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

I never realized before I started Optifast pre-op that I was a food addict. I was in so much denial about why I ate. I couldn't admit I was an emotional eater, I thought I ate because I was bored. What a liar I have been to myself! I looked at a lot of diets and half heartedly tried some of them, WW worked until I stopped going to meetings, money was tight and I thought I could continue on my own but I needed that motivation of the meetings to be successful. I couldn't or wouldn't put enough effort into anything. A lot of the time I would go on extreme diets or extreme fitness routines and I'd stick to it for a couple of weeks and get sick. It was my body's way of saying WTF are you doing?? Then I'd go right back to what I'd been doing and gain anything I had lost back.

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

A lot of the things people have posted (not fitting into seats, feeling isolated etc) didn't bother me all that much. I'd have the twinges of feeling bad when it happened but I don't think it really registered. I started feeling bad about not having the energy to play with my kids and started worrying about them growing up fat like I did. When I had my daughter 3 years ago I really started to worry because my son I figured he'd have an easier time of it because of sports etc. He seemed naturally slim like my husband was when he was younger. Then too I noticed he was starting to put on weight (my son I mean). He likes being indoors too much, doesn't want to go out by himself to play but will go if someone goes with him. I felt so out of shape that even going in the back yard to kick around a soccer ball was too much. I began to feel terrified about my daughter growing up fat and having all the same problems I had. I couldn't do that to her. I want her to have the chance of being 'normal' in that respect. Maybe she'll have her own set of issues but darned if being overweight is going to be one of them. At least I can do as her mom is set a good example.

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 don't feel a lot different yet. I'm not having that big burst of energy that people say they get but I am hoping that will happen in another 20 or 30 lbs. I can wear clothes that I haven't worn in years and I feel better about myself generally. There are still a lot of things I need to work out inside my head, just because my stomach is fixed doesn't mean my head is. I knew that going in but I think it is just really catching up to me now.