March 19th: My sincere apologies for not putting up my March journal page sooner. Wish I had a good excuse, have just been too lazy to get around to doing it. I did put updated photos on my weight loss photo page, there is quite a difference in the last two months. I'm very pleased. The weight loss has slowed down and that has me a bit down, but I've come a long way in the last 6 months. Further than I've been able to accomplish in the last four years. I started going to the gym last month and have also started going to a tanning bed, I feel so much better about my appearance now. Still have a long ways to go, but life is so much better than it was 6 months ago. I was looking back at how down I was back in September last year... even before then. I'm so glad this surgery has given me back a chance at a "normal" life again.

March 20th: My goal for the next 6 weeks is to go to the gym at least 3x a week and on the days that I don't go to the gym to do at least 20 minutes on the treadmill. I'm really going to try to get down below the 200 lb mark by my sister's wedding which is April 29th. It's going to be difficult to lose that much in that short of a time span, but if I put my mind to it, I think I can! (Picturing the little engine that could...I think I can..I think I can...)

March 26th: Didn't have a very good week for exercising or eating right. Went to the gym once. Ugh. Sometimes I think I'm never going to be able to make this transition to a permanent healthy lifestyle. It is so difficult sometimes! I haven't even weighed myself in weeks...tomorrow is the first fitting for my bridesmaid gown, and although I know I've come a long way (the dress was ordered for me in a 28W and I'm now in an 18W...it's still not good enough. I wanted to be out of the plus sizes by the wedding and it doesn't look like that's going to happen.

March 27th (227 lbs): Looks like the scale finally dropped for me, thought it had forgotten how to do it! I know I have no one to blame but myself, I really haven't been doing anything positive to get this weight off in a long time. I know if I want this surgery to be successful, I have to keep on it. This surgery was only a tool to help me get the weight off...it was not something to "fix me" so that I can automatically be thin again.

March 30th: Thanks Randi, for the wonderful compliment you sent to the mailing list. It really put things into perspective for me that I have come a long way...5 dress sizes in 5 months is really nothing to be disappointed in...even though I know I'm always my worst critic! I really need to work hard this month to try to slim down some more before the wedding...even though I have lost a lot, that dress still emphesizes the pudgy hips I have!