Well I feel like I am finally to the point that this new way of life seems like "normal". I have lost 40 pounds total since my journey began with the decision to proceed, and 20 since the surgery. That amount of weight loss in 7 1/2 weeks aint too shabby! I still have times where I really wish I could eat more but I think it is more from habit and psychological hunger. Lord knows, when you are full that is it. I have not yet thrown up and I truly hope not to, but from what I understand it certainly is not unheard of. I have also discovered that I am being more open about how I am losing the weight. At first I did not want to tell anyone that I was going or really that I had gone. However, now that things are going well and I have very little side effects if any right now, I feel no need to defend my choice. I have always felt that it does not matter how someone loses weight. It is far more imprtant that they did it then how they did it. If someone gives me a look, or asks feverishly why I would do such a thing to myself, I simply reply, "I was tired of doing such a thing to myself by staying fat". If they go on to criticize I follow up with, "then you should never do this for yourself".

I am happy with my choice. I am comfortable with my new "comfortable". I am looking down at my belly and not seeing huge rolls and I am not as inclined to keep pulling my shirt away form my belly to try and hide it. Do I miss eating? Sure I do, but I certainly don't miss being miserably overweight. I tell myself often that "thin tastes better" and you know what? It does.