Weigh-Ins are on MONDAYS - Updated July 3, 2017

Surgery Date: October 20, 2009:

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Do You Have Arm Dangles?

I do.

There seems to be a lot of endearing names floating around among the weight loss blogs for the upper arms: Bat Wings, "The Flaps", etc.

I call mine arm dangles.  'Cuz they just hang there and dangle about in the breeze.

I've recently realized that I am now OK with my arm dangles.  Shocking! I know! When did this happen?

When they first emerged as the fat melted away, they really bugged me.  I tried to hide them with long sleeve tops.  Now, I just let the dangles flap around in all their stretch-marked glory.  It's like I'm about to take flight in Zumba class with these wings.  But really, who cares....seriously.  I doubt that I will ever pursue plastic surgery for them.  One surgery is enough for one lifetime...thankyouverymuch.

On the other hand, I am now having concerns about the inner thighs.  Oh...my.  Elephant skin.  Sigh.  Now that's a situation.   And I'm not talking about Snooki's boyfriend.  Heaven forbid I workout in shorts...that will never happen.

Why is it that once I become OK with one body part, another one emerges and I get all self-conscious?

It's like I'm playing "Self-Esteem Whack-A-Mole."  Just when I think that I've conquered one body part/appearance related issue, another one pops up?


Don't get me wrong, the health benefits from my weight loss completely outweigh any of these excess skin issues.  And to be honest, if my former fatty self was listening to a skinny b*tch like me talking about skin issues, I would roll my eyes and tell her to appreciate her new healthy body.  So feel free to roll your eyes at me.

But do you experience the Self-Esteem Whack-A-Mole issues too? Tell me about it.

12 comments:

  1. Such a great and timely post! I am really dancing on that line myself. One one hand, I love the weight loss and believe that it is more important than any jiggly skin. However, because I have been working out right along, even at my heaviest self, there is muscle underneath the hanging skin and when I see my quad separate from the flab or bend over and see my belly hang or see my enormous bat wings, it's so discouraging. I see others who weigh what I do (180 right now, down from 257, which is down from an all-time high of 300+ about 10 years ago) and still a size 16, and I see others who are at 180 in a 12, 10 or even 8, it makes me crazy. I know I'm not at my goal yet, but I can't help but wonder if my flab will make it impossible for me ever to look "normal". One step forward, three steps back. Thanks for letting me know I'm not the other one engaged in a perpetual Whack-a-Mole. :-)

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  2. *snort* Self Esteem Whack a Mole - what an elegant turn of phrase! And SOOOOOOO true! I am still at the beginning of this whole process, and God knows you could fly to Pittsburgh by flapping my bat wings, but like you, one surgery is a enough for this lifetime, and really, I just want to look better in my clothes. i know I'm never going to be a Baywatch girl, tight and taut in my cut-too-high bathing suit, and that's ok. I'm with you about letting the flaps dangle though - WHO CARES!!!! People have other things to worry about...it is what it is, and as Hubby says, my stretch marks are battle scars - I should be proud of them. I'm working on it!

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  3. For me it is my breasts so far. They used to be so firm and now they hang already. UGH. I am also sure I will have massive stomach flab. However, I am pretty sure I will have surgery on them both once I am at goal and can afford it. I figure I went through the lap band surgery and am working-out and eating right and I want a body to match.
    I am only a few months post-op and my mindset could change. But for now, plastics is my plan.

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  4. Yep, I got the batwings/flaps/arm dangles. :)

    FOUR inches to be exact, and yep, I have a picture to prove it. It's genetic with my family, all the women have big arms.

    I definately see plastics in my future, I don't want to go all this way to improve my health and appearance without going the rest of the way.

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  5. Totally! I usually come to the same conclusion that I'm way better than I was before and skin issues are mostly just cosmetic. But they bug.

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  6. My daughter calls them "bingo wings" lol. My boobs are my issue and that is with only a 25.8 lb loss. I am sure I will have the wings and the inner thigh issue for sure!

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  7. oh my goodness...wack a mole fits it to a T! I have the arm dangles..my grandma used to call them swan lake because when she formed her arm into a swan neck shape and moved it forwards and back her arms moved like a swans body (it totally does on me now).

    I have the thighs...and then this morning my lovely 10 year old pinched my back fat...it had rolled over my slacks like a panni in the back!!!! GEEZZZZ I need to see someone for a whole body skin lift.

    xxxooo

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  8. I hear you! I'm tired of whack a mole, so no plastic surgery for me any time soon. Exercise does help SO much. But some things, like the inner thighs...well, that's why God invented compression workout pants! And swim skirts! And of course, Spanx!

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  9. My boobs are literally deflating each day. I'm not even 2 months post op and I've lost a cup size already. I wasn't terribly large (D) prior to surgery, but dang....at this point I'm going to be -A.

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  10. This post is exactly what was on my mind today. I saw a friend and she said how AWESOME I looked, and I said, "Yeah, but my stomach flap, it just hangs, I can mold the skin...I could be another size down if it was gone, the outline shows under my clothes...when I run, it flaps, etc. I can't wait to have it removed."
    She said, "Look on the bright side, you have your own applause section, cheering you on." My apron is my issue. :(

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  11. Flappages. They're my flappages. And I hate them.

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  12. LOL ... here's the fat ass gal's eyeroll @@ to the skinny-mini ... seriously, you are a doll and ...well, I am still laughing ... Enjoy those arms and thighs ... you earned them :)

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