If you’ve read any of my blogs you are probably aware that the way I approach most projects is as a full on frontal attack.  I do not quit.  The word is not in my dictionary.  I may veer off course, but I soon head straight down the path to what I want.  I approach life like that, in business, in relationships, in purchases, in vacations.  You name it.  If I want it I go for it.  The ONLY thing I had not achieved long term success with was my weight, until I heard about the LAP-BAND and was scared into having surgery.  Then, despite my doctor’s recommendations, at 424 pounds I choose LAP-BAND as the weight loss surgery for me and proceeded to approach this “project” called my health and life with a full on frontal attack.  I succeeded and lost 250 pounds and have been maintaining that weight loss with little bumps in the road ever since.  My surgery date was 2004 so I am finally accepting that I will NOT gain 250 pounds overnight as long as I keep doing and being fit and healthy Sandi.

So what’s my next “project”?  It’s still the same one - ME!  I am a work in progress and I am committed to doing my personal best each and every day of this life that has been gifted to me along with my weight loss surgery.  What’s the definition of personal best you ask?  Let’s start with a working definition of best.  Best, the superlative of good…better than good, is defined as offering or producing the greatest advantage, utility or satisfaction.  Personal…..mine, belonging to or about me.  So simply defined my personal best is ME producing the greatest satisfaction by being better than good.  Sounds a lot like results not typical, doesn’t it?  That is what I strive for daily.  Some days I achieve it, some days not so much.  Whatever the individual day’s results are, as long as I have tried my hardest that day I am happy.

Some days I will break previous records - on exercise, on drinking water, on grams of protein consumed and those all become personal bests.  I celebrate every one of them.  At nine+ years post-op I need self motivation each and every day to help me make the choices that will keep me “results not typical”.  This past two weeks my personal bests have occurred in the area of fitness and I am amazed at what I have been able to do.  I was born in 1948 which makes me 65 years young, and I as previously 424 pounds, had high blood pressure, sleep apnea, asthma and was on the road to an early death.  Today I get up each morning, have some coffee, and prepare my protein drink and head to the gym where incredible things have been happening.  I have had a cold for the past two weeks which has kept me out of the swimming pool, but not off the elliptical.  Please understand that I have arthritis in my right knee to the point where I am bone on bone.  I started the elliptical at 5 minutes a couple of years ago and thought I was going to die.  Today I hit a new personal best - not only was I able to complete 35 minutes on the elliptical but I completed a 5k as well.  As a matter of fact I completed 3.2 miles in 35 minutes.  That means I was just under an 11 minute mile for the entire time.  I am more than excited.  I am amazed.  It’s not a 10k, it’s not a half marathon or a marathon, but then that was not my goal.  My goal was to be able to complete a 5k on the elliptical in 2014.  I did it!!  What’s next?  I will make sure I can repeat it at least 5 or 10 times and create new goals after that.  Why new goals?  Because if I get comfortable and complacent with what I have done I will be good, but I am always striving for the superlative of good because that’s how I roll.

My path to self improvement after weight loss surgery has been lined with many personal bests.  Today I did my personal best.  I can say that with confidence.  And tomorrow I will try my hardest.  I can say that with confidence too!