...to get the ball rolling. I don't even attend seminar until this coming Wednesday night. And I know that there could be a potentially long wait before I actually get banded (fingers crossed that my insurance is compliant), but I just want the ball rolling.

Yesterday, I drove my mom to the day spa to get her hair colored. There was a scale in the bathroom. Should've known better, of course. I stepped on, curious and it flashed 255 at me. Now... I haven't weighed here at home in 3 weeks, but... I WAS at 235. 20 pounds?? Seriously?? HOW??

It hardened my resolve. I've considered WLS for over a year now... But, I got pregnant with my son just as I had started looking into it, so obviously it kinda took a back burner. And now, I'm nursing him. So, again, I assumed (read : decided to be LAZY and assume) WLS was an impossibility. After my research, I've seen that that is not necessarily true.

So, after over a year of waffling back and forth... And 5 years before that of being obese... And a lifetime before that of being overweight... The time is here. And I'm ready. SO ready. I'm more than willing to make the changes needed. I just need HELP to make them. And I truly, truly believe the lap-band is what can help me. I've read so many INCREDIBLE stories/blogs/posts from people and am just SO thankful that I've found this place and quit trying to convince myself-- "Hey, Melissa... You're not THAT FAT!" Because... Well... I am... And, as y'all know. IT SUCKS.

Melissa, Welcome to your journey. I read somewhere that a journey of a 1000 miles begins with one step. We all have to start somewhere, congratulations on deciding to take the first step.

Congratulations on getting here. Honestly, it seems like half the battle to really get this far.

I think I know what you mean about the "Hey, you're not THAT fat"...but truly are. I still look in the mirror and usually don't really see all of the fat because growing up, I wasn't overweight. I'm like the opposite of people who can't believe that they're thin after they lose all of the weight and still see an overweight person. I've been in denial sooooo long. :smile2:

The only thing that really got me here was seeing pictures from our last vacation. I was horrified when looking at them. I was huge, obese. When did that happen? How did that happen? Oh yeah, I have been overeating for years. It was like a kick in the well-padded ass.

Now I'm ready. I'm excited to lose the first 25 lbs so that I can start jogging...then 40 to start running, then 50 to play a decent game of tennis, then 75 to run a half marathon, then 100 to do anything I want.

Good luck in you WLS Quest. Even if it means 6 months of a nutritionist (it sucks but gives you time to get focused), it will truly be worth it.

Erika, LOL! Yeah... I'm weird like that... I played tennis in high school and worked in competitive gymnastics for SO long... For some reason, I really never see myself as "obsese". My MIL took a TON of pictures this past Christmas (new grandson's first) and when she sent them to me I was HORRIFIED. I was like, "Gosh, what am awful angle! I look atrocious!"... And then, as I kept flipping through 'em... It was NOT the angle. It was me. And it was BAD.

*shudders* I suppose it's better than all out hating on yourself all the time, but... What a shocker to realize you've gone from OK to morbidly obese in one fell swoop! (Well, in MY brain anyway!)