Were you an Overweight/Obese Child?

I was never an over weight child or teenager.  I was actually the very thin and short child and teenager.  I didn't gain weight until my mid twenties I had gotten married and gained about 10 pounds every year and I would say to myself I will lose it.  I never did.  I then had two pregnancies that I lost, then carried twins full term.  Had my BIL living with us which caused alot of stress.  I ended up having an unplanned preganancy.  A lot of stress was in my life and I became a stress eater.  The weight just kept piling on and before I knew it I was over 100 pounds over wieght.  I missed out on a lot when my children were younger.  I am now over two years out and have maintainted my weight loss for over 1 year.  At this point inb my life I can say it is the best thing I have done for myself.

Hi MsCyndee, I am one that was very overweight growing.  Since elementary school onward, the battle was everyday, every year and into college.  I did so many things to lose the weight, I would lose 30-40 pounds at a time, but hit a wall and my body just wouldn't lose anymore, even having a personal trainer and physician recommended programs among so many other things.   In my experience being almost 3 years out, having RNY is the best decision I made.  I was really faced with major health problems at 23 before I had surgery.  It took 3 solid years of researching RNY, going to seminars, talking to post-ops, pre-ops and doctors to make this decision, but it's been an amazing journey.  I am working on maintenance, and as my surgeon says, maintaining is harder than the initial losing.  I fluctuate 2-3 pounds, and will promptly make adjustments if there is a change on the scale or in my body. The most important thing for me is that I am in control.  The message I spread is about being Healthy.  Losing weight isn't easy, keeping it off isn't easy, but making the life changes is what it ultimately takes.   I hope this helps.  Great job on doing research!  We are here to help. ~Shannon

Hi... Never heard of any studies... I was a heavy kid but not obese. I knew I was bigger than other kids in the first grad. I was teased by boys (called Bubble butt or thunder thighs) OR BOTH! Brats! My parents and family called me pleasantly plump...Mom was relentless on putting me on diets. In the 9th grad I was 5'2" and 147lbs. I became anorexic for about 2 years while refusing to eat anything but an apple and lettuce with nothing on it.  Got to 103lbs in 3 months. I took up shadow / bag boxing (Not hitting real people or being hit back!) and got in good shape and joined the army...In basic gained muscle weight and was 130ish lbs...(overweight for army standards)  They did a "pinch test and I only had 16% fat so they gave me a waiver for my weight an allowed it.  From there it was a steady gain...and lose gain and lose. The only way I could lose was to starve and work out. But it always came back. I tried WW...all the fad diets...I'd lose and gain it all back and double each big lose. By the time my thyroid quit I was gaining 10 lbs a month and got sicker and sicker. RNY is the only WL that ever worked for me. I struggle with 10 winter lbs every year...( I really wouldn't call it a struggle, but more a thorn in my side til I get it off, usually by summer) This year I was more worried than normal and worked hard to lose it before summer. I did! Much better! Still watching the scale...as it seems that maintaining might be a little harder at 4 years out than it has been previously...I'm not sure yet.  As I really didn't worry until this last year when my eating habits became too far off the WLS rules...and I lost some confidence in myself...Still, this surgery is by far the most success I have ever had in WL....I am a very disciplined person. I can quit anthing...I even quit smoking after 24 years (5 years now)  But I cannot quit food long enough to keep it off for years and years by myself. Good luck in your studies

Thanks everyone for your responses. I want to go into this with my eyes wide open.   The reality is for me is that no matter how I loose the weight, I will need to be diligent to keep it off.

1.  I don't know of any of these studies but I would be most interested in reading them! 2.  My mother tells me that my doctor knew I had weight problems at one year old.  By the time I was 10, I weighed in at 199.  When I was 16, I was over 230 pounds, and in my early 20's, I was 270 and climbing.  After my daughter was born, I weighed 350 pounds, and my presurgery weight was 379.  I now weigh 196.

I have issues because I haven't reached my surgeon's goal weight for me of 150, so I am trying to lose more, but the struggles are no where near the same...thank GOD!