A Battle through Weight Loss to a Place of Happiness, Health and Shaping My Body to Continue to Meet My Fitness Goals #CoolSculpting

I had spent the last ten years giving everything I could of myself to others – I wanted to be the best mother, wife, daughter, employee and friend. I have always been a person that enjoys giving to others but this time I had let it get too far and had put my own needs so far down my list that I never addressed them or took care of myself.

I found myself at a point where I had gained over one hundred pounds, making unhealthy nutritional choices, not participating in any physical activity and depressed. I gave so much of myself to others, that by the time it came to take care of myself, I was too exhausted and I had no more to give – I let myself go. I made several attempts to get back on track but each failure on the scale or during a workout was frustrating and seemed to put me two steps backwards. I couldn’t figure out what I was doing that was so wrong. I had the educational background in Kinesiology and I spent my teenage and early adult years being active, so how could I be failing so badly?

Denial.

I was in utter and complete denial. Denial that I was stretching myself too thin, denial that I was being as active as I should be and in denial that I was making healthy food choices.

The truth was I over eating, I was making bad food choices and was consuming far more calories than I was burning. When I looked in the mirror, I didn’t see the same person that others were seeing but it was affecting every aspect of my life. I would wear baggy clothes to hide my body, I was hiding from photos, I would only allow photos to be taken at certain angles and specific body parts and I was seeking help from my family doctor for depression. It was after the birth of my second son and my husband took a photo of us together outside the doctor’s office that I was horrified. I could not believe that the person in the photo was me. I did not recognize the person that I had become and I knew that this was enough – it was time to put me first.

I decided to make the hardest and most important decision of my life, to put me first. I was going to wake up and allow myself time to go to the gym without worrying about anyone else’s schedule, breakfast or lunch (within reason), I was going to eliminate the unhealthy food choices from my diet and I was going to allow myself to say no to taking on roles that I did not have the time to do (goodbye PTA council!). I had to make this choice for me, not only for me to feel better about myself but also for my health.

Over the course of a year, through a lot of hard work, determination and sacrifice I was able to lose just under one hundred and twenty pounds. It was exhilarating, not only was I happier but I found that part of me that I had lost. I wanted to get outside and play soccer with my kids, I wanted to be in the photos again (I can’t believe the years I went without taking a photo with my kids because I was ashamed) and I was confident. I was able to cut back on my anti-depressants and I stopped using food as a coping mechanism (which is the hardest thing to do – food was my comfort and even now I struggle with this). The best part of it all? Loving myself again. I knew this girl again, I was happy, confident in my own skin and took charge of my future. I refused to sit back and be a minor character in my own life.

So how did I do it?

First – download a calorie counting app and record everything you put in your mouth. Be brutally honest and record every last bite. You may be generally surprised at how quickly calories add up in a day. Using that knowledge, make healthier food choices (I increased lean protein and vegetables) and measured everything. In the beginning, I purchased a lot of pre-packaged portion meat so that I knew how many calories I was eating but you will get better.

Second – purchase or download a step counter on your phone and really watch how physically active you are. It is not enough just to make your step goal (and aim big!) but you should also be physically active for at least thirty minutes consecutively in a day. Find an activity that you like to do and dedicate time to it – I found a love of yoga this way.

Third – be kind and patient with yourself. Give yourself a lot of emotional and mental love. You didn’t gain weight overnight and it won’t disappear overnight. While I have come a long way, I STILL have stubborn areas of fat that I just cannot get rid of despite my efforts in the gym and in the kitchen. I am sure so many of you can understand this feeling! It sometimes feels like no amount of exercise and healthy diet choices will fix those areas. You are not alone and you are not crazy – this happens to so many men and women.

I am a firm believer of empowering women (and men) to do the things that make themselves happy and that lift their confidence up. This could be anything from as simple as a piercing or a tattoo to a minor plastic surgery enhancement like Botox or a procedure to remove fatty tissues. We all deserve happiness and confidence in our own skin, so do what makes you feel good!

CoolSculpting®  is a procedure that was developed several years ago and is designed to target specific areas of the body visible fat bulges on the abdomen and “love handles”, inner and outer thigh, and bra and back fat (how many of you can relate to these stubborn and common fat areas – I know I can!). (1).

While I have a list of areas that I think are a problem and that I do not like, I strongly believe that every individual needs to take the time to consult with a qualified CoolSculpting® clinician to discuss their body and concerns and in turn have them examine your body. Together you can create a treatment plan that is reasonable, meets your goals and will achieve the results that you were originally looking for. Never, ever skip this very important part and always ensure that the clinician you are meeting with has been certified by CoolSculpting® so that you will not be disappointed.

I met with Linda at The Plastic Surgery Clinic in Mississauga and she floored me with her knowledge and passion about the CoolSculpting® procedure (she is CoolSculpting® certified if you hadn’t already guessed). She addressed all of my concerns and took the time to explain each of my problem areas and which area would be suitable for treatment and which ones would not. It is often quite hard to talk about our own body and while most times I am not shy, it can be embarrassing to admit that I have fat and I can’t get rid of it. I am not ashamed of my body or my weight loss but it can be hard to open up to another person about it especially with someone you have never met before. Linda was kind, compassionate and never made me feel embarrassed about my body, she made me want to talk to her about my concerns and discuss potential treatment options.

I learned that because of some of the extra skin around my stomach area from the weight loss that this would not be a suitable area to treat because when the frozen fat cells are naturally eliminated it may leave me with additional loose skin. My hips, while I feel like they are huge, did not actually meet the criteria for treatment and the picture below illustrates why – the bulge of fat would not fit into the applicator and would not be an effective treatment. I also noticed that my left and right side are quite uneven, go figure how the body works!

Linda made me feel confident that the areas she wanted to treat (flanks) were reasonable areas and that I was not going to waste my effort and hopes on an unrealistic treatment. She was open and honest and worked with me to answer all of my questions and explained my potential end result.

Facts about CoolSculpting®:

• CoolSculpting® is a clinically proven, non-surgical treatment used remove stubborn fat from your body. (3)
• CoolSculpting® can be used on visible fat bulges on the abdomen and “love handles”, inner and outer thigh, and bra and back fat. (4)
• CoolSculpting® works by gently cooling targeted fat cells to 4°C to induce the controlled elimination of fat cells, to help sculpt your body. (5) Essentially, it freezes fat away.
• CoolSculpting® patients will be able to resume normal activities immediately after treatment. (6,7)
• Following treatment, the body’s immune system clears and eliminates these dead cells and fat through its natural processes. (8,9)

Make sure you always follow the ‘ABCs of Patient Safety’ to ensure you are getting the best possible treatment:

• Ask about the treatment facts
• Be aware of the treatment you are getting and by whom,  all CoolSculpting® certified clinics are listed on CoolSculpting.com
• Consultation at a qualified CoolSculpting® certified practice to ensure best treatment
• For more information or to find a qualified clinic in your area, visit http://www.coolsculpting.com

I left my appointment with Linda feeling excited, nervous and very much ready to try CoolSculpting®. I finally felt like I had a reasonable amount of control over my body, the stubborn fat I just couldn’t get rid of and I couldn’t wait to give those fat cells a shock! Check back in two weeks for all the details on my first CoolSculpting® treatment at The Plastic Surgery Clinic!

Disclosure: I received the above mentioned Consult and CoolSculpting® treatment as part of my participation in the program and in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

1. Zeltiq Data On File. About CoolSculpting. 2017.

2. Zeltiq Data On File. About CoolSculpting. 2017.

3. Zelickson B, et al. American Society for Dermatology Surgery 2009;35:1462–70.

4. Zeltiq Data On File. About CoolSculpting. 2017.

5. Zelickson B, et al. American Society for Dermatology Surgery 2009;35:1462–70.

6. Krueger N, et al. Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology 2014;7:201–205.

7. Nelson AA (ed) Avram MM. Fat removal: Invasive and noninvasive body contouring. Wiley- Blackwell; 1st edition. April 2015. ISBN-10144433428X.

8. Zelickson B, et al. American Society for Dermatology Surgery 2009;35:1462–70.

9. Klein KB, et al. Lasers in Surgery and Medicine 2009;41:785–90.