at goal 4 yrs!

[Guest guest]

It's very hard for me to believe...but I've been at a 22 bmi goal

weight 4 yrs this week!!!

In many ways, I barely remember my old " fat " life, but in truth I

MAKE myself remember because I never want to be there again. I

consider myself still morbidly obese - but in " remission " for as long

as i remain vigilant. I think this is a good perspective.

My mind-set from the start was this : I am fat and and sick from

being obese. I am heading for an early death. So, improving my health

and living well for a long time yet is worth ANYTHING.(ANYTHING)

Sure, i missed diet pepsi for awhile. French bread too. I could eat

most foods if I followed the band rules, but chose to greatly limit

the ones that did not help my weight loss.

The one thing I would tell you all is this: If I can do this, YOU can

do this. If you want it badly enough, you CAN do it.

But banding is not for everyone. We have to be willing to make many

changes in our lives - but what we WERE doing clearly did not work,

or we would not have gotten fat and sick. Banding is NOT a magic

cure. There is work involved, and patience, and perseverance.

Flexibility and more patience. It's not always fun. It's often not

easy. There are risks we must understand and accept.

But it is worth it.

But please do be honest with yourselves about sincerely being ready

and willing to make changes. If you're not, banding is not quite

right for you yet.

I also want to thank all of you. While I love teaching and sharing

what I've learned, coming to the Band boards almost daily for 4 + yrs

(sometimes

in a formal paid position, sometimes purely volunteer) has kept me

accountable and on track. When I see your occasional struggles and

the normal glitches, I remember my own and remain humbled that I got

thru - and you will get thru too. I continue to learn more every day

from all of you. Several of you I consider good friends by now, and I

hope to meet many more of you in person and become good friends.

I wish you all a wonderful New Year, full of personal and band

success and growth in life.

Sandy r

banded March 25, 2003

at goal 4 yrs