Are You Taking The Time to Reflect on Your Gastric Band Journey?

     Sometimes it's easy to get caught up in the day to day of life and not stop for a moment and have a look back at how far we've come. It's an important part of the Lap Band journey to make sure that we're constantly looking at what we're doing and ways we can improve, but also to congratulate ourselves for how much we've accomplished and how far we've come.

My one year 'bandiversary' is fast approaching and on the weekend I came across the work I did before I started my journey and it was very interesting reading! It seemed like a good time to look back on my journey and reflect. I remembered back to this time last year before I had the Lap Band and how I was very unhappy, very unsatisfied with how my life was and I really didn't like myself very much at all. I was on the fast track road to a major illness, I could barely walk my dogs around the block without my back being in excruciating pain and everyday tasks like getting off the couch were a struggle! Not to mention I never had anything that fit me properly, I hated the way I looked and I also avoided social situations at any cost.

Skip ahead nearly a year and with 32kgs (70.4 pds) gone forever, I am probably happier than I have ever been, I am feeling more comfortable in my body and I have thrown out quite a few clothes that don't fit anymore! I also walk my boys twice a day everyday and I really enjoy it. We're also fast approaching summer in this part of the world and it's the first time I can remember that I'm not panicking about it and thinking I have to lose all the weight in the shortest amount of time possible because I've put so much on - I'm actually very excited about it!

The Gastric Band has allowed me to take charge of my life and better it in a way I didn't think was possible. Sure I thought it would help me lose weight and keep it off, but I never realised how grateful I would be to have been given this 'second chance'; to extend my life by years and I know that no matter what happens in the future, it's been more than worth it.

Here are some actions for you to take as you reflect on your journey so far:

* Make a list of all the ways you're better off now than you were before you got your Lap Band.

* What kind of person are you now that you've lost weight?

* Have I achieved the goals I put in place?

* Am I celebrating the goals I have obtained?

It's important part of the process to be continually reviewing how far you've come and how you can improve and do things better. It really is a never ending journey and we need to be aware that if we make this our number 1 priority, then we WILL be successful!

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