This picture was taken in 2001, on a vacation in St. Martin. I was a size 18 here, and probably around 215. I must say...I was rocking that bikini as a plus size girl. No rolls. No stretch marks. My stretch marks were just reaching the bottom of my belly button by this point. I vowed not to let them move any farther up. Needless to say, I gained over 115 pounds over the course of the next 8 years and the stretch marks moved WAY above my belly button. This is one of the things that shames and
disappoints me the most. But hey...it's reality and I must deal. The thing with stretch marks is, you stomach doesn't just snap back. You have ripped your skin, and even with weight loss, working out, etc...only so much can happen. I know this is a big concern for many who get banded. The EXTRA SKIN. I was concerned but really it was small potatoes compared to all the good the band could bring me. I thought I would share my belly pictures with you so you could see what it looks like for me. I started at 327, size 26/28. I am 5'4".
This is post-op what my belly looked like.
This is today.
A little closer look. My scars are darker than some because I tan them when we are on the beach.
Side shot.
And here is what it looks like when I bend over. I get this shot when I am blow drying my hair, doing yoga on
Wii half naked, or when I am "dancing".
And the side shot.
So there you have it! For your viewing pleasure my
wonderfuls :) I have to say that I really thought it would be a lot worse. Of course I have 40 more pounds to go so we shall see what happens then! Happy Saturday Friends!
This is post-op what my belly looked like.
This is today.
A little closer look. My scars are darker than some because I tan them when we are on the beach.
Side shot.
And here is what it looks like when I bend over. I get this shot when I am blow drying my hair, doing yoga on Wii half naked, or when I am "dancing".
And the side shot.
WOW. You and I are approximately the same height and same starting weight. If I look anything like that after losing 117+ lbs, I will be thrilled!!
ReplyDeleteGirl you look great! You know a little plastic surgery is nothing after all that we have been through, if I have to have a little lift and tuck I am not worried about it. It's just one more step to find that skinny bitch that lives inside me!! xoxo Jenn
ReplyDeleteHmmm that body looks familiar ;). You are rocking the hourglass figure!
ReplyDeleteIts really not that bad at all considering how much you have lost. Pop out a few babies then get the tummy tuck! That is my plan (the baby part already done).
Thanks for posting this, you are brave!!!!
P.S. Love the cute polka dot bikinis! They look great!
ReplyDeleteYou look totally AWESOME! I hope that my weightloss goes down the same path. Thanks for being such an inspiration and cheerleader!
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing your transformation! You are going to be smoking hot (and already are now) at another 40 pounds down!
ReplyDeleteP.S. Are those VS undies? If so, I have that same pair!!!
Amy: you look fabulous!! And alittle extra skin, pfft, who gives a crap-- unless it really bothers YOU or gets in your way.
ReplyDeleteYou are already looking totally amazing, I cannot even imagine what you'll be looking like in 40 lbs!! And feeling like!!!
Amazing.
I'm with Gen on this one - have a couple of kids, blame it on them, and then get a nip and tuck! YBTW, you look fantastic in a bikini!!
ReplyDeleteIll have to show my belly now LOL.
ReplyDeleteLooking mighty fine there, Amy! It's funny, my above the belly button stretch marks run horizontally, rather than vertically. It'll be interesting to see how my tummy looks at 100 pounds lost.
ReplyDeleteHorrific, completely horrific! Oh, no...that's MY 'Before's' and 'During's'.
ReplyDeleteYOU on the other hand, look great!!! You're rockin' the best 100lb. lost belly I've seen yet! You doing crunches while you blog girl? -BG
I've said it before, but I'll say it again... you have one of the most beautiful hourglass, well proportioned bodies I've seen. Looking at your first "after" photo, I'm just plain envious.
ReplyDeleteAnd seriously? Your loose skin doesn't look bad at all. You have lost the weight slower than with GB and I have friends who were your approximate size (one is 5'3" and weighed 319 at the time of her surgery) who have far more loose skin and in bad places like around the ankles and such. Your active nature (even simply walking to the beach or doing lots of both kinds of dancing ;) ) is what is snapping everything back a lot better for you.
Snaps, sista-friend!
Oh, and Liv says your panties are very cute. :)
Amy you look amazing!!!
ReplyDeleteI saw my dermatologist last week and talked to her about my scars and stretch marks. She said to use Mederema they have one with SPF now!!
And I talked to her about stretch marks and she said to put 50spf on them so they don't get darker and gave me the name of a plastic surgeon that does Radiation treatment to remove stretch marks. BUT that won't be taken care of until after I pop out a few rug rats :)
http://betterbanded.blogspot.com/
Oh trust me. It could def be worse. Just took some body shots myself and will post soon.
ReplyDeleteI keep looking at my stomach and wondering if I had three sets of triplets are some point. I would kill for your relatively smooth stomach. It's actually really cute you know (yours, not mine).
:-)
You look absolutely fantastic! I will be thrilled if I have a belly like yours, but I think my damage is far worse. Love the polka dots. ;)
ReplyDeleteI am so jealous! I carry pretty much all my weight in my stomach. I had stomach rolls starting at a size 10 on up and now being back down to an 8/10 by stomach is a mess. I have a ps consult but I probably won't get called till right around when we move :(. Gotta love military medicine.
ReplyDeleteGirlfriend, you are looking GOOD! Like some other posters, I'd be thrilled to look like that at goal, let alone 40 lbs from goal!!!! Job well-done, my friend.
ReplyDeleteAmy
Thanks so much for sharing Amy.. Firstly, you are looking so freakin good.. and secondly, I am not so fearfull of how I will look when I have lost more weight.. You have got great shape..
ReplyDeletexx Nene
Girl, you look great! I love the shot of you on the boat, such a candid photo, and you look so happy :) It means a lot that you post these of you, its very inspiring for me!
ReplyDeleteI should be so lucky that mine looks that "bad", you look great girl.
ReplyDeleteAmy, you must be psychic, cause I've been thinking about this today! You are looking good, girlfriend!
ReplyDeleteYour have such great shape now so just focus on the end result and worry about any skin issues later.
ReplyDeleteAlso I know its late but I am addicted to The Happiness Project blog and trying to find the book in Australia but I think I will have to buy it online and wait 2 weeks for it to be sent down under.
Look at your waist!!! Now at an info session on banding I met a guy who had lost 80kg (176 lbs) and he said a year after he reached his goal weight his skin was ok....just took a little longer to catch up. Anyway...you look fab to me
ReplyDeleteAwesome! You look great. Really.
ReplyDeleteAmes,
ReplyDeleteYou really do have the most beautiful shape - that one of you with that tapered waist?? - amazing. And even though your tum has some extras hanging on (you should try it after four kids.. nuff said..) it still doesn't look terrible.. seriously.
I would think it looks different in real life than in a pic, too (You know when you look at yourself then take a pic and go.. sheet, how come it comes out different in a photo.. pfft) Be proud, girl. You are so beautiful!!
PS LOVE the bikini shot. Hubba hubba!!
You carry your weight totally different than me.. these pictures make that completely clear. I will never have your stomach. I will need to chop off a big ol' apron I think... ick.
ReplyDeleteYou look great... seriously.
can I say I am jealous? cause I am lol So funny how we all carry weight differently. I'm 5'8" and at 303 lbs (my highest) I wore a 26, now at 215 I'm down to an 18-ish, wear some 20's too. I would absolutely love for my stomach to look like that! Weight loss does not look anywhere near as good on me as it does you, but then you have had years of dance and cheerleading, where I've never been the least bit athletic. My stomach is giving me problems with weight loss, lots of rashes, drives me mad. I could never afford a tummy tuck, 'less I win the lotto, but I don't play, so that won't work lol
ReplyDeleteNeedless to say, I think you look fabulous, keep up the great work! Oh, and excellent job on crossing that bridge today!!!
Wow you have a sensational figure - it looks way better than my body half naked that's for sure! I'm down to a size 14 (aust - so I guess that's a 10-12 US?) and I have the most god awful stomach flap happening. Plus upper stomach yuck and definate lines where my hip and thigh meet - I can't wear bikini undies for love nor money! Have told the boy that after we sprout a rugrat I'm saving for a tummy tuck!
ReplyDeleteEm :)
thanks for posting that. nothing like the scary pics i saw at the plastic surgeon presentation last week.
ReplyDeletei am a lower stomach flap girl, myself. it won't be pretty in the end. sigh.
Girl, you look amazing. Thank you for sharing these pics. I have stressed about this so much, as if my stomach looks good now....hello!
ReplyDeleteI am definitely an hour glass too, so if I could end up looking like you, I'll be so happy with the results. Honestly, your tummy looks better now than some of the post tummy tuck pics I've seen on LBT. Rock on with your bad self!
Tessie
Just had to say "WOW" at your bravery for posting tummy shots. I can't bring myself to post any revealing "before" shots. Maybe soon. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI wish I looked that good. No way in hell I am posting my gut shots! :) You look amazing... as always.
ReplyDeleteYou look great!
ReplyDeletei am going through old posts on your blog cuz like i said i just joined so im going backwards some days through it
ReplyDeletebut i came to the tummy pics and all i can say
issssssssssssss
you look amazing
i think i would die for your stomach lol
i am not brave enough to post pics like that
but unfortunately i have more skin hangage then that and i had a c section and there is just a flap of skin now
its horrid
so im jealous
i hope thta make you feel good somone jealous of your skin lol
HOW FREAKIN BRAVE OF YOU TO POST THOSE LAST FEW PICS! I have taken a few pics of myself like that just to have personally for comparisons. My saggy stomach (when leaning over like that) is way worse than yours but it's from my second pregnancy. So I definetley want a tummy tuck in the future, when I know I'm done having kids.
ReplyDeleteAnd the front shot, your waist is so teeny tiny and it's amazing the progress you've had!!!