Celebrate! Good times, Come on!

I met with my surgeon this morning.

He is happy with my weight loss (40 pounds since my first visit in August--and 31.2 pounds since beginning the required classes in September).

He told me that since I had such a good weight loss, that I could just do one week on the presurgical diet instead of the normal two--but I've decided to do the full two weeks instead just to ensure that there is no problem whatsoever with my liver not having shrunk enough. Would hate for him to get in there and not be able to do give me my Lap Band because of my liver.  He is also sending me for an upper GI (not the one that they shove down your throat--the one you drink stuff and stand in front of an xray) to make sure that there are no suprises hiding there like hernias or whatnot.

Looking forward to my last class, but have to say that I'm going to miss it.  For six months (beginning September 11), I have been at a class on Tuesday night.  I've made friends. I've learned quite a bit.  Both the friends and the knowledge I plan to carry with me as my new life approaches. 

I know that the Lap Band will not be easy.  Even this morning, my surgeon was still hinting that I would see greater (faster) success with the Roux-en-Y, or sleeve.  I want to go slow and steady. I want time for my skin to try to get some elasticity so maybe I don't get so saggy. I don't want people at work to be like, "whats wrong with you? Are you sick?", or to figure out that I had surgery to fix something that has plagued me since I was eight years old. I'm choosing to be like the tortoise--slow and steady wins the race.  I will use my Lap Band as it was meant to be used--as a tool to help me lose weight.  I will be successful because this is something that I really want for me to be successful at. I will achive my goals.

When I started this process, I had a goal of losing almost 200 pounds.  In August of 2012, I was at my heaviest I think that I have ever been at.  At that time, it was so unrealisticly high, even with surgery, that I figured that it would be a fools errand to think that could lose that kind of weight--and if I got within 50 pounds of my goal weight, I would accept it. My goal weight that I set for myself in August 2012?  250 pounds.

Here's the numbers as of today:
August 2012 (first surgeon visit)--428 pounds
September 2012 (start of mandatory classes)--419 pounds
February 2012 (second surgeon visit)--387.8 pounds
New goal weight:  225 pounds

As I've gotten further into this process, I have decided to shift my goal weight down to 225.  Why? Because I think I can do it.  Why settle when I can maybe get down even more and be that much healthier!

Best research shows that if I do what I am supossed to do, I can lose between 50-60% of my excess weight within the first year after the Lap Band.  What I consider my excess weight is currently 163 pounds.  Half of that is 81.5 pounds.  In a year.  That is not a number set in stone--but it's an estimate. I could possibly be right around the 300 pound mark by this time next year! That will be a huge reason to celebrate!  

I know alot of people talk about "onderland", but what's a good name to use for getting into the 200's?  We really need to make one up for those of us that have our goals set just a little bit higher. Anyone have any suggestions?