We are all on the same road, but all of our journeys will be different. Some of us will get to goal in months flat with the greatest of ease, some of us will take years and endure many struggles (I'm in this group... )... BUT one thing is common. We have all had some successes, some huge some we are still working on. I'm looking for those of us who Celebrate EVERY SINGLE VICTORY. scale or Non Scale.

What are the top three things in your journey so far PRE or POST op that you have found have given you the greatest satisfaction?

Mine are:

3. Overcoming my fears and doubts and GETTING MY SLEEVE!!!

2. Running my first 5K... and yes RUNNING THE WHOLE DANGED THING!!!

1. Reaching Onederland.

There are sooo many more, but wanted to keep this short but sweet. I'm looking forward to hearing about all your most cherished moments!!! xoxo

Great thread -- love the positivity

3. Being in "normal sized" clothes for the first time in 26 years . . .

2. Feeling normal when I'm at a party or out shopping (no one gives me "god, she's huge" looks anymore)

1. Liking the person I see in the mirror

Great thread -- love the positivity

3. Being in "normal sized" clothes for the first time in 26 years . . .

2. Feeling normal when I'm at a party or out shopping (no one gives me "god, she's huge" looks anymore)

1. Liking the person I see in the mirror

Awesome!!! You've done so amazing, you have so much to be positive about!!

I hear you on #2 - in fact just yesterday in a meeting it dawned on me that I'm not the biggest chick in my office group anymore. In fact I'm not even second... I'm even running a close third and the other gal is normal sized. Whoootttt!!

KEEP EM COMING!!!

Love this!! I have so many already and just a lil over a wk post-op but heres a few:

1: the courage to finally be sleeved

2: having a normal blood glucose reading already, in fact while still at the hospital

3: already needing smaller size clothes this early out

4: my confidence and self-esteem have already improved

5: getting over my flying phobia!!

Great idea Diva...

Gonna join in on this one!

1, my hubby and both kids can put their arms around me and touch hands... I love this feeling;

2. being able to go boxing and actually enjoy it! My coach said to me last night 'Bloody 'ell girl, you've come on lovely. Look how strong your core is now!';

3. feeling an improvement in my confidence and self - esteem.

i must say my 3 top satisfactions are

3. fitting into a plane seat with 8 inches of seatbelt to spare

2. riding a horse without killing it first

1. not being stared at by people anymore while i eat

I live in a country full of small, sporty, skinny people. Yesterday at a work meeting, I was not the biggest woman in the room. I was also not even the SECOND biggest woman in the room. THAT was absolutely astounding, in the best way.

Great thread!

1) Being able to do different exercise classes in my local gym and LOVING it rather than just going on the bike/treadmill/crosstrainer so boring!

2) Not being "scared" to look at myself in the mirror anymore and actually liking what I see when I do

3) Being able to shop for clothes that I like, rather than just chosing stuff that I can find in my size and will cover me up

My three best (although there are lots more, these were the first things off the top of my head)

1. Having more energy to do the things I love

2. Wearing cuter clothes

3. Not having a double chin anymore!

Wow incredible everyone!!! Love it!! I see the clothing thing is a big one here. I think that would be somewhere on everyone's list, it sure would be mine if I did a top 10! I looove shopping... almost too much...

Love this list, Irene!

For me, my top three are:

1.) Being able to move more freely and exercise! This one is HUGE! I used to get out of breath just walking!

2.) Being able to buy cute clothes in a store that is NOT Lane Bryant.

3) Feeling like it is possible to get to a healthy weight and maintain it.

Just like everyone else, buying cute clothes

Going out on dates

Feeling good about myself

Love it!

1) Being able to cross my legs- I feel so girly!

2) Having lots of energy to play with my three-year-old dynaMO- her name is Morgan and she's FULL of energy so we call her

DynaMO.

3) Being taken more seriously in a professional capacity- I swear I'm moving up in my career as the pounds drop. I'm hoping it has more to do with my new-found confidence and not something as ugly as weight discrimination.

Love it!

1) Being able to cross my legs- I feel so girly!

2) Having lots of energy to play with my three-year-old dynaMO- her name is Morgan and she's FULL of energy so we call her

DynaMO.

3) Being taken more seriously in a professional capacity- I swear I'm moving up in my career as the pounds drop. I'm hoping it has more to do with my new-found confidence and not something as ugly as weight discrimination.

I wonder about this... a lot ... since I have lost my weight, I defo get spoken to differently in work - I am a teacher - my pupils are different towards me and so are the staff. Since the start of the academic year, Sept, I have been asked in on more meetings, given more responsibility (no extra wage thoug!!) and asked my opinions a lot more. Part of me thinks that it is the fact that I am a little smaller and not seen as that 'lazy fat one', the other part of me thinks that is it because I have been at the same school for some years and they have now realised my ability ...? Tough one isn't it??

But on a positive note... lets put it down to my new found energy, passion and love of life!!! =]

Very interesting, and I didn't even think about it really until Coops, you mentioned the whole being asked into more meetings. My first thought was, "well not really because I received all my promotions while I was still very large". But... in thinking more about it I have recently begun to be asked in much more meetings, especially ones where our Director is present and I'm the one dishing out answers and suggestions to him personally. That's actually really huge where I work! I was never asked to do this before. I'm also really given free range to run my desk how I see fit and my Manager really asks a lot from me. You know how managers are, they really just look to their best workers to make themselves look good and know what their doing, aside from it being true or not...

Anyway, I think maybe there is a little bit of truth to this. I think maybe its a little bit of both, in that we are feeling more confident AND we "look" the part too. Exactly stated as Coops put it "the lazy fat one".

ETA: Just to give a little history, really I haven't changed anything in how I perform my job. I've been doing what I do for almost 4 years now. I know what I'm doing, I just feel like all of a sudden I'm being taken much more seriously. Sad, but true.

To look in a passing window and not think I am fat anymore.

Today I actually painted my toe nails without getting cramps from trying to get to them while doing contortions.

Getting smiles from complete strangers.

Great thread!