Exercise and Fitness Forum

by Linda Sorenson

Hi all!

     I am thrilled to be sharing my story on Obesity Help?s Member?s nMOTION. Like many of you I have struggled with obesity and complications from obesity for most if not all my life. I am now a healthy and active 42 year old woman who enjoys life and all it has to offer, though this was not always the case.

     My story starts very early in life. As long as I can remember I was always the "fat kid." I was struggled with obesity throughout my early childhood and teen years.  As I grew into an adult the obesity continued. Once I had children the problems from the obesity really started to affect my health. I soon developed high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, knee and back problems, depression, well, you get the idea! The list of health issues grew with each added pound and year. 

     Although obese, I always enjoyed being physically active. As a youth and teenager I participated in softball, cycling and was a member of my Jr. High School swimming team. Slowly the sports fell to the wayside. Having children and being a mom became the priority in my life. As my children grew older and I grew larger I started to take up cycling again. I managed to lose few pounds, quit cycling, gain a few pounds more than I had lost, start cycling again, then I would lose a few pounds, and gain a few more pounds. Sound familiar? Eventually I ended up weighing over 280 lbs and all the health issues I previously mentioned to boot!

     By chance, one day my husband and I rented a tandem bicycle while camping at a local camp ground. We thought we would ride the 6 mile paved trail at the camp ground. It was a nice trail and mostly flat. We quickly found out just how out of shape we were. We could not even peddle the bike up the smallest of hills. We had to push the bike up those hills and take several rest stops along the 6 mile trail. Despite our lack of fitness we had a great time. We had so much fun we did it again the next day.

Here is a picture of that first day riding the tandem bike. Notice I am pushing the bike!

     My husband and I didn?t realize that day just what we had started. Cycling was about to change our lives forever! We went out and bought a couple of those *big seat* comfy bikes. We started out going on short rides around the neighborhood, and then we would go twice around the neighborhood, and then we dared to go around a local small lake. We made it around that lake, with some rests and a lot of hard work. One day we thought, ?Gee, what is down this trail?? Off we went! We peddled down that trail and have been pedaling ever since.

     We have gone through many bikes since that day 3 years ago. Now we ride those fancy road bikes. The carbon fiber ones with drop down handle bars!  Never did we imagine where cycling would take us. My husband went from a weight of close to 300 lbs to the 195 lbs he weighs today. He is 6?4? and looks fabulous!

Here is my husband before he started to bike and now!

     I lost a lot of weight too. Almost 70 lbs! But then the diabetes started to get worse, despite my weight loss. Then I started to slowly gain the weight back. I had gained 40 of the 70 lbs I lost back and was steadily climbing in weight. I kept trying to ride and keep up with my husband but it was getting harder and harder to be active. I finally asked my PCP what options I had. The health issues were getting out of control and so was the weight again! Sound familiar? Ah yes, the never ending weight roller coaster!

     My PCP recommended WLS. I checked into WLS options and spent endless hours doing research. Soon I learned that not only would WLS help me lose the weight but that it may very well help with all my other health issues. Next thing I know I was signing up for an information class at a local Hospital. I was impressed with WLS and what it might do for my health but I was scared too. My husband and I worried that I wouldn?t be able to participate in cycling anymore, or that I would be very restricted in my abilities to be active in strenuous sports, not to mention the risk of complications. Ha! That was the furthest thing from the truth. Despite our fears I went forward with WLS. I had surgery on June 30^th, 2006. 

Here I am before I started to bike and one after WLS (still biking)! 

     I have lost 46 lbs since WLS on June 30^th, 2006 and 86 lbs from the August 2003 picture. I am now less than 200 lbs for the first time in 24 years! It gets better?I went into the hospital on a Friday and came home two days later on a Sunday. The next day I rode my bike (with my surgeon?s permission!!!). I didn?t go far, just two and one half miles but I was out riding my bike just three days after surgery.

     I managed to ride 54 miles over the next week. Pre-op my husband and I would ride anywhere from 100-200 miles per week.  54 miles and being one week out form surgery?WOW! This just keeps getting better. The weight is coming off. I am faster and stronger then ever on the bike. I am back up to riding 140 miles per week. Most rides are around 25-30 miles, with my longest ride since surgery being 50 miles. We are looking forward to riding a century (100 miles) ride in the near future.

     I feel great and I am no longer on any medications except for blood pressure medication. I am able to eat foods to maintain enough energy to ride for long distances and I am able to consume enough water to stay properly hydrated.

     I attribute my success to a few things:  1) A wonderful supportive husband  2) A fantastic surgeon 3) The wonderful support here at OH......and, 44)  Being active prior to WLS and maintaining that activity after WLS. I can not stress enough the importance of all these things. But most important is to make sure you are exercising. Find something you love and stick with it. You will enjoy the rewards of good health and weight loss for your efforts.

Bless all of you and best of luck in your journey!

You can also check out Linda's profile here.