12 things...

[ybnormal 21]

Paige, I LOVE number 12. I think so many of us have forgotten how to love ourselves or, like me, felt unworthy of love, especially my own. It's a wonderful reminder...thank you!

Renee`

[KristeyK 3]

This is a GREAT idea...don't know if I can come up with 12, but here's my attempt:

1. Not be the "FAT nurse" telling a cardiac patient that he/she needs to lose weight. (This is my biggest fear right now, I graduate in 2012- plenty of time to NOT be this one!)

2. Wear the CUTE scrubs!

3. Buy something off the rack at Target. (I'm cheap...what can I say? lol...comes from too many years of paying $50.00 and up for ANYTHING at Lane Bryant or Torrid.)

4. SHOP AT VICTORIA'S SECRET!!! (OK, maybe not THAT cheap.)

5. Go get a bikini wax! (Always wanted to get one, but wouldn't DARE go at my size!)

6. Ride the Maliboomer at California Adventures when I take my kid back to Disney in 2012.

7.Have a lap for my boy to sit in.

8.SMALLER SHOES! (I heard this rumor that when you lose weight, you lose shoe sizes too! I'd LOVE to not have to buy an 11W!)

9.Be able to run a 5k in December 2012 with my friend.

10. Sit in cheap plastic lawn furniture without fearing for my life.

11. I think being 6' tall would be a LOT more fun as a skinny girl.

12. Have the haircut I want without worrying if it'll make my face look that much puffier.

HEY! I got to 12!!! And now for #13...

Be around for my 5 year old son for a LONG time. NO ONE torments that kid like I do! (And hey, I also love him too much to leave him before he's 40!)

[KristeyK 3]

Oh! And I would LOVE to not have to fear Yoga...I haven't tried it because I'm FRIGHTENED I'll get stuck in some position. HA HA HA!!!

[ybnormal 21]

Oh! And I would LOVE to not have to fear Yoga...I haven't tried it because I'm FRIGHTENED I'll get stuck in some position. HA HA HA!!!

Well, you won't get stuck in a pose, but farting may be an issue....just saying... :embaressed_smile:

[phillygirl 1]

I love this! Thank you all so much.

1. Go up a flight of steps without breathing heavy.

2. Go clothes shopping anywhere but in the plus size department

3. Go back home and see my high school friends without wondering what they are thinking about how much weight I've gained.

4. Fit in an airplane seat without feeling like a sausage link.

5. Buy and love a little black dress, instead of the big black dress I have now.

6. Love what I see in the mirror

7. Cross my legs.

8. Wear jeans without a huge muffin top, oh and put them on without sucking in and holding my breath until the zipper is up.

9. Sit on the floor with the children I teach and be able to get up without holding onto furniture.

10. Run and play with my nieces and nephews.

11. actually take off my shorts and t shirt when I go to the beach

12. No worry about the comments from my family about how thin I used to be

I am sure I can add at least 12 more.

Thanks everyone. My surgery is on July 18. This is so helpful!

[Raine 170]

1) Not have diabeties, high blood pressure, high cholesterol

2) Stop taking 20 pills a day

3) Lose weight and not gain it all back again plus some

4) Cross my legs

5) Not come in almost last in a 5k

6) Have control over how much I eat in one sitting

7) Not hear "You have such a pretty face"

9) Own a little black dress that isn't a tent

10) Shop off the rack

11) Be comfortable in ANY plane seat

12) Love what I see in the mirror

I could probably go on . Thanks, Ybnormal, great exercise!

PROGRESS CHECK:

1) Done

2) Done

3) Still in progress

4) Done

5) Still in progress

6) Done

7) Done

8) hmmm seems I skipped that one LOL

9) Still in progress

10) Done

11) Haven't flown but I am sure I will have no problem anymore so - Done

12) Almost Done

I like my progress

[SKCUNNINGHAM 298]

1) Weigh Less than my husband (Reached this one)!

2) Be smaller than my husband's ex wife (Reached this one, too)

3) Able to wear my original wedding rings again (Got this one this weekend)

4) Be able to wear shorts in public (am doing this for the first time in many years) and a swimsuit (not there yet)

5) Be able to exercise again and not think I'm going to die while doing it (am starting to do this now - it is still tough!)

6) Be able to play / run around with my grandkids

7) Be able to "play" with my husband like we used to

8) Not be discounted at work because I'm fat

9) Not be ashamed to be in pictures, or in any life-situation because of my size

10) Wear the size clothes I want to wear

11)Not die from weight related complications

12)Not feel like a failure in life because I COULDN'T CONTROL MY WEIGHT

[Papa Jack 86]

These are wonderful! I sincerely hope you get your lap back, I know how important that one goal is because I too want mine back. I'm a wife that loves to sit on her husbands lap and I can't WAIT for the day I'm small enough to sit there again!

Renee`

Your so sweet thank you.

[meghuffman 4]

Great idea! And the pedi thing is def a thing that I can relate to.

If I was to start a list right now, these would be the things I wouldn't miss or would be glad to be able to do:

1) I want to be able to shop in the "regular" sizes and find clothes that are cute and trendy instead of "maw maw" clothes that I find in the Plus size section (which, by the way, in most stores has about 1/10 of the clothes to choose from).

2) I want to be able to walk past a store window or full length mirror and not see my "all gut and no butt" figure.

3) I want to shop for and wear bathing suits again.

4) I want to go in public (or to my hometown) and not be embarrassed at the way I look. Also, not have to be uncomfortable when people no longer recognize me.

5) I want to have my picture made again- especially at Christmas. This past year was the first year since my husband and I have been married (10 years next month) that we didn't have a picture made as a couple and with his children, as a family.

6) I want to have more energy and feel better.

7) I want to wear a pair of jeans that fit, tuck in a shirt, and wear a belt.

8) I want to wear my hair in any style- without trying to find one that "compliments" my double chin.

9) I want to wear sexy lingerie for my husband again.

10) I want my boobs to stick out further than my belly.

11) I'll be happy to save money on food.

12) I want to feel sexy.

I'm sure I'll think of plenty more. These were just the first 12 to come to mind.

I'm finding that while counting down to my surgery date there are things that I absolutely WON'T miss when I get healthy. I also know that when surgery time comes and I'm laying there in pain there will come the "WTF HAVE I DONE TO MYSELF!?!?!?" moment. My mentor (she's already been down this road a year ago and is coming with me to get my surgery) suggested to me something that I'm passing along to you. Make a list!

List 12 reasons why this surgery is so important to you and what you want or what you don't want anymore. It may be harder than you think! I'm struggling to be brutally honest with myself even though some of it is painful. Now, when you have that "moment" after your surgery, pull out your list and KNOW and remember why you did this to yourself!

My list so far, and feel free to share yours because maybe it will help others!

1. I want to be able to breathe easier

2. I want a lap again

3. I want to be able to do pedicures and not have to take a breather moment cause my chub is in the way!

4. I want to be able to walk and not hurt so much

5. I want to be able to get on an airplane and not have to pay for an extra seat or get a seatbelt extender

6. I want to be able to drive my car comfortably again

(here is where I'm a bit stuck, and these are in no particular order, just things I know I want!)

Renee`

[meghuffman 4]

I don't know HOW I forgot the one about sweating. I can be shopping in a store and break out in a horrendous sweat, where the back of my head looks and feels like someone has sprayed me with a Water hose. I have been asked in a Wal-mart bathroom (as I was sopping the sweat from my head with a paper towel) "Is it raining again?" I said, "No. I'm just sweating". It's SO embarrassing. My family wakes up in the mornings, thinking it's winter because my house is so cold!

I need to do this too... so here goes with my list.

In no particular order...

1. Being able to buy clothes off the rack.

2. Not having to mail-order bras anymore.

3. Being able to walk for more than 10 minutes without major pain in my back and ankles.

4. Being able to stand still or walk and stop to browse when shopping without breaking into a sweat and feeling like I'm going to fall down.

5. Fitting into small chairs and being able to get out of chairs without having to 'push off'.

6. Being able to fit in an airplane seat without having to ask for a seat belt extender.

7. Not having to rely on contortion or pedicure ladies to take care of my toenails.

8. Being able to shave my legs without folding myself into fat-person origami or missing lots of spots.

9. Being satisfied with SMALL portions instead of HUGE ones.

10. Being able to go horseback riding again.

11. Not being the fattest person in my family, immediate or extended.

12. Only having one chin (I hate hate HATEHATEHATE my double chin.)

[meghuffman 4]

I like your #2. Both me and my ex-wife in-law have put on weight, but I'm bigger than she is . She's so mean and I know she has made comments about my weight (because she's perfect, no matter what

[NewMe86 0]

1. To be able to have kids!

2. to be able to walk pass a mirror and STOP and look at myself instead of running the other way

3. to be able to take pics and not keep deleting cause I look fat

4. to be able to get dress faster and not change 10X cause everything makes me look fat

5. to be abe to wear "work" ckothes and feel comfortable, buy coats and they actually fit over my chest

6. to not be the only fat girl anymore with my friends

7. to avoid losing weight convos with my uncle who thinks losing weight is as easy as 1-2-3

8.going to mall and not buy something cause i dont like it and NOT cause i cant fit it

9. to not look at every skinny girl outfit and wish i could fit it lmao

10. to eat to live NOT live to eat!

11. try a hair bang and not worry my face is too round and fat for one

12.not have holes in my jeans from the constant thigh rubbing

[ChooseToChange 19]

I am 5 weeks preop.... I have been talking about these things as they come up! It's funny how we all want the same little things that don't seem that little.

1) One of the most embarrassing days for me. June 2001. Waited 90 minutes in line for the Raptor at Cedar Point. "Nope sorry your too fat to get on this ride, please go to the exit (while snickering as I left)" Last Roller Coaster I was ever on at 19 years old.

2) Not having to shoe shop online!

3) Regular stores and cheap sun dresses

4) Comfortable Airplane Trips

5) No More Deodorant or Chaffing Cream on the Thighs

6) Buy my first real work suit

7) Not having doctors blame cold and flu symptoms on my weight

8) I will be able to visit a hospital for any testing (bone density) and not being referred to the ZOO.

9) The possibility of having kids some day

10) I've never had sex while skinny...but hearing about it from all of you... I'm really excited now!!!

11) Not cringing when having to sit in a chair with arms

12) and the last for now!!! Being able to say "I'm smaller than I was when I was 8" (I hit 200lbs at 10 years old)

[thinkingboutVSG 1]

I love this post!!! Here are my 12 and these are gonna be really random

1. Being HEALTHY and having more energy. I really hate the fact that I dont have the energy to be that fun and adventurous mom that I used to be. My daughter called me boring the other day

2. Stop taking pills for my heart and HBP.

3. Stop using my stomach as a rest for my arms while I text and/or tweet LOL

4. To look better in clothes

5. SHOPPING IN REGULAR STORES

6. Improve self-esteem and confidence

7. Begin dating again and hopefully get married

8. ENERGETIC SKINNY SEX LOL

9. I can't wait to see my collar bone again (havent seen it since I was a teen)

10. Start living and not just existing

11. Learn new cooking techniques and healthy food choices

12. Looking forward to the boob job and Tummy Tuck lol

[thinkingboutVSG 1]

Also looking forward to this awful crunching noise in my knee to go away....I guess thats 13 lol