ONE YEAR

It's been a year since my surgery on Jan. 4th. I've lost 60+ pounds, depending on the day. It's not what I had hoped to lose in the first year, and doesn't come close to what some lapbanders lose in that time frame. But I'm grateful for those pounds, and eager to continue losing.

A few things that have changed this year:

* I am free of the foot and ankle pain that was becoming debilitating. When I stand up, I don't walk funny. I can stand up from the floor with no problem. I can run upstairs without getting winded, and I can walk down the stairs without gripping the banister.

* As promised, my hair fell out in gobs. It's just starting to come back in, but it's still thin and I don't like it at all. I hope the volume comes back.

* I am far more confident and social than I was this time last year; consequently, I'm having a lot more fun these days.

* I am largely free of the psychic burden I carried from failing so often at weight loss. My outlook on my life and my future has changed a lot, for the better.

* I have more energy.

* I'm starting to shop in 'normal' stores, although I'm still kind of straddling the fat-girl/normal shopping world.

* I can cross my legs. Comfortably.

* I snore a lot less at night.

* I am not worried I will break a chair, beach or otherwise.

* I am incredibly grateful to all my blog friends for your support, guidance, good humor and encouragement this year.

I would like to have lost more. In my poor-me moments, I slip into bad habits and focus on the negative. But the thing is, we all know the band isn't a solution, it's a tool. You have to do the work. I did some work, but not nearly as much as I could have. So it's no mystery to me why I haven't lost more weight.

My 38th birthday is Jan. 25th. I'd love to be below 200 by then. I've been dancing around these scale numbers for months now. I'm gunning for 199 by the 25th. Keep your fingers crossed for me.