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

I would eat when I was angry, sad or when I didn't have control over situations. Sometimes I would just eat because it was just a habit for me. I would always be embarrassed about eating in public. So I would be a closet eater. And people would always say, I don't know why you are overweight when you don't eat much. Or people would always say, "if you lost weight you would...". That just made me more emotional.

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

The worst thing about being overweight was me always having to hide. Hide behind family, behind friends and me just not being able to be me. Also not being able to walk upstairs, playing with my children, I just had no energy. I knew I was agile, but the weight just kept me back. I knew I was outgoing, but the weight kept me back.

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 love that I can walk faster, keep up with my children, meet new people. I have such a better love life. With the weight loss, I had a new outlook on life. I decided to not to only shed the pounds, but other things in my life that were holding me back. I am able to shop in the regular sized clothes and juniors. I finished my masters and this was such a great feeling to achieve all of this. I recommend it to anyone that has challenges that come with being overweight.