I met my Doctor today - Dr Blair Bowden. Nice guy. Pretty calm and knowlegable. Says he's been mentored by George Fielding.

Dr Bowden said if I do nothing else but get the band - not even excercise - statistically I will be 85kg in two years. Today I would be thrilled to be 85 kg but I know I really want to be 75. This is the weight I was at school when I thought I was a hippo. Welln actually, some of the boys told be I was a hippo. Even dad made the odd comment about my weight. God strike me down if I ever say anything to Millie about her weight - never ever!!!

Andrew came with me to the appointment. God I love him.. He doesnt say much but he is so supportive. I just dont tell him enough about what I'm feeling. I also went to see Beres my GP. She happily gave me the referral and said this surgery woud be appropriate for me and said Dr Bowden had a good reputation. I'm pleased to have her blessing.

I told Dr Bowden about my fear of failure since that had always been the outsome in my endevours to lose weight. He said that of all the people with a weight problem only 5%, that's 5% actully lose weight and keep it off long term - 5+ years. The huge majority fail and that is why LB is so successful. There was a study done in Switzerland. They took 200 people put 100 of them on a regular diet exercise programme and gave them, doctor, psycologists, trainers and nutrisionists and 5 years later only 5% had kept the weight off. The other 100 people had lab band and 5 years later 80% had lost and kept off their weight. I only have 2 days before optifast starts so I need to gear up for that.

Made a pact with my walking buddy Andrea to make Monday morning our weigh in then tell each other on our walk. Used my new Polar Heart Monitor watch today. Sure did keep me going when I slackened off.