We obviously all got some sort of comfort and/or happiness from food, but now that food is not (or at least shouldn't be)the focus anymore, what is it that makes you happy? Has anything taken it's place?

I find that being able to get up after sitting is a wonderful thing,. The knees pain is so much better.

I do not breath as hard after a walking a few steps. That's a winderful thing.

Being able to wear an x-L in a shirt instead of a 3-X is a wonderful thing.

Taking only one blood pressure pill instead of 2nd a winderful thing.

My list could go on for a long time as I am sure others lust could also. I have lost 50 lbs so far and I am feeling WONDERFUL! Lap band was the best thing I could have ever done for me!

I LOVE being outdoors and I feel so happy I am gettingthe Band next week. I'll lookforward to walks outside. I am looking up walking paths near my house or at least not too far. I am seriously considering joing a gym because I think working out a few times a week would make me feel great. I also love to travel-even if it's just a weekend visit to a museum, beach, or a drive in the country.

My social life is centered around food and drinking so it's going to be difficult. Every Friday night we go out to dinner and last night we didn't. I told my husband that we need to find other outlets for our Friday and Saturday nights. I mean skinny girls have social lives and they don't eat like I do 9or use o)!

Not being a slave to food and the scale! I still love food, but I don't always think about it like I used to. Before banding, food was always there, I'm sort of hungry, what am I going to eat next, how long til lunch, what if my meal is delayed? On and on it went. Now it's no big deal.

I also to obsess over the scale. I hardly ever get on it any more. I am maintaining with confidence. I eat to my appetite. I pull on my size 10 jeans and they fit!

I'm only about 6 weeks banded, but I already love that when I look in the mirror, I see the shape of a woman and not the shape of a blob!

For me there are just too many things to count...not being so obsessed with when and what I am eating I feel so much freedom. Every day I notice things I can do now that I couldn't do before I lost weight...cross my legs, sit in a booth at a restaurant, fly without a seat belt extender, not take blood pressure meds, no knee pain...these NSVs make me so happy and remind me why I am doing this.

What makes me Happy???? hmmm. I would say any weight loss at all (even if it came out of my Big Toe,,, It's a loss.) Smaller size clothes, Being able to walk around the block without sucking air, and much more. Especially having a Good Surgeon.

That makes me very Happy.

I am going to be banded on the 26th of May and I am looking forward to being able to go to amusement parks and keeping up with my husband, son and grandkids...and not worrying about if I will fit in the ride.

I love reading all of these....what a great idea to change your perspective and look at other things you enjoy in life. I am in the early, early stages (I just called about a seminar this week), but I am getting so excited reading all of these post. Keep up the great work and looking forward to sharing my own journey with you all one day.

I love, love, love getting up at 5 a.m. to go to the park and power walk 2.5+ miles before work ... who just said that? Wait, it really was ME! It's true, I love my morning walks ... even when I have to talk to people. I know that sounds bad, but I like to listen to my iPod and meditate/pray while I walk. It's Sunday morning and I am about to go to my "weekend" park at the Marina. I will walk a mile to the Water and sit in the gazebo, read my Bible and write in my journal. It is wonderful, and a total surprise to me that I love walking so much. I had back surgery in 2004 and still have some pain ... but I don't care, I just walk through the pain because I love being outdoors walking. I am seeing a physical therapist and they have a machine that takes away 75% of our body weight while you walk the treadmill and as lovely as it is not to feel any pain in my hips ... I still prefer walking outdoors - pain and all. It's the best!

Also, I like shopping for new clothes ... so much so that I am currently low, low, low on disposable cash. No more clothes shopping for a while. This is actually a good thing because I would like to go down a few more sizes before making a purchase.

There are many more things that I am happy that I traded the food for, but walking and shopping are my top 2.

Good question, glad you asked. It made me think and appreciate.

~Fran

I'm happy to not look in the mirror and be disgusted with what I see,( still semi disgusted naked, but that will come). I'm happy to not be depressed all the time about my life. I'm sorry to be blunt but for the first time in like 12-15 years I don't want to kill myself. (yes, I was in the mindset surgery or suicide and I lied through my teeth at the psych eval). I have more energy, found an exercise I enjoy (kickboxing).

My life is 1000X better than before surgery and I still have a ways to go, and I will keep losing, but I feel so much better already