I can't believe I am saying this, but today is my one year surgiversary! I can't believe it has been one year already! Time flew! I am living on cloud 9 right now about my health. It's fantastic!

I had my 1 year post-op appt with my surgeon (who I haven't seen since 1 week after surgery) and he walked in the room, stopped dead in his tracks, his face lit up and looked me straight in the eyes and said "Oh my god Laura, you look amazing. YOU ARE SKINNY!" I almost cried. Hearing that out of him meant SO much to me. I still get a bit choked up thinking about it! My appt went well, everything is looking great. My numbers are awesome too!

SW: 298
CW: 165

Body fat %:
Starting - 46%
Current - 26%

Upper arm:
Starting - 17 inches
Current - 11 inches

Hips:
Starting - 56 inches
Current - 40 inches

Waist:
Starting - 48 inches
Current - 29 inches

Grand total: 41 inches!!!

It's unreal! This has been a hard journey, but it has been worth every moment of it. Even though all these numbers are great, I think my biggest accomplishment is what came after I heard all these numbers. My surgeon says I have done such an amazing job with tracking my food, measuring everything I eat a week in advance, and my consistent kickboxing and strength training, that he asked me if I'd like to write my story so they can put it on their website along with my before and after pictures. AND he asked me to join his group of "successes" to start coming to the informational meetings so I can share my story there as well to all the people considering weight loss surgery. I NEVER expected something like that. Of course, I said I would love to. It's such an honor, I can't even believe it!

I am just so happy with all of this, it is truly amazing. Oh, and to top it all off! As some of you know, I have been training to become a strength training and kickboxing instructor at the body shaping facility I do all this, and I tested out last night AND I PASSED! So I am now officially an instructor! I never, in my wildest dreams EVER thought I would be capable of something like this. It's very hard to grasp at times. When I was younger I always said I wanted to do something with my life that would help other people and help impact them for the better...I never thought it would be to share my story, help inspire people, and teach people how to get in shape. I am SO SO SO happy!

I'm done rambling now, I swear. I just had to get all of this out somewhere!