1001 Days ago I made an easy choice...

I've officially been banded for 1001 days!  Hard to believe... And by far, it is the (second) best decision I've made in my life (first was marrying Dennis)!!!

At my highest OFFICIAL weight I was in the high 280's... realistically, I know I got over 300 at one point without being pregnant... I just never weighed myself then.  Didn't want to admit where I'd gotten.   I lost over 80 pounds with the band before having Liam, and am now back down to 219 post-baby and the band is continuing to help me get where I need to be...  I just last week took some of my old plus size clothes to Goodwill that I found in a corner of the attic... Opening that box was sobering.  At my biggest, I wore a size 28 pants (which were tight) and 24 shirt.  Now I am in 16-18 pants but have been as low as 14 (pre-Liam)... and I am currently wearing XL shirts comfortably (the Large are a bit snug), but was down to Mediums and Larges before Liam...  I even have a small in my closet that fit and looked reasonable!

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I have so many thoughts running through my head right now about the band, about how my life has changed since Feb 20, 2009, about life in general... and unfortunately with a crazy week personally, I have not had a ton of time to write those thoughts (at least the band ones) in a lot of detail.  I promise I will do that soon...

BUT... for all of you out there who are newly banded, or in the research stage, please know that making a choice (whatever choice you make that is right for you) to become healthy and lose weight is a great one!

I've made the comment before when an occasional snippy person says I took the easy way out that, yes, it WAS an easy choice.  Choosing to live vs. dying young from something weight related was definitely easy...

• The choice to be able to run and play with my child(ren) made it easy.
• The choice to fit into non plus-size (mostly) clothes made it easy.
• The choice to live longer with my amazing husband and family made it easy.
• The choice to lower my cholesterol and not get diabetes was easy.
• The choice to not have my heels crack because of the weight was easy.
• The choice to learn how to integrate exercise into my life for MY wellbeing made it easy.
• The choice to ride on the swings at an amusement park made it easy.
• So many other experiences I've had in the last 1000 days made it easy...

There are SO MANY REASONS for me personally why being banded was an easy choice.  

But let me be clear... While the choice to live was an easy one, getting banded is NOT an easy way out.  

I live the choice every day when I want to eat pasta or rice and can't.  

I live the choice every day when I don't lose weight because I choose a slider food.  

I live the choice every day when I try to figure out how to cook for a family around my needs and theirs.

I live the choice every day when I don't lose weight because I am too lazy to get my butt moving and exercising.

I live the choice every day and try to decide whether or not to offer my story to others who might need it.

So, let's rock another 1000 days with this awesome tool, and see where the continuing journey takes me...  1001 days.  Awesome.