kamac
Hello there! I thought I'd write a bit about my history, as I enjoy reading about other posters here. It always seems to help to know you're not alone!
I was never overweight as a child. In fact, according to the charts I was a tad underweight, but I was very healthy. I was raised on nutrious meals and was always very active.
Unfortunately, as a teenager I got into disordered eating- starvation diets and binging & purging. I eventually stopped the starvation diets, but my addiction was in place- using sugary carbs as a means of comforting and soothing myself.
I gained 100lbs in my early 20's, but lost it quickly on my own through healthy eating and exercise. I was a healthy weight by the time I was 25 (160 lbs, 5'9"). Then the weight started to creep back up again. By my early 30's, I was up to 280 lbs. Once again, through strict healthy eating and regular exercise, I managed to lose 100 lbs fairly quickly and was feeling great at 180 lbs.
But once again, I was unable to sustain it and my weight started climbing back up. At the same time, my mental health was deteriorating. Soon I was in the middle of a major depression, isloating myself, and eating like there was no tomorrow (when you're severely depressed, in your mind there really is no tomorrow). I ended up at an all time high of 420 lbs. I didn't care. As far as I was concerned, my life was over anyway.
I'm now 42 years old, going to be 43 this summer. For the last 5-6 years, I have been working very hard on my mental health issues. It's been a bumpy road, but I've come such a long way. I feel like I've been given a new lease on life.
My weight has fluctuated these past few years, from my all time high of 420, down to 370. I've been lucky in that I've escaped any serious physical health complications as a result of my weight. Today, on my 3rd day of Optifast, I weigh in at 390 lbs. My surgery is scheduled for July 9, 2018.
I see surgery as the next phase of my new life. I want to be as healthy as I can possibly be. Life is precious, and I don't want to waste any more time squandering what I've been given.
The information, advice, and support I've received on this forum has been invaluable to me. I hope I can make my own contribution to others on their journey.
PS: I'm still too self consious to even take a "before" picture of myself right now, let alone post it online. But I have a goal to take some "before" shots before I go in for surgery. I really appreciate being able to see the amazing transformations others have made. I'm sure I'll "get over myself" soon and post some of my own soon.