lisacaron

It was a pleasure meeting you ladies and Jack. I am looking forward to more get-togethers!!!
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using the BariatricPal App

It was great meeting everyone this evening at the coffee shop. I
Ok forward to our next meeting.
Have a great weekend!!!!
Sorry, auto correct. I look forward to meeting again soon.

I'm not local this weekend. I think I'm closer to where you are at the moment (Boca.) Have fun!

Looking forward to meeting you all on Saturday! Here is the information again if anyone needs it.
Meeting at 4:00 PM EST @
Jack Jack's coffee House BABYLON, NEW YORK23 Deer Park Avenue
Babylon, New York 11702
631. 526. 9983
http://www.jackjackscoffeehouse.com/

Hi all. I feel a little awkward because I haven't told anyone about my upcoming surgery but I would love to meet up with you all on Saturday. It would be great to talk to someone about all of this.
Sent from my SM-G900T using the BariatricPal App

Unfortunately, I can't make it but you are all in good hands with Lisa both as a knowledgeable moderator and an experienced and empathetic friend. Enjoy...can't wait to hear all about it.

Please join us for a meet and greet this Saturday 10/22/16 @ 4:00PM.
Jack Jacks coffee House
223 Deer Park Avenue
Babylon, NY
http://www.jackjackscoffeehouse.com/
Phone: 631-526-9983

Ugh! I know how you must be feeling. You work so hard at watching what your eating and then BAM medical issues....I live there, and it stinks.
This is the worst time of the year for arthritis pain. Sometimes...I have heard that if you are on the steroids long term, eventually the "bloating" goes away, but I can't say that with any confidence. I know any time I have been put on them I have gained major weight no matter what I was eating or not eating!
Just keep living life and being happy that's the best revenge against everything, maybe stick a twinkie in the Dr.'s pie hole if he tells you to eat less.

So, was having a grand old time with the new bf going out to eat, and all that fun stuff with food. Then I noticed last week in particular that my clothes are getting tight...and that won't do at all. I decide to take myself in hand and get back to where I needed to be. Did just that....and gained even more weight. What the hell??? Even friends and co-workers are noticing the gain. They say I look good now...not so drawn. But all I know is that some of my favorite clothing is too tight and I refuse to go back there.
A fill I think. Maybe I need another fill. But no...I know that's not it. I'm not walking around hungry all the time. So what's up?
Steroids. It's steroids my friends.
My rheumatologist perscribed oral steroids low dose for me about six weeks ago to see if that would help with my pain and discomfort from the joint disease. I'm not sure if it's working or not...I feel better sometimes but not all the time. Not when I used to get 'the good stuff' from my pain management doctor to help me break a pain flare. But the light suddenly went on over my head and I just looked up side effects and there it was: weight gain.
That sucks. I'm gaining weight and it has nothing to do with food. What crap is that?? Gonna have to have a conversation with the rheumatologist when I see him later this month. He better not tell me to eat less...or I might just bite HIS head off...

It was a nice day to be out and about in the city! I promise LI people I am working on securing a venue on Long Island. I recently was at the Huntington Library for a training class and it has an awesome venue with lots of rooms and spaces for events. I am waiting to see if we might "qualify" to reserve a room there for a meeting. Keep you all informed.
In the mean time here was the handout from our last meeting. It is all about Spring renewal. How are you cleaning out for Spring?
I know this Sunday, Hubby and I went through the house and discarded some old things that had been piling up and got some work done in and around the house that needed doing. Even the doggies all got a bath. We have so much more to do, but with the renewal of the sun in our lives, I have more energy and want to get up and out more to get more done. I'm invigorated and inspired to clear out the old, dust off the cob webs and get things moving again!! How about you?
5 Steps of Self-Renew For Spring!
It's a time of new beginnings, a fresh start. A time of blossoming and renewal.
Are you feeling it? Are you making room in your life for it?
This is a great time to take stock of what is and isn't working in our lives internally as well as externally, and take the necessary steps to let go and move forward.
This is sometimes as easy as clearing out your closet and donating old clothes, and sometimes as challenging as letting go of those good relationships to make room for great ones.
Sometimes it requires looking within and seeing what unforgiving, hurtful, critical, and separation-causing behaviors and attitudes we hold on to (often unconsciously) that keep us from our joy, connection and fulfillment.
Easier said than done, I know. But so worth it, and ultimately necessary to realize your highest potential in health and life.
It's like shedding snakeskin.
Here are 5 Steps for “Shedding” gracefully:
1. Awareness is the first step.
Identify the behavior, perspective, or attitude that no longer serves you.
- This can be done with the help of someone you trust, love and who only wants the best for you.
- This can also be done through self-reflection and introspection. It takes a great deal of courage, honesty and humility to accept the areas of ourselves that need refinement or to let go of things that are no longer for our greatest and best.
2. Forgive yourself.
Self-compassion is important. No good comes from beating yourself up and feeling guilty. Recognize that you did the best you could at the time and now you know better.
3. Create space.
Science has shown us that neurons that fire together, wire together. Meaning that many of our responses are automatic due to past conditioning. By giving yourself time before reacting, consider the outcome of your words and actions and choose a higher route. This may feel uncomfortable at first, but give it time and new neural pathways will form.
4. Use tools to remind you of your intention.
Try using affirmations or intention statements as regular reminders of the seeds you are planting and watering within yourself. Use sticky notes and the “Tell Me Later” app, which sets off an alarm every hour, or so with the statement written in the present positive “I am…” When the alarm goes off, take a moment to repeat the statement 3 times and breathe in deeply.
5. Know you will be tested.
Situations and challenges will continue to come up to test your new resolve. When they do, remember Step 3. Create space and repeat your intention to yourself. Breathe deep and choose a more positive and loving response. Some days will be easier than others. When you revert to past behavior remember Step 2: be kind, compassionate and forgiving of yourself. With time and practice, it will become easier and easier. Rinse and repeat.
With each layer of snakeskin you shed, you become more and more the change you want to see in the world, more of your light shines through and illuminates the way for others.
And with every change, a reward. Greater joy. More peace. Less drama. New friends. More courage and strength. Better health. More fun! A process.

I for one am soooo excited for you to start your new life. I expect it will be wonderful!!

Hi All!
I have been pretty much MIA as I have been dealing with some extreme family and personal issues.
I see many of you are from Long Island, and that's great! If you would like to try and schedule a meet up I am thinking the Outlets in Deer Park might be a great place to do that!
I know they have some open and common area's that we could sit at and chat!
Let me know how everyone feel's about that location and what might be some good dates....? Oct. 22 or 23? 29th or more into November?
It's been a while since we have had a meet and greet, and it would really help me get back into the swing of things!

@@JustWatchMe You are FREE!!!!! What great news! You have been through the ringer for sure!
You did great!

@@erica2185 if you do have to do the 6 month weigh in see if your Primary Dr. would be willing to provide you with weights taken at appointments going back 6 months and that should satisfy the insurance company.

The WOO HOO heard round the world!!! It's done. I'm an ex!!
I spent four hours in a conference room before the trial negotiating with, for lack of a better word, the terrorist. We settled at 3pm and signed at 3:30pm. We avoided trial. The judge accepted our settlement and declared us divorced.
I fought for, and got, all of the provisions I wanted in the agreement, including taxes, tuition, insurance for the girls, and more. He didn't wear me down and I didn't give in on points my lawyer thought were tradable but I did not.
I have not felt this powerful in years. My new life has truly begun.
Thank you all for your support. I felt you with me today.
JustWatchMe

We are all standing silently behind you as you calmly and maturely proceed through HIS issues. On the bright side, so glad you are away from such a manipulating man...soon I hope this is in your rear view mirror . There is a lot ahead .

A friend of mine who is a college professor and a licensed therapist once told me that the opposite of love is not hate but indifference. It's fairly obvious that he still has some emotional investment in this relationship albeit not a loving one. Sounds to me though, that you have come out of this as indifferent. Meaning you are calm as you say and did all you could. It is what it is...let the judge decide and let this be over with and done.
You are amazingly strong and I am beyond impressed that you've done what needed to be done and are moving on with your life. I can't compare as my divorce from husband #2 was amicable, but the sh*tshow that lead up to it was emotionally, financially, and physically draining. It was also freeing and it will be for you too.
Wishing you all the best in this horror show you've been going through.
Liz

How many times have I said OK I need to start over? How many times have I told myself just one more time…and then I’ll start again?
How many times have I committed to recommitting? How many times have I told myself that I will write down every single thing that goes in my mouth? How many times have I told myself I WILL go to the gym today?
How many times have I found myself feeling guilty because of my perceived failure?
I go through these things and more too many times to count. My weight, my surgery, the scale, the gym, food they are always on my mind. When I wake up in the morning I think I need to get a weight today so I know where I am….that’s what’s going to tell me and help me get on track! So I go about my morning routine and the scale shines from the corner waiting for my feet to step up and weigh in but I have just one more thing to do…and I walk past the scale and escape into the next room.
I have defeated the siren call of the scale yet again! Sometimes, I drink coffee and think well now that’s not a “true” weight I just drank fluids! (Really?!) I have to go to the bathroom so weighing in will be better after that elimination of extra weight. (Really?!) Oops I just got dressed for the day including my socks and shoes and I can’t get on the scale now…that’s just too much extra weight and you know…you have to weigh with the least amount of clothing…and my scale needs bare feet and it’s cold and on and on and on…..
I sit at work and my smart watch tells me it’s time to stand…it might as well read “the beatings shall commence”. It starts with the guilt trip, why didn’t you get that weigh in this morning?! It’s been weeks…and you don’t know where you are, and you need to know that. (Really?) Why are you sitting so much..you should be getting up and being more active! You should bring your gym bag in and get your butt down to the gym! (The side commentary often replies with the standard “it’s January and all the resolutioners are in the gym, working out so they can pretend they are keeping their New Year resolution to get healthy. They are clogging things up and you can’t get in there with all that going on!” Really?!) and the beating continues as I guilt myself throughout the day.
I make the “healthy” food choices and for the most part when I am eating “food” I try to make sure I make the healthier choice steering clear of the fatty fried foods, eating my Protein and drinking my Water. So what’s my problem? My problem is that I am perfectionist. It’s all or nothing for me, and either way I have to do it to perfection!
If I have a bad day…well it has to be the badest of bad days. Complete with not only with lack of exercise, but forgetting to take my Vitamins, and consuming lots of all kinds of sugary Desserts. If you’re going to be bad might as well eat the ice cream and chocolate and forget the chicken breast right?!
If I am having good day well you know its perfect right? I wake up and the birds are chirping and the sun is shining and all is right in my world. My feet hit the floor and I can’t wait to step on the scale to see how wonderful I am and what a success I am! (Usually this is where the fantasy begins and ends)
On these days it’s the middle of the road for me. Reality has woken me up and given me that cosmic 2x4 womp upside my head and for a minute the obsessing stops. It’s not about what I did or didn’t do. It’s not about what I ate, but more about what I will do and what I will eat.
I don’t need to beat myself into submission to be perfect, I just need to live for this. Right here right now this very moment. I need to stop. Just stop, and be present. Right here right now. Nothing more and nothing less.
Yes some of those moments are going to be “bad” ones and some are going to be “good” ones. All that really matters is the reality of all of these moments. I don’t have to dwell on the past or the future I just have to live in the now.
It’s really all I am capable of these days. I don’t know what it is in me that strives for this “perfection” it is now and has been a flaw of mine. While it is true that in many ways it helps me strive to learn and grow and better myself, and it is also true that in many ways it holds me back and limits me, and it will even sabotage my success, when I let it (or use it as an excuse!).
I will look at my weight loss to date and I say I have ONLY lost….as though it is a negative. When I should be focusing on the fact that I have LOST that weight and it has not returned.
So today as I write this confession, and my smart watch is beeping at me to stand up and move around and I am taking that time to do just that and to look at it in a positive way. Not saying telling myself I am a failure for not getting to the gym today, but saying hooray you are moving more than you did before!
I am not going to beat myself up for sleeping later this morning, I am going to allow myself the extra Zzz because my body and my soul needed it. I am not going to beat myself up for not stepping on the scale this morning, instead I am going to commit to resetting the darn thing tonight and setting it up to move forward.
I am setting a reminder on my phone to prompt me to weigh in and take measurements and I am scheduling time for ME. Yes I am putting an actual appointment on the calendar to do things that I need to do for me. Including making lunch, getting to the gym, and having dinner out with friends. It’s important, and if I feel the perfection monster trying to sabotage me I’m going to come back here and refocus on the moment and get back to reality of being perfectly imperfect one moment at a time.

@@change4life you know I also have thought about this a whole lot! So I was banded in 2013. I have watched friends who are banded and even my husband lose almost all their extra weight while I have struggled. I've struggled with many things, health wise and yes I'm sure that is part of it....BUT I want to blame the band. I want to say this was not the surgery for me. I should have done X, Y, Z and that would have been better. I could go do those things still...I could opt to take the band out and have a revision surgery and I might lose the weight faster and I seriously thought about it as my hubby lost pound after pound and I was even starting to gain!!
As I was thinking about it and weighing things out in my mind, I realized that I have not really "worked" on this band since I have been dealing with so many other things I put that on hold and started using food to console me again. I started turning to ice cream and sweets and eating anything I felt like! Of course I was going to start gaining weight again...so I thought about it and I realized that unless I am willing to change my ways and dig deep and find out what is making me give up so easily when I have a tool that can help me reach my goals...why am I not using it?
Why am I looking for something else, there is no magic bullet all the surgeries are going to have their challenges and I have seen first hand people fail at all the other surgeries and gain back their weight and more because they never really changed their habits. So I decided that the band is for me. It's here I am here and we both need to show up and do our jobs!
It's there waiting for me to use it, and I am here and I need to use it and respect it and most of all myself. I need to find other ways to console myself when things are good bad and even ugly. food has to become what it's always been meant to be. A source of fuel to get this body through life to enjoy all the wonders the world has to offer that are not food related.
I don't get all excited when I drive into the gas station and fuel up my car. The smell of the gas and look of the station aren't a turn on...nope the excitement comes in where that full tank of gas will take me to. The things I will see and experience along the journey. That's how I have to look at food, it's an intake of resources that will get me to the next great thing. It will help me get through my day of work, my interaction with people, energy to read a book and write this post, and that's all it's going to do for me. It's not my friend, it's not my love and making it my life is robbing me of having one.
So that was my dollar's worth of free advice I hope it helps you...we are all on the same journey to live a happy and healthy life...we just have to shift our focus a bit when it comes to food.

Good to hear from Lisa and Bandista.
I've noticed that my arthritis is generally better this year since I made some major f ood changes. I do get occasional (bad) flares, but they come and go pretty rapidly and are, I believe, correlating with stress. Anyway, when I'm not in a flare, I have a much better overall pain level than I did a year ago. What changed? I gave up fried f ood 9 months ago, all alcohol a year ago, and most refined carbs 9 months ago. I'm down over 20 pounds since last September. I'm not at goal but I'm slowly losing.
I really wish I could get motivated to exercise. I really hate getting sweaty. There, I've said it.
JustWatchMe

Hi there Band Friends,
Just catching up here and sending very best wishes to all. I struggle between not knowing whether being on the forum makes me feel more or less connected. That's just me, I think -- first time as part of an on-line group and probably not really a group person to begin with, but here I am wondering how people are doing and wishing for more of a community. I get invested but never quite know if that really flows in both directions.
My weight is up a bit as well. I wanted to lose 15 over the winter/spring and ended up gaining 12 instead -- so that's 25+ altogether. The last chunk (if it is the last -- who knows where I "should" be but I figure I will know when I get there) feels like unfinished business, a project that needs to be completed. On that note I started the Whole30 program on September 1st. I really did this to support a cousin and her sister who are trying to eliminate sugar and then my husband and two friends jumped on the bandwagon. It's not really a diet (which is good because I am NOT going back there) but an elimination plan. The idea is to restrict foods to determine triggers for various issues. No grains of any kind for 30 days, no dairy, legumes or sugars of any kind. Let's just say the wine and cheese party is over. I am also forgoing my arthritis medication in the name of cleaning out my liver from all those toxins -- hoping to find a food trigger for inflammation (which may be corn), but also dropping some pounds and getting on a new bandwagon for myself for the fall. The Whole30 is all about Protein, Protein, Protein so it is a good fit for what I need to be doing anyway. Of course I don't want to put anything on the regular forum because I don't believe "dieting" is a good mentality for most, at least not for me. But I'm not doing the on/off thing, just a real focus on exactly what I'm eating and when and then only choosing from protein and veggies. It's a great exercise for me to re-tune into my body and its nutritional needs.
Speaking of exercise, that part of my life has been excellent these last months of beautiful weather and walks around a local lake that I love. We've had a lot of family stuff going on with elders passing and people coming together. My own parents are still living but the elder care is a lot just now. I am privileged to be able to do it but it can be exhausting. On the other end of the spectrum our son is back to college the last couple of weeks and settling back into his routine. He is also a major protein guy and in need of extra right now, so there's a lot of great food available. Fortunately I love to cook, especially in volume, so no one is suffering in the Whole30 camp, that's for sure.
I would like to do a five-day "pouch test" (still can't really understand this term -- probably "pouch rest" is more like it) just as maintenance for my band and am thinking about the best way to go about that. Rather than juicing as I've done in the past, I think I will go with Protein shakes as I feel like I need to be a little careful of over-sugaring, which can happen easily on a juice fast. fruit is great but sugar is sugar.
I've had some professional setbacks and accompanying financial panic, but as long as I stay in the day-to-day then all is well. The whole "one door closes and another opens" is something I think about a lot these days -- the need for allowing space for the next thing to arrive. A serious ongoing sexual harassment dilemma resulted in my having to find a therapist to deal with the ramifications of that and how best to deal with necessary confrontation. That took a lot out of me but ultimately was important for my self-esteem. Knowing there were other women going through the same thing with the same guy helped me find my voice for that. I'm a consultant so it was a complicated scenario (no real workplace and no HR) but I feel proud of resolving the issue.
Here's to September and a beautiful autumn ahead! I love this time of year. Sending best wishes to all.

I have watched the show, though I have not watched the new season yet....I'm sure I am going to catch up on it at one point or another. I must say that I do get a kick out of her Mom and their interactions on the show.
I think that said the show is a dichotomy of positive body image and obesity prejudice along with a bit of disillusion about what exactly being obese truly is versus being a "healthy" weight. To be fair they do try to portray the very real struggles of obesity along with all the health issues that stem from the disease such as PCOS and Diabetes. Making light of things such as "chub rub" and aching feet and joints and holes in spandex.
In many many ways the life that Whitney is living on TV is the life many of us may have lived. We have been in the denial stages where we thought we were "healthy" or that it was our illness that caused us to eat and eat and then eat some more.
I know for me I am an emotional eater and when I have days where I want to just sit locked in my bedroom in front of the TV and eat a gallon of ice cream the fact that I can't do that anymore actually adds to my "stress".
I want to believe that I am healthy even if I am obese and the truth is that I am not. However the truth is also that the lady that sits next to me and is the "perfect" weight and body size is also not healthy. The young lady that goes to my Dr. office is only 22 years old and looks like a movie star, she's not healthy either. In fact on paper my health out weighs hers and she is half my age and weight. So who is to say what is healthy when it comes to size and weight?
I applaud women like Whitney who stand up for themselves obese or not and let others know it's not about weight, size, skin color, religion, choice of wardrobe or what I put in my mouth. It's about ME, about who I am and what I have to share with the world.
The show is entertainment television, that's the category you find it under if you are searching for it along with my 600 lb life and others. If you can relate to something positive or negative GREAT you got a takeaway for your time and if not..there's always the Bachelor? LOL

How many times have I said OK I need to start over? How many times have I told myself just one more time…and then I’ll start again?
How many times have I committed to recommitting? How many times have I told myself that I will write down every single thing that goes in my mouth? How many times have I told myself I WILL go to the gym today?
How many times have I found myself feeling guilty because of my perceived failure?
I go through these things and more too many times to count. My weight, my surgery, the scale, the gym, food they are always on my mind. When I wake up in the morning I think I need to get a weight today so I know where I am….that’s what’s going to tell me and help me get on track! So I go about my morning routine and the scale shines from the corner waiting for my feet to step up and weigh in but I have just one more thing to do…and I walk past the scale and escape into the next room.
I have defeated the siren call of the scale yet again! Sometimes, I drink coffee and think well now that’s not a “true” weight I just drank fluids! (Really?!) I have to go to the bathroom so weighing in will be better after that elimination of extra weight. (Really?!) Oops I just got dressed for the day including my socks and shoes and I can’t get on the scale now…that’s just too much extra weight and you know…you have to weigh with the least amount of clothing…and my scale needs bare feet and it’s cold and on and on and on…..
I sit at work and my smart watch tells me it’s time to stand…it might as well read “the beatings shall commence”. It starts with the guilt trip, why didn’t you get that weigh in this morning?! It’s been weeks…and you don’t know where you are, and you need to know that. (Really?) Why are you sitting so much..you should be getting up and being more active! You should bring your gym bag in and get your butt down to the gym! (The side commentary often replies with the standard “it’s January and all the resolutioners are in the gym, working out so they can pretend they are keeping their New Year resolution to get healthy. They are clogging things up and you can’t get in there with all that going on!” Really?!) and the beating continues as I guilt myself throughout the day.
I make the “healthy” food choices and for the most part when I am eating “food” I try to make sure I make the healthier choice steering clear of the fatty fried foods, eating my Protein and drinking my Water. So what’s my problem? My problem is that I am perfectionist. It’s all or nothing for me, and either way I have to do it to perfection!
If I have a bad day…well it has to be the badest of bad days. Complete with not only with lack of exercise, but forgetting to take my Vitamins, and consuming lots of all kinds of sugary Desserts. If you’re going to be bad might as well eat the ice cream and chocolate and forget the chicken breast right?!
If I am having good day well you know its perfect right? I wake up and the birds are chirping and the sun is shining and all is right in my world. My feet hit the floor and I can’t wait to step on the scale to see how wonderful I am and what a success I am! (Usually this is where the fantasy begins and ends)
On these days it’s the middle of the road for me. Reality has woken me up and given me that cosmic 2x4 womp upside my head and for a minute the obsessing stops. It’s not about what I did or didn’t do. It’s not about what I ate, but more about what I will do and what I will eat.
I don’t need to beat myself into submission to be perfect, I just need to live for this. Right here right now this very moment. I need to stop. Just stop, and be present. Right here right now. Nothing more and nothing less.
Yes some of those moments are going to be “bad” ones and some are going to be “good” ones. All that really matters is the reality of all of these moments. I don’t have to dwell on the past or the future I just have to live in the now.
It’s really all I am capable of these days. I don’t know what it is in me that strives for this “perfection” it is now and has been a flaw of mine. While it is true that in many ways it helps me strive to learn and grow and better myself, and it is also true that in many ways it holds me back and limits me, and it will even sabotage my success, when I let it (or use it as an excuse!).
I will look at my weight loss to date and I say I have ONLY lost….as though it is a negative. When I should be focusing on the fact that I have LOST that weight and it has not returned.
So today as I write this confession, and my smart watch is beeping at me to stand up and move around and I am taking that time to do just that and to look at it in a positive way. Not saying telling myself I am a failure for not getting to the gym today, but saying hooray you are moving more than you did before!
I am not going to beat myself up for sleeping later this morning, I am going to allow myself the extra Zzz because my body and my soul needed it. I am not going to beat myself up for not stepping on the scale this morning, instead I am going to commit to resetting the darn thing tonight and setting it up to move forward.
I am setting a reminder on my phone to prompt me to weigh in and take measurements and I am scheduling time for ME. Yes I am putting an actual appointment on the calendar to do things that I need to do for me. Including making lunch, getting to the gym, and having dinner out with friends. It’s important, and if I feel the perfection monster trying to sabotage me I’m going to come back here and refocus on the moment and get back to reality of being perfectly imperfect one moment at a time.

"There is a difference between interest and COMMITMENT. When you're interested in doing something you do it only when circumstance permits. When your committed to something you ACCEPT NO EXCUSES, ONLY RESULTS."

Good Morning all!
My Bariatric surgical group has joined the challenge, and asked for all of us to join in! So here I am making the commitment! Not just to raise awareness for Obesity and all the challenges related to it, but to make a commitment to myself.
As you know, (if you have been following the thread) I have had my share of personal challenges this year, with health and family alike.
These things can leave you feeling devastated, exhausted, frustrated and depressed. Today I'm feeling like I am just about at ground zero. Starting again, waking myself up and dusting myself off. Ground zero is not such a bad place to be. It's like Spring time, where the ground is still cold and a bit hard but you can feel just those tiny bits of soil giving way to the pressure you exert as you stretch and strive to break ground and angle toward the sunshine.
It's a chance at new beginning, a re-invention, a re-birth if you will. I've had my time in my chrysalis and I'm ready to start stretching out and breaking free, and I'm going to start with this challenge.

If you would like to join, it's a National Step Challenge to raise awareness about Obesity, and if you would like to support me directly, please click on the link below!!
http://fundraise.asmbsfoundation.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.participant&participantID=18548&cmr=A38544543A16&language=en

"There is a difference between interest and COMMITMENT. When you're interested in doing something you do it only when circumstance permits. When your committed to something you ACCEPT NO EXCUSES, ONLY RESULTS."

Good Morning all!
My Bariatric surgical group has joined the challenge, and asked for all of us to join in! So here I am making the commitment! Not just to raise awareness for Obesity and all the challenges related to it, but to make a commitment to myself.
As you know, (if you have been following the thread) I have had my share of personal challenges this year, with health and family alike.
These things can leave you feeling devastated, exhausted, frustrated and depressed. Today I'm feeling like I am just about at ground zero. Starting again, waking myself up and dusting myself off. Ground zero is not such a bad place to be. It's like Spring time, where the ground is still cold and a bit hard but you can feel just those tiny bits of soil giving way to the pressure you exert as you stretch and strive to break ground and angle toward the sunshine.
It's a chance at new beginning, a re-invention, a re-birth if you will. I've had my time in my chrysalis and I'm ready to start stretching out and breaking free, and I'm going to start with this challenge.

If you would like to join, it's a National Step Challenge to raise awareness about Obesity, and if you would like to support me directly, please click on the link below!!
http://fundraise.asmbsfoundation.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.participant&participantID=18548&cmr=A38544543A16&language=en