2011 was my sixth year of blogging. In January, I redesigned the look and feel of the blog. I also changed the focus to my thoughts on healthy living from a bariatric patient’s point of view. My posts support the blog’s theme of “One Man’s Journey of Diet + Fitness + Health + Wellness = Happiness”. As I finish my first year of blogging with this new focus, I thought I would share my favorite posts from the year.

1. Are you struggling in your weight loss journey? — This post talks about the importance of taking ownership of your weight loss journey. It shows how Greg LeMond’s strategies from his come from behind Tour de France victory can be applied to your personal weight loss story.
2. Conquering the Fear of the Unknown — I wrote this guest post for my weight loss surgery friend Jean’s Bandwagon on the Road newsletter. It talks about how we limit ourselves with fear. It offers advice on conquering fear by making the unknown known.
3. When Expectations do not Meet Reality — So often, we go into an effort with great expectations. At times the end result does not meet those expectations. This is very much applicable to weight loss surgery patients. This post offers advice on moving ahead positively when this happens.
4. Body Image from a Male Point of View — Men do not talk much about body image. As the pounds fall away after weight loss surgery, men seem to want to lose just another 10-20 pounds. This posts talks about owning your personal body image and how being comfortable with your weight and appearance helps define your success.
5. Shedding Negativity — Negativity holds us back. Negativity can originate from our inner self and from people that surround us. At a November seminar, I heard a cancer survivor speak about shedding negativity to make her recovery a success. It is such great advice that I live by today.