Do I Really Need To Do This?

You're likely wondering the same thing as I am.  Given that I am finally losing weight again, do I really need to go through with surgery for the band?  And it's an honest question given all the circumstances.  But the answer is still a yes, for several reasons.

1. I can't sustain this.  I'm at the gym several hours a day, many days a week.  To sustain weight, the recommendation is that you average 30 minutes of working out a day, plus watching your food intake.  If history is a good predictor, I'd keep this working out up until about mid-May.  Then life would start to take over with motorcycling, Pete, work, family, friends...and I'd slack off.  Oh, I'd still work out, but more than likely it would be at most 4 days a week. 
2. I can't sustain my way of eating.  It's not that I can't make good choices and limit portions, because I can.  However, just like number one, I can't sustain what I am doing now.  Around the same time that I'd likely stop working out so much, I'd stop the way that I am eating.  Again, life would start to interfere in that I'd be travelling every weekend with the motorcycles and at the mercy of whatever campout we were at or local hole in the wall restaurant.  I'd still do my best Monday through Thursday, but come Friday all bets would be off.  And I'd be running to the grocery store on Monday after work for the next couple of days, not wanting to buy too much because it would go back before we were home again late Sunday night. 
3. I know my patterns.  Number one and two show that when I look back I can see patterns to my life.  The patterns don't dictate me certainly, but we all know that patterns are really really hard to break.  And I've shown in the last three plus years that I can sometimes break the pattern, but will likely return to it once I get to a point I my head says I can't return from. 
4. I started this for a reason, to be healthier next year at this time than I am now.  I want to do that.  I want to use every tool I have in my toolbox to do that.  I knew going into it that I'd have to lose some weight to qualify and that motivated me.  When that motivator is gone I can use the tool of having the band to continue motivation to get a healthier me. 

I have no intention of not going through the surgery.  It's my choice and my journey and I can't wait to see me 365 days from surgery and where I'm at.