Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Another Year, Another Picture

Hi everyone,

Another year has passed since my bypass surgery. One of the comments I often hear is that people who have the surgery gain the weight right back... so that's one of the reasons I try to post a new picture every year. The statistics actually tell us that 80% of the people who lose weight with bypass surgery will keep most of that weight off for the rest of their lives.

As a Christian woman, finding modest bathing suits is nearly impossible.  I don't really want to go to the beach basically wearing nothing but pretty underwear (which is just about all you see on California beaches). I want my body to be covered in a way that doesn't draw attention, but lets me swim in comfort. I have been wearing a "leg suit" (like this one) for the last two years along with a rash guard (like this one). Some friends had some cute custom suits, at a decent price, made for their daughters. And here are some other places you can look for pretty, modest, swimwear: www.modestlyyoursswimwear.com www.simply-modest.com www.hydrochic.com .

But I had already ordered a shorty wetsuit which I customized on the back with some fabric paint and a stencil to direct people to the gospel message I have on www.301pounds.com. I'd appreciate it if you would check out that gospel message and tell me what you think about it. Do you agree? Disagree? Let me know... I'm interested.

God bless,
Anna

P.S. "Truth in advertising" compels me to share this not so flattering picture... This belly lump is a great big fun result of "extra skin." By losing weight, you don't gain excess skin... you lose the fat that is filling up the excess skin! So, if you are "morbidly obese," like I was, you have to decide if you want "excess skin" that is filled up with fat... or "excess skin" with less fat in it. That is the real question. And unless some kind plastic surgeon wants to offer me a free surgery, that belly lump is just one of the things I have to live with.  But honestly, no regrets here. A flap of "extra skin" seems a small thing compared to having been able to lose so much of what was weighing me down.