CoolSculpting - 30 y/o with stubborn “Buddha Belly” (even with 60 lbs weight loss)!

Since I as a young girl I have always struggled with my weight. I was a bubbly, smart, out-going, A-Type personality who got along well with others in high school but was never considered “one of the cool kids”.
It was when I had finished high school and was looking through my prom photos when I decided I needed to make some drastic change. I was 19 and a 185 lbs. at the time. For the next 3 years I became obsessed with my diet and exercise. Every day I was vigorously counting my calories and running a minimum of 5 km. It became my obsession. At the age of 22, I managed to bring my weight down to 115lbs. but still questioned if that was enough. Even at my thinnest, I still always carried a soft belly that never went away.
Now, at 30, I have slowed down a bit due to the realization that my old habits were not sustainable. For the last few years I’ve decided to adopt a more balanced approach to a healthy lifestyle. I still exercise 3-4 times a week and eat a healthy, well-balanced diet (with a treat or two a week). I no longer weigh myself as the scale became more of an obsession than a friend. I know I’ve gained some of my original weight back because I no longer fit the size 2-4 US that I once did, and now am a solid size 8 US. Am I disappointed? A little. Is my mind, body and soul happier? 100%.
The reason why I’ve chosen to get CoolSculpting is because I want to get rid of my “Buddha Belly” once and for all. I feel that my body, as it is now, is well proportioned with the exception of this one problem area. It is always the last place I lose weight and I think CoolSculpting will help bring me to a place where I am happy with my overall proportions. Regardless if I’m a size 2 US or 6 US.The best part is that those CoolSculpted fat cells never come back!
For those that are curious, my Treatment Plan consists of a total of 20 cycles in 2 treatments.
Treatment #1:
4 Cycles on Lower Abdomen
2 Cycles on Upper Abdomen
2 Cycles on Lower Flanks
2 Cycles on Upper Flanks
Treatment #2 (in 8 weeks):
4 Cycles on Lower Abdomen
2 Cycles on Upper Abdomen
2 Cycles on Lower Flanks
2 Cycles on Upper Flanks
I’ll be posting updates as I go along. Unfortunately, I did not take any “Before” photos on my own before my treatment. However, I may be able to get the “Befores” from the clinic. Stay tuned.

On April 15th, 2019 I went in for my first treatment. I received 2 cycles on my Upper Flanks, 2 cycles on my Lower Flanks and 2 cycles on my Lower Abdomen. I will be going back on April 24th for 2 cycles on my Upper Abdomen. Unfortunately, I have to wait 4-6 weeks to have the Lower Abdomen treated again.

Overall the treatment wasn't so bad pain wise -- maybe a 7/10? The worst part was the two minute massage once the applicator was removed. My nurse Maria was so awesome! She was so compassionate and knowledgeable. She made me feel completely at ease the 3.5 hours I was there. It was also comforting knowing that she was a Registered Nurse at the BC Women's and Children's Hospital and experienced in case anything were to go awry!

The photos below were taken the day after my procedure. You can see that I sustained some pretty bad bruising on my flanks. This makes sense and the massage hurt the most in these areas. I feel swollen and a little sore all around but not so much that I'm not able to return to my daily routine.

Today I'm feeling a little discouraged. I'm feeling super swollen and I feel that I look a little bigger than I normally do. I finally felt up to going to a hot yoga class this evening, so I felt good about that. However, looking in the mirror was pretty challenging. I'm hoping that in the next couple days the swelling will go down and I'll feel back to normal.
My plan in this journey is to measure myself using my "LikeAGlove" pants. I'll be posting my results in inches once per week. Stay tuned for April 22nd!