One Year Ago Today

One year ago I was at Baptist Hospital having lap-band surgery. I weighed in at 287 lbs and wore a size 26. I was officially morbidly obese. I couldn’t go up a single flight of stairs without losing my breath. I never worked out. I didn’t know how to read food labels. I ate pasta, pizza or fast food several times a week. Not a day went by that I didn’t indulge in a sweet treat. I couldn’t fly on an airplane without getting a seatbelt extender. I couldn’t enjoy activities like ziplining or horseback riding because I exceeded the weight limit.  I had a hard time fitting in booths at restaurants. The only had two stores I could shop at regularly. I had high blood pressure.  

Today, I weigh in at 167 lbs. I’ve lost a total of 120 lbs in the last year. I’m a size 10. I work out at least five days a week (not counting the last couple of weeks due to my broken foot). I can tell you anything you want to know about a food label and how to read it. I never buy an item in the store without reading the label to make sure it passes my dietary inspection. I have not had pizza, pasta, rice, soda, a candy bar or bread in the last year. I’ve only had fast food literally a few times, and it’s usually a salad. I have one dessert a week. I have plenty of room on airplanes and in booths, and no longer look at weight restrictions on anything. I shop wherever I want, and get overwhelmed by all the choices. My recent blood work showed perfect health. 

Am I exactly where I want to be? Nope. Will I ever be? I’m not sure. Right now I’m still considered overweight for my height. I should weigh 150 lbs to be a “healthy” weight. I don’t know if anyone is ever truly happy with what they look like. I’m also not sure if I’m any different. Instead of complaining about my weight, I complain about my surgery scars and the extra skin I have. I don’t consider myself a failure for being 17 lbs overweight. I consider myself a success for only being 17 lbs overweight. I’m staying focused on the fact that I lost 120 lbs in a year!

Thank you all for taking this journey with me. I know it’s been a crazy year. Thank you for standing by me as I complained, stared longingly at your food or had to excuse myself to throw up. I truly believe your support gave me the motivation I needed to get through this. I am forever grateful.

I hope you will continue to enjoy my blog. I’ve still got some weight to lose and a lot of life to enjoy!