Describe your behavioral and emotional battle with weight control before learning about bariatric surgery.
I have always been overweight. While living in the country side in Puerto Rico I remember my mother making us a heavy breakfast which usually consisted of oatmeal, farina (cream of wheat), cornmeal, fried or scramble eggs, anything she could find. The food was not the problem. Her problem were the portions. She made sure we ate enough to last til dinner. After moving to the city I continued eating those big portions plus whatever other snacks I could find at my multiple convenience stores near my house. We moved here and by the time I was 15 I was 150 lbs and increasing by the minute.
My high school years were very lonely with only a few friends and no boys in the picture. I had to order my "prom" dress from a tailor. But nobody asked me to prom so I didn't go. I drove to Sears and took a picture to resemble my high school prom to send to relatives. I continued to college and when they took my picture id is when I realized how fat my face was. I started doing trendy diets with not much success. I even tried diet pills but stop after just a couple of days due to chest pain.
My health was ok, all my blood test were always normal so I had nothing to worry about. I always thought the weight would come off eventually. In 2005 at my sister's babyshower I saw how I looked at my biggest. 270 lbs and only 5'3 I looked like I had a lifesaver around my stomach. I could not believe how I let myself go at only 20 years old. After that I went to a nutritionist and started walking after work and I lost about 30 pounds of which I gained some back during winter.
I moved to FL and joined Curves where I managed to go down to 220 lbs in 3 months after that I hit a plateau and got discouraged very quick. Years went by and my weight was once again 250 lbs. I moved to NJ with my now husband and started working at a doctor's office as a medical assistant where I learned more about WLS. I did some research and went to a few seminars, that's when I decided I would go with the Realize Band. I talk it over with my husband and we agreed on something that could be reversed if necessary, since we are a young couple and we want kids in the future. I always imagined myself pregnant with my cute little belly (but that still years away to come)
What was (is) the worst thing about being overweight?
The worst part was not realizing that I was overweight. I have a very cute face very high self steem. I don't have any other conditions besides been more than 100 pounds overweight. I can feel depressed at times but I bounce back up again.
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 am more energetic. More outgoing. More confident in myself. I am half way through my goal weight but I feel great !
kflower
