Saw the doctor today...

Jan 25, 2010

I saw my surgeon today for my official six month post-op appointment.  It was good to see him and to hear him say that I'm losing faster than he projected.  He thinks I'll get to goal by the next time I see him in three months.  I'm amazed at how quickly the weight has come off so far and hope that he's right about getting to goal in the next few months.

I wonder whether I'll be satisfied with losing another 20-40 pounds.  I'm pretty happy right now, but know I have a lot of extra weight left.  I'm within 20 pounds of my high school weight, so if I lose 40 more pounds, I'll be at least a size smaller than I was back in those days.  On the other hand, the dreaded ideal weight chart suggests that I still have a loooong way to go to get to "normal."  I don't buy that there's a one size fits all weight for everyone my height though.  A doctor that I saw for many years once told me that a healthy weight range for me would be in the 160-180 range.  Now *that's* doable and seems more reasonable.  I truly can't imagine myself at 143 pounds with my 5'8" large frame, but maybe I'll change my mind later.  I'm not going to define my success as getting to 143.  I know the last time I weighed anywhere near that, I was in elementary school!

For now, I know I've made excellent progress.  Losing over 100 pounds in just over six months is an accomplishment.  Yes, I have a tool that helps me, but I also work really hard at making good choices.  Sometimes I slip, but it's not very often.  I didn't go through such major surgery and pay for it 100% out-of-pocket to be a failure.

Life is just better these days.  I'm not embarrassed to run into someone I haven't seen in a long time.  I can shop anywhere I want.  I don't look pregnant now.  I don't walk by a full-length mirror and wonder who that woman is looking back at me.   I'm looking forward to going ziplining and/or parasailing on our upcoming vacation and hope that my improved health will enable me to do volunteer work that was too strenuous in the past for me.  I don't feel like my weight is preventing me from living the life that I was meant to live.

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