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

I’ve had weight issues all my life – even as a child – which back when I was a child was far less common than it (sadly) is today. I can say with certainty, that if I was a child today, eating what most families are eating, and spending my time doing what most kids today do, I would be in big, big trouble. When I was a child, we were just starting to see some really processed foods coming on to the market, and the (chemical) food additives were really just beginning to be used. Our food supply 40 years ago (particularly in New Zealand), was much better and much more natural than it is today. I believe that as a child, I would have been much more overweight (even back then) if my father wasn’t interested in the subject of health. My parents made their own yogurt when most of my friends didn’t even know what yogurt was! My father was playing at that stage with vegetarianism, (he’s been vegetarian now for many years) and so was more aware of I guess (or actually thought more about) healthier eating options than a lot of people did.

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

Embarrassing,

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

Everything that I did when I was not obese. Just the little things, like walking up stairs or taking a walk with my husband on the beach.