Loose skin and how I got it to tighten up....

SO....I got a random fb message from someone last night asking me how my skin removal surgery was.  Well I can't say, because I have never had a lick of plastic surgery.  Don't get me wrong, I am ALL for it and will eventually get my tatas lifted!  I would LOVE to have a thigh lift as well, but I decided I would much rather live with my loose skin, than a scar that goes up the length of my inner thigh.  I was really kind of taken back by the question.    I have worked my fat ass off, to get these results.  Believe me, I have A LOT of loose skin.  Most of it is in my legs.  I don't know exactly why my stomach skin tightened up.  I guess because I have a long torso????  I know this has to help, it sure did help me when I was preggers!  I do have a little flap of loose skin right above the ole pubic area.  Which...thanks to the way I am built, you cannot see.  It is hidden by my undies or swimsuit. I also did crunches through both pregnancies up until I have birth.  My doc said it was ok, so I did it. My stomach did NOT look like this a year ago or even 6 months ago.  Speaking of my stomach... there is skin there.  I will take some more close up pics and show you the stretch marks and the skin.  I want people to see this and know that even though it's there, I am still proud of how I look and I am gonna show it! 
Oh and this same person, also asked me if I had gastric bypass surgery. A few years back, I was having some pretty bad stomach issues and had vomitted some blood, so I had a ton of tests run, even a lovely colonoscopy...yikes!  Talk about a colon cleanse!  SO...we were at dinner and I was having trouble with my food digesting.  She looks at me at says, "wow, it sounds like you have the same issues as those that have had gastric bypass".  And this was said with a smirk on her face. To top this all off, when my Fitness article came out, she had the nerve to look at me and go, "so is this all going to your head or what".  WTF!!!
OK here is my thing, why can't people just realize that good old fashioned blood sweat and tears does work, when it comes to weight loss.  I am one big old open book, what you see is what you get.  I will NEVER EVER lie about shit like that.  I am a true believer in "to each his own".  What works for someone, is there business.  I have plenty of people in my life that have had boobs done, lipo, botox, and I am 100% supportive of them!  And I have a friend that had gastric bypass and one that had the lap band.  Like I said, I AM getting my boobs done.  I just need to make the appt. and get the process rolling.  I just wish so much that women could be more supportive of each other and the methods they choose to better themselves.  I feel so blessed to be part of a group of positive people here in the blog world and on IG.  I get so happy when i see a fellow IG'er reach a goal or start a new workout program.  I love when they share new outfits or pics of their kids.  I also love when they share little things that have worked for them and love the food pics.  That all keeps me motivated!  I promise to be there for anyone that needs a tip or some advice. I will cheer you on until you reach your goal and even after!  It's time for people to just be happy for others.  Don't worry about how they got to that goal, just be happy that they hit it.  And God how I wish people would stop judging.  We are all individuals and what works for "Susie" may not work for "Lisa" and so on...
Wow, I totally got off track....now I shall touch on legs and how I have done some tightening in that area...

One word, SQUATS!!!  I used to think that all these would do is make my already big legs, bigger.  Well I was wrong.  Ever since I started with kickboxing, I have gone down a size and my legs look firmer.  In the workouts I do, there are A LOT of squats.  I was amazed at when I started to put on my pants, they were longer.  I was like, ummmm....wth.  Well it is because my thighs are trimmer so the pants are looser and hang differently.  Just yesterday my hubby said, " wow, I remember when those pants were form fitting".   He made my day!  I have also noticed that my favorite skinny jeans from Old Navy are now loose in the thigh area.  The only leg work I do, is from kickboxing and my Jillian DVD's. When you do your squats, make sure your knee never comes over your toes and that you are sticking your booty out, towards the wall.  Proper form is key, for sure! I only wish I would have taken a true before pic, of my legs.  There is a MAJOR difference.  I mean you can see how big my legs were at one time, from the above pics. 

Ok as you can see in the above pics, I do have loose skin in my tummy.  But like I said, I am very long in the torso, so it is really only noticeable when I lean over like this.  And Lord knows I sure as hell aint (yes, I know this isn't a word) doing that at the beach or pool!  I make sure my posture is on point, when I am walking around in my bikini! :) The very top left photo is with the flash on, so you can get a good look.  I used to think it was the cellulite that made my legs look like that.  But really, it is the loose skin.  And like my hubby tells me all the time, "honey be proud of how far you have come, don't fixate on a flaw you cannot help".  Well said, my love, well said!  So ladies, eff it, wear whatever you want and wear it with your head held high!  I know when I see someone sporting a bikini with loose skin or cellulite, I want to high five her and say, "YOU GO BEAUTIFUL"! 

Oh and one more thing, my tata's!  Yes, they sag BUT...it could be worse, I guess.  I used to be a 38DDD and I am now in a 34D, which is big on me.  I have stretch marks and lots of skin there, I just pick swimsuit tops, that hide all that.  Like in the above pics, taken today, my boobies look pretty perky!  This is why I wear string bikini's they just fit me best.
Sorry for ranting in the beginning.  Sometimes I just have to vent!