Everyday i am reminded why i am doing this *sensative*

I am 28 years old. I have two young daughters who need me. They are only 6 and 7 years old. As a child i was obese as well.... around age 10/11 i started getting overweight and my 13 i was 225lbs definitely one of the biggest kids in high school. I must have got called every name in the book not including the mooing when i walked down the halls or the "oinks" Even me being bigger in high school i was made fun of when my mother who was morbidly obese 380ish lbs back then went to my school for my meetings/etc i was embarresed and ashamed. Here i sit in the EXACT same position i would never want to see my kids in that i was in. My 7 year old DD informed me that a kid in her class told her that her mom "me" is fat. I am sad and mortified for my child and hate that i did this to myself and people are doing the same to her as they did to my mom. It must be sad for her to hear too even at this age. I am so glad i am choosing NOW to do this and start my life over again. I want to enjoy all the time in the world with my kids and not be in so much emotional and physically pain due to being fat. I want my kids to not be ashamed of me as i was my mom.

With that being said, i went to my first informational meeting and should be getting a phone call in the next week to make my 1st appointment with the PA. The dietician from my attitude at the meeting told me i am very ready for this and it seems like i am moving quick to get the ball rolling and yes i am. I have already lost 2lbs of my necessary 8% weight loss i have 27lbs to go... and i plan to make it there very soon... nothing drastic just cutting calories and not eating junk and increasing my water intake. I just had to write this because i am/was sad to hear this tonight after i realized my scale said 340.2 tonight after eating/drinking lots of water all day.. it's usually 345 by now it was at my nutrtionist 2 days ago so clearly i am moving in the right direction.

I wish I had done it sooner so my boys didn't have to go thru their mom being ridiculed. Just make sure to do all your research before going into this. Do not be blindfolded and think your going to lose weight no matter what and that you will never regain. Most everyone regains a few pounds. Be aware of the fact you will always need to take supplements. When it's all finished tho, enjoy the extra time you will get with your kids. Play with them and love life....

Oh yes our informational meeting was about 3 hours and was only supposed to be 1 hour. LOTS of questions including from me. I heard a lot of what i needed to hear.. not just the you will be skinny and happy. NO i heard about the lifetime supplements, the need for future checkups, the need for lifestyle changes  in term of eating and exercising biggest thing the surgeon said that people should understand it this is a "tool" your cooperation and work makes this surgery work all the much better. I know my risks and my benefits.. i made sure i was sure about this before i sat down 3 hours into the meeting. My mom thought this surgery RNY was her all answer and she could go back to eating crap. She started around 388 got down to 190ish a few years ago and is back up to the high 290's again. I have seen first hand what not following the instructions and the food relationship/not wanting to exercise does to you.

I too made this choice with my daughter as a major motivation.  I was thin growing up and was always very active and healthy, until my mother passed.  My daughter was 2 and I went from 145 pounds to 324 in the next few years.  I miss my mother terrible but relized at this rate my child would miss her mother too.  Not to meantion when she begged me to go ride biked with her and  my husband and go run with them or go hike I had to decline (using excises like doing housework or simply telling her I was too tired...)  Our children are the best reason in the world to do this.  They need us to be healthy and live long and be active in their lives.
You will do wonderful, your motivator is strong.  I will save you a seat!

 Good luck and do your kids a favor and do not allow them to get overweight no matter what you have to do to make food a non priority.  Food is the enemy of the MO, and if they have the inclination it will be hard on them so start now.  I am not suggesting starving your kids just skip all the junk food and treats that make kids gain weight.  I cringe every time I see an overweight child eating a cupcake.  I know the hell first hand and so do you so break the cycle now so they never have to lose weight.

I specifically remember when I was in 1st grade at a Christmas program at school being embarrassed that my mother was there and overweight. I remember that I didn't want anyone to know she was my mom.

My kids were 7 and 3 when I had the surgery, so hopefully they won't have any of those memories.

Good luck!

mzlaura,-- everyone! -- this is such an important topic-- what is our motivation for undertaking the inconvenience and the going outside of our comfort zone that WLS demands?

You have all answered that very well. It is a question well worth thinking about very carefully.

I am pre-op -- my surgeon and I are thinking in terms of a sleeve.

One of the books that I am reading is "The Weight Loss Surgery Workbook" -- by Doreen Samelson -- this is an excellent resource for anyone considering or who has already had surgery, or even for those who are experiencing regain.

One of the questions in the book is about what is your motivation -- she calls it a "compelling goal" that can keep us going! Many of you here talked about wanting to be there for your children, or to avoid your children experiencing the pain of a fat parent. For me, I do not have children, but I do have young teenaged neices and a nephew who mean the whole world to me! I want to see them graduate from high school/college, marry (if that's what they want to do!) -- and I really, really, want to know, to hold and to play with, to tell my silly stories to, and spoil the X$#!!**&^ out of, their children -- my great neices and nephews! Thinking about this gets me excited about proceeding with my plan for surgery...

Good for you!! Hang in there!! Not wanting my kids to be made fun of for having a fat mom was definitely one of the main reasons I had surgery. Being a kid is tough enough without us adding that to the mix.