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

I always felt that because it didn't cost me anything to put on all this weight, I wasn't going to pay to help take it off. It seems that I always had a weight problem. Growing up I was always "chubby". As a matter of fact one of my nicknames was "Gorda" ("fatty" in Spanish). In my teens I was very athletic and looked pretty good. I maintained the "good" weight well into my adult life. I played softball, ran at the beach and was able to maintain my weight more or less within the scope of my height. After having my son, 22 years ago, I somehow let go of what I had been able to maintain for so long. I don't blame him, I just blew it! Now I'm looking forward to change my life to become a healthy person, I'm exercising regularly and working changing my eating habits.

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

Having to ask for an extension for the lap belt on an airplane.

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

No surgery yet, still looking for support groups to attend in San Jose and dealing with the insurance.