Before & After RNY with Anjy, losing 110 pounds!
March 12, 2019Why I Decided to Have WLS
I was 23 when I had my first daughter and was a single mom working two jobs trying to provide for her. As she grew, staying fit and healthy was definitely not on my radar. I was always trying the latest and greatest... Tried and failed the Phen Phen thing... Tried Jenny Craig and wasn’t into all the packaged food... Tried good old Adkins (the new Keto) diet which worked for a bit but was sooooo unhealthy... My yo-yo diets eventually went to Nutri System which again failed because of the FAKE food.
Even after I met and married my husband in 2000 I continued to struggle. Struggling with being a size 8 to size 10 with him because we were in LOVE I gained my fill of unhealthy habits then. In 2007, my youngest was born and at that point, I was diagnosed with hypertension and diabetes... Fast forward to a doctor telling me in 2012 that if I didn’t change the ways that I was on my way to die within two years.
Before & After RNY with Anjy
Total Weight Loss: 110 pounds
Surgery Type: RNY
Surgery Date: April 3, 2013
Surgeon: Dr. Douglas M. Krahn
My Surgery and Post-Op Life
The wake-up call from what my doctor told me triggered my life events from there, I researched everything!!!! I have lots of friends in the industry and my friend told me that Dr. Krahn was the best... And then the process started...In 2012 I made the conscious decision to start the processes and undergo surgery for the Gastric Bypass, due to health issues (high blood pressure and diabetes). On April 3, 2013, the surgery was performed and my new lifestyle was underway. I was definitely concerned and nervous. I was having three surgeries at the same time. My procedure took about six hours total due to all the things he had to do.
Night one was tough. I wasn’t doing well on the pain regimen I was on so they changed it and I was up 12 hours after surgery. I did stay in the hospital for a total of three days. When I was home it was a quick recovery. Eating had completely changed from the liquid diet (for example, protein shakes) to soft diet (cottage cheese and applesauce) then to mushy (eggs, THOSE WERE THE BEST, LOL) to solid foods (very small portions). It was such an adjustment to not think BIG meals any longer. My world was changed and I had to change with it. The hardest part, in the beginning, was getting the right amount of protein in without getting too full too fast. Also the control of how much I needed to eat.
After a full year of having the surgery, I was able to change my body and lose over 100 pounds to strive to a better and healthier person.
In 2014 it was on! Time to not have to worry about loose skin and to get FIT! Time to build up this body I had torn down to skin and bones. It was a rebuilding year and I did just that. I had lost a total of 110 lbs and now to add on that muscle. In April of 2014, I started my journey to become a bikini fitness competitor in the 35-40+ Masters Division. And after many weeks of hard work and dedication to diet and exercise, I completed my first competition and placed 3rd overall in my division at Muscle Beach, Venice.
I have continued my journey in fitness competitions in hopes to not only improve but excel into some Professional Circuits. So, within 6 months of proper diet and exercise, I was able to put on 15 lbs of muscle and to look very lean and healthy. Being 110 lbs was not realistic for me. I looked way too skinny and constantly had my family ask me “Are you eating enough? You look too skinny...” The words I hated the most were “You look too skinny”... Well, that was because I was FAT for all those years that you did know me.
My husband married a size 10 girl and now he has a size 2 girl. It’s a big change for anyone to see. I had friends that I had known for 10+ years not even recognize me until they heard me talk LOL...This was one of the best decisions that I had made for myself ever. I am diabetes and hypertension free. I can live to see my great-grandchildren. Yeah, I said GREAT... LOL This isn’t for everyone. I have had many friends get the surgery and keep it successful for a couple of years and then they end up back to their old habits. This is a Tool like anything else. If you don’t take care of the TOOL it will result in failure. Make sure if you do get this type of surgery that you are willing to put in the work that it requires for you to be SUCCESSFUL.
A Special Milestone / Non-Scale Victory
My weight loss was quick and interesting. I lost 30 pounds within weeks of the surgery. By November, I remember my weight loss to be at 80 pounds. Ultimately I knew that in order to lose the additional weight I was going to have to put in some work. Working out came after the holidays just like everyone else does –New Year’s Resolution –New Year New Me! My journey has been something of a private nature for me. It was difficult to discuss because of all the negative feedback I received when I stated I was going to do the surgery. I’m a 47-year-old mother of three beautiful girls and wife to a wonderful husband who has now made the fitness sports lifestyle change.
Since the years have progressed, I have grown leaps and bounds in this sport. Taking the advice of the judges I progressed to gaining more muscle have been competing in Woman’s Master’s and Open Figure I competed in my first figure competition with the Lauren Powers Beach Classic in October of 2014. With that being said I was able to win the Masters division in Figure and then won the Overall. It was one of the best days EVER. Now I have moved on to compete not only with the LPC but NPC. I have won and lost and have had the support of my friends and family by my side.
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