ObesityHelp

March 5, 2008

Hi, 

My name is Shardon and I weigh 301.5 lbs.  I was born a normal size (6 lbs 1 oz)  I believe that being separated from my mother at 6 months old was the beginning of a very emotional time for me, an event that always made me feel, less than and not a part of)  As a child I was not what you would call obese or fat, although I was larger than most of my friends.  Like most of you, I have battled with weight most of my life.  Being the oldest of 11 children and living in the Windy City ,  in the winter all you could do was watch TV and eat.  I learned to cook at a very early age and I learned that food was a comforter as well.

I have tried and succeed on every diet that I tried.  I would lose and be at target weight for one day and start the slow rise back to the top and gain some more on the way.  When I take my diet inventory, I have tried AIDS candies to lose weight, weight watchers, MediFast, Optifast, Cambridge, 12-Step programs (OA, OA-HOW, CEA-HOW), weight reduction tapes, Richard Simmons, Dick Gregory, exercise, gym memberships, personal trainers.  I even went six (6) weeks without eating any food (I wanted to see how long I could go without food, not too bright)  I have tried speed back in the day (in the form of Black Molly's) B-12 and pregnant women urine injections to lose weight, not to mention all the diet pills prescribed by doctors and weight lost centers.  

I have lost weight for so many reasons, because my mother wanted me to, my husband(s) wanted me to, my friends suggested that I loose weight, I wanted to wear a specific outfit, I wanted to obtain a certain man, I wanted to be a certain size by a particular date or on a particular occasion.  

I know that all of you can relate to all the diets and all the reasons.  Now, I want to lose weight because I don't want to DIE.  I don't want to have all the obesity related illness.  I don't want to be out of breath when I walk a few feet.  I don't want the fear that I am going to die of a heart attack.  I was very apprehensive about weight lost surgery.  However, many of my friends and those of you on OH have had great success.   I know that this is God's will for me.  So that I can stop putting my life on hold, until I lose the weight, and Mr. Right comes along and sweeps me off of my feet.  I want to start living my life for me and no one else.  

LIFE IS NOT A DRESS REHEARSAL.  

YOU ON THE ON THE STAGE OF LIFE AND WHEN THE CURTAINS CLOSES, 

THAT'S ALL FOLKS!!