An intro of sorts.

No matter how hard I try or what diet I follow, I cannot for the life of my lose any real amount of weight. Most people would roll their eyes and say "Hmm, wonder why?" in a sarcastic tone, implying I am secretly hoarding oreos and potato chips. I wish it were only that easy. Maybe I'm making excuses, but for a person who has succeeded at everything else in life, not being able to control my own image has been a bitter dissapointment.
At this point in my life, with my dieting failures behind and more to come if I continue on my current path, I've decided to take the first step and have a form of weight loss surgery called the Lapband. The Lapband is placed around the upper stomach and can be tightened by injecting saline into a port located on the abdomen. The idea behind gastric banding is that it will make a person fuller longer, therefore eliminating constant hunger and allowing a person to eat a small amount of food and be satisfied.
Why the Lapband, you ask? After considering my options (gastric bypass, the sleeve, or the band), I decided on the band due to the main reason that your anatomy is not altered in anyway. The band is installed laproscopically with five small incisions on the stomach. The recovery time is minimal and a person does not suffer malnourishment like some other surgery types. I also wanted to know that someday I can have babies without worrying about being able to get proper nutrition.

My new life is scheduled for March 20th, 2012 at 7:30AM. To say the least, I'm excited. I'm excited to have a chance at the normal life that so many take for granted. I'm excited to one day be able to go into any store and buy clothes. I'm excited to one day wear a real swimsuit and not those kinds designed for my Grandma. I am excited to have so much love and support from those people in my life that are privy to my journey. I know that with a little help, I can beat this thing once and for all.

So, here are the current facts about me:
- Highest weight: 265-ish
- Current weight: 250
- Goal: 150
- Age: 24

I am currently on a low-fat diet, eating approximately 1200 calories a day. On March 14 or 15, I will go to a completely "liquid" diet until my surgery date. After that, I will be on a "liquid" diet for the first two weeks post-op, then on to a pureed stage for another two weeks, then to soft foods for another two weeks, and then on to normal foods.

I am so lucky to have an insurance that covers this procedure. If I didn't, I would be saving my money for a trip to Mexico to get the procedure done. People may scoff at this idea, but if you only knew how it felt to be fat for the majority of your life and the constant want to be normal size, you would understand.
As I start my journey, I will be completely open and honest about my successes and failures. I'm hoping that by doing so, I can stay 100% honest and have a place where I don't need to feel ashamed at the size I've become.
In the coming days, weeks, and months, I'm sure I'll find more to say. But for now, I will consider this goodnight.