Describe your behavioral and emotional battle with weight control before learning about bariatric surgery.

I had always been the biggest kid in class. Tallest and thickest. My family life was hectic and dysfunctional as a child, teen and early adult. Although I did not believe I had a relationship with food, I learned with my 6 month pre-op weight management group that food has played a bigger role in my life than I had realized. I also grew up with parents and family who never struggled with food or weight therefor never understood and/or practiced healthy eating habits. There was many times in my childhood where you ate what was available and for me, I ate an abundance. While I did remain an active child with baton twirling and as captain of my local high school dance team and multiple school activities, after quitting dance my junior year I began to gain weight at a rapid rate of about 75 lbs in 3 months. My doctors determined it was pre diabetes and polycystic ovarian syndrome, with medication, the weight gain was slowed but only ceased increasing when I turned 21 and moved away from my family and began a much healthier life with my husband where we currently eat nearly all organic and portion sizes have greatly decreased. I no longer gained weight for approximately 4 years and now I am emotionally ready to take the leap into a much healthier me.

What was (is) the worst thing about being overweight?

The worst things about being over weight is not enjoying things I used to and when I look in the mirror, I don't recognize myself. Although I know I am 140+ lbs healthier than what I want to be, when I don't look in the mirror, I think I look like the 160lb teenager I used to be. But when I look in the mirror, I'm horrified.

If you have had weight loss surgery already, what things do you most enjoy doing now that you weren't able to do before?

I have not had my surgery yet