artblitz

I have been fat since I was 16 years old and I worked as a "soda jerk" in our local (small town pharmacy). I went from a slim 116 pounds to 142 and so the battle began. I am 5'2" so even a little bit of weight, is a lot on my tiny frame. I zig zagged through college, getting to 124....then back up to 142. In 1991 I got married and on my wedding day was 128 pounds. This is the lowest I have been as an adult...I was 30 years old. I maintained that for about 2 years then started having issues in my work and went back to the 140's. I got pregnant in 1985 and gained 56 pounds. The lowest I got back to after the baby was in the high 140's. Then five years later I got pregnant again and gained 62 pounds. I got back down to the 160...but it would be 2003, when I did the Body for Life program that I lost down to 152. I was working out and losing a lot of body fat, so I was a size 10 even though I weighed 152.
 
Six months later I took a very stressful job and gained 75 pounds in a year...never to reach below 186. Now I am 217....I have gone through menopause. I just do not seem to be able to get it off this time. So, after much research...several appeals at my work, I am cleared for surgery on 2-19. I am having the sleeve because I believe it the safest procedure and the one that fits for me. I am an over-eater...I eat maninly out of stress and when I am worried. I like high fat foods, carbs, esp. bread and pastry. I love coffee and dessert. I think the sleeve fits for me beacuse it will limit my intake...and some of these foods that have made me fat, will be eliminated from my diet.
 
I am in therapy. Working to decrease my stress....and make the HEAD shifts necessary to have this be a permanent shift. This is it for me. I feel bad on some levels that I have to go to this extreme...and on other levels I do not care. I am going to do whatever it takes to get myself healthy and to live my final years feeling good about me....and very active. I am going back to the gym....lifting weights and doing cardo according to a plan laid out by Bill Phillips. I will keep this up for the rest of my life. I have started a new plan for my skin care...I already have sagging skin...and if it really sags after this weight loss I am cashing in part of my savings and having a face life. I am divorced, have raised 2 sons...and these last years are going to be about me. ALL ABOUT ME!