belly bigger even after lipo and tummy tuck

S

shell2l

Cathlete
OK, I am going to totally complain here but I am very frustrated.

3 years ago I was working out at Curves and had dropped about 25 pounds. I was really happy with myself and saw great improvement in my body. However, I had a roll of fat on the bottom of my stomach that wouldn't budge. It was from pregnancies(I have 2 daughters). Anyways, I went to a plastic surgeon to get a consult.

I also wanted him to even out my breasts as one was 1/2 cup bigger and drooped a lot more than the other one.

Anyways, I went ahead and had a mini tummy tuck with liposuction that July('03), then in August I went back in and had my breasts evened out and lipo on my legs.

I was feeling great because I had lost weight and then lost all the hanging stuff left over. I was down to about 130 and I am 5'2". I went out and bought size 6 pants and even one size 4. I think I was a size 4 in 5th grade!!

Fast forward 9 months. I felt that my belly button was sticking out so I went in and he said I had a hernia and he did a hernia operation with more lipo.

Fast foward 1 year after that. I felt my legs were still big and went back in for more lipo. on my inner/outer thighs, belly, and back.

Fast forward to now. I am now up to 145 in weight. I have moved on from Curves to LifeTime because I felt that Curves didn't challenge me enough.

I love LifeTime fitness but it is 1/2 hour drive so I decided to buy many Cathe tapes to do on the days I don't go to the gym.

I have made a workout area in the basement with the floor that comes in puzzle shapes and is cushioned for aerobics, bought 2 pair of Enlight II shoes, bought running shoes for running ONLY, bought a treadmill, and many Cathe tapes.

Today getting ready for work I almost cried because my skirt was so tight in the waist and hips. Now mind you, this is the area I had lipo done on more than once!!!!!!!!!!! I can't fit in those 6's and the 4 is completely out of the question. Being a size 8 isn't a bad thing but at this rate I will be a size 28 before long!

I am so frustrated I just feel like giving up. I get bigger and bigger every year and my body won't even keep the shape from lipo!Now, 3 years later, I am almost back to where I was to begin with and I am still paying off the $10,000 it cost me to have all the lipo done!! All that money and nothing to show for it!

I forgot to mention that last January I went on Weight Watchers for 16 weeks and lost a whopping 3 pounds! I gave up on that and went back to not counting points or obsessing over points of food.

Anyone have a similar situation? Anyone have profound words of wisdom? I can't foresee myself ever not working out but I am not going to kill myself like I do if I just keep getting bigger. Might there be something wrong with me?

Melancholy Michelle x(
 
I'd say look at your diet instead of relying on surgery (dangerous as well as expensive) to keep your weight in check. You need something you can make a lifestyle, and a 'lipo lifestyle' doesn't seem that healthy to me.

You may need to tweak your exercise program as well. Curves may be good for a certain time, but I think one would hit a plateau on it, as there is not much you can do to change it up (I'm not speaking from experience with it, just from what I've seen in commercials, conversations I've had with others and their opinions).

You might want to consult with a doctor (NOT a lipo doctor) and see if there are any hormonal reasons (thyroid, etc.) for your lack of losing weight.
 
Hey Michelle - could you give us some details on what workouts you are doing and what your diet is like? I went to a plastic surgeon re: liposuction and he refused to even consider it until I had dropped 20 pounds. So how much and what kind of working out are you doing and what is the eating like? I've seen suggested ratios of the importance of w/o to diet like 20% exercise and 80% food. I know many will disagree, but FOR ME to lose weight, as an established exerciser, it is ALL ABOUT the food choices. So share some more details and perhaps we can help. Don't give up - don't ever give up.

Lorrie

Pain is temporary - quitting lasts forever
Candace Grasso, CC-V-6
 
Here's the deal with lipo and diet.

First of all, when we lose weight, we don't lose fat cells. They just shrink. As infants, we have a set number of fat cells. There is a limited time period in the beginning of infancy where we can actually add to the number of fat cells. This is called hyperplasia. This happens often if the mom feeds formula instead of breast milk. So, after infancy, we don't really gain any more cells. Those cells that we do have, however, can fill up with fat. That is called hypertrophy.

So, as mentioned before, when we lose weight, we don't lose fat cells, we just lose fat particles that are inside those cells.

Lipo actually takes fat cells out of the body. This may sound wonderful, but it really isn't. In order for lipo to work for any period of time, one must be very careful with one's diet. If one eats more than one should or exercises not enough, then the fat cells that are left after lipo get bigger. Now remember, we've already taken some out, so you end up getting a weird redistribution of fat. Gaining weight after lipo can actually make a person look more lumpy.

Plastic surgery is one specialty I am considering, but I would not recommend lipo as a quick fix at all! Diet and exercise is the way to lose weight.

I hope this explanation helped.

-Becky McGilligan
2nd year medical student
Florida State College of Medicine
 
Well I won't offer advice....but I can commiserate with you. It would suck to still be paying on something that you didn't feel helped....I hate it when I buy something on credit card and regret it and am still paying for it way after the fun and joy of the "whatever" is over.
Don't get too down on yourself. What i would try to do now is continue with your weight watchers or jenny craig, or if that gets to be too expensive, learn about eating healthy yourself. And just know that you are not alone in this. But....unfortunately some of us store more fat than others so your best bet will probably be to adjust your eating patterns.
No eating after 8pm
6 small meals a day or 3 meals 3 snacks
1 cheat day so you can make it last
You know the drill....and if you don't there are tons of people here and at videofitness.com who do know and could help you.
Best of luck and stay encouraged. If you've been a size 6 before, chances are you can get there again!
 
I totally agree w/ this statement--->I've seen suggested ratios of the importance of w/o to diet like 20% exercise and 80% food. I know many will disagree, but FOR ME to lose weight, as an established exerciser, it is ALL ABOUT the food choices.

For me, I think the way to go is a low fat whole foods plant based diet. Good luck, sorry you are dealing w/ this.
 
Hi All,

Thanks for your thoughts & wisdom.

First, I want to say that during the whole lipo process, I was a smoker. I had quit for about 6 years and then started again. My husband has always been totally against it and life was difficult because of him nagging at me to quit. Before my last lipo, I told myself that I would quit so I could have lipo again. It was like an incentive for me. Anyways, it worked. I deep down feel that from the point of me quitting smoking, I have put on weight that just won't come off.

As for eating, I have done many different eating patterns. First I tried Body For Life. I felt I really got bulky and my husband suggested that maybe I get bulky with a lot of protein. I then moved into Weight Watchers. Like I said, I only lost 3 pounds in 16 weeks.

I have finally just decided that I would eat healthier choices and not eat late nor eat junky. That's about it for eating. My day looks something like this:

Breakfast: Bowl of frosted mini-wheats
Snack: handful of whole wheat pretzels
Lunch: sandwich with pieces of ham and light cheese, yogurt, fat free chips
Dinner: meat, veggies, and potato
I usually work out after dinner so I don't eat after that.

That is not set in stone but a general idea of my eating. Again, thanks for listening to me complain. I think what really stinks is that I am still paying money for my surgeries and my mind would do it again in a heartbeat if someone gave me money. How sad is that!!

Michelle
 
Michelle, I hate to be harsh, but the example of daily eating you explained screams one thing to me - processed carbs! And it sounds very likely that your body just doesn't like them. We all have to struggle and look and examine and experiment and try and see what works. But honey you need some natural energy!! I'm not a dietician, but I have tried every eating plan under the sun and that looks like too many processed carbs, not enough healthy protein and fat, and perhaps not enough calories, though we don't really klnow about your portion size. Salad, fruit, things from the earth will start to get you moving in the right direction.

I began an eating program a month ago called Cinch that I am finding incredibly successful - dropped 10 pounds and 10 inches - finally. If you are intersted in more details, pm me.

But you CAN get to where you need to be.
Lorrie

Pain is temporary - quitting lasts forever
Candace Grasso, CC-V-6
 
Thanks Lorrie. I don't know about processed carbs nor do I know what different program I could use. I am not able to PM you because I don't have that capability on my computer.

Could you please e-mail me more about the Cinch program. My e-mail is: [email protected]

Thanks so much for taking a look at my diet and helping me!!!!!!!!!!

Michelle
 
I have to run some quick errands this a.m. Michelle - and then I will email you as soon as I get back. But honey - YOU can do this - without the knife!!!!! Just think about how proud you would be from your own efforts and successes! I'll share some more diet thoughts about those carbs and sugars when I e-mail you. You've come to the right forum for help you know - Catheites are the best ladies there are!!

Lorrie

Pain is temporary - quitting lasts forever
Candace Grasso, CC-V-6
 
WOAH! Way to many processes carbs. I see a lot of junk here. No veggies and no fruits!

I've had lipo twice and it really suited me. I'm considering more in my abs and a tummy tuck in a few years. But, at the same time I've never used it as a fix all. I eat about 80% whole foods, drink lots of water and exercise every day about an hour.

After age 45 I determined I've got to do it all to maintain.

We're all different.

Are you still smoking? If you've stopped smoking, it may have had an affect on how your body is reacting now. My doctor had a strict policy against any lipo on smokers as he felt it was unsafe.
 
Lorrie,

That CINCH plan looks like something I did a few years ago. The low calories worked for awhile but when I went back to eating regular food, it was a struggle again.

How many calories are you consuming daily on CINCH?
 
I think your diet is the key here. Way too low on protein and on good fats and very high on processed carbs -- as it mentioned before. Any diet from any fitness magazine would do for you, I guess. They all agree on the followings, eat more:

egg, egg white
fish, chicken and turkey
oatmeal w/protein powder
a lot more raw or steamed veggies and fresh fruit
different green leafy salads
legumes
nuts
 
Hi Michelle-
Diet is the key I'm sure....
You wrote: <<<<<I was feeling great because I had lost weight and then lost all the hanging stuff left over.(2003) I was down to about 130 and I am 5'2".....Fast forward to now.(2006) I am now up to 145 in weight.>>>>
Unless you gained 15 pounds of muscle that pretty much would explain the fat gain..... As frustrating and expensive it is please try not to look at surgery of any kind as the Miracle.... The fact is any good surgeon would talk to you in advance about the surgery being JUST THE BEGINNING! If you want more surgery thats your decision but it will not keep fat cells & pooches at bay without proper nutrition and exercise.
I hope I didnt come across as harsh but I feel your frustration and most of us do really funky things when we get that frustrated and defeated.
Many women have to watch the processed carbs and sugar % in their diets as we age. At 43 I finally know what sugars & processed foods do to my body even tho I burn 3000-4000 calories per week. You may want to start looking at that as an alternative to surgery..
Much luck in your discovery process!
 
Hi ya Candi. On Cinch I'm bringing in around 1650 calories, give or take (I added in a whey protein on the days I use heavy weights.) But what did you use a few years ago? I'm curious because I do use regular food and I didn't think my calories were all that low. I also think that the Jari Love workouts are a great combination with Cinch, so I've learned to incorporate her workouts in with my Cathe's too.


Lorrie

Pain is temporary - quitting lasts forever
Candace Grasso, CC-V-6
 
>Breakfast: Bowl of frosted mini-wheats
>Snack: handful of whole wheat pretzels
>Lunch: sandwich with pieces of ham and light cheese, yogurt,
>fat free chips
>Dinner: meat, veggies, and potato
>I usually work out after dinner so I don't eat after that.

I agree: WAY too many processed foods. Abundance of calorie-dense and/or nutrient-poor foods (especially the latter). Very much lackiing in raw fruits and veggies (which provide enzymes that are destroyed by heating and processiing). Very close to the SAD (standard American diet...the acronym of which is quite a propos!). The nutritional pyramid should actually be modified to put veggies at the bottom, 'eat most of' slot, and raise grains to a higher, smaller position.

Here's how I'd tweak it:
Breakfast: bowl of fresh-cooked scottish oats with milk of choice, a tablespoon of ground flax--you may need to work up to it--and a light sweetening with either a natural sweetener or some dried fruit. A fresh piece of fruit. (Frosted mini wheats have no redeaming nutritional value, IMO, aside from calories. Like other processed foods, they are 'enriched" by putting back some of the things that were taken out, in synthetic form. And "frosted" is just a euphemism for "sugar-coated").

Snack: sliced veggies with a dip (homemade hummus, with no fat added, for example), or an apple with a bit of nut butter.

Lunch: add a big green salad (no iceberg lettuce, dark stuff, and assorted veggies, with a bit of oil and vinegar dressing, or a few sunflower seeds or some avocado--for healthy oils that will help you absorb some of the nutrients in the veggies). Sandwich with whole grain bread (not just 'wheat'...another name for white flour...but 'whole" grain as first ingredient. Even better if it's sprouted whole grains). Ditch the chips (they may be fat free, but they are also probably nutrient poor)

Dinner: emphasis the veggies and a lean protein. Potatoes aren't bad if you don't have weight problems, or once in a while, but they are not the most nutritious choice. Substitute with a sweet potato, perhaps, or some whole grain like quinoa or millet. But eat more leafy green veggies than the starchy ones.

After workout, have a carb/protein smoothie to help your body in the rebuilding process. Just make sure that you are not using this as 'extra' calories, just calories taken at a specific time, that fit in to your daily intake.

Joel Fuhrman's "Eat to Live" is a good guide for healthy eating, that not only will help you lose weight, but do it in a healthy way that will reduce your risk of common diseases.
 
Hi Michelle, I have a few friends that have also had lipo (some several times) and the fat came back. For me to keep the weight off consistency in diet and exercise is the key. I have had 4 babies (big boys)& don't have much time so I try to keep it simple. Here's what I do;

1. As far as diet I don't have time to measure or figure out calories so I just try stay away from white stuff (bread, pasta, potatoes, sugar, processed foods and anything with white flour in it). I eat fruits, veggies, lean meats and start most mornings with some oatmeal with extra flax seed in it and soy milk.

2. As far as exercise I use to walk (30 minutes fast pace 5x week) then I started the couch to 5K running program and have really started to enjoy running. At first I could barely do the 1 minute runs then I was estactic when I got up to 3 minutes. Now I try for between 20-40 minutes 4-5X a week. Once I started running more than walking, during those 30 minutes, the last 10 lbs I needed to lose really melted off.

3. Back in March I added weight training to my schedule and my figure went from good to "va va voom". I do Cathe's PUB Mondays and Wednesday (the premix up or down) and PLB on Tuesdays and Thursdays (premix here too because I dont have much time. If for some reason I have to miss a day (which happens often) I substitute with Jari Loves slim and Lean. Jari even says in the video that she had been exercising for 20 years and it wasnt until she added weights that she saw a big difference. Me too! I squeeze core max in when I have time or on the weekends but do 100 crunches on the ball about 4X a week. Everything feels and looks tight especially my tummy. If I eat a big meal on my "cheat meal" (I have one or two a week) my muscles in my stomach are so strong now that it can't pouch out like it use to.

I know it sounds like alot of exercise but it really isnt. I try to have all my chores, family fed and them settled by 8. After 8 is my time. I usually start off with one of my exercise tapes and finish with a run, then shower and do some relaxing stretching in my jammies. It has become something I look forward to. At 44 I feel and look better than I ever have. Hope this helps, Sherry
 
Lorrie,

Well, evidentely I was wrong. When I read your last post it sounded like it was extremely low calorie. Are you still losing weight on Cinch?
 
I agree with everyone's comments on the diet front - this is what is totally sabatoging all of your hard work! Kathryn gave a great description of how to get a handle on the changes that you should make.

I'd also recommend the book "Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy," which is chock full of info. I LOVE this book - it'll help get your mind right.

m.
 
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