Describe your behavioral and emotional battle with weight control before learning about bariatric surgery.
I looked in the mirror one day and wondered who the sad person was looking back at me and then realized it was me. I weighed 401 on the scale and 250 in my head. I always pushed myself to not be a 400 pound person by trying to keep up with everyone around me, and I did it for many many years! It got to a point where I noticed I was slowing down, when making plans with others I noticed they started altering plans so that it was easier for me, and I noticed I could not keep up anymore with daily demands without being drop dead tired at the end of the day. It was that day, looking in the mirror. that I admitted to myself that I weighed 401 pounds and I had to do something about it. I knew it was something I could not do on my own since years of unhealthy dieting never ended in weight loss. I knew I had to go speak to a weight loss surgeon to save me.
What was (is) the worst thing about being overweight?
The worst thing about being overweight was.....wow, this is a hard question. I can honestly say I was a very happy, successful overweight person. I was working in an industry that i had a great passion for, earned a health salary, had a great family with a Husband and 2 kids. Looking back I would say the worst thing was the feeling of letting my Dad down. I felt I was not a good daughter, not a good wife, not a good mother because I was overweight. Not that it stopped me from full filling my mother/daughter duties but because of the shame they had to experience because I was not "normal". Of course these are my feelings, no one ever told me they were ashamed of my weight, although talk always turned to "You know if you took off some weight you would....blah blah blah...".
If you have had weight loss surgery already, what things do you most enjoy doing now that you weren't able to do before?
My beginning weight was 401 11 years ago. Today I weight 158. I mourn shopping in the large women's clothing stores because I still think some of the styles in the larger sizes flatter me more than the tight fitting, sleeveless, form fitting items in a regular size store. I am currently working in a High end Sports Club/Health Club as an Assistant General Manager. Who would have thunk it! 11 years ago I would not have shown my face in a Health Club, today I fit right in. I am able to help others with the struggles of weight loss often being a cheerleader and a coach. I can get in and out of my car without making it a job, walk down the road, run down the road, smile at people with confidence in passing, feel confident about who I am and who I have become. I still have body image issues as I never followed up with plastic surgery and probably never will. I now have other health battles that I have to concentrate on that just keep the education process of my health in the forefront. I now eat to live not live to eat. I have become a food snob, only eating calories that are worthy! Junk food taste like yuck, it does not even appeal to me, as a matter of fact it grosses me out at the thought of it, I have been reconditioned, I have a different need for food in my life. It did not happen overnight, and it was not easy but it was so worth it, I am worth it, you are worth it!
Kim B.
