400 posts later

Two years ago, almost to the day, I started this blog.  I had made the decision to pursue weight loss through Optifast.  It's such a roller coaster of emotions to go through my older posts, remembering what I as going through at the time and how I feel about things today.  I wouldn't erase my journey with Optifast (or Weight Watchers and Jenny Craig) since that time because, truthfully, those things brought me to where I am today and my decision to have gastric bypass surgery.  I have tried so many things to lose weight during my entire life and it's really those things that made me hit my knees and ask God to guide me on this.  I wonder if I am courageous enough to continue on this journey.  I also wonder if I will fail.  The best thing I can do for now is just be honest about how I'm feeling, trust in God to lead me and pray for bravery.  This is my 401st post (can you believe it??) and I've had more than 66,000 hits to my blog.  Obviously I'm not alone in this journey and I'm so grateful for that and for all of you wonderful readers.

Tomorrow I begin my pre-op classes for the surgery at Kaiser.  To say I am ready is seriously the understatement of my life.  I have really come so far in the emotional part of this process already.  When I first even made the decision that I was indeed going to pursue surgery, I felt incredibly scared.  Now that I've done more research, talked to more people who have had it, shared my decision with an incredible support system and have a center for excellence that will be doing it, I find myself more excited than a child on Christmas morning.  Now that's excited!  Of course I will continue sharing my journey here.  I need to post more than ever before as I go through such an incredible journey.  I'll bring back pictures of my progress here once I start accumulating some.  I still have them from my Optifast weight loss, but I don't want to compare myself today to the self that I was while doing Optifast.  This will be a different experience, one that I feel in my heart I will be able to do.  Let's face it - if I was able to survive on nothing but liquids for something like 8-10 months, I know I can do this too.

Water Challenge Day 7:  Drank 190 of 186 ounces