In which I like going to the doctor

When you're overweight (OK, obese), one normally doesn't like to go to the doctor. Any doctor. At all. Ever.

In fact, most people - including yours truly - avoided any medical professional for years so as to dodge the inevitable Come To Jesus moment in which the physician correctly says (in varying degrees of empathy and/or kindness): "You've got to lose weight."

Before I joined Weight Watchers in September 2010, I was in a very bad way physically. I weighed 280+ lbs. I had high blood pressure, my BMI was 44. Forty-friggin-four, people. For perspective's sake, 25 is considered "Normal." Tweny-six to 30 is overweight. Over 30, you're skipping doctor's appointments forever. Regardless of how you feel about BMI, that is dangerous.

Aside from OB appointments due to my pregnancies, I avoided my primary care physician because I didn't want to hear the truth. I also didn't want confirmed what I also knew was true: I had sleep apnea. Many times I would wake up overnight gasping for breath - and that's when my husband wasn't waking me up because I was snoring so insanely loud.

And, most likely, I was pre-diabetic, if not outright diabetic. I also knew I had high blood pressure, Lord knows what I was doing to my poor heart.

Weighing what I weighed and fighting the symptoms I had, it was amazing I dodged the medical bullets I did. But I knew I couldn't forever, and if I didn't change my ways I seriously would end up what I call: "scooter fat." So heavy, you need a scooter to get around. I was slowly, painfully walking the way to scooter fat and I wanted off, so I literally shaped up.

Cut to now, almost 18 months later and I am a healthy weight and a very healthy person. A runner. A bootcamper. A vegetarian! I mean, Wow.

Last year, I was a little over halfway to my weight-loss goal and I was excited to go to the GYN. I vividly remember telling his nurse, whom I love: "Next year when I see you I will be a Size 10 and weigh 160 lbs."

So I was a little pumped to strut my Size 10, 160-lb self into the office today for my annual howdy-do.

Inside, I was a freaking brass band. Ta-da! Here I am! Follow me, to the scale!

Funny, actually the nurse said: "I don't need to weigh you, you know what you weigh." Oh, yes, I do.

My GYN was very complimentary, saying all sorts of wonderful, encouraging things: "We're so proud of you."

It's amazing to go to a doctor's appointment confident instead of embarrassed, just a world of difference.

Now, my goal for next year: Strut through the door once again, Size 10, 160 lbs.