My Weight Loss Journey

In 1981, after having five children, I was quite slim. I had worked hard to be that way. Funny thing is, I thought I was fat because that is what I was told (by someone who should know); or so I thought. By 1986, I was fat. And unfortunately due to stress and depression; I just became fatter and fatter over the years. In 1993, I put myself on a lowfat diet and lost 60 pounds in a little over a year. I remembering rewarding myself with a treadmill so I could continue to exercise and lose more. But, no matter what I did, I couldn't lose any more. Over the next few years of stress and struggle, I managed to put about 45 pounds back on. Talk about frustrating. Then in 2003 I joined Weight Watchers, and a gym. I was thrilled to lose 50 pounds in a year. However, I continued with Weight Watchers and didn't lose another pound for over a year. I gave up.

Fast forward now to 2011. I was very disgusted with not only my inability to lose weight, but the fact that I was now the heaviest I have ever been in my life. Plagued by arthritis, knee pain and hip pain, I knew that I had to take major steps to reverse this. I was also on CPAP for sleep apnea. Life was just not much fun, and I was hating every day. My husband had Gastric Bypass 4 years ago, and it was very successful, and without complications. I had heard a lot about the potential complications of this surgery, but I wanted to know more . So, January 2011 I went to the Weight Loss Seminar to learn. I decided that night, that I was going to go through with it. My insurance however, had many hoops that I needed to jump through in order to be able to be considered for it. I went to my primary physician on February 4. She was not at all supportive of my desire for the surgery. That day, I weighed in at 268 pounds. I was appalled.

Thus began my journey. It took me until October to be able to be approved and go forward with the surgery. By the time I had the surgery, I had lost 13 pounds on my own. Yay!! I had surgery on October 14, 2011. It was successful and without complications.