I am  a 32 year old Army wife and mother of 2 beautiful children (18 mos apart).  I have struggled with weight all my life.  The earliest I can recall is when I was in the 7th grade.  By some miracle, chunky little me made the cheerleading squad (I think the coach just really liked me) and by the end of the school year my cheerleading skirt was half its size (my mom put little notches all along the waist!!).  I also played backcatcher for my school's softball team.  I cheered and played softball thoughout my middle school and high school years a stayed a slim and trim 138-141 lbs (size 8).  One sport ran into the other so there was never really a time when I wasn't active.  But in my senior year of high school, due to academic and scholarship opportunities, I was not able to play softball.  It was downhill from there.  I gained, not the "freshman 15", but 30 pounds my freshman year in college.  My college roommate who was also a cheerleader from my high school, and I used to joke about how we could only wear pants with elastic in the waist!!  I was the mascot for Old Dominion University (Big Blue) during my freshman and sophamore years, but that was no real exercise.  Then, I found ROTC.  The physical training program was noooooo joke.  I was running a 7 1/2 minute mile and in the best shape of my life.  Also during that summer, I was under a weight management program supervised by my doctor using some form of prescription phentermine.  I must admit, I looked really good in my halter tops and daisy dukes (remember those?)! 

In 1999, I graduated from ODU and received my commission as a second lieutenant in the US Army.  When I got to Korea, my first duty station, I was assigned to staff where PT was on your own which meant to me NO PT!!!!  I was tired of having to get up early in the mornings.  So needless to say, I picked up a few pounds.  Because I had to maintain a certain weight (the army really doesn't like the sista girl look - you know boobs like WHOAAA and butt like POWWWW!!), I started going to the gym during lunch.  Still it was a struggle for me to stay within the acceptable weight/body fat standards...sooooo stressful.  I would freak out every time I heard that it was time for weigh in.    I did really good on my PT tests though.   I was never a runner (other than when I was in college and they made us) but still I had to wear 3 sports bras just to get thru the runs.  I HATED it.   When I got to Germany, I was back to morning PT.  I would drive my car to PT and park behind the gym.  When it was time to break out into our ability groups, I would act like I am going to the gym, go straight out the back door to my car and go home!!!  I am soooooo NOT a morning person and the thought of rolling out of bed while it is still dark in the morning and running 3 miles did not excite me one bit!!!  But, in my defense, I was faithful in going to the gym during lunch.  I HAD to if I wanted to make weight/tape.  Anyway this went on & on until I deployed.  I went to Kuwait in March 2003 - August 2003.  Can you believe that I GAINED 20 pounds over there!  I was in charge of the dining facility (among other things) so go figure.....

So, I got out in Nov 2003 to marry the man of my dreams.  I met my husband in church while stationed in Bamberg Germany.  He was a staff sergeant and I was a captain and in order for us to get married, one of us had to get out.  There was no decision to be made...I dropped my paperwork to get out as soon as I could.  I was approved and ready to get out, but then I got stop lossed and had to go to Kuwait. 

When I got out, I think I was weighing somewhere around 220 lbs.  Not even within army standards.  It was noted on my army award that I did not meet height & weight standards which was very embarrassing to me, but I was getting out anyway so lucky for me, it was not a show stopper.  I was getting married in Dec 03 and know that I did not want to be that size for my wedding.  Plus I had purchased my wedding gown a year and a half earlier and HAD to fit in that.  So I joined Weight Loss Forever (east coast - Virginia).  On my wedding day, I think I weighed 212lbs and my husband thought I was the best looking girl he had ever seen (he better had thought that or else!!!)  After the wedding, we went on a 7 day honeymoon cruise and I had a great time.  After the honeymoon, we drove from VA to Fort Sill, Oklahoma and I started graduate school right away.  I knew I wanted to have kids, but I wanted to finish school first.  I had gotten up to 242 lbs and someone at work told me about LA Weightloss.  So I had been doing that for about 2 mos when I found out I was pregnant with my son.  I only gained 26 lbs with him and two weeks after delivery (June 6, 2006) I lost all the weight (most of it was fluid) and was 232 lb, smaller than my pre-pregnancy weight of 236.  I was doing really good in the month's to follow as my husband was deployed.  I was in a size 16 and feeling really good about myself, except I was really tired of these 46DDs.  I had a breast reduction scheduled for Dec 06, but chickened out because I knew I wanted to have another baby as soon as my husband returned from Iraq and I didn't know the effects of pregnancy so soon on my new boobs.  Just as well too because he got back in Mar 07 and I found out I was pregnant in April.  So Danielle was born Dec 07 and I only gained 30 something with her.  Once again, I lost it all and was down to my pre-pregnancy weight and feeling really good.  But this time, after my 6 weeks appt I got the DEPO.....WRONG ANSWER!!!!  I was eating sooo much and craving Chinese food soooo much that I ate it like 3 times a day.  I was convinced that I was pregnant again, and only after I had not 1 but 2 negative pregnancy tests that I realized it was the DEPO!!!  By then it was tooooo late.  I had already packed on 20 something pounds!!! ARGHHHHH!!!  And haven't been able to lose them since. 

Then in June 08, I am diagnosed with high blood pressure and put on meds to control that.

So here I am today, with 2 small children, a husband, a job, major church responsibilities and a house to take care of.  The only time that I am able to lose weight and keep it off is if I exercise like a mad woman.  And as you can see, my lifestyle does not allow for that.  I still am not the MORNING PERSON that I soooo desire to be.  So I decied to look into wls.

I LOVE food and I LOVE to cook, but I am willing to do whatever it takes to get my weight under control.  I LOVE life and this is the one thing holding me back from enjoying it to the fullest (ok, I could use more money, but who couldn't?).  I have done lots of research on the lap band and looking forward to surgery and the rest of my life.

About Me
Lawton, OK 73505,
Location
34.1
BMI
Surgery
02/04/2009
Surgery Date
Jan 05, 2009
Member Since

Friends 48

Latest Blog 26

×