Hello VST,

Welcome to my blog. It is so amazing how fast time flies by you when you’re having fun.I have had one of the best summers of my life and I feel I owe a lot of it to having vsg. Bonus: Also am falling in love with a fantastic person who makes me feel awesome even before I began losing weight!! I feel great and think I look great too. It’s odd though trying to describe to someone who has never gone through something like this or ever even been heavy how you feel, emotionally and/or physically. It’s hard but, becoming easier every day. The mirror and my camera have now become my friends again. So wonderful to take pictures again, as it has been a love of mine for along time and I didn’t realize how much I missed doing until now. The mirror some days is my best friend and other times not so much. It’s weird because I can pass by my full length mirror on the way out the door and think to myself ‘dawmn’ who is that girl, I am looking good. I can be fully satisfied and even impressed. Then other days all I see is a big plus sized girl who still has alot work to go. This thought will not stand in my way. Not now, not ever again. It’s a work in progress

Holy,moly so I really am five months post op. Craziness! Time is just moving along and the weight is coming off. For those pre-op and those just starting your time will come and sooner than you think. My tummy and I are getting along just great. I am really getting used to the smaller portions and have become habitual in my new ways of eating and scheduling meals. I do my water faithfully, as well as, protein shakes and vitamins. Exercise, uhg! Do I do enough no, do I enjoy it no, do I want to continue not really, does the working up a sweat help the weight loss, Yes! Sticking to it then, and I will talk to you next month about how much I hate it still. I am so grateful to have found this opportunity and to have gotten this chance to change my life. I feeeeelll soooo goooodd. To any who are considering surgery or have recently decided this is the right choice for you. Do not hesitate, however do your research and find what works best for you. The physical change is drastic,but the change you have to make mentally I feel is the more difficult part in the journey and one I am most working on currently. Now we do NUMBERS!

StartWeight: 273 lbs. **Goal Weight: 157lbs.

Pre-op:--- 6 lbs. lost

Surgery Weight: 267

1 month: 247 -- -- bmi 39.0 -- -- 20 lbs lost

2 month: 238 -- -- bmi 37.3 -- -- 9 lbs lost

3 month: 229 -- -- bmi 35.9 -- -- 9 lbs lost

4 month: 220 -- -- bmi 34.5 -- -- 9 lbs lost

5 month: 212 -- -- bmi 33.2 -- -- 8 lbs lost

Lost since surgery: -55

Lost Total: -61 lbs.

Overall Goal

Weekly Break Down, lbs. lost

pre-op week: 6 lbs

week 1 -- 8 lbs.

2 --5

3 --3

4 --2

5 --2

6 --3 ~2 months

7 --3

8 --1

9 --2

10 --6 ~3 months

11 --0

12 --2

13 --1

14 --3 ~4 months

15 --0

16 --4

17 --2

18 --1 ~5 months

19 --1

20 --3

21 --3

StartJean size: 24/22

Current Jean size: 16/14

Start Shirt size: 3x/2x

Current Shirt size: xl/L

Inches:

***This month is the month that I say "Bye, Bye Boobies" The inches don't lie and neither do my bras. Had to happen sooner or later I suppose. I still have plently luckily!

Neck

Start: 16

Last: 14

Recent: 14

Loss: 0

Total Loss: -2

Upper Arm

Start: 15

Last: 13.5

Recent: 13.5

Loss: 0

Total Loss: -1.5

Forearm

Start: 11.5

Last: 10.5

Recent: 10.5

Loss: 0

Total Loss: -1

Waist

Start: 49

Last: 39

Recent: 39

Loss: 0

Total Loss: -10

Abdomen (belly button)

Start: 55

Last: 47

Recent: 47

Loss: 0

Total Loss: -8

Hips

Start: 55

Last: 48

Recent: 47.5

Loss: -0.5

Total Loss: -7.5

Bust

Start: 54

Last: 48

Recent: 47

Loss: -1

Total Loss: -7

Chest

Start: 44

Last: 38

Recent: 37.5

Loss: -0.5

Total Loss: -6.5

Thigh

Start: 30.5

Last: 25.5

Recent: 25.5

Loss: 0

Total Loss: -5

Calf

Start: 17.5

Last: 16

Recent: 16

Loss: 0

Total Loss: -1.5

1^st month loss: -19.5 in

2^nd month loss: -9 in

3^rd month loss: -14.5 in

4^th month loss: -6 in

5^th month loss: -2

Total Lost: -51 inches

Halloween Goal

In 8 weeks to goal I am going to try for 2lbs. a week which will get me very close to onederland, 3 lbs. from it. IfI make it there I will be ecstatic. Come on Halloween!!! Bonus I have a wedding that weekend too, so it will be great to go try on dresses and see what size Iam near onederland.

9/5/11 to 10/31/11 -- 2 months or 8 weeks

Goal is 203 lbs.