KristenVSG2014

Hello! My name is Kristen. Despite everyone in my family being a normal weight, I have been overweight as long as I can remember. When I was 8 years old they made us student ID's with our height and weight. I was 4'2 and 75 pounds. My parents tried everything - diets, doctors, psychiatrists, psychologists. I even went to a childhood obesity research center where I felt like a guinea pig. They tried me on a cocktail of medications and I left 20 pounds heavier.
 
My size always coordinated with my age. When I was 12 years old I wore a size 12. When I was 16, a size 16. Until I reached 290 pounds and a size 24 at the age of 24. Enough was enough. I started tracking what I was eating and exercising. I lost 20 pounds over 3 months. Then I had to have my gall bladder removed and the surgeon told me I needed weight loss surgery, I would never be successful on my own. I rebelled against that thought because I am a control freak and felt I could manage on my own.
 
Eventually I went to a weight loss clinic where they had me on an 800 calorie/day diet that focused on protein and no carbs. I ate meat, cheese and eggs for 6 months and brought my total weight loss to 73 pounds lost. After that I discovered I had multiple deficiences and muscular/skeletal issues that caused great pain. For months I went to different specialists and did physical therapy for 6 months with no improvement. During this time I switched employers which caused a lot of added stress. I finally discovered I have hypermobile joints with causes severe muscle imbalances. After working diligently with a fantastic chiropractor for over a year, I was able to manage the pain on my own but it made working out difficult.
 
During the next 2 1/2 years my weight crept up to 260 pounds. None of my clothes fit. My joints ached. My blood pressure was going up. My 29th birthday was coming up and I knew I needed to make a permanent change. So I called the surgeon who told me I needed weight loss surgery. Unfortunately my employer's insurance plan does not cover any WLS. So I went to Mexico! Having the gastric sleeve surgery was one of the most difficult but most rewarding decisions I have ever made. In two months after surgery I reached my lowest adult weight ever. I can't "weight" to see what I'll look like in a year!