Not a size 6. Age 6. Took a walk on my lunch break today. It's cool and damp in Chicagoland right now. I walked to the 7-Eleven and bought myself a turkey sandwich. I decided to walk around a few blocks, and get some exercise and see the results on my Fitbit.

As I walked around the neighborhood, it dawned on me how much I was enjoying it. Even though I have only lost a third of the weight that I need to lose, the difference in how I feel is incredible. I am not out of breath, and my joints don't hurt until the end of the day. Before banding, I couldn't walk half a block without getting winded and having terrible back and knee pain.

As I walked outdoors today, I remembered something my father once told me many years ago when I was a teenager. He told me that I was always an active child. He attributed that to the fact that when I was age 6, I had an operation on my knee. I remember that year well. After the knee operation, my leg was in a cast for an entire summer. I also was off of school for several weeks. My father told me that once I was back on my feet, they could not keep me sitting still. I walked and ran everywhere!

When this memory came back to me today, it made me realize that I have that same feeling right now. Carrying 61 pounds of extra weight on my body prevented me from moving like a normal person. I was so sedentary, for so many years, that this newfound energy and ability is astounding to me.

When I first started exercising the day after my banding, I hated every minute of it. Now I realize that part of the reason was that I was doing it in a basement on a treadmill in the winter. I was also still carrying a lot of weight, which made it painful, and tiring. With every pound I lose now, it gets easier. I am not huffing and puffing when I walk anymore. My knees do not hurt me until the end of the day when my arthritis finally raises its head. My back has not hurt me in weeks.

I feel like that six year old kid who got her legs back. Remember the scene in Forrest Gump, when he kicks off the braces? And then he can't stop running!

Very Inspiring!! I myself have discovered new energy I could never have imagined!! Enjoy!!

oooooh i lovedddd walking around chicago, even at 300 lbs, it was enjoyable, albeit difficult, to walk around that gorgeous city!

congrats on your loss!! keep it up!

LOVE this story...ahhh my Chicago, how I miss thee...

congrats, you are doing so well!!!

I'm glad to be able to walk outdoors now, too, and to explore -- we had some rain so today was a basement workout day. Kind of dark down there so before the snow flies next winter I'm going to get some better lighting down there. Oh dear, sorry to mention the S word. Have fun tromping around your city!

I hated running and never ran when I was overweight. Lately after dumping close to 80 lbs, I decided to try running again on the treadmill at the gym. Within a couple of minutes.......(pause of antisipation)....I stopped and went back to walking. Turns out, I still hate running.

But your story is great......keep up the great progress........and the running.

Edited June 4, 201412 yr by Recycled

Congrats, you are doing great! Enjoy Chicago scenery. Last time I was there was 31 pounds ago :-). Can't wait to go back and experience it lighter. Keep up the great job!

This is awesome Justwatchme! I'm gonna justwatchyou take over...watch out here comes the awesomeness!

with 2 bad knees, that are just waiting until I lose some more wt. but will need replacing I shouldn't even be thinking about running. but I am. I want to run. where that idea came from, I have no idea. so I am going to try it out on the treadmill first. I want to ride a bike too! would never had even consider any of this if I was still 296. I would had been huffing and puffing just thinking about it a year ago. lol