ONE YEAR !!

It is ONE YEAR since my surgery. This year has FLOWN by. Currently, I weigh 132 lbs (loss of 93lbs). I have been at this weight since January. I have not reached my goal weight yet. I had not been working out and/or eating the right stuff since about January when I started eating more carbs and sweet stuff. I am currently in the process of getting myself in check with that and am working out in the gym 5 days a week. One thing that has changed for me is that before my surgery I could never jog, well maybe short spurts but I would get very winded. Today I can jog, with out stopping for breath, for 1.5 miles. It's such an empowering feeling. I remember when I was in Junior High School and we had to run the mile for the Presidential Fitness tests and I was NEVER able to run the whole mile. I would end up walking all but maybe a few feet and was very unhappy with myself. I wish I could go and take my Presidential Fitness test today! I may not have the best time of the class, but I could meet the requirements for my award patch. It brings tears to my eyes just telling this story and I don't think anyone but someone who is in the same position could totally understand the significance of it. After one year I can say I am much more confident, I don't look in the mirror and feel the shame and self-loathing I felt before. I can look at pictures of myself and NOT think "Oh my gawd, am I THAT FAT?!!" instead I look and say "Oh wow, do I actually look like that, is that really ME?!!" As you can tell I still am not totally used to the thinner "me" and when I look in the mirror I still don't see what I see in photos taken of me. It is so weird how our brains work isn't it? Those are just two of the many, many things that have changed for me. The list can could go on and on, but I will just say I'm very happy and would do it all over again!!! One year out and feeling great Melissa - 225/132/120 (-93lbs)

Melissa I just wanted to say Congrats on all your success and keep up the awesome work. I remember those mile runs i couldnt do it either i remember one year my worst it took me 35 min to do it and i was trying my best it was awefull. It is truly amazing looking back at all the things we couldnt do and now we can. And i completely know what you mean about the pics i do that all the time. the funny thing is i knew i was fat but looking back at my old picture i was way more than fat i was majorly majorly obese and i never saw myself that way i mean i felt bad about myself but we must have gaurds in our brains that dont let us see what we really look like i know if i saw in that before pic then what i see now feeling bad about myself would not even have begun to describe it. this surgery is the best thing and i am so proud of you me and all of the other ones out there that have gone through this or are about to its a WONDERFULL JOURNEY! Hugs Jessica 300/175/148

CONGRATS GIRL!1 HANG IN THERE AND REMEMBER THAT YOU AN GO BACK TO THAT SAME STATE IF YOU DON'T GET THAT CONTROL THA YOU TALK ABOUT. I BELIEVE THAT WE ALL GO THROUGH IT. IT'S AN EVERYDAY BATTLE FOR ME

Wow Melissa, reading your post brought back so many memories of my junior high and high school years...back when PE was more PHYSICAL than EDUCATION...perhaps if they'd taught us more about proper eating, emotional disorders, moderation, etc., instead of forcing us to run and do situps and pushups, we would have ended up healthier youths and subsequent adults. I remember the humiliation of going from elementary into junior high...I was a 7th grader and my brother was a 9th grader and we were in the same PE class. Though not as heavy as I, my brother was no picture of health himself. And so every morning, while the rest of the class stretched and warmed up, the teacher would yell "Cordell's-PULL UPS" My brother and I would then proceed to the pull up bars, where we would try with all our might for the 15 minute warm up period to manage at least one complete pull up. Of course, that never happened...we would just hang there on the bar, dying of embarassment while the rest of the kids in the class jeered us. Once the warm up period was completed, we were expected to join in the day's activity (mile run, tennis, etc.) without being stretched or properly warmed up, meaning our results in those endeavors suffered as well. It is not in my personality to hate many people, but what that instructor did was intentionally humiliating and cruel. Looking back on it now, he was violating and harassing my brother and I blatantly in front of a group of our peers. To this day the thought of that man and how he treated us infuriates me. I would like to walk up to him now and knock his teeth down his throat! Anyway, it seems as though you touched a nerve with me, huh? Sorry about rambling. When we lose sight of what a great tool this surgery is, it is good to remember some of the core reasons why we had it. I am thankful everyday for my WLS, and for all the support I receive from my July family. All the love, Jeff

Congrats!!!!! Hasn't this been a great year----Next to marrying my husband and the birth of our daughter, this is the best thing I ever did for myself----not only could I not jog--I could not walk across the room without huffing and puffing-----but now except for my lousy knees, there is nothing I can't do including nautilis 3 times a week and water aerobics 3 times----it is terrific!!!!! Way to go--don't give up!!!!! Steph (-175 lbs)