teacupnosaucer

I was lonely, tired, sick, inactive, and in pain. Afraid of my insulin resistance turning into type 2 diabetes like the rest of my family. Had out of control PCOS hormones that lead to facial hair, acne, and general lack of self esteem. Frustrated with being limited to plus size stores and their questionably fashionable clothing options. Broken hearted when a public health nurse assumed I was overfeeding/incorrectly feeding my baby just because I was obese myself. At 227 lbs, I just couldn't take it anymore. This wasn't the life I wanted for myself!

I started swimming 3 days a week for five laps using a flutterboard (250m) ... worked my way up to swimming twenty laps (1km) with the flutterboard and then alternating front and back stroke. I managed to lose about seven pounds in that time. Asked for a referral to the local Bariatric clinic from my (slightly skeptical) family doctor, then started taking community weight management classes. Upon joining the Calgary Bariatric Clinic, I started tracking food, eating out less, eating meals at the kitchen table without screens, and worked at cutting pop out of my diet. Managed to lose a further 20 lbs. 

Two years after I said "enough is enough", I had my gastric sleeve surgery with Dr Richdeep Gill in the South Health Campus in Calgary Alberta. Since surgery I have been steadily losing weight and am now the same weight and size I was in college, woohoo!

Now I swim 3x a week, take swing dancing lessons, got a great new job, and have made a fantastic new group of friends who are also bariatric surgery sisters. My day to day health has improved, I feel less scared of my future, and am building myself a better and happier life. This journey was hard and took two years of honest reflection and hard work to change my ways... but I wouldn't go back for a million dollars!