Medial Thigh Lift

 The next cosmetic surgery has been a long time coming. It's been 12 years since I had my weight loss surgery and I have finally decided to venture into the next form of "feeling put together". On March 6th, 2024 (yep, just a few shorts weeks from now) I will be having a Medial Thigh lift. Having the excess skin on my inner thigh removed has been something I've wanted to have done for years and years, but because of the cost, and always feeling like it was something I should just deal with, I hadn't look into it previously. 

After what felt like ages, I decided to discuss the topic with James. He agreed that it would be ok to use the yearly bonus money he gets toward this procedure. I was thrilled! About 2 months ago I scheduled a consultation at what I felt was a well-reviewed surgeons office in Ypsi/Ann Arbor. The surgeon I met with was well spoken, clear, and made me feel comfortable. I really wanted to get two surgeries done at once, the thigh lift and a sort of Butt Lift, where the excess skin above my butt would have been removed. Sadly, that was an extra $!0,000 that I do not have. ugh. 

That was ok though, in due time I will get that done as well. For now, I have a thigh lift happening (very soon!) and I couldn't be happier about it. I don't quite know how to properly explain the total joy it will bring me to have this done. Although I always force myself to wear shorts, and swimsuits, I have always had a sense of unease about it. My loose skin isn't awful, but it doesn't look good, and it certainly makes me feel less confident and less physically attractive. Even though I realize, that isn't true.

I have my pre-op appointment scheduled for the 20th of this month.... everything will be paid for at that time and it won't be long after that the surgery is upon me. I can admit to being a bit nervous about this one. Unlike the tummy tucks, and breast surgeries, this one I can't hide as easily with the kind of clothes I want to wear if things go wrong. That has me a tad nervous. BUT.... all the reviews and pictures I have seen from this surgeon are excellent, so I know it will be fine. I will of course update after the surgery as soon as I am able. Hopefully the road to recovery won't be too painful.

Goal Reached!!

Well, it's been a very long time since I have posted anything in this blog, but I felt like it was finally time especially since I have some news that is simply AWESOME that I should have written about right away but just didn't make time for!! As you all know, I have been struggling for the last 5-7 years to get back to a weight that I feel more comfortable at. I was hovering for a while around 165 back around 2017 and thought that was not good, then later, I jumped up to 180-185 pounds and although not fat by any means (and still able to wear a bikini) I was NOT comfortable at all with how my body was looking in some regards, and also, I didn't like being that close to the 200-pound mark. That made me VERY nervous. I struggled for a couple years with being fully committed to what I needed to do so this goal could be reached. 

 About a year and a half ago however I decided it was time. I couldn't keep pushing it off anymore. It took longer than I would have liked simply because I had many, MANY trips that I took over that time period (one of them a month-long road trip by myself) and when you are traveling it can be hard to maintain a specific way of eating. But...I am happy to say that finally, after trying very hard and being diligent, have reached the goal weight I decided made me feel the most comfortable. 160 pounds! I know what you are thinking, I was so close to that years and years ago and thought I needed to be 150 pounds. But once I was at 180 for so long, I realized that actually 160 was a good look, and that I definitely didn't want to be around 145-150, because back then when I was, everyone and myself kind of thought I was looking a bit too skinny. So, here I am having reached the goal of 160 pounds. YAY!! Technically I am even lower than that, because this morning I was at 159.6. :) Gotta love it!

 

I posted about this the day of on social media website Facebook and Instagram... it happened about 4-5 days ago. I of course took the obligatory bikini pic, which I will post on here as well. lol It feels good to be at the weight that I wanted, and I really feel like I look great. I am so happy with myself, being able to maintain it, and looking and feeling awesome again when I am wearing certain types of clothes. I recently even tried on some lingerie that I haven't worn for awhile (not because I was too big for it) and when I put it on I couldn't help but think I looked so much better in it now than I did the last time I wore it. SUCCESS!! You can really see the difference in my face shape, and my arms. So there you have it, FINALLY.... I did it. I feel like it took me way too long but at least I can say I did it, and I feel really good about being able to maintain this as well. I will do my best to write in here again sooner though, I really need to be better about it.

 

Over and Over Again...

As always, I am still at a weight that is healthy, but not where I feel comfortable. I have written about this MANY times and every time I say what I will do and then I do it, for awhile... and then something happens that ruins it or derails it for awhile. It's frustrating and annoying to me. I realize though that this isn't anything new. I have a food problem. That is why I had weight loss surgery in the first place. If it was easy for me to lose weight I wouldn't have gotten fat to begin with. My lowest weight after all the nips and tucks was 145 pounds. That proved to be too skinny and not look as good on me. I eventually got up to 160 and was very happy right there. Looking good and felt good. About 4-5 years ago however I ended up weighing 170-173 pounds steadily. I don't really know for sure what made that happen. Could be many factors I suppose. Not watching my fat and caloric intake well is the most likely culprit. I wasn't happy with that number, but not unhappy either since I still looked good and felt sexy.

Recently I was asked to be a bridesmaid in a friends wedding and excitedly said yes. My first thought was, I need to get back down to weighing 160 pounds because I need to feel my best for her wedding pictures and look the best I can FOR HER for these photos. I was doing good...started at 174 pounds and lost 3 in just a couple weeks... then I went on a trip for 5 days to New Orleans and of course ate tons of fatty yummy food while there gaining that whole 3 pounds back. THEN, after that I somehow managed to gain an additional 4-5 pounds and now as of this morning I weigh an annoying 180 pounds! ugh... quite frankly I am sad and disappointed in myself. How did this happen? Why did this happen? It all comes down to me and not doing what I already know I should be doing. It's as simple as that really.

SO...enough of the whole, "I'm gonna do this/that/and the other thing starting right now." bullshit. For now on I either do it or I don't, and I don't complain about it anymore. I know how to manage my weight, I know how to live this lifestyle post surgery, and I either do it or don't. Simple. Period. End of story. So no longer will I be bringing this up. The next time you hear from me will either be to say that I did it and reached that 160 pound goal (or very close) or you won't hear from me at all about it because that means I wasn't making an effort. And if I wasn't making a strong effort, then that means it must not be very important to me.

I am so thankful that I was able to have weight loss surgery, I am so thankful it worked and that after that I had tummy tucks and breast lifts/implants. It was painful, but worth it! After that comes management, and really self management is the hardest part of all. No joke! So...there ya go... no more complaints. Cross my heart!

P.S. Yes, this picture is current. Just a few days ago.

Photo Shoot Fun

     One thing I want to be sure to do while I can is take the time to take pictures of myself while I'm feeling good about not just my looks, but my health overall.  4 years ago I did a photo shoot just for fun, and in 2018 I did it again.  I feel like it will be great to be older and look back on these images.  To see all the hard work and effort that I put in to stay healthy.  It's been 7 years since I had my weight loss surgery, and although I have put on 15 pounds over the last few years from not watching my calories like I should, I still look great and feel great!  It's important to celebrate that have fun beautiful images to commemorate it.  Hope enjoy looking at a few of them. I am having them printed, and putting them in an album.

New Scale

I went without owning a scale for about 3 months.  Pretty good really when you consider that I had been weighing myself every day for years now, sometimes twice a day.  But it was getting unhealthy to be weighing myself that often and I had finally decided it was best to get rid of it and force myself to have a withdrawal of sorts. It felt good.  Good to be focusing on just being being happy with how I looked and not worrying that I weigh a bit more than I would like. 

But everything comes to an end, and at some point you have to get a scale so you can keep track of your health.  I went on Amazon and found one that had great reviews and purchased it. Getting ready to do an official weigh in had me nervous, but I step on it ready for the worst. I was glad to see that although I hadn't lost any weight, I hadn't gained any either.  I was still holding steady at 171 pounds. Not what I want, but it's also fine. I keep on trying to remind myself that I look good, and feel good, and there isn't any reason  to be upset.  Of course that is difficult when you want to see the same low number you once did before, and look the same as you did with that low number, but life isn't easy, you gotta work hard, and I know I haven't been working as hard at losing it as I could be. This blog is full of me telling you guys how I am back on the exercise wagon and doing well, I am gonna lose that 15 pounds! lol  But then I don't, and fall back off.  I do well enough to maintain this weight, but man it's tough to lose the extra.

I guess in the end I am in a sense back to where I was when I was fat, mentally speaking at least.  I can continue to be this weight, and be content, or I can work harder and lose that weight. It's all a choice. Right now I am making some better choices, exercising a bit more, and I started drinking some Slim Fast shakes (not to supplement meals, but because they have 20 grams of protein and 1 gram of sugar. I am not eating my protein bars any more, since I basically got addicted to them, so these drinks will help me keep my protein up. And they taste ok, so it could be worse. lol

Right now I am sticking to only weighing myself once a week, Sunday morning.  I think that is a good day. It's hard to not step on it and take a peek... but I am managing. This weight loss journey never ends. Weight loss surgery isn't a magic pill, it can't fix your mental problems with eating, but it is a great tool that helps you lose weight quick and live a healthier life.  Still the second best decision I ever made (1st being marrying my husband) and I don't regret it at all. I look good, I feel good, and most importantly, I have made a healthier life for myself. 

 

New Swimsuit in the Winter

New swimsuit is all set! Yes!  Stretch marks, loose skin, scars, etc. Doesn't matter because six years after weight loss surgery I'm still feeling good. Do I still want to lose that pesky extra 10-15 pounds? Sure I do. But damn it I still look awesome. Can't wait to wear this on our 20th anniversary cruise this summer. Hurry up July!

6 Years!

Link to a video about my 6 year check up.  :)  How has it been that long already?

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10155933437063000&id=514672999