did you know what you would look like?

I was thinking about this all day yesterday. I'm trying to visual my self losing 100% of my excess weight after surgery.  Now, mind you, like many of us, I have never, ever been my ideal weight.  Guess what?  I can't picture it?  I know what I'll look like after losing some weight, but I realized that I have no idea what I'm going to look like when I get to or close to goal. Did you have an idea of what you would look like?

Yes, other than the wrinkles from age...lol I don't have too many...I was a size 10/12 - 9 years ago.  I'm hoping that when I hit my goal I will look similar to what I was, although my goal is my HS weight...20 pounds less than what I was 9 years ago...lol  Understand that gibberish?  LOL

You crack me up, Cheri! I'm thinking if you are shooting to weigh 20 lbs. less than you used to, you will quite a bit smaller than a 10/12.  Go for it baby!

We'll see...I'm 6 weeks out and I've lost 42 pounds.  I think by December, which is my goal achievement time frame (does that make sense), I can lose another 66 pounds.  If I don't, I don't consider myself a failure, just that I set my goal a little too high.  I will be having my first fill tomorrow and will definitely speak with the doc about what he feels my goal should be.  Back when I set my goal, I truly had no idea what I was doing, that's why I picked my HS weight.   Freakin creative, eh?  I have my 30th HS Reunion on July 3rd. I was hoping to hit a size 14.  I know I won't do that.  I also know that if I never lost another pound I would be so happy with the 42 pounds, especially knowing where my head is regarding the WLS and what I have done psychologically to get my head on straight.  Doc is gonna see my legs with 3" heels hanging off them tomorrow!!!   I'm STOKED!

Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

I love you guys!!!!!!!!!!!!

That's a very interesting question Rachelle, but before I answer, I have a comment. The approximate goal of Weight loss surgery is to lose 70% of your excess weight. Some people lose more, and some less. I say this, because I was hopeful that all my weight (100%) would be lost by the surgery alone, and that is not what happened in reality. I did lose about 70% as a direct result of the surgery. The rest was lost ( and is still being lost) the ol' fashioned way and that can be very frustrating. It's a lifelong process, I guess. Time and patience and hard work and not giving up on the goal.
That said, I had an inkling of what I would look like, but it was well over 20 years ago that I was anywhere near normal weight pre-baby, no extra skin, etc. My body has changed a lot since then. I have a lot of lose skin from the massive weight loss. I have post nursing boobs (!), I have wrinkles. I have rediscovered my tiny waistline, and that was a joy and a rebirth. 
I still hold on to an old fat image of myself though and even though I'm over a year post op, I still have times when I don't recognize myself in the glass of a storefront window as I'm passing by ("who's that? OMG, that's me!")
Whatever the outcome, I'm sure you'll be thrilled. It is truly wonderful.
Good question!
xoxoAim 

Thanks Amy!  I do know that the goal is to lose 70% of excess weight.  That being said, I think all of us aim for 100% loss.  My thought process is, if I could lose at least 50% of my excess, then I will be 100% better off health wise.  By that time, I will be able to exercise quite a bit more than I can now.  I know it might be difficult to lose that last 25%-30% of weight.  While I am obviously shooting for 100% of my excess weight gone (120 lbs), if I lost 70% (83 lbs.) I would be estatic. Thank you so much for your imput Amy. 

What a good question! I never visualized, I just figured I'd look thinner!  I didn't think that far ahead either maybe because the "one day at a time" has been drummed into my head for so long. I had a very round face and now it's very angular.  Everybody, but everybody who sees me, says I look just like my mother (we're both in my album). My brother in Florida came up to visit and hadn't seen me since last June.  He said, my God, your face is so angular....you look like a different person!   Good luck to you! Sue

 

Hi Susan, I never thought of the shape of my face changing.  I know it will get thinner, so I'll just have to wait and see. Thanks hun.

Hello hun, I have to agree with Amy on that one, 100% is very hard to hit. The surgery alone is 70% - 85% of your excess weight the rest has to come from you and like Amy said the ol' fashioned way! WOW that is so hard but this whole thing is just so awesome!!! For me I was less then what I weigh now when I was 16 years old but of course I can not get there anymore since I am almost 42.....ekkkkk... But the changes really do take me by suprise at times.... Feels really great but sometimes hard to handle if that makes sense to you right now? but give it time it will....  I am so excited for you hun and can not wait until you are on your way!!!

Hi Ms. Debra, I am so inspired by you and you have reached me in ways you will never know. I know at this age (43) and having yo-yo'd my whole life, it will be alot of work to get to 100%.  I also realize that I may not want to get that small.  I've never been there, so I am simply going by charts and calculators.  I think that's why I'm having such a hard time visualizing what I might look like.  I've never been thin or even anywhere near it. Believe me, once my time finally comes to have surgery, I am going to make sure I work it and use as the wonderful tool I know it can be.