Ok folks, I have just had a revelation. I totally misbudgetted for this procedure... I never figured just how much I would be spending in CLOTHING every couple of months!!!

BUT AM I COMPLAINING...... NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It truly feels great to have clothing actually fit my body instead of stretching/clinging onto my body for dear life and hoping that no seams rip. I am wearing a pair of size 6 pants that stayed in my closet for well over a year, I had purchased them the last time I started losing weight pre-sleeve in hopes of wearing them one day. Well that day has come and gone and NOT because I put the weight back on!!! I showed the ladies in the office how lose they were and it frightened them, thought I was gonna lose my pants (mental note: do the "too lose for work" check each morning).

I still have 13 pounds to lose but I simply do not stress about it anymore. I had a few extra bites of sweets over the weekend and started to beat myself up about it but quickly realized that it was OK to do that, I am in full control finally and I was able to put it down and walk away when I had enough. And today, I am not obsessed about all the candy still lingering in the office. I work out about 2-3 times a week and I enjoy wearing my tight workout clothes. I feel comfortable in the gym now!!!

If you are on the fence about this procedure, if you are one that has TRULY TRIED to lose weight, if you are at your breaking point I can tell you that this is the BEST decision I ever made for myself AND my children.

HAPPY NEW YEAR AND HAPPY NEW YOU!!!!

PS Target has their bathing suits out in the stores now... YIPPEE!!!!! Cancun in 16 days!!!

That is awesome news!!!!

I just finished packing up the last two bags of old clothes over the holidays. Hubby bought me tons of new clothes ... I left the tags on them & hung them in the closet. Now, it feels like I'm shopping everytime I get dressed. I know it's silly, but I just love trying on my new clothes. I love size 4 and 6. Who would have believed a year ago I would wear these sizes - I was hoping for a 10. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine and 4 or 6!!!!!!

No more roller coasters for you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Congrats Angie! I remember your posts from when I first started researching this surgery. I always found them honest and encouraging. Happy New Year to you too, hon!

All I can say is thank goodness for Goodwill. I would NEVER have imagined myself buying secondhand clothes before this surgery, but it's a necessity now in order for me to maintain a decent, professional wardrobe. I'm not a snob about clothes - I couldn't tell you a thing about designer labels - but I did have hangups about secondhand clothes. Now, it's my saving grace. I try to go when I have time to pick over what's there and examine everything closely. The smaller I get, the easier it is to find nice stuff there - just like in the regular store. I usually find 2 or 3 nice pairs of pants. It's easier to find inexpensive shirts in regular stores so I don't worry about those as much. But finding inexpensive dress pants is hard to do. I've also had some luck with WalMart even though it's not as cheap as Goodwill.

I'm getting over my hangups about giving away all of my big clothes too. I gave tons of stuff to goodwill and a friend and her family right before Christmas. I was so cleansing to pass that stuff on without thinking that I might need it back if I regain my weight. Been there, done that. Now, I'm looking foward to another trip to goodwill when I hit a solid size 14. How funny is that to be looking foward to a goodwill shopping spree. I'm such a cheap date.