Ayeshah Reflects On Her WLS Journey And OH Events
October 13, 2013"I went from some of the lowest self-esteem in my life being in the 350's and always walking with my head down...not really knowing what beauty could come out of me in my most authentic- self and now nearly three years post-op, November 16th will be three years, to come full circle and to have that kind of experience at really a turning point in my life...I am forever grateful."-Ayeshah (GhrelinBgone)
Hello OH friends and family!
It's been almost three years since OH member and YouTube host Ayeshah (GhrelinBgone) underwent went loss surgery. The ObesityHelp team first met her in 2010 at another one of our OH events in Southern California. At that time she was a pre-op seeking education and support. Now, here it is almost three years later and beautiful Ayeshah has lost an incredible amount of weight (190 pounds!) and she recently modeled a gorgeous dress at the ObesityHelp National Conference fashion show in Anaheim. Not only that, she was co-emcee of the show and did an awesome job! Thank you so much Ayeshah! Just look at that before and after photo of her above. She was smiling then and she is really smiling now!
I thought you would enjoy her most recent vlog (video blog) as she shares with her viewers what she has learned within her WLS journey and at our most recent OH event. Below is a transcript of her vlog followed by the video. Enjoy! By the way, she is just as beautiful and kind as she appears to be in her videos!
-Tammy
Ayeshah: 34.5 months post-op RNY ...after the Show!
I am just getting home from the Garden Grove/ Anaheim area where the 2013 ObesityHelp Conference was. It was just an unbelievable event. Let me back up a little bit just for the sake of catching everyone up. It’s October 6th and Happy Birthday to my best friend Tamika.
So, it is Sunday, October 6th and I am 34 and a half months post-op. On November 16, 2010 I had gastric bypass in San Diego, California. (In case anyone is tuning into my channel for the first time.) I went on to shed 190 pounds. This Tuesday, I weigh every Tuesday, I believe I weighed 166 pounds so that is right within my maintenance range of 165-175 pounds. So, we got that out of the way. So that’s where I am as of this week.
What happened in Anaheim/Garden Grove yesterday was the ObesityHelp Conference... so that is where my head has been along with the side note in my life of moving my residence to the east coast. But the big thing about this weekend was having weight loss surgery, then going to conferences and learning as much as you can. I always like to go to the sessions and the classes. They had some really good sessions and I also got to participate in the fashion show and I was co-emcee of the fashion show last night.
The big head trip in all this is was that my first time at an ObesityHelp Conference was in 2010. I was well into my 350’s and cut to three years later…and being in this fashion show. If you know me from Facebook or hear any of my story on Youtube, I have always loved clothes and playing in clothes. Part of my early childhood I modeled for my Dad in his hair shows.
I spent all these years in obesity and then one day, after I choose to have weight loss surgery for the treatment of obesity…which I learned this weekend to frame the truth that way. That I needed treatment for obesity and the treatment plan that I took upon myself was to have laparoscopic gastric bypass and that has been part of my treatment for obesity. And isn't that something? I don’t know, maybe other people have heard it framed that way but I had never heard it framed that way.
And also, I heard Dr. Sharma talk about obesity and this journey. And I posted this to my Facebook that it is not about losing weight, it is about obesity management. Because the fat girl in us (or guy) is still wanting to come back to life. Many times, and especially this far out…I am learning that the original fat girl wants to come alive more times than she should. And so in order to manage obesity in my life there are certain things that I needed to do, have done, and continue to do. And obviously like a broken record: protein first, definitely water, and continuous use of physical fitness to aid in the treatment of obesity in my life. So those are two big takeaways for me and hopefully that is something that you think about too. What was your treatment for obesity? What did you choose to help treat obesity in your life?
So, anyway, I know that I am just kind of all over the place. I am just so excited! I am home and just wanted to share with you guys this little point in my life. So, the fashion show happened and I put pictures up on Facebook and eventually the pictures will be up on the ObesityHelp website. It was just one of these incredible turn of events. Maybe I will never make it to New York fashion week, but I certainly got to be in a room full of my peers. My peers are people who have also sought weight loss surgery in the treatment of their obesity. A group of us decided to dress up and join this fashion show and I was so thankful that I was asked to be a part of this event and that someone found in me this idea that I could co-emcee the show and also participate in it.
Learn more about Ayeshah’s Journey by subscribing to her YouTube channel!
I’m just loving my journey and that life has turned around for me this way. I’ve given everything I could to get healthy from laying on the table and having surgery to trying to eat the best as I can to lose the weight and to continue to stay healthy. Of course fitness has played a big part of it because I have not had any plastic surgery. I like to look a certain way, so I have to move a certain way. To find a dress that made me smile and then to be able to walk on an actual runway and to have music playing...it was just one of those little moments that was like are you serious, I get to do this? I get to be a part of this? And to be amongst people who are in the fight against obesity...It was just one of those moments that I don't know if I can ever explain it properly. But certainly if the conference comes to your neighborhood or close proximity, it is worth it to join. Its a different kind of event. Lots of vendors were present and lots of speakers. You can always take away something.
And their night... the party at night and the fun, taking photos on the little red carpet. Just a lot of fun! I said it a million times this weekend on my Facebook. "I love my weekend!" And then being able to see people that I had not seen in a long time and to be able to get lots of hugs and share in conversations about the journey...it has been amazing.
So, I just wanted to catch you up on what happened over the weekend with ObesityHelp and how I felt about that little space of time. I went from some of the lowest self-esteem in my life being in the 350's and always walking with my head down...not really knowing what beauty could come out of me in my most authentic- self and now nearly three years post-op, November 16th will be three years, to come full circle and to have that kind of experience at really a turning point in my life...I am forever grateful. Certainly forever grateful for this YouTube family and the Facebook family that share in all of my shenanigans and all my picture taking. I always recommend capturing those moments that make you smile. Buy clothes that make you smile...that show the work you are doing with your body. Learn to embrace all of the beauty that comes out of shedding obesity. That's where I am. It's Ok, you can evolve and express yourself in ways that obesity just robbed you of. That's why I also cheer for the idea of reaching goal... to be able to walk out of that "I have to lose weight mentality" and reach goal and go on to do other things that have nothing to do with weight loss...because then you are just living.
