Hey Everyone!

I had my 6 month appointment on Thursday and cannot even believe how much has changed in 6 months. I am now 88 pounds down. I couldn't be happier! I'm feeling like a new person. I thought it would be good for me to reflect back a bit on how far I've come. I had started a website/blog when I started thinking about having surgery.

Here is an excerpt from a post I wrote in July when I was awaiting my consultation appointment.

"I wake up every morning feeling completely disgusted with my body and my behavior. I avoid the mirror when getting into the shower. I can hardly look at myself when I have a towel around me and have to put on a baggy shirt to blow dry my hair. I struggle to get dressed knowing that my clothes are too tight for me. Every activity is filled with anxiety for me. Eating meals is like experiencing an out of body experience. It's as though I have no control, yet the whole time I am beating myself up over what I am eating. I am embarrassed to go anywhere knowing that I am overweight and people have probably noticed that I've gained even more weight. I look at my friends as they talk about "feeling fat" or "needing to exercise more" and know that I would die to look like them. Every time I sit down I want to cover my stomach up with something. Every time I walk I have to adjust my pants, bra, underwear, shirt, tanktop to make sure that I am 100% covered. I feel a depression at night - an overwhelming guilt. I lay in bed thinking how tomorrow needs to be a new day...how tomorrow I am going to be different. I will stay up for hours in bed thinking about it."

When I read this, I feel sad for the girl who wrote it. I think it is important for me to look back at how I felt during that time to continue to motivate myself to do well. I am to the point where I can eat more and I have to work harder for the weight to come off. I never want to feel like girl in that paragraph again. I wake up every morning looking forward to the day, excited to pick out an outfit, feeling happy about the decisions I make, and overall just taking pride in being healthy. This was the best decision I could have made.

For those of you interested in the website/blog, the link is below. It is a personal site, but it does give detailed information on my pre-op process. I haven't posted since September since I started writing on this forum.

Surgery Date: August 22, 2012

Starting weight: 231

Current weight: 143

Height: 5'3

Age: 23

website: weightonmyshoulders.weebly.com

Picture 1: Day before Surgery

Picture 2: The before/after picture Dr. Zeni's office gave me on Thursday

Picture 3: Me in the jeans I wore at my consultation

Picture 4: Same as picture 3

Picture 5: Getting my bridesmaids dress taken in!

Picture 6: Standing with my best friend for her bachelorette party last night!

You look great!

So inspiring. You look so happy

You look so beautiful! Good job! I love that your skin shows no signs of weight loss! you ROCK girl!

excerpt from a post I wrote in awaiting my consultation appointment.

JBwmuot13

i could have been the author of your post

yours/mine/others - our pre WLS feelings are very sad

but - luckily life continues, improves with our health and happiness

no longer are we "that" person in the crowd!!!

you look beautiful

may you live every day - as happy as you are this moment

congrats

Congratulations--you look absolutely gorgeous. Such a good thing to see where you have been and to see the progress. I think it is good to reflect.

You look absolutely phenomenal!

Hey Everyone!

I had my 6 month appointment on Thursday and cannot even believe how much has changed in 6 months. I am now 88 pounds down. I couldn't be happier! I'm feeling like a new person. I thought it would be good for me to reflect back a bit on how far I've come. I had started a website/blog when I started thinking about having surgery.

Here is an excerpt from a post I wrote in July when I was awaiting my consultation appointment.

"I wake up every morning feeling completely disgusted with my body and my behavior. I avoid the mirror when getting into the shower. I can hardly look at myself when I have a towel around me and have to put on a baggy shirt to blow dry my hair. I struggle to get dressed knowing that my clothes are too tight for me. Every activity is filled with anxiety for me. Eating meals is like experiencing an out of body experience. It's as though I have no control' date=' yet the whole time I am beating myself up over what I am eating. I am embarrassed to go anywhere knowing that I am overweight and people have probably noticed that I've gained even more weight. I look at my friends as they talk about "feeling fat" or "needing to exercise more" and know that I would die to look like them. Every time I sit down I want to cover my stomach up with something. Every time I walk I have to adjust my pants, bra, underwear, shirt, tanktop to make sure that I am 100% covered. I feel a depression at night - an overwhelming guilt. I lay in bed thinking how tomorrow needs to be a new day...how tomorrow I am going to be different. I will stay up for hours in bed thinking about it."

When I read this, I feel sad for the girl who wrote it. I think it is important for me to look back at how I felt during that time to continue to motivate myself to do well. I am to the point where I can eat more and I have to work harder for the weight to come off. I never want to feel like girl in that paragraph again. I wake up every morning looking forward to the day, excited to pick out an outfit, feeling happy about the decisions I make, and overall just taking pride in being healthy. This was the best decision I could have made.

For those of you interested in the website/blog, the link is below. It is a personal site, but it does give detailed information on my pre-op process. I haven't posted since September since I started writing on this forum.

Surgery Date: August 22, 2012

Starting weight: 231

Current weight: 143

Height: 5'3

Age: 23

website: weightonmyshoulders.weebly.com

Picture 1: Day before Surgery

Picture 2: The before/after picture Dr. Zeni's office gave me on Thursday

Picture 3: Me in the jeans I wore at my consultation <img src='http://www.bariatricpal.com/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />

Picture 4: Same as picture 3

Picture 5: Getting my bridesmaids dress taken in!

Picture 6: Standing with my best friend for her bachelorette party last night![/quote']

You look fantastic - that's exactly how I currently feel !!!! I get sleeved in 2 days 3-6-13 ! That's for your motivation !

The girl in your post is this girl too! That's exactly how I feel. I do not have a surgery date yet. Looking at your progress pretty much sealed the deal. I am ready for a change.

OMG!!! This is one of the best "before" and "after" I have seen. Not only the pictures (you look awesome) but I love that you put an old post from the "before" girl.. And a post of the "after" girl.

Genius!

What a difference six months make. You look fab...and sound happy. Enjoy the new you:)

Hey Everyone!

I had my 6 month appointment on Thursday and cannot even believe how much has changed in 6 months. I am now 88 pounds down. I couldn't be happier! I'm feeling like a new person. I thought it would be good for me to reflect back a bit on how far I've come. I had started a website/blog when I started thinking about having surgery.

Here is an excerpt from a post I wrote in July when I was awaiting my consultation appointment.

"I wake up every morning feeling completely disgusted with my body and my behavior. I avoid the mirror when getting into the shower. I can hardly look at myself when I have a towel around me and have to put on a baggy shirt to blow dry my hair. I struggle to get dressed knowing that my clothes are too tight for me. Every activity is filled with anxiety for me. Eating meals is like experiencing an out of body experience. It's as though I have no control' date=' yet the whole time I am beating myself up over what I am eating. I am embarrassed to go anywhere knowing that I am overweight and people have probably noticed that I've gained even more weight. I look at my friends as they talk about "feeling fat" or "needing to exercise more" and know that I would die to look like them. Every time I sit down I want to cover my stomach up with something. Every time I walk I have to adjust my pants, bra, underwear, shirt, tanktop to make sure that I am 100% covered. I feel a depression at night - an overwhelming guilt. I lay in bed thinking how tomorrow needs to be a new day...how tomorrow I am going to be different. I will stay up for hours in bed thinking about it."

When I read this, I feel sad for the girl who wrote it. I think it is important for me to look back at how I felt during that time to continue to motivate myself to do well. I am to the point where I can eat more and I have to work harder for the weight to come off. I never want to feel like girl in that paragraph again. I wake up every morning looking forward to the day, excited to pick out an outfit, feeling happy about the decisions I make, and overall just taking pride in being healthy. This was the best decision I could have made.

For those of you interested in the website/blog, the link is below. It is a personal site, but it does give detailed information on my pre-op process. I haven't posted since September since I started writing on this forum.

Surgery Date: August 22, 2012

Starting weight: 231

Current weight: 143

Height: 5'3

Age: 23

website: weightonmyshoulders.weebly.com

Picture 1: Day before Surgery

Picture 2: The before/after picture Dr. Zeni's office gave me on Thursday

Picture 3: Me in the jeans I wore at my consultation <img src='http://www.bariatricpal.com/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />

Picture 4: Same as picture 3

Picture 5: Getting my bridesmaids dress taken in!

Picture 6: Standing with my best friend for her bachelorette party last night![/quote']

Wow congrats. You look greAt!!!

You look wonderful congratulations

Thanks everyone And to those of you awaiting your surgery date good luck!

You look amazing !! Keep up the good work