropped entirely.
-These days doctors ALMOST actually treat me like a real patient, instead of telling me "if you'd lose weight, you wouldn't have whatever ailment that has nothing to do with weight."
-My back got repaired, which meant avoiding paralysis, and I got 2 1/2 inches of height back.
-Running is something I can do now, and I do a lot of it. Lifting heavy too. I'm strong AF.
-Pretty much any outfit works for me. A good chunk of my wardrobe is kids sizes now, which is a total flip from never finding anything big enough.
-Strangers treat me better these days, like I've suddenly earned worth and permission to exist, at least when they aren't throwing shade or dismissing how hard I worked.
-Summer heat no longer destroys me.
-Being unrecognizable means I don't have to talk to people lol (seriously such a massive perk!)
-Nearly every nice dinner out stretches into 3-4 meals for me.
Cons:
-Loose skin on my belly hides the progress I've made, and getting it removed costs more than a car. The turkey neck situation can be partially handled with Botox, but that's another hefty bill.
-I can't perceive my actual appearance--the mirror still shows that fat person, and I still call myself fata**.
-Keeping this up is pricey...Botox runs more, GLPs, protein products, meat, all of it. And replacing my wardrobe wasn't cheap either. (Kids clothes cost way less though, so that's a win!)
-The time commitment for maintenance is huge--rebuilding muscle lost to rapid weight loss plus recovery from major surgeries has been a long, hard road. Meal prep, keeping GLPs stocked, way more Botox than before, all of it.
-Scale fluctuations set off my OCD badly. Tirz helps with that, but sometimes it turns into a full compulsion spiral.
-People can be nasty, and while I'm perfectly capable of handling it impolitely, it's still irritating. Also bizarre: despite being visibly ripped, folks assume I'm some fragile weakling.
-Men still don't approach me (mostly fine with that
-Dehydration hits me SUPER fast, so I'm constantly pounding electrolytes because water passes through me quicker than most people (bariatric surgery related). Tournament weekends mean hauling a ton of water just to stay hydrated.
-This ties more to the bariatric side, but spontaneous meals out aren't possible. Timing and planning are always involved.
Absolutely yes about the sweating. I can spend all day at a summer baseball tournament or go for a lunchtime run in jeans when it's 95 degrees, and yeah I sweat, but I'm not dying of heat exhaustion! That's huge.cheaperseeker said:
83 lbs gone, and I'm holding steady.
Flying, without a doubt! Beyond just having more room in the seat, these days I'm typically pulling the belt tighter than the previous passenger left it, instead of letting it out nearly all the way.
Strangers treat me better when I'm out and about. Unfortunate, yet accurate.
Friends of my husband and kids say I'm hot.
No more perspiring from the tiniest bit of warmth or effort.
Needing a whole new wardrobe.
Loose skin hanging on my belly and beneath my chin.
And yes, hard chairs.
That extra skin though...ugh. I busted my ass to get ripped, and I know my abs are probably solid underneath, but the skin hides everything. If removal didn't cost a fortune, I'd do it in a heartbeat.
THAT. That's a big one. I don't see myself in the mirror at all. Side-by-side before and after photos have always been the only way I can kind of see it, and even then, I don't.
My therapist follows my instagram (my surgeon does too), and part of my therapy was posting a selfie or full body shot every single day so I could see what everyone else sees -- so any workout or progress post had to include one. I absolutely HATE it, I still hate it every damn day I post, and I always apologize to anyone who follows me because it's basically a vanity nightmare for me. Like my face is this whole sea for yeeears. I hate it.
Exactly. "Hands open doorknobs, legs break down doors"—Thunderlegs. Kick away.domin8brix said:
Pros:
-135lbs gone for me. That's wild. Basically the size of another human being. Seeing those scale numbers is genuinely wild.
-No more looking pregnant, which means no more strangers wandering up asking my due date or rubbing my belly expecting a baby kick (something is going to kick them, guaranteed.)
-My overall health improved dramatically: sleep apnea gone, asthma treatment no longer needed, and a whole list of prescriptions either reduced or dropped entirely.
-These days doctors ALMOST actually treat me like a real patient, instead of telling me "if you'd lose weight, you wouldn't have whatever ailment that has nothing to do with weight."
-My back got repaired, which meant avoiding paralysis, and I got 2 1/2 inches of height back.
-Running is something I can do now, and I do a lot of it. Lifting heavy too. I'm strong AF.
-Pretty much any outfit works for me. A good chunk of my wardrobe is kids sizes now, which is a total flip from never finding anything big enough.
-Strangers treat me better these days, like I've suddenly earned worth and permission to exist, at least when they aren't throwing shade or dismissing how hard I worked.
-Summer heat no longer destroys me.
-Being unrecognizable means I don't have to talk to people lol (seriously such a massive perk!)
-Nearly every nice dinner out stretches into 3-4 meals for me.
Cons:
-Loose skin on my belly hides the progress I've made, and getting it removed costs more than a car. The turkey neck situation can be partially handled with Botox, but that's another hefty bill.
-I can't perceive my actual appearance--the mirror still shows that fat person, and I still call myself fata**.
-Keeping this up is pricey...Botox runs more, GLPs, protein products, meat, all of it. And replacing my wardrobe wasn't cheap either. (Kids clothes cost way less though, so that's a win!)
-The time commitment for maintenance is huge--rebuilding muscle lost to rapid weight loss plus recovery from major surgeries has been a long, hard road. Meal prep, keeping GLPs stocked, way more Botox than before, all of it.
-Scale fluctuations set off my OCD badly. Tirz helps with that, but sometimes it turns into a full compulsion spiral.
-People can be nasty, and while I'm perfectly capable of handling it impolitely, it's still irritating. Also bizarre: despite being visibly ripped, folks assume I'm some fragile weakling.
-Men still don't approach me (mostly fine with that
-Dehydration hits me SUPER fast, so I'm constantly pounding electrolytes because water passes through me quicker than most people (bariatric surgery related). Tournament weekends mean hauling a ton of water just to stay hydrated.
-This ties more to the bariatric side, but spontaneous meals out aren't possible. Timing and planning are always involved.
Absolutely yes about the sweating. I can spend all day at a summer baseball tournament or go for a lunchtime run in jeans when it's 95 degrees, and yeah I sweat, but I'm not dying of heat exhaustion! That's huge.cheaperseeker said:
83 lbs gone, and I'm holding steady.
Flying, without a doubt! Beyond just having more room in the seat, these days I'm typically pulling the belt tighter than the previous passenger left it, instead of letting it out nearly all the way.
Strangers treat me better when I'm out and about. Unfortunate, yet accurate.
Friends of my husband and kids say I'm hot.
No more perspiring from the tiniest bit of warmth or effort.
Needing a whole new wardrobe.
Loose skin hanging on my belly and beneath my chin.
And yes, hard chairs.
That extra skin though...ugh. I busted my ass to get ripped, and I know my abs are probably solid underneath, but the skin hides everything. If removal didn't cost a fortune, I'd do it in a heartbeat.
THAT. That's a big one. I don't see myself in the mirror at all. Side-by-side before and after photos have always been the only way I can kind of see it, and even then, I don't.
My therapist follows my instagram (my surgeon does too), and part of my therapy was posting a selfie or full body shot every single day so I could see what everyone else sees -- so any workout or progress post had to include one. I absolutely HATE it, I still hate it every damn day I post, and I always apologize to anyone who follows me because it's basically a vanity nightmare for me. Like my face is this whole sea for yeeears. I hate it.
Yeah, see, it's hardwired in us. You might deadlift more than us, but our Y chromosome doesn't have eyes.domin8brix said:
Pros:
-135lbs gone for me. That's wild. Basically the size of another human being. Seeing those scale numbers is genuinely wild.
-No more looking pregnant, which means no more strangers wandering up asking my due date or rubbing my belly expecting a baby kick (something is going to kick them, guaranteed.)
-My overall health improved dramatically: sleep apnea gone, asthma treatment no longer needed, and a whole list of prescriptions either reduced or dropped entirely.
-These days doctors ALMOST actually treat me like a real patient, instead of telling me "if you'd lose weight, you wouldn't have whatever ailment that has nothing to do with weight."
-My back got repaired, which meant avoiding paralysis, and I got 2 1/2 inches of height back.
-Running is something I can do now, and I do a lot of it. Lifting heavy too. I'm strong AF.
-Pretty much any outfit works for me. A good chunk of my wardrobe is kids sizes now, which is a total flip from never finding anything big enough.
-Strangers treat me better these days, like I've suddenly earned worth and permission to exist, at least when they aren't throwing shade or dismissing how hard I worked.
-Summer heat no longer destroys me.
-Being unrecognizable means I don't have to talk to people lol (seriously such a massive perk!)
-Nearly every nice dinner out stretches into 3-4 meals for me.
Cons:
-Loose skin on my belly hides the progress I've made, and getting it removed costs more than a car. The turkey neck situation can be partially handled with Botox, but that's another hefty bill.
-I can't perceive my actual appearance--the mirror still shows that fat person, and I still call myself fata**.
-Keeping this up is pricey...Botox runs more, GLPs, protein products, meat, all of it. And replacing my wardrobe wasn't cheap either. (Kids clothes cost way less though, so that's a win!)
-The time commitment for maintenance is huge--rebuilding muscle lost to rapid weight loss plus recovery from major surgeries has been a long, hard road. Meal prep, keeping GLPs stocked, way more Botox than before, all of it.
-Scale fluctuations set off my OCD badly. Tirz helps with that, but sometimes it turns into a full compulsion spiral.
-People can be nasty, and while I'm perfectly capable of handling it impolitely, it's still irritating. Also bizarre: despite being visibly ripped, folks assume I'm some fragile weakling.
-Men still don't approach me (mostly fine with that
-Dehydration hits me SUPER fast, so I'm constantly pounding electrolytes because water passes through me quicker than most people (bariatric surgery related). Tournament weekends mean hauling a ton of water just to stay hydrated.
-This ties more to the bariatric side, but spontaneous meals out aren't possible. Timing and planning are always involved.
Absolutely yes about the sweating. I can spend all day at a summer baseball tournament or go for a lunchtime run in jeans when it's 95 degrees, and yeah I sweat, but I'm not dying of heat exhaustion! That's huge.cheaperseeker said:
83 lbs gone, and I'm holding steady.
Flying, without a doubt! Beyond just having more room in the seat, these days I'm typically pulling the belt tighter than the previous passenger left it, instead of letting it out nearly all the way.
Strangers treat me better when I'm out and about. Unfortunate, yet accurate.
Friends of my husband and kids say I'm hot.
No more perspiring from the tiniest bit of warmth or effort.
Needing a whole new wardrobe.
Loose skin hanging on my belly and beneath my chin.
And yes, hard chairs.
That extra skin though...ugh. I busted my ass to get ripped, and I know my abs are probably solid underneath, but the skin hides everything. If removal didn't cost a fortune, I'd do it in a heartbeat.
THAT. That's a big one. I don't see myself in the mirror at all. Side-by-side before and after photos have always been the only way I can kind of see it, and even then, I don't.
My therapist follows my instagram (my surgeon does too), and part of my therapy was posting a selfie or full body shot every single day so I could see what everyone else sees -- so any workout or progress post had to include one. I absolutely HATE it, I still hate it every damn day I post, and I always apologize to anyone who follows me because it's basically a vanity nightmare for me. Like my face is this whole sea for yeeears. I hate it.
I want this. Right now. Give.domin8brix said:
Pros:
-135lbs gone for me. That's wild. Basically the size of another human being. Seeing those scale numbers is genuinely wild.
-No more looking pregnant, which means no more strangers wandering up asking my due date or rubbing my belly expecting a baby kick (something is going to kick them, guaranteed.)
-My overall health improved dramatically: sleep apnea gone, asthma treatment no longer needed, and a whole list of prescriptions either reduced or dropped entirely.
-These days doctors ALMOST actually treat me like a real patient, instead of telling me "if you'd lose weight, you wouldn't have whatever ailment that has nothing to do with weight."
-My back got repaired, which meant avoiding paralysis, and I got 2 1/2 inches of height back.
-Running is something I can do now, and I do a lot of it. Lifting heavy too. I'm strong AF.
-Pretty much any outfit works for me. A good chunk of my wardrobe is kids sizes now, which is a total flip from never finding anything big enough.
-Strangers treat me better these days, like I've suddenly earned worth and permission to exist, at least when they aren't throwing shade or dismissing how hard I worked.
-Summer heat no longer destroys me.
-Being unrecognizable means I don't have to talk to people lol (seriously such a massive perk!)
-Nearly every nice dinner out stretches into 3-4 meals for me.
Cons:
-Loose skin on my belly hides the progress I've made, and getting it removed costs more than a car. The turkey neck situation can be partially handled with Botox, but that's another hefty bill.
-I can't perceive my actual appearance--the mirror still shows that fat person, and I still call myself fata**.
-Keeping this up is pricey...Botox runs more, GLPs, protein products, meat, all of it. And replacing my wardrobe wasn't cheap either. (Kids clothes cost way less though, so that's a win!)
-The time commitment for maintenance is huge--rebuilding muscle lost to rapid weight loss plus recovery from major surgeries has been a long, hard road. Meal prep, keeping GLPs stocked, way more Botox than before, all of it.
-Scale fluctuations set off my OCD badly. Tirz helps with that, but sometimes it turns into a full compulsion spiral.
-People can be nasty, and while I'm perfectly capable of handling it impolitely, it's still irritating. Also bizarre: despite being visibly ripped, folks assume I'm some fragile weakling.
-Men still don't approach me (mostly fine with that
-Dehydration hits me SUPER fast, so I'm constantly pounding electrolytes because water passes through me quicker than most people (bariatric surgery related). Tournament weekends mean hauling a ton of water just to stay hydrated.
-This ties more to the bariatric side, but spontaneous meals out aren't possible. Timing and planning are always involved.
Absolutely yes about the sweating. I can spend all day at a summer baseball tournament or go for a lunchtime run in jeans when it's 95 degrees, and yeah I sweat, but I'm not dying of heat exhaustion! That's huge.cheaperseeker said:
83 lbs gone, and I'm holding steady.
Flying, without a doubt! Beyond just having more room in the seat, these days I'm typically pulling the belt tighter than the previous passenger left it, instead of letting it out nearly all the way.
Strangers treat me better when I'm out and about. Unfortunate, yet accurate.
Friends of my husband and kids say I'm hot.
No more perspiring from the tiniest bit of warmth or effort.
Needing a whole new wardrobe.
Loose skin hanging on my belly and beneath my chin.
And yes, hard chairs.
That extra skin though...ugh. I busted my ass to get ripped, and I know my abs are probably solid underneath, but the skin hides everything. If removal didn't cost a fortune, I'd do it in a heartbeat.
THAT. That's a big one. I don't see myself in the mirror at all. Side-by-side before and after photos have always been the only way I can kind of see it, and even then, I don't.
My therapist follows my instagram (my surgeon does too), and part of my therapy was posting a selfie or full body shot every single day so I could see what everyone else sees -- so any workout or progress post had to include one. I absolutely HATE it, I still hate it every damn day I post, and I always apologize to anyone who follows me because it's basically a vanity nightmare for me. Like my face is this whole sea for yeeears. I hate it.
-}-Oh yes, and personally, I still have no clue why, but losing around 80lbs suddenly caused patches of "chicken skin" on my body.
-}-On top of that, my skin dries out fast, nearly as quickly as something else does when The View comes on TV.
-}-That same appendage, allergic to The View, is now dealing with a delusion typically found in those lacking a Y chromosome. It believes it's Forever 21.
So I've begun looking into going overseas for plastics, though it still feels pretty intimidating. For face work, South Korea stands out; for the body, I've been told Mexico, Brazil and above all Turkey are strong options. Even so, I can't get myself to commit to doing it in another country. I know a few people who had tummy tucks done nearby — ranging from straightforward panniculectomies all the way to full fleur de lis 360s — and every one of them had a brutal recovery, the bigger procedures especially, given that it's essentially abdominal wall repair. Boarding a plane just days afterward, facing all those hours and layovers, doesn't appeal to me at all. Still, I've got to dress for the dying husband I'm after, so maybe it's worth it
View attachment 11050
True, the stopover plus several connecting flights is a real pain in the glutes. You might want to check out what India has to offer. I can speak from personal experience about the standard of medical care there, though I'm also familiar with Brazil thanks to a friend's firsthand account. She's doing amazingly well. She went from a 4 to a 7 and became unrecognizable.domin8brix said:
Not long ago I figured I was dealing with hyper-hydrosis, but nope — hot flashes. That's 1 thing you're welcome to hang onto.Smiter said:
Huh, I never realized that could be an issue. I havedomin8brix said:
Pros:
-135lbs gone for me. That's wild. Basically the size of another human being. Seeing those scale numbers is genuinely wild.
-No more looking pregnant, which means no more strangers wandering up asking my due date or rubbing my belly expecting a baby kick (something is going to kick them, guaranteed.)
-My overall health improved dramatically: sleep apnea gone, asthma treatment no longer needed, and a whole list of prescriptions either reduced or dropped entirely.
-These days doctors ALMOST actually treat me like a real patient, instead of telling me "if you'd lose weight, you wouldn't have whatever ailment that has nothing to do with weight."
-My back got repaired, which meant avoiding paralysis, and I got 2 1/2 inches of height back.
-Running is something I can do now, and I do a lot of it. Lifting heavy too. I'm strong AF.
-Pretty much any outfit works for me. A good chunk of my wardrobe is kids sizes now, which is a total flip from never finding anything big enough.
-Strangers treat me better these days, like I've suddenly earned worth and permission to exist, at least when they aren't throwing shade or dismissing how hard I worked.
-Summer heat no longer destroys me.
-Being unrecognizable means I don't have to talk to people lol (seriously such a massive perk!)
-Nearly every nice dinner out stretches into 3-4 meals for me.
Cons:
-Loose skin on my belly hides the progress I've made, and getting it removed costs more than a car. The turkey neck situation can be partially handled with Botox, but that's another hefty bill.
-I can't perceive my actual appearance--the mirror still shows that fat person, and I still call myself fata**.
-Keeping this up is pricey...Botox runs more, GLPs, protein products, meat, all of it. And replacing my wardrobe wasn't cheap either. (Kids clothes cost way less though, so that's a win!)
-The time commitment for maintenance is huge--rebuilding muscle lost to rapid weight loss plus recovery from major surgeries has been a long, hard road. Meal prep, keeping GLPs stocked, way more Botox than before, all of it.
-Scale fluctuations set off my OCD badly. Tirz helps with that, but sometimes it turns into a full compulsion spiral.
-People can be nasty, and while I'm perfectly capable of handling it impolitely, it's still irritating. Also bizarre: despite being visibly ripped, folks assume I'm some fragile weakling.
-Men still don't approach me (mostly fine with that
-Dehydration hits me SUPER fast, so I'm constantly pounding electrolytes because water passes through me quicker than most people (bariatric surgery related). Tournament weekends mean hauling a ton of water just to stay hydrated.
-This ties more to the bariatric side, but spontaneous meals out aren't possible. Timing and planning are always involved.
Absolutely yes about the sweating. I can spend all day at a summer baseball tournament or go for a lunchtime run in jeans when it's 95 degrees, and yeah I sweat, but I'm not dying of heat exhaustion! That's huge.cheaperseeker said:
83 lbs gone, and I'm holding steady.
Flying, without a doubt! Beyond just having more room in the seat, these days I'm typically pulling the belt tighter than the previous passenger left it, instead of letting it out nearly all the way.
Strangers treat me better when I'm out and about. Unfortunate, yet accurate.
Friends of my husband and kids say I'm hot.
No more perspiring from the tiniest bit of warmth or effort.
Needing a whole new wardrobe.
Loose skin hanging on my belly and beneath my chin.
And yes, hard chairs.
That extra skin though...ugh. I busted my ass to get ripped, and I know my abs are probably solid underneath, but the skin hides everything. If removal didn't cost a fortune, I'd do it in a heartbeat.
THAT. That's a big one. I don't see myself in the mirror at all. Side-by-side before and after photos have always been the only way I can kind of see it, and even then, I don't.
My therapist follows my instagram (my surgeon does too), and part of my therapy was posting a selfie or full body shot every single day so I could see what everyone else sees -- so any workout or progress post had to include one. I absolutely HATE it, I still hate it every damn day I post, and I always apologize to anyone who follows me because it's basically a vanity nightmare for me. Like my face is this whole sea for yeeears. I hate it.
a few ideas about the cause. Hmmmm.... Normally I'm not the type to see the glass as half full, but here, I guess I'd file it under good problems to have.
Damn! Nope, that problem is all yours.domin8brix said:
Pros:
-135lbs gone for me. That's wild. Basically the size of another human being. Seeing those scale numbers is genuinely wild.
-No more looking pregnant, which means no more strangers wandering up asking my due date or rubbing my belly expecting a baby kick (something is going to kick them, guaranteed.)
-My overall health improved dramatically: sleep apnea gone, asthma treatment no longer needed, and a whole list of prescriptions either reduced or dropped entirely.
-These days doctors ALMOST actually treat me like a real patient, instead of telling me "if you'd lose weight, you wouldn't have whatever ailment that has nothing to do with weight."
-My back got repaired, which meant avoiding paralysis, and I got 2 1/2 inches of height back.
-Running is something I can do now, and I do a lot of it. Lifting heavy too. I'm strong AF.
-Pretty much any outfit works for me. A good chunk of my wardrobe is kids sizes now, which is a total flip from never finding anything big enough.
-Strangers treat me better these days, like I've suddenly earned worth and permission to exist, at least when they aren't throwing shade or dismissing how hard I worked.
-Summer heat no longer destroys me.
-Being unrecognizable means I don't have to talk to people lol (seriously such a massive perk!)
-Nearly every nice dinner out stretches into 3-4 meals for me.
Cons:
-Loose skin on my belly hides the progress I've made, and getting it removed costs more than a car. The turkey neck situation can be partially handled with Botox, but that's another hefty bill.
-I can't perceive my actual appearance--the mirror still shows that fat person, and I still call myself fata**.
-Keeping this up is pricey...Botox runs more, GLPs, protein products, meat, all of it. And replacing my wardrobe wasn't cheap either. (Kids clothes cost way less though, so that's a win!)
-The time commitment for maintenance is huge--rebuilding muscle lost to rapid weight loss plus recovery from major surgeries has been a long, hard road. Meal prep, keeping GLPs stocked, way more Botox than before, all of it.
-Scale fluctuations set off my OCD badly. Tirz helps with that, but sometimes it turns into a full compulsion spiral.
-People can be nasty, and while I'm perfectly capable of handling it impolitely, it's still irritating. Also bizarre: despite being visibly ripped, folks assume I'm some fragile weakling.
-Men still don't approach me (mostly fine with that
-Dehydration hits me SUPER fast, so I'm constantly pounding electrolytes because water passes through me quicker than most people (bariatric surgery related). Tournament weekends mean hauling a ton of water just to stay hydrated.
-This ties more to the bariatric side, but spontaneous meals out aren't possible. Timing and planning are always involved.
Absolutely yes about the sweating. I can spend all day at a summer baseball tournament or go for a lunchtime run in jeans when it's 95 degrees, and yeah I sweat, but I'm not dying of heat exhaustion! That's huge.cheaperseeker said:
83 lbs gone, and I'm holding steady.
Flying, without a doubt! Beyond just having more room in the seat, these days I'm typically pulling the belt tighter than the previous passenger left it, instead of letting it out nearly all the way.
Strangers treat me better when I'm out and about. Unfortunate, yet accurate.
Friends of my husband and kids say I'm hot.
No more perspiring from the tiniest bit of warmth or effort.
Needing a whole new wardrobe.
Loose skin hanging on my belly and beneath my chin.
And yes, hard chairs.
That extra skin though...ugh. I busted my ass to get ripped, and I know my abs are probably solid underneath, but the skin hides everything. If removal didn't cost a fortune, I'd do it in a heartbeat.
THAT. That's a big one. I don't see myself in the mirror at all. Side-by-side before and after photos have always been the only way I can kind of see it, and even then, I don't.
My therapist follows my instagram (my surgeon does too), and part of my therapy was posting a selfie or full body shot every single day so I could see what everyone else sees -- so any workout or progress post had to include one. I absolutely HATE it, I still hate it every damn day I post, and I always apologize to anyone who follows me because it's basically a vanity nightmare for me. Like my face is this whole sea for yeeears. I hate it.
I've heard Brazil, Turkey, India, South Korea mentioned as excellent destinations... Benjamin Franklin carries a lot of weight there, though even George Washington has some value.domin8brix said:
Pros:
-135lbs gone for me. That's wild. Basically the size of another human being. Seeing those scale numbers is genuinely wild.
-No more looking pregnant, which means no more strangers wandering up asking my due date or rubbing my belly expecting a baby kick (something is going to kick them, guaranteed.)
-My overall health improved dramatically: sleep apnea gone, asthma treatment no longer needed, and a whole list of prescriptions either reduced or dropped entirely.
-These days doctors ALMOST actually treat me like a real patient, instead of telling me "if you'd lose weight, you wouldn't have whatever ailment that has nothing to do with weight."
-My back got repaired, which meant avoiding paralysis, and I got 2 1/2 inches of height back.
-Running is something I can do now, and I do a lot of it. Lifting heavy too. I'm strong AF.
-Pretty much any outfit works for me. A good chunk of my wardrobe is kids sizes now, which is a total flip from never finding anything big enough.
-Strangers treat me better these days, like I've suddenly earned worth and permission to exist, at least when they aren't throwing shade or dismissing how hard I worked.
-Summer heat no longer destroys me.
-Being unrecognizable means I don't have to talk to people lol (seriously such a massive perk!)
-Nearly every nice dinner out stretches into 3-4 meals for me.
Cons:
-Loose skin on my belly hides the progress I've made, and getting it removed costs more than a car. The turkey neck situation can be partially handled with Botox, but that's another hefty bill.
-I can't perceive my actual appearance--the mirror still shows that fat person, and I still call myself fata**.
-Keeping this up is pricey...Botox runs more, GLPs, protein products, meat, all of it. And replacing my wardrobe wasn't cheap either. (Kids clothes cost way less though, so that's a win!)
-The time commitment for maintenance is huge--rebuilding muscle lost to rapid weight loss plus recovery from major surgeries has been a long, hard road. Meal prep, keeping GLPs stocked, way more Botox than before, all of it.
-Scale fluctuations set off my OCD badly. Tirz helps with that, but sometimes it turns into a full compulsion spiral.
-People can be nasty, and while I'm perfectly capable of handling it impolitely, it's still irritating. Also bizarre: despite being visibly ripped, folks assume I'm some fragile weakling.
-Men still don't approach me (mostly fine with that
-Dehydration hits me SUPER fast, so I'm constantly pounding electrolytes because water passes through me quicker than most people (bariatric surgery related). Tournament weekends mean hauling a ton of water just to stay hydrated.
-This ties more to the bariatric side, but spontaneous meals out aren't possible. Timing and planning are always involved.
Absolutely yes about the sweating. I can spend all day at a summer baseball tournament or go for a lunchtime run in jeans when it's 95 degrees, and yeah I sweat, but I'm not dying of heat exhaustion! That's huge.cheaperseeker said:
83 lbs gone, and I'm holding steady.
Flying, without a doubt! Beyond just having more room in the seat, these days I'm typically pulling the belt tighter than the previous passenger left it, instead of letting it out nearly all the way.
Strangers treat me better when I'm out and about. Unfortunate, yet accurate.
Friends of my husband and kids say I'm hot.
No more perspiring from the tiniest bit of warmth or effort.
Needing a whole new wardrobe.
Loose skin hanging on my belly and beneath my chin.
And yes, hard chairs.
That extra skin though...ugh. I busted my ass to get ripped, and I know my abs are probably solid underneath, but the skin hides everything. If removal didn't cost a fortune, I'd do it in a heartbeat.
THAT. That's a big one. I don't see myself in the mirror at all. Side-by-side before and after photos have always been the only way I can kind of see it, and even then, I don't.
My therapist follows my instagram (my surgeon does too), and part of my therapy was posting a selfie or full body shot every single day so I could see what everyone else sees -- so any workout or progress post had to include one. I absolutely HATE it, I still hate it every damn day I post, and I always apologize to anyone who follows me because it's basically a vanity nightmare for me. Like my face is this whole sea for yeeears. I hate it.
Yeah, that makes sense. Women and their hypergamy also bring in their built-in pre-screening and social validation. It's because of the extra X chromosome. It comes naturally. It's instinctual. Why resist evolutionary psychology? It's as instinctual as dressing like you're hunting for a husband who's about to kick the bucket.domin8brix said:
Pros:
-135lbs gone for me. That's wild. Basically the size of another human being. Seeing those scale numbers is genuinely wild.
-No more looking pregnant, which means no more strangers wandering up asking my due date or rubbing my belly expecting a baby kick (something is going to kick them, guaranteed.)
-My overall health improved dramatically: sleep apnea gone, asthma treatment no longer needed, and a whole list of prescriptions either reduced or dropped entirely.
-These days doctors ALMOST actually treat me like a real patient, instead of telling me "if you'd lose weight, you wouldn't have whatever ailment that has nothing to do with weight."
-My back got repaired, which meant avoiding paralysis, and I got 2 1/2 inches of height back.
-Running is something I can do now, and I do a lot of it. Lifting heavy too. I'm strong AF.
-Pretty much any outfit works for me. A good chunk of my wardrobe is kids sizes now, which is a total flip from never finding anything big enough.
-Strangers treat me better these days, like I've suddenly earned worth and permission to exist, at least when they aren't throwing shade or dismissing how hard I worked.
-Summer heat no longer destroys me.
-Being unrecognizable means I don't have to talk to people lol (seriously such a massive perk!)
-Nearly every nice dinner out stretches into 3-4 meals for me.
Cons:
-Loose skin on my belly hides the progress I've made, and getting it removed costs more than a car. The turkey neck situation can be partially handled with Botox, but that's another hefty bill.
-I can't perceive my actual appearance--the mirror still shows that fat person, and I still call myself fata**.
-Keeping this up is pricey...Botox runs more, GLPs, protein products, meat, all of it. And replacing my wardrobe wasn't cheap either. (Kids clothes cost way less though, so that's a win!)
-The time commitment for maintenance is huge--rebuilding muscle lost to rapid weight loss plus recovery from major surgeries has been a long, hard road. Meal prep, keeping GLPs stocked, way more Botox than before, all of it.
-Scale fluctuations set off my OCD badly. Tirz helps with that, but sometimes it turns into a full compulsion spiral.
-People can be nasty, and while I'm perfectly capable of handling it impolitely, it's still irritating. Also bizarre: despite being visibly ripped, folks assume I'm some fragile weakling.
-Men still don't approach me (mostly fine with that
-Dehydration hits me SUPER fast, so I'm constantly pounding electrolytes because water passes through me quicker than most people (bariatric surgery related). Tournament weekends mean hauling a ton of water just to stay hydrated.
-This ties more to the bariatric side, but spontaneous meals out aren't possible. Timing and planning are always involved.
Absolutely yes about the sweating. I can spend all day at a summer baseball tournament or go for a lunchtime run in jeans when it's 95 degrees, and yeah I sweat, but I'm not dying of heat exhaustion! That's huge.cheaperseeker said:
83 lbs gone, and I'm holding steady.
Flying, without a doubt! Beyond just having more room in the seat, these days I'm typically pulling the belt tighter than the previous passenger left it, instead of letting it out nearly all the way.
Strangers treat me better when I'm out and about. Unfortunate, yet accurate.
Friends of my husband and kids say I'm hot.
No more perspiring from the tiniest bit of warmth or effort.
Needing a whole new wardrobe.
Loose skin hanging on my belly and beneath my chin.
And yes, hard chairs.
That extra skin though...ugh. I busted my ass to get ripped, and I know my abs are probably solid underneath, but the skin hides everything. If removal didn't cost a fortune, I'd do it in a heartbeat.
THAT. That's a big one. I don't see myself in the mirror at all. Side-by-side before and after photos have always been the only way I can kind of see it, and even then, I don't.
My therapist follows my instagram (my surgeon does too), and part of my therapy was posting a selfie or full body shot every single day so I could see what everyone else sees -- so any workout or progress post had to include one. I absolutely HATE it, I still hate it every damn day I post, and I always apologize to anyone who follows me because it's basically a vanity nightmare for me. Like my face is this whole sea for yeeears. I hate it.
Yeah, my problem is the reverse. Stick me in the Grand Canyon, and it'll become a riverbank. I mean, there's hyperhidrosis, and then there's the level beyond it—me.domin8brix said:
Pros:
-135lbs gone for me. That's wild. Basically the size of another human being. Seeing those scale numbers is genuinely wild.
-No more looking pregnant, which means no more strangers wandering up asking my due date or rubbing my belly expecting a baby kick (something is going to kick them, guaranteed.)
-My overall health improved dramatically: sleep apnea gone, asthma treatment no longer needed, and a whole list of prescriptions either reduced or dropped entirely.
-These days doctors ALMOST actually treat me like a real patient, instead of telling me "if you'd lose weight, you wouldn't have whatever ailment that has nothing to do with weight."
-My back got repaired, which meant avoiding paralysis, and I got 2 1/2 inches of height back.
-Running is something I can do now, and I do a lot of it. Lifting heavy too. I'm strong AF.
-Pretty much any outfit works for me. A good chunk of my wardrobe is kids sizes now, which is a total flip from never finding anything big enough.
-Strangers treat me better these days, like I've suddenly earned worth and permission to exist, at least when they aren't throwing shade or dismissing how hard I worked.
-Summer heat no longer destroys me.
-Being unrecognizable means I don't have to talk to people lol (seriously such a massive perk!)
-Nearly every nice dinner out stretches into 3-4 meals for me.
Cons:
-Loose skin on my belly hides the progress I've made, and getting it removed costs more than a car. The turkey neck situation can be partially handled with Botox, but that's another hefty bill.
-I can't perceive my actual appearance--the mirror still shows that fat person, and I still call myself fata**.
-Keeping this up is pricey...Botox runs more, GLPs, protein products, meat, all of it. And replacing my wardrobe wasn't cheap either. (Kids clothes cost way less though, so that's a win!)
-The time commitment for maintenance is huge--rebuilding muscle lost to rapid weight loss plus recovery from major surgeries has been a long, hard road. Meal prep, keeping GLPs stocked, way more Botox than before, all of it.
-Scale fluctuations set off my OCD badly. Tirz helps with that, but sometimes it turns into a full compulsion spiral.
-People can be nasty, and while I'm perfectly capable of handling it impolitely, it's still irritating. Also bizarre: despite being visibly ripped, folks assume I'm some fragile weakling.
-Men still don't approach me (mostly fine with that
-Dehydration hits me SUPER fast, so I'm constantly pounding electrolytes because water passes through me quicker than most people (bariatric surgery related). Tournament weekends mean hauling a ton of water just to stay hydrated.
-This ties more to the bariatric side, but spontaneous meals out aren't possible. Timing and planning are always involved.
Absolutely yes about the sweating. I can spend all day at a summer baseball tournament or go for a lunchtime run in jeans when it's 95 degrees, and yeah I sweat, but I'm not dying of heat exhaustion! That's huge.cheaperseeker said:
83 lbs gone, and I'm holding steady.
Flying, without a doubt! Beyond just having more room in the seat, these days I'm typically pulling the belt tighter than the previous passenger left it, instead of letting it out nearly all the way.
Strangers treat me better when I'm out and about. Unfortunate, yet accurate.
Friends of my husband and kids say I'm hot.
No more perspiring from the tiniest bit of warmth or effort.
Needing a whole new wardrobe.
Loose skin hanging on my belly and beneath my chin.
And yes, hard chairs.
That extra skin though...ugh. I busted my ass to get ripped, and I know my abs are probably solid underneath, but the skin hides everything. If removal didn't cost a fortune, I'd do it in a heartbeat.
THAT. That's a big one. I don't see myself in the mirror at all. Side-by-side before and after photos have always been the only way I can kind of see it, and even then, I don't.
My therapist follows my instagram (my surgeon does too), and part of my therapy was posting a selfie or full body shot every single day so I could see what everyone else sees -- so any workout or progress post had to include one. I absolutely HATE it, I still hate it every damn day I post, and I always apologize to anyone who follows me because it's basically a vanity nightmare for me. Like my face is this whole sea for yeeears. I hate it.
When you're up against catties, you bring a laser. It drives them crazy, every single time. Yeah, politeness is overrated AF. Only the mission matters: No mercy. Let those futhercuckers head to North Korea.domin8brix said:
Pros:
-135lbs gone for me. That's wild. Basically the size of another human being. Seeing those scale numbers is genuinely wild.
-No more looking pregnant, which means no more strangers wandering up asking my due date or rubbing my belly expecting a baby kick (something is going to kick them, guaranteed.)
-My overall health improved dramatically: sleep apnea gone, asthma treatment no longer needed, and a whole list of prescriptions either reduced or dropped entirely.
-These days doctors ALMOST actually treat me like a real patient, instead of telling me "if you'd lose weight, you wouldn't have whatever ailment that has nothing to do with weight."
-My back got repaired, which meant avoiding paralysis, and I got 2 1/2 inches of height back.
-Running is something I can do now, and I do a lot of it. Lifting heavy too. I'm strong AF.
-Pretty much any outfit works for me. A good chunk of my wardrobe is kids sizes now, which is a total flip from never finding anything big enough.
-Strangers treat me better these days, like I've suddenly earned worth and permission to exist, at least when they aren't throwing shade or dismissing how hard I worked.
-Summer heat no longer destroys me.
-Being unrecognizable means I don't have to talk to people lol (seriously such a massive perk!)
-Nearly every nice dinner out stretches into 3-4 meals for me.
Cons:
-Loose skin on my belly hides the progress I've made, and getting it removed costs more than a car. The turkey neck situation can be partially handled with Botox, but that's another hefty bill.
-I can't perceive my actual appearance--the mirror still shows that fat person, and I still call myself fata**.
-Keeping this up is pricey...Botox runs more, GLPs, protein products, meat, all of it. And replacing my wardrobe wasn't cheap either. (Kids clothes cost way less though, so that's a win!)
-The time commitment for maintenance is huge--rebuilding muscle lost to rapid weight loss plus recovery from major surgeries has been a long, hard road. Meal prep, keeping GLPs stocked, way more Botox than before, all of it.
-Scale fluctuations set off my OCD badly. Tirz helps with that, but sometimes it turns into a full compulsion spiral.
-People can be nasty, and while I'm perfectly capable of handling it impolitely, it's still irritating. Also bizarre: despite being visibly ripped, folks assume I'm some fragile weakling.
-Men still don't approach me (mostly fine with that
-Dehydration hits me SUPER fast, so I'm constantly pounding electrolytes because water passes through me quicker than most people (bariatric surgery related). Tournament weekends mean hauling a ton of water just to stay hydrated.
-This ties more to the bariatric side, but spontaneous meals out aren't possible. Timing and planning are always involved.
Absolutely yes about the sweating. I can spend all day at a summer baseball tournament or go for a lunchtime run in jeans when it's 95 degrees, and yeah I sweat, but I'm not dying of heat exhaustion! That's huge.cheaperseeker said:
83 lbs gone, and I'm holding steady.
Flying, without a doubt! Beyond just having more room in the seat, these days I'm typically pulling the belt tighter than the previous passenger left it, instead of letting it out nearly all the way.
Strangers treat me better when I'm out and about. Unfortunate, yet accurate.
Friends of my husband and kids say I'm hot.
No more perspiring from the tiniest bit of warmth or effort.
Needing a whole new wardrobe.
Loose skin hanging on my belly and beneath my chin.
And yes, hard chairs.
That extra skin though...ugh. I busted my ass to get ripped, and I know my abs are probably solid underneath, but the skin hides everything. If removal didn't cost a fortune, I'd do it in a heartbeat.
THAT. That's a big one. I don't see myself in the mirror at all. Side-by-side before and after photos have always been the only way I can kind of see it, and even then, I don't.
My therapist follows my instagram (my surgeon does too), and part of my therapy was posting a selfie or full body shot every single day so I could see what everyone else sees -- so any workout or progress post had to include one. I absolutely HATE it, I still hate it every damn day I post, and I always apologize to anyone who follows me because it's basically a vanity nightmare for me. Like my face is this whole sea for yeeears. I hate it.
Exactly. "Hands open doorknobs, legs break down doors"—Thunderlegs. Kick away.domin8brix said:
Pros:
-135lbs gone for me. That's wild. Basically the size of another human being. Seeing those scale numbers is genuinely wild.
-No more looking pregnant, which means no more strangers wandering up asking my due date or rubbing my belly expecting a baby kick (something is going to kick them, guaranteed.)
-My overall health improved dramatically: sleep apnea gone, asthma treatment no longer needed, and a whole list of prescriptions either reduced or dropped entirely.
-These days doctors ALMOST actually treat me like a real patient, instead of telling me "if you'd lose weight, you wouldn't have whatever ailment that has nothing to do with weight."
-My back got repaired, which meant avoiding paralysis, and I got 2 1/2 inches of height back.
-Running is something I can do now, and I do a lot of it. Lifting heavy too. I'm strong AF.
-Pretty much any outfit works for me. A good chunk of my wardrobe is kids sizes now, which is a total flip from never finding anything big enough.
-Strangers treat me better these days, like I've suddenly earned worth and permission to exist, at least when they aren't throwing shade or dismissing how hard I worked.
-Summer heat no longer destroys me.
-Being unrecognizable means I don't have to talk to people lol (seriously such a massive perk!)
-Nearly every nice dinner out stretches into 3-4 meals for me.
Cons:
-Loose skin on my belly hides the progress I've made, and getting it removed costs more than a car. The turkey neck situation can be partially handled with Botox, but that's another hefty bill.
-I can't perceive my actual appearance--the mirror still shows that fat person, and I still call myself fata**.
-Keeping this up is pricey...Botox runs more, GLPs, protein products, meat, all of it. And replacing my wardrobe wasn't cheap either. (Kids clothes cost way less though, so that's a win!)
-The time commitment for maintenance is huge--rebuilding muscle lost to rapid weight loss plus recovery from major surgeries has been a long, hard road. Meal prep, keeping GLPs stocked, way more Botox than before, all of it.
-Scale fluctuations set off my OCD badly. Tirz helps with that, but sometimes it turns into a full compulsion spiral.
-People can be nasty, and while I'm perfectly capable of handling it impolitely, it's still irritating. Also bizarre: despite being visibly ripped, folks assume I'm some fragile weakling.
-Men still don't approach me (mostly fine with that
-Dehydration hits me SUPER fast, so I'm constantly pounding electrolytes because water passes through me quicker than most people (bariatric surgery related). Tournament weekends mean hauling a ton of water just to stay hydrated.
-This ties more to the bariatric side, but spontaneous meals out aren't possible. Timing and planning are always involved.
Absolutely yes about the sweating. I can spend all day at a summer baseball tournament or go for a lunchtime run in jeans when it's 95 degrees, and yeah I sweat, but I'm not dying of heat exhaustion! That's huge.cheaperseeker said:
83 lbs gone, and I'm holding steady.
Flying, without a doubt! Beyond just having more room in the seat, these days I'm typically pulling the belt tighter than the previous passenger left it, instead of letting it out nearly all the way.
Strangers treat me better when I'm out and about. Unfortunate, yet accurate.
Friends of my husband and kids say I'm hot.
No more perspiring from the tiniest bit of warmth or effort.
Needing a whole new wardrobe.
Loose skin hanging on my belly and beneath my chin.
And yes, hard chairs.
That extra skin though...ugh. I busted my ass to get ripped, and I know my abs are probably solid underneath, but the skin hides everything. If removal didn't cost a fortune, I'd do it in a heartbeat.
THAT. That's a big one. I don't see myself in the mirror at all. Side-by-side before and after photos have always been the only way I can kind of see it, and even then, I don't.
My therapist follows my instagram (my surgeon does too), and part of my therapy was posting a selfie or full body shot every single day so I could see what everyone else sees -- so any workout or progress post had to include one. I absolutely HATE it, I still hate it every damn day I post, and I always apologize to anyone who follows me because it's basically a vanity nightmare for me. Like my face is this whole sea for yeeears. I hate it.
Yeah, see, it's hardwired in us. You might deadlift more than us, but our Y chromosome doesn't have eyes.domin8brix said:
Pros:
-135lbs gone for me. That's wild. Basically the size of another human being. Seeing those scale numbers is genuinely wild.
-No more looking pregnant, which means no more strangers wandering up asking my due date or rubbing my belly expecting a baby kick (something is going to kick them, guaranteed.)
-My overall health improved dramatically: sleep apnea gone, asthma treatment no longer needed, and a whole list of prescriptions either reduced or dropped entirely.
-These days doctors ALMOST actually treat me like a real patient, instead of telling me "if you'd lose weight, you wouldn't have whatever ailment that has nothing to do with weight."
-My back got repaired, which meant avoiding paralysis, and I got 2 1/2 inches of height back.
-Running is something I can do now, and I do a lot of it. Lifting heavy too. I'm strong AF.
-Pretty much any outfit works for me. A good chunk of my wardrobe is kids sizes now, which is a total flip from never finding anything big enough.
-Strangers treat me better these days, like I've suddenly earned worth and permission to exist, at least when they aren't throwing shade or dismissing how hard I worked.
-Summer heat no longer destroys me.
-Being unrecognizable means I don't have to talk to people lol (seriously such a massive perk!)
-Nearly every nice dinner out stretches into 3-4 meals for me.
Cons:
-Loose skin on my belly hides the progress I've made, and getting it removed costs more than a car. The turkey neck situation can be partially handled with Botox, but that's another hefty bill.
-I can't perceive my actual appearance--the mirror still shows that fat person, and I still call myself fata**.
-Keeping this up is pricey...Botox runs more, GLPs, protein products, meat, all of it. And replacing my wardrobe wasn't cheap either. (Kids clothes cost way less though, so that's a win!)
-The time commitment for maintenance is huge--rebuilding muscle lost to rapid weight loss plus recovery from major surgeries has been a long, hard road. Meal prep, keeping GLPs stocked, way more Botox than before, all of it.
-Scale fluctuations set off my OCD badly. Tirz helps with that, but sometimes it turns into a full compulsion spiral.
-People can be nasty, and while I'm perfectly capable of handling it impolitely, it's still irritating. Also bizarre: despite being visibly ripped, folks assume I'm some fragile weakling.
-Men still don't approach me (mostly fine with that
-Dehydration hits me SUPER fast, so I'm constantly pounding electrolytes because water passes through me quicker than most people (bariatric surgery related). Tournament weekends mean hauling a ton of water just to stay hydrated.
-This ties more to the bariatric side, but spontaneous meals out aren't possible. Timing and planning are always involved.
Absolutely yes about the sweating. I can spend all day at a summer baseball tournament or go for a lunchtime run in jeans when it's 95 degrees, and yeah I sweat, but I'm not dying of heat exhaustion! That's huge.cheaperseeker said:
83 lbs gone, and I'm holding steady.
Flying, without a doubt! Beyond just having more room in the seat, these days I'm typically pulling the belt tighter than the previous passenger left it, instead of letting it out nearly all the way.
Strangers treat me better when I'm out and about. Unfortunate, yet accurate.
Friends of my husband and kids say I'm hot.
No more perspiring from the tiniest bit of warmth or effort.
Needing a whole new wardrobe.
Loose skin hanging on my belly and beneath my chin.
And yes, hard chairs.
That extra skin though...ugh. I busted my ass to get ripped, and I know my abs are probably solid underneath, but the skin hides everything. If removal didn't cost a fortune, I'd do it in a heartbeat.
THAT. That's a big one. I don't see myself in the mirror at all. Side-by-side before and after photos have always been the only way I can kind of see it, and even then, I don't.
My therapist follows my instagram (my surgeon does too), and part of my therapy was posting a selfie or full body shot every single day so I could see what everyone else sees -- so any workout or progress post had to include one. I absolutely HATE it, I still hate it every damn day I post, and I always apologize to anyone who follows me because it's basically a vanity nightmare for me. Like my face is this whole sea for yeeears. I hate it.
I want this. Right now. Give.domin8brix said:
Pros:
-135lbs gone for me. That's wild. Basically the size of another human being. Seeing those scale numbers is genuinely wild.
-No more looking pregnant, which means no more strangers wandering up asking my due date or rubbing my belly expecting a baby kick (something is going to kick them, guaranteed.)
-My overall health improved dramatically: sleep apnea gone, asthma treatment no longer needed, and a whole list of prescriptions either reduced or dropped entirely.
-These days doctors ALMOST actually treat me like a real patient, instead of telling me "if you'd lose weight, you wouldn't have whatever ailment that has nothing to do with weight."
-My back got repaired, which meant avoiding paralysis, and I got 2 1/2 inches of height back.
-Running is something I can do now, and I do a lot of it. Lifting heavy too. I'm strong AF.
-Pretty much any outfit works for me. A good chunk of my wardrobe is kids sizes now, which is a total flip from never finding anything big enough.
-Strangers treat me better these days, like I've suddenly earned worth and permission to exist, at least when they aren't throwing shade or dismissing how hard I worked.
-Summer heat no longer destroys me.
-Being unrecognizable means I don't have to talk to people lol (seriously such a massive perk!)
-Nearly every nice dinner out stretches into 3-4 meals for me.
Cons:
-Loose skin on my belly hides the progress I've made, and getting it removed costs more than a car. The turkey neck situation can be partially handled with Botox, but that's another hefty bill.
-I can't perceive my actual appearance--the mirror still shows that fat person, and I still call myself fata**.
-Keeping this up is pricey...Botox runs more, GLPs, protein products, meat, all of it. And replacing my wardrobe wasn't cheap either. (Kids clothes cost way less though, so that's a win!)
-The time commitment for maintenance is huge--rebuilding muscle lost to rapid weight loss plus recovery from major surgeries has been a long, hard road. Meal prep, keeping GLPs stocked, way more Botox than before, all of it.
-Scale fluctuations set off my OCD badly. Tirz helps with that, but sometimes it turns into a full compulsion spiral.
-People can be nasty, and while I'm perfectly capable of handling it impolitely, it's still irritating. Also bizarre: despite being visibly ripped, folks assume I'm some fragile weakling.
-Men still don't approach me (mostly fine with that
-Dehydration hits me SUPER fast, so I'm constantly pounding electrolytes because water passes through me quicker than most people (bariatric surgery related). Tournament weekends mean hauling a ton of water just to stay hydrated.
-This ties more to the bariatric side, but spontaneous meals out aren't possible. Timing and planning are always involved.
Absolutely yes about the sweating. I can spend all day at a summer baseball tournament or go for a lunchtime run in jeans when it's 95 degrees, and yeah I sweat, but I'm not dying of heat exhaustion! That's huge.cheaperseeker said:
83 lbs gone, and I'm holding steady.
Flying, without a doubt! Beyond just having more room in the seat, these days I'm typically pulling the belt tighter than the previous passenger left it, instead of letting it out nearly all the way.
Strangers treat me better when I'm out and about. Unfortunate, yet accurate.
Friends of my husband and kids say I'm hot.
No more perspiring from the tiniest bit of warmth or effort.
Needing a whole new wardrobe.
Loose skin hanging on my belly and beneath my chin.
And yes, hard chairs.
That extra skin though...ugh. I busted my ass to get ripped, and I know my abs are probably solid underneath, but the skin hides everything. If removal didn't cost a fortune, I'd do it in a heartbeat.
THAT. That's a big one. I don't see myself in the mirror at all. Side-by-side before and after photos have always been the only way I can kind of see it, and even then, I don't.
My therapist follows my instagram (my surgeon does too), and part of my therapy was posting a selfie or full body shot every single day so I could see what everyone else sees -- so any workout or progress post had to include one. I absolutely HATE it, I still hate it every damn day I post, and I always apologize to anyone who follows me because it's basically a vanity nightmare for me. Like my face is this whole sea for yeeears. I hate it.
-}-Oh yes, and personally, I still have no clue why, but losing around 80lbs suddenly caused patches of "chicken skin" on my body.
-}-On top of that, my skin dries out fast, nearly as quickly as something else does when The View comes on TV.
-}-That same appendage, allergic to The View, is now dealing with a delusion typically found in those lacking a Y chromosome. It believes it's Forever 21.
So I've begun looking into going overseas for plastics, though it still feels pretty intimidating. For face work, South Korea stands out; for the body, I've been told Mexico, Brazil and above all Turkey are strong options. Even so, I can't get myself to commit to doing it in another country. I know a few people who had tummy tucks done nearby — ranging from straightforward panniculectomies all the way to full fleur de lis 360s — and every one of them had a brutal recovery, the bigger procedures especially, given that it's essentially abdominal wall repair. Boarding a plane just days afterward, facing all those hours and layovers, doesn't appeal to me at all. Still, I've got to dress for the dying husband I'm after, so maybe it's worth it
View attachment 11050
Smiter
Explorer
Honestly, manners and handouts aren't my thing—yet turning down a present isn't my habit either. That said, you've got to get where I'm coming from here: my DNA just isn't wired to see the worth in an untouched hot flash.domin8brix said:
Not long ago I figured I was dealing with hyper-hydrosis, but nope — hot flashes. That's 1 thing you're welcome to hang onto.Smiter said:
Huh, I never realized that could be an issue. I havedomin8brix said:
Pros:
-135lbs gone for me. That's wild. Basically the size of another human being. Seeing those scale numbers is genuinely wild.
-No more looking pregnant, which means no more strangers wandering up asking my due date or rubbing my belly expecting a baby kick (something is going to kick them, guaranteed.)
-My overall health improved dramatically: sleep apnea gone, asthma treatment no longer needed, and a whole list of prescriptions either reduced or dropped entirely.
-These days doctors ALMOST actually treat me like a real patient, instead of telling me "if you'd lose weight, you wouldn't have whatever ailment that has nothing to do with weight."
-My back got repaired, which meant avoiding paralysis, and I got 2 1/2 inches of height back.
-Running is something I can do now, and I do a lot of it. Lifting heavy too. I'm strong AF.
-Pretty much any outfit works for me. A good chunk of my wardrobe is kids sizes now, which is a total flip from never finding anything big enough.
-Strangers treat me better these days, like I've suddenly earned worth and permission to exist, at least when they aren't throwing shade or dismissing how hard I worked.
-Summer heat no longer destroys me.
-Being unrecognizable means I don't have to talk to people lol (seriously such a massive perk!)
-Nearly every nice dinner out stretches into 3-4 meals for me.
Cons:
-Loose skin on my belly hides the progress I've made, and getting it removed costs more than a car. The turkey neck situation can be partially handled with Botox, but that's another hefty bill.
-I can't perceive my actual appearance--the mirror still shows that fat person, and I still call myself fata**.
-Keeping this up is pricey...Botox runs more, GLPs, protein products, meat, all of it. And replacing my wardrobe wasn't cheap either. (Kids clothes cost way less though, so that's a win!)
-The time commitment for maintenance is huge--rebuilding muscle lost to rapid weight loss plus recovery from major surgeries has been a long, hard road. Meal prep, keeping GLPs stocked, way more Botox than before, all of it.
-Scale fluctuations set off my OCD badly. Tirz helps with that, but sometimes it turns into a full compulsion spiral.
-People can be nasty, and while I'm perfectly capable of handling it impolitely, it's still irritating. Also bizarre: despite being visibly ripped, folks assume I'm some fragile weakling.
-Men still don't approach me (mostly fine with that
-Dehydration hits me SUPER fast, so I'm constantly pounding electrolytes because water passes through me quicker than most people (bariatric surgery related). Tournament weekends mean hauling a ton of water just to stay hydrated.
-This ties more to the bariatric side, but spontaneous meals out aren't possible. Timing and planning are always involved.
Absolutely yes about the sweating. I can spend all day at a summer baseball tournament or go for a lunchtime run in jeans when it's 95 degrees, and yeah I sweat, but I'm not dying of heat exhaustion! That's huge.cheaperseeker said:
83 lbs gone, and I'm holding steady.
Flying, without a doubt! Beyond just having more room in the seat, these days I'm typically pulling the belt tighter than the previous passenger left it, instead of letting it out nearly all the way.
Strangers treat me better when I'm out and about. Unfortunate, yet accurate.
Friends of my husband and kids say I'm hot.
No more perspiring from the tiniest bit of warmth or effort.
Needing a whole new wardrobe.
Loose skin hanging on my belly and beneath my chin.
And yes, hard chairs.
That extra skin though...ugh. I busted my ass to get ripped, and I know my abs are probably solid underneath, but the skin hides everything. If removal didn't cost a fortune, I'd do it in a heartbeat.
THAT. That's a big one. I don't see myself in the mirror at all. Side-by-side before and after photos have always been the only way I can kind of see it, and even then, I don't.
My therapist follows my instagram (my surgeon does too), and part of my therapy was posting a selfie or full body shot every single day so I could see what everyone else sees -- so any workout or progress post had to include one. I absolutely HATE it, I still hate it every damn day I post, and I always apologize to anyone who follows me because it's basically a vanity nightmare for me. Like my face is this whole sea for yeeears. I hate it.
a few ideas about the cause. Hmmmm.... Normally I'm not the type to see the glass as half full, but here, I guess I'd file it under good problems to have.
Damn! Nope, that problem is all yours.domin8brix said:
Pros:
-135lbs gone for me. That's wild. Basically the size of another human being. Seeing those scale numbers is genuinely wild.
-No more looking pregnant, which means no more strangers wandering up asking my due date or rubbing my belly expecting a baby kick (something is going to kick them, guaranteed.)
-My overall health improved dramatically: sleep apnea gone, asthma treatment no longer needed, and a whole list of prescriptions either reduced or dropped entirely.
-These days doctors ALMOST actually treat me like a real patient, instead of telling me "if you'd lose weight, you wouldn't have whatever ailment that has nothing to do with weight."
-My back got repaired, which meant avoiding paralysis, and I got 2 1/2 inches of height back.
-Running is something I can do now, and I do a lot of it. Lifting heavy too. I'm strong AF.
-Pretty much any outfit works for me. A good chunk of my wardrobe is kids sizes now, which is a total flip from never finding anything big enough.
-Strangers treat me better these days, like I've suddenly earned worth and permission to exist, at least when they aren't throwing shade or dismissing how hard I worked.
-Summer heat no longer destroys me.
-Being unrecognizable means I don't have to talk to people lol (seriously such a massive perk!)
-Nearly every nice dinner out stretches into 3-4 meals for me.
Cons:
-Loose skin on my belly hides the progress I've made, and getting it removed costs more than a car. The turkey neck situation can be partially handled with Botox, but that's another hefty bill.
-I can't perceive my actual appearance--the mirror still shows that fat person, and I still call myself fata**.
-Keeping this up is pricey...Botox runs more, GLPs, protein products, meat, all of it. And replacing my wardrobe wasn't cheap either. (Kids clothes cost way less though, so that's a win!)
-The time commitment for maintenance is huge--rebuilding muscle lost to rapid weight loss plus recovery from major surgeries has been a long, hard road. Meal prep, keeping GLPs stocked, way more Botox than before, all of it.
-Scale fluctuations set off my OCD badly. Tirz helps with that, but sometimes it turns into a full compulsion spiral.
-People can be nasty, and while I'm perfectly capable of handling it impolitely, it's still irritating. Also bizarre: despite being visibly ripped, folks assume I'm some fragile weakling.
-Men still don't approach me (mostly fine with that
-Dehydration hits me SUPER fast, so I'm constantly pounding electrolytes because water passes through me quicker than most people (bariatric surgery related). Tournament weekends mean hauling a ton of water just to stay hydrated.
-This ties more to the bariatric side, but spontaneous meals out aren't possible. Timing and planning are always involved.
Absolutely yes about the sweating. I can spend all day at a summer baseball tournament or go for a lunchtime run in jeans when it's 95 degrees, and yeah I sweat, but I'm not dying of heat exhaustion! That's huge.cheaperseeker said:
83 lbs gone, and I'm holding steady.
Flying, without a doubt! Beyond just having more room in the seat, these days I'm typically pulling the belt tighter than the previous passenger left it, instead of letting it out nearly all the way.
Strangers treat me better when I'm out and about. Unfortunate, yet accurate.
Friends of my husband and kids say I'm hot.
No more perspiring from the tiniest bit of warmth or effort.
Needing a whole new wardrobe.
Loose skin hanging on my belly and beneath my chin.
And yes, hard chairs.
That extra skin though...ugh. I busted my ass to get ripped, and I know my abs are probably solid underneath, but the skin hides everything. If removal didn't cost a fortune, I'd do it in a heartbeat.
THAT. That's a big one. I don't see myself in the mirror at all. Side-by-side before and after photos have always been the only way I can kind of see it, and even then, I don't.
My therapist follows my instagram (my surgeon does too), and part of my therapy was posting a selfie or full body shot every single day so I could see what everyone else sees -- so any workout or progress post had to include one. I absolutely HATE it, I still hate it every damn day I post, and I always apologize to anyone who follows me because it's basically a vanity nightmare for me. Like my face is this whole sea for yeeears. I hate it.
I've heard Brazil, Turkey, India, South Korea mentioned as excellent destinations... Benjamin Franklin carries a lot of weight there, though even George Washington has some value.domin8brix said:
Pros:
-135lbs gone for me. That's wild. Basically the size of another human being. Seeing those scale numbers is genuinely wild.
-No more looking pregnant, which means no more strangers wandering up asking my due date or rubbing my belly expecting a baby kick (something is going to kick them, guaranteed.)
-My overall health improved dramatically: sleep apnea gone, asthma treatment no longer needed, and a whole list of prescriptions either reduced or dropped entirely.
-These days doctors ALMOST actually treat me like a real patient, instead of telling me "if you'd lose weight, you wouldn't have whatever ailment that has nothing to do with weight."
-My back got repaired, which meant avoiding paralysis, and I got 2 1/2 inches of height back.
-Running is something I can do now, and I do a lot of it. Lifting heavy too. I'm strong AF.
-Pretty much any outfit works for me. A good chunk of my wardrobe is kids sizes now, which is a total flip from never finding anything big enough.
-Strangers treat me better these days, like I've suddenly earned worth and permission to exist, at least when they aren't throwing shade or dismissing how hard I worked.
-Summer heat no longer destroys me.
-Being unrecognizable means I don't have to talk to people lol (seriously such a massive perk!)
-Nearly every nice dinner out stretches into 3-4 meals for me.
Cons:
-Loose skin on my belly hides the progress I've made, and getting it removed costs more than a car. The turkey neck situation can be partially handled with Botox, but that's another hefty bill.
-I can't perceive my actual appearance--the mirror still shows that fat person, and I still call myself fata**.
-Keeping this up is pricey...Botox runs more, GLPs, protein products, meat, all of it. And replacing my wardrobe wasn't cheap either. (Kids clothes cost way less though, so that's a win!)
-The time commitment for maintenance is huge--rebuilding muscle lost to rapid weight loss plus recovery from major surgeries has been a long, hard road. Meal prep, keeping GLPs stocked, way more Botox than before, all of it.
-Scale fluctuations set off my OCD badly. Tirz helps with that, but sometimes it turns into a full compulsion spiral.
-People can be nasty, and while I'm perfectly capable of handling it impolitely, it's still irritating. Also bizarre: despite being visibly ripped, folks assume I'm some fragile weakling.
-Men still don't approach me (mostly fine with that
-Dehydration hits me SUPER fast, so I'm constantly pounding electrolytes because water passes through me quicker than most people (bariatric surgery related). Tournament weekends mean hauling a ton of water just to stay hydrated.
-This ties more to the bariatric side, but spontaneous meals out aren't possible. Timing and planning are always involved.
Absolutely yes about the sweating. I can spend all day at a summer baseball tournament or go for a lunchtime run in jeans when it's 95 degrees, and yeah I sweat, but I'm not dying of heat exhaustion! That's huge.cheaperseeker said:
83 lbs gone, and I'm holding steady.
Flying, without a doubt! Beyond just having more room in the seat, these days I'm typically pulling the belt tighter than the previous passenger left it, instead of letting it out nearly all the way.
Strangers treat me better when I'm out and about. Unfortunate, yet accurate.
Friends of my husband and kids say I'm hot.
No more perspiring from the tiniest bit of warmth or effort.
Needing a whole new wardrobe.
Loose skin hanging on my belly and beneath my chin.
And yes, hard chairs.
That extra skin though...ugh. I busted my ass to get ripped, and I know my abs are probably solid underneath, but the skin hides everything. If removal didn't cost a fortune, I'd do it in a heartbeat.
THAT. That's a big one. I don't see myself in the mirror at all. Side-by-side before and after photos have always been the only way I can kind of see it, and even then, I don't.
My therapist follows my instagram (my surgeon does too), and part of my therapy was posting a selfie or full body shot every single day so I could see what everyone else sees -- so any workout or progress post had to include one. I absolutely HATE it, I still hate it every damn day I post, and I always apologize to anyone who follows me because it's basically a vanity nightmare for me. Like my face is this whole sea for yeeears. I hate it.
Yeah, that makes sense. Women and their hypergamy also bring in their built-in pre-screening and social validation. It's because of the extra X chromosome. It comes naturally. It's instinctual. Why resist evolutionary psychology? It's as instinctual as dressing like you're hunting for a husband who's about to kick the bucket.domin8brix said:
Pros:
-135lbs gone for me. That's wild. Basically the size of another human being. Seeing those scale numbers is genuinely wild.
-No more looking pregnant, which means no more strangers wandering up asking my due date or rubbing my belly expecting a baby kick (something is going to kick them, guaranteed.)
-My overall health improved dramatically: sleep apnea gone, asthma treatment no longer needed, and a whole list of prescriptions either reduced or dropped entirely.
-These days doctors ALMOST actually treat me like a real patient, instead of telling me "if you'd lose weight, you wouldn't have whatever ailment that has nothing to do with weight."
-My back got repaired, which meant avoiding paralysis, and I got 2 1/2 inches of height back.
-Running is something I can do now, and I do a lot of it. Lifting heavy too. I'm strong AF.
-Pretty much any outfit works for me. A good chunk of my wardrobe is kids sizes now, which is a total flip from never finding anything big enough.
-Strangers treat me better these days, like I've suddenly earned worth and permission to exist, at least when they aren't throwing shade or dismissing how hard I worked.
-Summer heat no longer destroys me.
-Being unrecognizable means I don't have to talk to people lol (seriously such a massive perk!)
-Nearly every nice dinner out stretches into 3-4 meals for me.
Cons:
-Loose skin on my belly hides the progress I've made, and getting it removed costs more than a car. The turkey neck situation can be partially handled with Botox, but that's another hefty bill.
-I can't perceive my actual appearance--the mirror still shows that fat person, and I still call myself fata**.
-Keeping this up is pricey...Botox runs more, GLPs, protein products, meat, all of it. And replacing my wardrobe wasn't cheap either. (Kids clothes cost way less though, so that's a win!)
-The time commitment for maintenance is huge--rebuilding muscle lost to rapid weight loss plus recovery from major surgeries has been a long, hard road. Meal prep, keeping GLPs stocked, way more Botox than before, all of it.
-Scale fluctuations set off my OCD badly. Tirz helps with that, but sometimes it turns into a full compulsion spiral.
-People can be nasty, and while I'm perfectly capable of handling it impolitely, it's still irritating. Also bizarre: despite being visibly ripped, folks assume I'm some fragile weakling.
-Men still don't approach me (mostly fine with that
-Dehydration hits me SUPER fast, so I'm constantly pounding electrolytes because water passes through me quicker than most people (bariatric surgery related). Tournament weekends mean hauling a ton of water just to stay hydrated.
-This ties more to the bariatric side, but spontaneous meals out aren't possible. Timing and planning are always involved.
Absolutely yes about the sweating. I can spend all day at a summer baseball tournament or go for a lunchtime run in jeans when it's 95 degrees, and yeah I sweat, but I'm not dying of heat exhaustion! That's huge.cheaperseeker said:
83 lbs gone, and I'm holding steady.
Flying, without a doubt! Beyond just having more room in the seat, these days I'm typically pulling the belt tighter than the previous passenger left it, instead of letting it out nearly all the way.
Strangers treat me better when I'm out and about. Unfortunate, yet accurate.
Friends of my husband and kids say I'm hot.
No more perspiring from the tiniest bit of warmth or effort.
Needing a whole new wardrobe.
Loose skin hanging on my belly and beneath my chin.
And yes, hard chairs.
That extra skin though...ugh. I busted my ass to get ripped, and I know my abs are probably solid underneath, but the skin hides everything. If removal didn't cost a fortune, I'd do it in a heartbeat.
THAT. That's a big one. I don't see myself in the mirror at all. Side-by-side before and after photos have always been the only way I can kind of see it, and even then, I don't.
My therapist follows my instagram (my surgeon does too), and part of my therapy was posting a selfie or full body shot every single day so I could see what everyone else sees -- so any workout or progress post had to include one. I absolutely HATE it, I still hate it every damn day I post, and I always apologize to anyone who follows me because it's basically a vanity nightmare for me. Like my face is this whole sea for yeeears. I hate it.
Yeah, my problem is the reverse. Stick me in the Grand Canyon, and it'll become a riverbank. I mean, there's hyperhidrosis, and then there's the level beyond it—me.domin8brix said:
Pros:
-135lbs gone for me. That's wild. Basically the size of another human being. Seeing those scale numbers is genuinely wild.
-No more looking pregnant, which means no more strangers wandering up asking my due date or rubbing my belly expecting a baby kick (something is going to kick them, guaranteed.)
-My overall health improved dramatically: sleep apnea gone, asthma treatment no longer needed, and a whole list of prescriptions either reduced or dropped entirely.
-These days doctors ALMOST actually treat me like a real patient, instead of telling me "if you'd lose weight, you wouldn't have whatever ailment that has nothing to do with weight."
-My back got repaired, which meant avoiding paralysis, and I got 2 1/2 inches of height back.
-Running is something I can do now, and I do a lot of it. Lifting heavy too. I'm strong AF.
-Pretty much any outfit works for me. A good chunk of my wardrobe is kids sizes now, which is a total flip from never finding anything big enough.
-Strangers treat me better these days, like I've suddenly earned worth and permission to exist, at least when they aren't throwing shade or dismissing how hard I worked.
-Summer heat no longer destroys me.
-Being unrecognizable means I don't have to talk to people lol (seriously such a massive perk!)
-Nearly every nice dinner out stretches into 3-4 meals for me.
Cons:
-Loose skin on my belly hides the progress I've made, and getting it removed costs more than a car. The turkey neck situation can be partially handled with Botox, but that's another hefty bill.
-I can't perceive my actual appearance--the mirror still shows that fat person, and I still call myself fata**.
-Keeping this up is pricey...Botox runs more, GLPs, protein products, meat, all of it. And replacing my wardrobe wasn't cheap either. (Kids clothes cost way less though, so that's a win!)
-The time commitment for maintenance is huge--rebuilding muscle lost to rapid weight loss plus recovery from major surgeries has been a long, hard road. Meal prep, keeping GLPs stocked, way more Botox than before, all of it.
-Scale fluctuations set off my OCD badly. Tirz helps with that, but sometimes it turns into a full compulsion spiral.
-People can be nasty, and while I'm perfectly capable of handling it impolitely, it's still irritating. Also bizarre: despite being visibly ripped, folks assume I'm some fragile weakling.
-Men still don't approach me (mostly fine with that
-Dehydration hits me SUPER fast, so I'm constantly pounding electrolytes because water passes through me quicker than most people (bariatric surgery related). Tournament weekends mean hauling a ton of water just to stay hydrated.
-This ties more to the bariatric side, but spontaneous meals out aren't possible. Timing and planning are always involved.
Absolutely yes about the sweating. I can spend all day at a summer baseball tournament or go for a lunchtime run in jeans when it's 95 degrees, and yeah I sweat, but I'm not dying of heat exhaustion! That's huge.cheaperseeker said:
83 lbs gone, and I'm holding steady.
Flying, without a doubt! Beyond just having more room in the seat, these days I'm typically pulling the belt tighter than the previous passenger left it, instead of letting it out nearly all the way.
Strangers treat me better when I'm out and about. Unfortunate, yet accurate.
Friends of my husband and kids say I'm hot.
No more perspiring from the tiniest bit of warmth or effort.
Needing a whole new wardrobe.
Loose skin hanging on my belly and beneath my chin.
And yes, hard chairs.
That extra skin though...ugh. I busted my ass to get ripped, and I know my abs are probably solid underneath, but the skin hides everything. If removal didn't cost a fortune, I'd do it in a heartbeat.
THAT. That's a big one. I don't see myself in the mirror at all. Side-by-side before and after photos have always been the only way I can kind of see it, and even then, I don't.
My therapist follows my instagram (my surgeon does too), and part of my therapy was posting a selfie or full body shot every single day so I could see what everyone else sees -- so any workout or progress post had to include one. I absolutely HATE it, I still hate it every damn day I post, and I always apologize to anyone who follows me because it's basically a vanity nightmare for me. Like my face is this whole sea for yeeears. I hate it.
When you're up against catties, you bring a laser. It drives them crazy, every single time. Yeah, politeness is overrated AF. Only the mission matters: No mercy. Let those futhercuckers head to North Korea.domin8brix said:
Pros:
-135lbs gone for me. That's wild. Basically the size of another human being. Seeing those scale numbers is genuinely wild.
-No more looking pregnant, which means no more strangers wandering up asking my due date or rubbing my belly expecting a baby kick (something is going to kick them, guaranteed.)
-My overall health improved dramatically: sleep apnea gone, asthma treatment no longer needed, and a whole list of prescriptions either reduced or dropped entirely.
-These days doctors ALMOST actually treat me like a real patient, instead of telling me "if you'd lose weight, you wouldn't have whatever ailment that has nothing to do with weight."
-My back got repaired, which meant avoiding paralysis, and I got 2 1/2 inches of height back.
-Running is something I can do now, and I do a lot of it. Lifting heavy too. I'm strong AF.
-Pretty much any outfit works for me. A good chunk of my wardrobe is kids sizes now, which is a total flip from never finding anything big enough.
-Strangers treat me better these days, like I've suddenly earned worth and permission to exist, at least when they aren't throwing shade or dismissing how hard I worked.
-Summer heat no longer destroys me.
-Being unrecognizable means I don't have to talk to people lol (seriously such a massive perk!)
-Nearly every nice dinner out stretches into 3-4 meals for me.
Cons:
-Loose skin on my belly hides the progress I've made, and getting it removed costs more than a car. The turkey neck situation can be partially handled with Botox, but that's another hefty bill.
-I can't perceive my actual appearance--the mirror still shows that fat person, and I still call myself fata**.
-Keeping this up is pricey...Botox runs more, GLPs, protein products, meat, all of it. And replacing my wardrobe wasn't cheap either. (Kids clothes cost way less though, so that's a win!)
-The time commitment for maintenance is huge--rebuilding muscle lost to rapid weight loss plus recovery from major surgeries has been a long, hard road. Meal prep, keeping GLPs stocked, way more Botox than before, all of it.
-Scale fluctuations set off my OCD badly. Tirz helps with that, but sometimes it turns into a full compulsion spiral.
-People can be nasty, and while I'm perfectly capable of handling it impolitely, it's still irritating. Also bizarre: despite being visibly ripped, folks assume I'm some fragile weakling.
-Men still don't approach me (mostly fine with that
-Dehydration hits me SUPER fast, so I'm constantly pounding electrolytes because water passes through me quicker than most people (bariatric surgery related). Tournament weekends mean hauling a ton of water just to stay hydrated.
-This ties more to the bariatric side, but spontaneous meals out aren't possible. Timing and planning are always involved.
Absolutely yes about the sweating. I can spend all day at a summer baseball tournament or go for a lunchtime run in jeans when it's 95 degrees, and yeah I sweat, but I'm not dying of heat exhaustion! That's huge.cheaperseeker said:
83 lbs gone, and I'm holding steady.
Flying, without a doubt! Beyond just having more room in the seat, these days I'm typically pulling the belt tighter than the previous passenger left it, instead of letting it out nearly all the way.
Strangers treat me better when I'm out and about. Unfortunate, yet accurate.
Friends of my husband and kids say I'm hot.
No more perspiring from the tiniest bit of warmth or effort.
Needing a whole new wardrobe.
Loose skin hanging on my belly and beneath my chin.
And yes, hard chairs.
That extra skin though...ugh. I busted my ass to get ripped, and I know my abs are probably solid underneath, but the skin hides everything. If removal didn't cost a fortune, I'd do it in a heartbeat.
THAT. That's a big one. I don't see myself in the mirror at all. Side-by-side before and after photos have always been the only way I can kind of see it, and even then, I don't.
My therapist follows my instagram (my surgeon does too), and part of my therapy was posting a selfie or full body shot every single day so I could see what everyone else sees -- so any workout or progress post had to include one. I absolutely HATE it, I still hate it every damn day I post, and I always apologize to anyone who follows me because it's basically a vanity nightmare for me. Like my face is this whole sea for yeeears. I hate it.
Exactly. "Hands open doorknobs, legs break down doors"—Thunderlegs. Kick away.domin8brix said:
Pros:
-135lbs gone for me. That's wild. Basically the size of another human being. Seeing those scale numbers is genuinely wild.
-No more looking pregnant, which means no more strangers wandering up asking my due date or rubbing my belly expecting a baby kick (something is going to kick them, guaranteed.)
-My overall health improved dramatically: sleep apnea gone, asthma treatment no longer needed, and a whole list of prescriptions either reduced or dropped entirely.
-These days doctors ALMOST actually treat me like a real patient, instead of telling me "if you'd lose weight, you wouldn't have whatever ailment that has nothing to do with weight."
-My back got repaired, which meant avoiding paralysis, and I got 2 1/2 inches of height back.
-Running is something I can do now, and I do a lot of it. Lifting heavy too. I'm strong AF.
-Pretty much any outfit works for me. A good chunk of my wardrobe is kids sizes now, which is a total flip from never finding anything big enough.
-Strangers treat me better these days, like I've suddenly earned worth and permission to exist, at least when they aren't throwing shade or dismissing how hard I worked.
-Summer heat no longer destroys me.
-Being unrecognizable means I don't have to talk to people lol (seriously such a massive perk!)
-Nearly every nice dinner out stretches into 3-4 meals for me.
Cons:
-Loose skin on my belly hides the progress I've made, and getting it removed costs more than a car. The turkey neck situation can be partially handled with Botox, but that's another hefty bill.
-I can't perceive my actual appearance--the mirror still shows that fat person, and I still call myself fata**.
-Keeping this up is pricey...Botox runs more, GLPs, protein products, meat, all of it. And replacing my wardrobe wasn't cheap either. (Kids clothes cost way less though, so that's a win!)
-The time commitment for maintenance is huge--rebuilding muscle lost to rapid weight loss plus recovery from major surgeries has been a long, hard road. Meal prep, keeping GLPs stocked, way more Botox than before, all of it.
-Scale fluctuations set off my OCD badly. Tirz helps with that, but sometimes it turns into a full compulsion spiral.
-People can be nasty, and while I'm perfectly capable of handling it impolitely, it's still irritating. Also bizarre: despite being visibly ripped, folks assume I'm some fragile weakling.
-Men still don't approach me (mostly fine with that
-Dehydration hits me SUPER fast, so I'm constantly pounding electrolytes because water passes through me quicker than most people (bariatric surgery related). Tournament weekends mean hauling a ton of water just to stay hydrated.
-This ties more to the bariatric side, but spontaneous meals out aren't possible. Timing and planning are always involved.
Absolutely yes about the sweating. I can spend all day at a summer baseball tournament or go for a lunchtime run in jeans when it's 95 degrees, and yeah I sweat, but I'm not dying of heat exhaustion! That's huge.cheaperseeker said:
83 lbs gone, and I'm holding steady.
Flying, without a doubt! Beyond just having more room in the seat, these days I'm typically pulling the belt tighter than the previous passenger left it, instead of letting it out nearly all the way.
Strangers treat me better when I'm out and about. Unfortunate, yet accurate.
Friends of my husband and kids say I'm hot.
No more perspiring from the tiniest bit of warmth or effort.
Needing a whole new wardrobe.
Loose skin hanging on my belly and beneath my chin.
And yes, hard chairs.
That extra skin though...ugh. I busted my ass to get ripped, and I know my abs are probably solid underneath, but the skin hides everything. If removal didn't cost a fortune, I'd do it in a heartbeat.
THAT. That's a big one. I don't see myself in the mirror at all. Side-by-side before and after photos have always been the only way I can kind of see it, and even then, I don't.
My therapist follows my instagram (my surgeon does too), and part of my therapy was posting a selfie or full body shot every single day so I could see what everyone else sees -- so any workout or progress post had to include one. I absolutely HATE it, I still hate it every damn day I post, and I always apologize to anyone who follows me because it's basically a vanity nightmare for me. Like my face is this whole sea for yeeears. I hate it.
Yeah, see, it's hardwired in us. You might deadlift more than us, but our Y chromosome doesn't have eyes.domin8brix said:
Pros:
-135lbs gone for me. That's wild. Basically the size of another human being. Seeing those scale numbers is genuinely wild.
-No more looking pregnant, which means no more strangers wandering up asking my due date or rubbing my belly expecting a baby kick (something is going to kick them, guaranteed.)
-My overall health improved dramatically: sleep apnea gone, asthma treatment no longer needed, and a whole list of prescriptions either reduced or dropped entirely.
-These days doctors ALMOST actually treat me like a real patient, instead of telling me "if you'd lose weight, you wouldn't have whatever ailment that has nothing to do with weight."
-My back got repaired, which meant avoiding paralysis, and I got 2 1/2 inches of height back.
-Running is something I can do now, and I do a lot of it. Lifting heavy too. I'm strong AF.
-Pretty much any outfit works for me. A good chunk of my wardrobe is kids sizes now, which is a total flip from never finding anything big enough.
-Strangers treat me better these days, like I've suddenly earned worth and permission to exist, at least when they aren't throwing shade or dismissing how hard I worked.
-Summer heat no longer destroys me.
-Being unrecognizable means I don't have to talk to people lol (seriously such a massive perk!)
-Nearly every nice dinner out stretches into 3-4 meals for me.
Cons:
-Loose skin on my belly hides the progress I've made, and getting it removed costs more than a car. The turkey neck situation can be partially handled with Botox, but that's another hefty bill.
-I can't perceive my actual appearance--the mirror still shows that fat person, and I still call myself fata**.
-Keeping this up is pricey...Botox runs more, GLPs, protein products, meat, all of it. And replacing my wardrobe wasn't cheap either. (Kids clothes cost way less though, so that's a win!)
-The time commitment for maintenance is huge--rebuilding muscle lost to rapid weight loss plus recovery from major surgeries has been a long, hard road. Meal prep, keeping GLPs stocked, way more Botox than before, all of it.
-Scale fluctuations set off my OCD badly. Tirz helps with that, but sometimes it turns into a full compulsion spiral.
-People can be nasty, and while I'm perfectly capable of handling it impolitely, it's still irritating. Also bizarre: despite being visibly ripped, folks assume I'm some fragile weakling.
-Men still don't approach me (mostly fine with that
-Dehydration hits me SUPER fast, so I'm constantly pounding electrolytes because water passes through me quicker than most people (bariatric surgery related). Tournament weekends mean hauling a ton of water just to stay hydrated.
-This ties more to the bariatric side, but spontaneous meals out aren't possible. Timing and planning are always involved.
Absolutely yes about the sweating. I can spend all day at a summer baseball tournament or go for a lunchtime run in jeans when it's 95 degrees, and yeah I sweat, but I'm not dying of heat exhaustion! That's huge.cheaperseeker said:
83 lbs gone, and I'm holding steady.
Flying, without a doubt! Beyond just having more room in the seat, these days I'm typically pulling the belt tighter than the previous passenger left it, instead of letting it out nearly all the way.
Strangers treat me better when I'm out and about. Unfortunate, yet accurate.
Friends of my husband and kids say I'm hot.
No more perspiring from the tiniest bit of warmth or effort.
Needing a whole new wardrobe.
Loose skin hanging on my belly and beneath my chin.
And yes, hard chairs.
That extra skin though...ugh. I busted my ass to get ripped, and I know my abs are probably solid underneath, but the skin hides everything. If removal didn't cost a fortune, I'd do it in a heartbeat.
THAT. That's a big one. I don't see myself in the mirror at all. Side-by-side before and after photos have always been the only way I can kind of see it, and even then, I don't.
My therapist follows my instagram (my surgeon does too), and part of my therapy was posting a selfie or full body shot every single day so I could see what everyone else sees -- so any workout or progress post had to include one. I absolutely HATE it, I still hate it every damn day I post, and I always apologize to anyone who follows me because it's basically a vanity nightmare for me. Like my face is this whole sea for yeeears. I hate it.
I want this. Right now. Give.domin8brix said:
Pros:
-135lbs gone for me. That's wild. Basically the size of another human being. Seeing those scale numbers is genuinely wild.
-No more looking pregnant, which means no more strangers wandering up asking my due date or rubbing my belly expecting a baby kick (something is going to kick them, guaranteed.)
-My overall health improved dramatically: sleep apnea gone, asthma treatment no longer needed, and a whole list of prescriptions either reduced or dropped entirely.
-These days doctors ALMOST actually treat me like a real patient, instead of telling me "if you'd lose weight, you wouldn't have whatever ailment that has nothing to do with weight."
-My back got repaired, which meant avoiding paralysis, and I got 2 1/2 inches of height back.
-Running is something I can do now, and I do a lot of it. Lifting heavy too. I'm strong AF.
-Pretty much any outfit works for me. A good chunk of my wardrobe is kids sizes now, which is a total flip from never finding anything big enough.
-Strangers treat me better these days, like I've suddenly earned worth and permission to exist, at least when they aren't throwing shade or dismissing how hard I worked.
-Summer heat no longer destroys me.
-Being unrecognizable means I don't have to talk to people lol (seriously such a massive perk!)
-Nearly every nice dinner out stretches into 3-4 meals for me.
Cons:
-Loose skin on my belly hides the progress I've made, and getting it removed costs more than a car. The turkey neck situation can be partially handled with Botox, but that's another hefty bill.
-I can't perceive my actual appearance--the mirror still shows that fat person, and I still call myself fata**.
-Keeping this up is pricey...Botox runs more, GLPs, protein products, meat, all of it. And replacing my wardrobe wasn't cheap either. (Kids clothes cost way less though, so that's a win!)
-The time commitment for maintenance is huge--rebuilding muscle lost to rapid weight loss plus recovery from major surgeries has been a long, hard road. Meal prep, keeping GLPs stocked, way more Botox than before, all of it.
-Scale fluctuations set off my OCD badly. Tirz helps with that, but sometimes it turns into a full compulsion spiral.
-People can be nasty, and while I'm perfectly capable of handling it impolitely, it's still irritating. Also bizarre: despite being visibly ripped, folks assume I'm some fragile weakling.
-Men still don't approach me (mostly fine with that
-Dehydration hits me SUPER fast, so I'm constantly pounding electrolytes because water passes through me quicker than most people (bariatric surgery related). Tournament weekends mean hauling a ton of water just to stay hydrated.
-This ties more to the bariatric side, but spontaneous meals out aren't possible. Timing and planning are always involved.
Absolutely yes about the sweating. I can spend all day at a summer baseball tournament or go for a lunchtime run in jeans when it's 95 degrees, and yeah I sweat, but I'm not dying of heat exhaustion! That's huge.cheaperseeker said:
83 lbs gone, and I'm holding steady.
Flying, without a doubt! Beyond just having more room in the seat, these days I'm typically pulling the belt tighter than the previous passenger left it, instead of letting it out nearly all the way.
Strangers treat me better when I'm out and about. Unfortunate, yet accurate.
Friends of my husband and kids say I'm hot.
No more perspiring from the tiniest bit of warmth or effort.
Needing a whole new wardrobe.
Loose skin hanging on my belly and beneath my chin.
And yes, hard chairs.
That extra skin though...ugh. I busted my ass to get ripped, and I know my abs are probably solid underneath, but the skin hides everything. If removal didn't cost a fortune, I'd do it in a heartbeat.
THAT. That's a big one. I don't see myself in the mirror at all. Side-by-side before and after photos have always been the only way I can kind of see it, and even then, I don't.
My therapist follows my instagram (my surgeon does too), and part of my therapy was posting a selfie or full body shot every single day so I could see what everyone else sees -- so any workout or progress post had to include one. I absolutely HATE it, I still hate it every damn day I post, and I always apologize to anyone who follows me because it's basically a vanity nightmare for me. Like my face is this whole sea for yeeears. I hate it.
-}-Oh yes, and personally, I still have no clue why, but losing around 80lbs suddenly caused patches of "chicken skin" on my body.
-}-On top of that, my skin dries out fast, nearly as quickly as something else does when The View comes on TV.
-}-That same appendage, allergic to The View, is now dealing with a delusion typically found in those lacking a Y chromosome. It believes it's Forever 21.
So I've begun looking into going overseas for plastics, though it still feels pretty intimidating. For face work, South Korea stands out; for the body, I've been told Mexico, Brazil and above all Turkey are strong options. Even so, I can't get myself to commit to doing it in another country. I know a few people who had tummy tucks done nearby — ranging from straightforward panniculectomies all the way to full fleur de lis 360s — and every one of them had a brutal recovery, the bigger procedures especially, given that it's essentially abdominal wall repair. Boarding a plane just days afterward, facing all those hours and layovers, doesn't appeal to me at all. Still, I've got to dress for the dying husband I'm after, so maybe it's worth it
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