Losing2Liv

Day 13: one year from now A lot can happen in a year. Small habits add up! Don't wait on the sidelines any longer. Start today! #wlsphotochallengejuly2023 #july2023wlsphotochallenge #wls #wlscommunity #weightloss #weightlossjourney #bariatricsurgery #wlsjourney #weightlosssurgery #weightlosstransformation #wlssupport #gastricbypass #bariatricbabes #wlstransformation #wIsfamily #weightlossmotivation #bariatriccommunity #transformation  #bariatricsleeve #bariatric #oneyearlater

Obsessed. Brown sugar shaken oatmilk latte. Who needs Starbucks?! #nescafe #barista #starbuckscopycat #brownsugar #coffeeholic

This is a great visual of all the selfcare needed for managing a diagnosis of lipedema from @lipedema_fndn On a regular basis, someone reaches out who has discovered lipedema, either via self education or through a doctor, wondering now what... I've added an Amazon link to my bio of some of the tools I use regularly. Lipedema is a lifelong disease, but empowering yourself and not giving in is the best way to manage it. #livingwithlipedema #Lipedema #lymphaticdisorder #lymphatictreatments #lipoedema #selfadvocate #lipedematreatment

Side by side Sunday. Same hat. Different profile. #keepworkinghard #yourhealthmatters #youareworthy #healthyafter40 #sidebyside #boatpix

Allergies are kicking my butt today, but still feeling cute in this thrift shop find. #ootd #compression #thriftstorefinds #summerdress #lipedemafashion #livingwithlipedema #lippylegs

Busy week and meal prep/planning have been key. Make the time for yourself! #watergoals #healthygrabandgo #worklunch #healthyafter40 #investinginme #chickpeas #healthypasta #energytea

July has started off with a bang! Caught a $200 fish in a tournament. Summer concerts. Fireworks & Family time. New brows. Portrait by my grandson. #July #weekinreview #sweetsummertime #fishing #kygirl #lippylegs ##livingwithlipedema

For the last day of #lipedemaawareness month, I thought I would share the ONE positive thing about this disease....you FLOAT!! I taught myself to swim with someone outside the pool, giving me instructions when I was a kid. Floating always came naturally to me, and I never understood why other people struggled. Over the years, my buoyancy increased. Now, I can stand straight and still on the deepest end of the pool. No movement or treading is needed. It freaks people out and is worth being out in a swimsuit in public 😂. The problem would be if I needed to save someone. I can not get to the bottom of a pool. Even in a kiddie pool, my legs won't stay down. I'm a #humanbobber .🎣🌊 I have to be held down or weighted. It's not a scientific diagnosis, but if you also have this unique ability, you might have lipedema! #unsinkablemollybrown #lipedemawarrior #legsthatfloat #mermaid #lipedema #lipedemaawarenessmonth

I hate lipedema. Instead of immediately loving this video and photos of dancing with my grands, I see the fat. And I become self-conscious, scrutinizing every section, even though I have no control with how my body accumulates and stores adipose tissue. But I'm choosing to save them and post on my personal page anyway for the memories. My grandkids don't care. They don't see the disease, they see Mamaw. #lipedema #thediseasetheycallfat #lymphaticdisorder #lipolymphedema #lipoedema #lipedemaawarenessmonth #livingwithlipedema

Some may see these posts and move on/ignore or think, gee, that's all she shares. Every year, I tell myself I won't post as much... and then someone reaches out because they have been diagnosed or are searching for answers. So I keep sharing. Lipedema isn't rare, but getting most medical professionals to acknowledge or even know about it is. As with any disease, you must arm yourself with knowledge and be your own advocate. If any of these symptoms or posts sound like you dig deeper. An early diagnosis can slow the progression! If you've been diagnosed, start treatment now. Self-care is mandatory in management. For me, compression, diet, and exercise to improve my mobility have been key in the battle. #lipedemaawarenessmonth #Lipedema #livingwithlipedema #lymphaticdisorder ##lipoedema #lipolymphedema #selfadvocacy #thediseasetheycallfat #lipedematreatment

Life is better at the lake! Did you know being in the water is a natural form of compression? Summertime can make managing lipedema more difficult. We spent the weekend at the lake, and other than the road trip up/back, I didn't want to wear compression. So, instead, I opted to jump in the lake, and in between, I kept my feet elevated on the boat! #livingwithlipedema #Lipedema #lymphatic #compression #watertherapy #lakelife

I've never liked my legs. They've always been the biggest in the room. Even in high school, as a size 14/16, my thighs rubbed and were larger than other girls my age. It didn't matter how little I ate or how much I exercised, my legs never shrank. Through the years, I've strategically hidden in the back for photos or cropped myself from the waist up.  When someone does take a photo of me fully, I am always taken back by the way they look. Even now, knowing what I do about lipedema and lymphedema, I can't help but long for the strong, healthy legs of my youth. Before trauma and disease overtook them. With lipedema, the ankles and feet are not usually affected. There are times mine swell, but usually, they look normal. Fat accumulation is symmetrical. (Except when you also have lymphedema in one leg that causes increased swelling) Fat feels abnormal and painful. Unlike normal fat accumulation, areas resulting from lipedema tend to be very tender if you apply pressure and are easy to bruise. I never knew why I bruised so easily. Knotty tissue also accumulates. Lipomas are a fatty tissue buildup found just beneath the surface of the skin. For years, I've felt marble like knots, and no dr could ever explain. My knees have enlarged areas of fibrotic tissue that hang over. Walking feels heavy, like you are trudging through sand. Swimming and being in water is the only time you feel light and pain-free. Sharing in case someone else is struggling with a diagnosis or answers. #lipedemaawareness #morethanfat #lippylegs #lipedemawarrior #advocateforyourself #lymphaticsystem