OH2016 Videos: Lyss Remaly, Tina Rambarran & Jessica Stockton
February 16, 2017The OH2016 Conference was jam-packed with inspiration and support from many weight loss surgery post-ops that attended. Three successful long-term bariatric surgery patients, Lyss Remaly, Tina Rambarran and Jessica Stockton, inspired attendees by sharing their amazing journeys. Check out the videos of Lyss, Tina, and Jessica from the 2016 ObesityHelp National Conference!
Lyss Remaly - From Bariatrics to Bodybuilding, NOTHING is Impossible
Lyss Remaly was the “funny fat girl” from birth through adolescence and into adulthood. It stopped being funny when Lyss found herself at 350 pounds and unable to fit into an airplane seat. In June 2010, Lyss had Duodenal Switch surgery with the hopes of losing the weight for good. She had already failed a Lap-Band, which had been done at age 16 and managed to eat her way through the Band and into serious trouble.
After bariatric surgery, Lyss still needed a “click” moment to realize that bariatric surgery can only do so much to assist with weight loss and it was going to be up to HER to change her lifestyle to make the surgery as successful as possible.
Through hard work, determination, endless hours of reading, buckets of sweat, tears and an undying will to live a healthy and fit life…this funny fat girl found her way into a fit life and a Natural Bodybuilding Championship trophy.
Tina Rambarran - What I Gained By Losing 350 Pounds
Tina Rambarran weighed 502 pounds, her BMI was 79 and her doctor candidly told her that if she continued to gain weight at the pace she currently was, she may not live to see her 40th birthday. Tina opted to save her life by having bariatric surgery on May 10, 2010. With Roux-en-Y (RNY) as a tool, along with extreme dedication and hard work, Tina has lost 350 pounds!
As a result of the excess pounds she carried on her body, she’s had multiple medically necessary skin removal surgeries. Tina openly shares her insights, victories and real-life struggles to help educate people that are considering weight loss surgery that it is absolutely not “the easy way out“.
Not only did Tina make it to her 40th birthday last year, she has also moved forward to a completely new lifestyle where she has begun fitness training to focus on building a strong healthy body. Tina is the Director of Operations for a non-profit. She lives in Massachusetts with her husband and their two adorable cats. Her husband has been by her side this entire journey. He is her biggest cheerleader and has been with her literally through thick and thin.
Tina’s weight loss journey is more than losing 350 pounds, her life gains and lifestyle changes are the true story.
Jessica Stockton - Support, Key to Your WLS Success
Jessica Stockton and her family took a trip to Six Flags in June of 2007. Even though Jessica had been above 200 lbs for the past 10 years, she had never really felt her obesity. On this rare day, she was aware of every single pound, all 290. In her mind, everyone in the park was looking at her, the fat girl, with a fit husband and two thin children. As traumatic as that day was, it helped Jessica make a decision that she had been contemplating for two years; she needed to have weight loss surgery.
At 29 years old, with health problems arising and the threat of being put on blood pressure medication coming from her doctor, the choice seemed very clear. Within weeks, Jessica began taking the steps to start her WLS journey. She got referrals in place, went to orientation, lost the required 10% of her weight, met with a psychologist and had life changing laparoscopic RNY gastric bypass surgery on February 12, 2008.
Eight years later, Jessica is down 115 pounds! She is now able to be active with her kids and family. She has been able to be the active mother she wanted to be, participating in family activities instead of watching from the sidelines. She began running, which was a long time goal of hers. Jessica has completed races including multiple 5k’s, 10k’s, a half marathon and, most recently, The Taji 100 Challenge – 100 miles throughout the month of February. She has even made return visits to Six Flags with her family; the difference now is that she is no longer afraid that she won’t fit on the rides and enjoys the time with her family!
