Happy New Year. I know a lot of us try to make those new year's resolutions with the hopes of achieving them. Mine every year for the last 20 years has been weight loss. This is something I have struggled with for a long time.
I had a hysterectomy at age 35 and went into immediate menopause. Not good to start menopause at age 35! I also have thyroid disease that has my metabolism down to zero. So on top of not eating healthy and these health factors I have struggled with my weight for a long time.
I have tried every diet ever put out there. I alway start the year out with eating better and starting back to the gym only to lose momentum after a few months. Frustration of not losing anymore than 15 to 20 lbs at any one time with any diet and exercise, I was soooo frustrated.
Then this past year Terry and I decided to do something surgically for the weight loss.
I am going to share our stories with you but this by no means is the best solution for everyone. Everyone is different and has different issues and this should not be done lightly.
Here are some before pics of us.
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| Last Year at Disney in May 2015 |
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| Hard for me to look at these pictures of us. |
Terry was weighing in at 300 lbs and I was at a whopping 268lbs. Yep this 5'3" body was carrying around a lot of extra baggage!!!!! Wow this is the first time I could actually write those numbers down for everyone to see.
We then decided to have a procedure called Gastric Sleeve. It is similar to Gastric bypass but not as radical. You do not lose your whole stomach with gastric sleeve like you do with gastric bypass. With still having your stomach just smaller you can absorb important nutrients and vitamins that need to be done in the stomach. So in a nut shell they go in laparoscopically and remove a major part of your stomach and leave you with a thin banana size stomach.
So we under went 3 months of preparation. Diet counseling, psychological counseling, saw our regular doctor on a monthly basis before being allowed this surgery procedure. They do prepare you physically and mentally for this surgery.
Terry had his surgery done October of last year and has lost 100 lbs and I had my surgery in May of last year and now have lost 68lbs and am still losing.
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| This is a picture taken right before Christmas a few weeks ago. We are feeling better and healthy and finally after so many years of struggling with weight issues we are both at a better place. Something finally worked for both of us and is continuing to work even months after the surgery. I debated on sharing this on my blog since it is a very personal and very emotional journey for us. Just thought maybe this might help someone that is struggling with health issues due to being over weight and they have tried all conventual diets and have not had success. Being a nurse I know if I kept that weight on I was heading down a road to many health issues. Diabetes, heart disease run in both sides of my family. So this was the right decision for me. Like I said this is not the answer for everyone but it was for us. I do not endorse any surgeon or any of the companies out there that advertise for this type of weight loss. We went with a safe and very experienced surgeon very renowned in this weight loss field before we made our choice to do this. Just happy for the first time in many years to not have to make the resolution to try a new diet and exercise knowing deep down I will succeed for a little while only to struggle with gaining the weight back. Even with this procedure you still have to exercise and make healthy food choices. I still am a stress eater and crave the sugar when emotional. This is not a easy fix to a big problem. I still struggle with my weight but feel like for the first time I can actually keep going and get the weight off. Now my New Year's resolution is to continue to exercise and eat better and continue on to my weight loss. My weight loss is much slower than Terry's but Men are always the easy over achievers with weight loss!!!! So I am being kind to myself and keep telling myself to be patient and keep moving forward. My hope of sharing this personal journey of mine with all of you might just help someone out there that is struggling like I did. Thank you for letting me share my weight loss journey with you. Kris :) |
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