This picture makes me smile.

Joan and Pyrex. What more do I need to say?

Roller mama...

is what my son now calls me. I finally fulfilled a life long dream and bought a damn pair of roller skates. It has always been a secret fantasy of mine to join roller derby. We have a league in my town, and they are always looking for members. Even when I was tiny ( I consider myself at 140 tiny) I was too scared to try out. I played field hockey in high school and loved it. But ever since roller derby 're-emerged' I have wanted to do it. I think I'd be good at it, and plus it looks like so much fun! So I took the first step and bought some skates. At least I am getting some really good cardio. You should see me on them - someone my size busting their ass every 5 seconds must be a sight. But I always get up and keep going. I hope to skate home from work when it cools off. It's a little under 2 miles away from my house, so I think that would be a fun way to exercise.

Oh Yeah....

Weight: 340
Pounds Lost: 25

Good start, eh?

I finally talked to my mother about losing weight. She and I have .... different opinions. She is a nurse and was overweight for about 15 years. When I was younger she just gained 80 pounds out of nowhere - and her doctors couldn't figure it out. She just kind of gave up after that. She ate very badly and set a poor example of emotional eating for my brother and I. When I was 19 she had gastric bypass done because her blood sugar levels where getting near the type 2 range. She went from 230 to 130. I am happy for her, but I don't agree with the way she's done it. She still doesn't eat very healthy - she uses protein powders and eats tiny amounts of high calorie foods instead of actually eating nutrient dense foods. She rarely exercises, but instead keeps her calories under 1000 a day so she won't 'get fat again'. She has gained back 10 pounds of the weight she lost so far, but I've heard it's normal to go really low and then come back up a bit after surgery. She really tries to push gastric bypass on me. I have absolutely nothing against anyone who has had it done - but I don't think it's for me. I'm 23 years old, I still can turn my life around. I'm not immobile or even out of breath from tying my shoes. I can bench press 60 pounds, and squat 100. I think I'm capable of exercising.  I don't feel like I'm 'morbidly obese' just too damn fat. I feel, in my 'heart of hearts', that if I don't do everything within my power to lose weight on my own that gastric bypass would be a cop out for me. I understand it to be a major - life altering surgery for people who have no other options. I feel like I do have options. So anyways, she and I don't talk about weightloss. Now we do, and I think she understands where I'm coming from. She's even agreed to have a session with Peg, my nutritionist. I'm really happy - I feel like I have an ally instead of a naysayer now.

So how do you feel about gastric bypass? Have you been told to get it - or have you gotten it? I would love to hear thoughts or experiences.