Excuse me while I puke from anxiety.
You guys? I have never, ever, ever liked showing my stomach in the company of close friends at a pool party, even back when I was a skinny 16 year old cheerleader with nary a stretch mark to be found.
I am about to show it all off, purple stretch marks included, and I kind of want to die.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m REALLY happy with the results of the CoolSculpting treatments I had done this summer (upper & lower abs, and right and left flank), but I’m no super model. I’m a mother of 2 kids who did a doozie on this body of mine.
I contemplated just showing off the results with clothes on, but that’s not fair. And really, ultimately, I’m okay with this body. I’m happy with it! I’m just… scared of the inevitable criticism, I guess? Okay, enough trying to talk myself out of it. Here goes.
A reminder of where I started, as illustrated by me…
To clarify and remind, that “cheeseburger” is an actual cheeseburger I ate probably 20 years ago that still resided in my belly fat…not a disgusting name for my lady parts.Â
If you haven’t been following my journey, or need a refresher, here’s a little bit about CoolSculpting and how it works:
Developed by Harvard scientists, our unique, FDA-cleared, patented procedure uses a targeted cooling process that kills the fat cells underneath the skin, literally freezing them to the point of elimination. Only fat cells are frozen. Your healthy skin cells remain, well, healthy. No knives. No suction hoses. No needles. No scars. Once crystallized, the fat cells die and are naturally eliminated from your body. In a few months, boom: say hello to a new you.
Basically, they attached these giant sucker machines to me that froze my fat into what looked like a stick of butter. I wrote more about all that here.
These are the official before and after pics, taken by EpiCentre Park Lane in Dallas. I had my treatments done there and at EpiCentre at Legacy in Plano. Yes, I’m wearing my swimsuit in the after pics. We had a hot date at an indoor water park right after my appointment.
Now, I don’t think the official pics do my results justice, I guess since they are so up close and really accentuate the stretch marks? So I took some after pics of my own.
Please know that these results are 99% entirely from the CoolSculpting. Despite my intentions to work out hard at the gym and get rock-hard abs over the months between treatments and reveal, that just didn’t happen. Like, at all. Okay, like 3 or 4 times.
So maybe I would have something a bit more dramatic to show you if I had worked out, but I think this is more accurate to show you this way, you know? Totally my reason for not working out. Definitely planned it that way. Let’s go with that.
As I said, I’m really happy with it. My clothes fit completely different. I can wear my pants lower on my hips now, and not worry about a muffin top bulging over. My lower belly is still a bit bulgy, but that’s mostly because of all the saggy skin left from pregnancy, and nothing a little bit of Spanx can’t fix. I went from a size 8 to a size 6, and again, that was all with next to NO working out.
Do I think it’s worth it? I do! So much so, that I’m considering saving up for treatments to my upper back, and maybe one more for my lower abs. I know a lot will say that I could have experienced results like this if I just went to the gym for those few months, and to a degree I agree.
However, even when I’ve been my most fit, I have ALWAYS had a bulgy lower tummy and love handles. Those areas are so much smaller now that I know it won’t take nearly as long to get everything toned up and looking great.
I have to say a million thanks to the EpiCentre teams at both Park Lane in Dallas and Legacy in Plano. They were so wonderful to work with, and my appointments were all super relaxing. I’m also extremely grateful to CoolSculpting for offering these services to me at no cost in exchange for my honest reviews. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask them below or shoot me an email if you want to ask in private.
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51 comments
I am so impressed by you, Jill. Bloggers always seem so perfect and awe-inspiring, that sometimes I forget that you’re just like me. I’m proud of your for doing something gutsy like this (the procedure AND the photos!), just so we could see it. Thank you for that. I think you’ve had some really great results, and while I thought you were perfect before, now I know the truth. You are STILL perfect, but perfect in the way that all the rest of us are perfect – as in REAL – not perfect as in air-brushed models. Bravo! Thanks again for sharing this. Really. Because I look at your photos (the before AND after) and think you look great, and then I look in the mirror and think – hey I look just like that. And then I remember that I don’t have to look like an airbrushed model to be perfect. I hope this came across right and not creepy or rude or whatever. Because my intention is only to applaud you. Okay, I’ll stop now.
Kristan, thank you a million times for your sweet words. Truly. That means so much to me.
<3
oooh, you can really see it in your side zone. and dude. please. you are not horrifying. I hate the way media plays up women’s bodies. what we’re used to seeing is not the normal, average, life-creating woman. YOU are the normal woman and you look NORMAL.
I love you.
You look great! You are so brave, too, for sharing all of this. Please have someone else edit your comments, if need be, because you do not need to hear one syllable of criticism over this.
If only I could get this done on my neck. Drives me crazy how much weight I carry there and I see lots of people with a lot more body fat than I do that have nice, sculpted jaws.
Thanks, Lisa! You’re awesome.
What great results! You look fab!
Looks AMAZING! And now I’m wondering if I should save my pennies and have it done. Because sometimes there is only so much exercise can do, it looks like this would take care of the rest!!!
You. Look. Awesome. The end. This gives me hope for the future (I am currently 27 weeks preggo with our 2nd…), for a non-scarring (I scar like crazy) treatment that actually works and may *fingers crossed* be a reasonably affordable option. Lipo scares the bejesus out of me.
You look great! Glad you posted the pics so we could see results! Thanks for being so brave 🙂 and fantabulous 🙂
Doing it justice? THE HELL YOU TALKIN’? The side shots really show the difference and you look fabulous! Don’t even mention the stretch marks I CREATED BABIES, BITCHES. Also, your hair is fanfuckingtastic.
Uh, so basically I would kill to look like you. Maybe I should try this bizniz.
You look great!
I am totally impressed! I had something come through my inbox and I was like, “Meh. I’m not convinced.” But this…from you…seals the deal for me. Just like you I’ve always gained the bulkiness on my lower mid section and love handles (thanks, mom) and meds weight is the trickiest of all because your body goes, “Ho, ho, ho! Wait just a minute. Did you really think that we weren’t going to hoard this meds weight if you worked out super hard? Payback is a bitch, ain’t it?!” Thank you for braving the heartless internet with your results, lady. You’re looking incredible. 🙂
Wow, you look fantastic! Those are really some impressive results. I’ll definitely be putting that procedure on my wish list for the future.
@babyrabies You look awesome!! Way to go!!!
I think it’s so gutsy to post this. That in itself is awesome. The fact that you look great is a bonus.
First the cheeseburger thing cracks me up every time! Side view difference is big difference. I’m impressed
You’re GORGEOUS! I need me some of that sculpting. 🙂
Wish my tummy looked like yours! Thanks, for the results!
I need to do this! Looks great!
You look beautiful!
YOU LOOK AMAZING! I can honestly tell the difference! Fabulous. I’m going to have to look into this! Never heard of it before!
You look awesome, Jill!!!! My stretch marks are way worse and I only had one kid.
Kudos to you. You look great with nothing to be ashamed about. I’ve been waiting to see your results because one day after the last kid I have I would like to have a tummy tuck. But then I saw your post and I saw that they had the cool sculpting at my derm so maybe I can skip going under then knife. My husband and I made a deal that if I worked off as much fat as I could and got into the best shape I can maintain then anything leftover we would see a kind dr. about! I’ve done pretty good so far, but I’m waiting to have one more kid because I feel like all that $$ will go to waste. Thanks for posting such real photos for us!
You look wonderful! I can see the results! Thanks for sharing your journey and for being honest about what a post-baby (or two) body looks like up close and personal. I think you look gorgeous!
I can see the difference! Man, a month or two of clean eating and some time at the gym and you will be a rock star!!!
And I hope I don’t come across as creepy or pervy but man, you are beautiful! I wouldn’t care about a little pooch with all that beauty! 🙂
the results are amazing! i am so impressed with your bravery!
WOW! You look amazing! You can tell there’s a big difference…and I think it’s even more amazing that you weren’t doing anything else 😉
You look fabulous! But I always thought that. Kudos to you for being brave enough to bare. Pregnancy is not kind to our bodies, and it can be hard to accept the changes. You are beautiful inside and out, my friend!
Those after pics are pretty good… As we discussed, I’m going in for a consult on Tuesday, December 4th. Thanks for posting your experience and photos… it reminds me to take some good “before” pics of my own for comparison later… now, those pics here are your AFTER pics, right? Are the “before” pics posted anywhere? Thanks!
I didn’t take before pics of my own. Just the ones at the office! Hope your consult goes well!
You look great!!
Awesome results! After my kids I didn’t workout much at all and had the typical problematic spots. Mostly the belly and back fat was what drove me nuts. My youngest is ten and I’m just finally in shape. Just as a suggestion for great fun and fitness – try Zumba. I lost so much of my body fat doing it – my stomach and back haven’t looked this way since I was 15. It’s hard to find the time to exercise, but it really helps me feel happier and I need that to keep my balance in life. Just an FYI – this is not a promotion:)
Wow fantastic results. Now since they don’t do this in the UK do you think I could get similar results hanging out in my freezer ;-).
You look fantastic!
You are great! Thank you so much for being brave enough to post these photos and show everyone what you look like! Oh, and you look awesome. And I love your hair.
You look fabulous! Before AND after 🙂
Your pictures are way better than theirs–I see a difference in theirs, but not enough to drop a significant amount of $$$. Honestly, I think you looked pretty darn good to begin with.
Those are fantastic results! You look great and I love love love your honesty about it. I would absolutly do something like this to getrid of that saddle on my ass that won’t go away no matter how many workouts I do.
You look awesome! Great results!
Congrats to you! My little guy is 20 months now, and I still get asked when I am due! I didn’t understand surgery until after I had a kid, and nothing, I mean NOTHING, was the same on body anymore. I now “get” it. My boobs are in a different place than they used to be an my tummy is just… wrong. You are truly a beautiful woman and know that will always be true no matter what surgery, or lack thereof, that you have!!
I don’t really see a difference but you look GREAT!
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Hi Jill, met you at BlogHer, I’m the fellow Tiger! Curious, you had another baby after this, right? How did the frozen non-fat change during and after?
Hey Tara! Yup, I got pregnant (accidentally) a couple months after this. The biggest thing I’ve noticed is my butt got much bigger after the baby. 😉 True! Also, my bump was pretty cute last time around because there was less fat around it.
[…] may remember I went through a round of CoolSculpting a few years ago, and a machine that looks like a sucker fish turned my belly and muffin top fat […]
You look great! I just tried it. Wish me luck
You look great! Wish me luck!
Hi there Jill! I just have a question about your Coolsculpting.. did it seem to affect your breast milk supply? I’d love to get this done too, you look great! Thanks in advance!