Today...One year ago...

This photo was taken at my surgeon's office one year ago, today. It was after the pre-op diet where I lost 15.6 pounds and so I weighed 452 pounds. My highest weight was 475 pounds the previous November at my Seminar... which means I only lost 7 pounds in the 5 months before the pre-op diet. The same amount I lost in 1 week on the liquid diet. I struggled to lose weight all through out my life unless I suffered and deprived myself on a strict diet. Well, It hasn't been easy this last year... I have worked for every pound lost of the 116 pounds but I kept with it, hardly ever felt deprived(Even after giving up chocolate 4 days ago), and most importantly... Maintained my weight loss when I screwed up or binged out. I am not on a diet, I feel normal for the first time in my life. I don't have to feel guilty if I have a cookie or cupcake... because this is a lifestyle and "Normal" people eat cake once in a while. I could have dieted and exercised like a maniac... and I would have lost more weight... and my road is long ahead. But I am on the right road, for the first time in my life. And I am never alone on that road... You are all with me, some of you have walked already when I have been and some are walking with me, and some will follow me along this road but we have each other and are "Banded" for life. I will post some during photos tomorrow on my actually Bandiversary.