Leanne's Story: 100 days to my lower body lift

In 100 days from now, I will undergo what will likely prove to be the largest and most intense surgery of my life. I honestly can’t f*$king wait.

I’m Leanne, and in January 2025 I will undergo a belt lipectomy – better known to some as a LBL or Lower Body Lift.

I have always been a big girl, 300 pounds at my heaviest, and I tried. I tried hard to lose the weight. I have done ALL the diets, but like a lot of women, I’d simply put the weight back on again. At one point in my 40s, I lost 90 pounds and even competed in a sprint triathlon. After the competition, however, there was clarity: if I wanted to stay a size 12 it was going to mean committing to a very regimented and all-consuming lifestyle of diet and exercise. I had been working out 4 days a week, 2 hours a day, but with the race over and my goal in the rear-view mirror, my motivation slipped and the weight rebounded.

Let me be clear: I’ve never disliked how I look. That’s a bold statement for a society that is obsessed with skinny, I know, but I genuinely like who I am, and I’m Leanne whether I’m 300 pounds or 130, you know?

But I knew for my health, now and future, I had to find a way to lose the weight and keep it off. Gastric bypass (in my case, RNY surgery that reduces the size of your stomach) presented my best shot. I had the procedure in 2020, one week before the pandemic was declared. I’ve been successful for the most part. While I didn’t lose as much as some women do, I went from a size 22 to a 16! I became an outdoor enthusiast! I started hiking and snowshoeing – activities I really enjoy.

I’ve put on a few pounds in the years since my surgery. I’m a size 18 now and am still very happy.

Having said that, my “problem” area has always been my abdomen. I carry very heavy there, and now possess one tremendous apron belly, from all the extra skin leftover after my weight loss.. It is what it is. It doesn’t prevent me from dressing how I want, but it does cause me pain, especially in the summer heat. I’ve been contending with rashes and sores which are exceedingly difficult to treat. I’m miserable when I have a flare up. THAT is when I am not myself. It’s hard to have a sense of humour when you’re hurting.

That’s ultimately what brought me to the plastic surgeon. This surgery will end the summertime misery, and yes, it will give me a new shape – one I haven’t seen in years. The surgeon I ended up choosing recommended a belt lipectomy because it will solve a few lose skin issues, and frankly, the difference in cost between that and a panni (panniculectomy) was not that much. I figured I might as well go for it. This surgery is eligible for a small amount of public health insurance in the area I live in, but will still be $20,000 out of my own pocket. I definitely don’t have this amount kicking around; I’m fundraising as much as I can.

I’m still learning about my surgery. I’ve found a community of women on social media who have had this procedure and they’ve all been gracious, informative and supportive.

If you have any questions about it, please, feel free to ask! I will be writing more here in the lead up.

January 24, 2025 can’t get here fast enough!