I posted the following on the forum today, and then felt like maybe I wanted to start blogging, so decided to repost here as my inaugural blog entry! Thanks to everyone who's made me feel welcome since joining the forum in the past week. x

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Of course I am looking forward to being smaller and wearing nice clothes, but some of the main reasons I'm really looking forward to the sleeve is about being able to do things I've not been/felt able to do in the past few years while overweight. I've been talking about them with my husband, and it's helping me to overcome the fear and doubts I'm feeling as my surgery day draws nearer.

Going skiing - I love skiing and have gone a few times in the past 10 years at various weights. The last time when I was 40lbs lighter than I am now about 5 years ago, I realised the weight was just too much, I got too tired and thigh-muscle achey with every run, and was holding back the people I was skiing with. So I haven't gone again, and my ski boots gather dust in my loft. Can't weight to get them out.

I did a short-course triathlon in 2006 when I was about 50lbs lighter than I am now, and it was hard work and loads of fun. I still swim (not as often as I should) because for some reason I refuse to be shamed out of my favourite exercise, but my racing bike sits in the shed, gathering dust, and I can't run when I'm this heavy because of the stress on my joints. Can't wait to get my bike and my running shoes out!

I really love dancing, but feel too big and self-conscious on the dance floor, and I sweat a lot (this is true when I'm thin as well, but I know that people will be thinking I sweat because I'm a 'fat girl') Can't wait to get out and go dancing without worrying that people are laughing at the fat chick.

Sitting in any bloody seat anywhere without wondering if I will fit. My husband and I went to the first match of the UK football (soccer) season at his team's home ground last August, and I didn't fit properly in the seat, which admittedly was tiny. I was so conscious of not spilling onto the stranger on one side of me, that I was of course leaning more onto my husband. Half way through I almost decided just to lean all over the other guy, since I would never see him again, but what an awful dilemma - repulse a random stranger with my weight, or inconvenience my husband. Can't wait to put my arse down wherever I want to, and have it fit.

Intimate moments without worrying about my fat getting in the way! I know that I will likely have some excess skin and subsequently have surgery, but being able to go back to a more varied sex life will be great.

Being able to eat in front of people without wondering what they are thinking. I don't spend too much mental real estate on other people's thoughts, but occasionally it hits me and embarrasses me.

I think I'll keep working on these - it's like having a WLS bucket list. Then all the fun of ticking them off!