LesleeInGlastonbury
Leslee's Journey
Growing up in my grandparents house as an only child to a single mother in the 1960's - I was clearly labeled as coming from a dysfunctional family at the onset of my schooling. I was often grilled by classmates and teachers as early as kindergarten as to the whereabouts of my father. My mother chose to keep any information about my father from me until a much later time in my life. So when I questioned her about my father, she often changed the subject to food and offered me Twinkies and cupcakes instead of confronting the issue at hand.
Healthy nutritional choices were not usually part of the household. Breakfast usually consisted of sugary cereal with whole milk, Twinkies, donuts or pop tarts. Lunch was deli meat on white bread loaded with mayo AND butter, and always with at least 1/2 bag of Frito's. Dinner - the mainstay was pot roast or fatty steak or pork chops and always with buttery mashed potatoes with sour cream and cheese. It was mandated to finish everything on the plate then it was your chore to ensure there were no leftovers.
So at a young age I learned not to talk about potentially upsetting issues and rather than comfort the feelings associated with them, to drown them is sugary treats that would temporarily mask the inquiry, feelings or pain. I also learned to eat huge portions of whatever was put in front of me and never learned healthy choices.
In elementary school I was ALWAYS the fat kid in class and was always teased and NEVER picked for gym class teams. I hated the feeling of being the last one standing and the gym teacher negotiating with a team to take me. This actually caused me to skip nearly every gym class in high school and having to make gym class up in summer school!
I clearly remember a day in 8th grade when I stood on the scale and it read 165 - i remember that was the weight of my grandfather - I think that was the first time I thought I probably should do something about my weight. The summer before 9th grade I remember being a little more independent (my mother always insisted on me staying in the house for fear that my father would kidnap me) - I was somewhat allowed to ride my bike with some freedom and swam quite a bit at my house as well as my neighbors. Being so busy, i often forgot to eat. I soon found myself starting highschool with new smaller frame! I went from a 16 to 9 that summer!
High school continued to be difficult for me as I never developed social skills I needed in elementary school. While I attended a catholic elementary school, it was unaffordable to send me to the catholic HS, so I started the town's HS knowing virtually no one. I somewhat maintained a decent weight thru high school.
Right after high school, I was attending community college and working PT at a local grocery store. That is where I finally met some real friends (one of which I am still married to after 22 yrs!) During that time of life, most days and nights surrounded drinking, smoking and eating! While I got engaged and married a few years later (age 24) I ballooned back up to a size 22 wedding dress - i think around 185 lbs (wedding dresses always run small). My first son was born 3 years later by c-section, son #2 (I gained 100 lbs) and finally son #3 by c-section landing me at the scale around 220 lbs. In between son #1 and #2, I was very successful at Jenny Craig and lost 80 lbs - in about 6 months. I got pregnant as soon as I reached my goal and gained 100 lbs! After he was born I was at 230 lbs and didn't budge. Son #3 resulted in minimal weight gain and lost the few pounds i put on.
Between pregnancies and besides Jenny Craig, I did Phen Phen, Meridia, Weight Watchers, Akins, Hydrxycut, exercise etc.
I was on blood pressure meds by the time I was 24; 2 meds at 40
Cholesterol meds @ 40
Anxiety meds @ 40
Sleep Apnea @ 40
Borderline Diabetic
At my 44th birthday checkup, I was "labeled" again - this time "At Risk - Metabolic Syndrome". It now wasn't "if " I would die from obesity related medical issues, it was now a matter of when. I was only 44 and hardly left my couch when I came home from work. I made excuses for not going to my boys sporting and school events. I watched my family during vacations having a good time, opting for laying in sun to "work on my tan". I always smiled from the outside, but never smiled from the inside.
I went home that day and cried. Cried for my life that has passed me by; Cried for my boys who didn't have a full time Mom and Cried for my husband who didn't have a full time wife. I promised myself that I would lose weight and get healthy for me and my family for the last permanent time. I contacted the Bariatric Surgical Team Center of Excellence in Hartford CT. Six months later I was re-born.
I had a few nah sayers - my mom for one. The transformation I had begun re-raised issues that she had been harboring for most of her life. She wasn't interested in seeing me healthier as it brought out how unhealthy she was. At first some friends were very supportive, then when I became smaller than them, they stopped compliments and talked to me less. When I decided to compete at Body Building, those friends liked to tell me I won't make it - its too hard - you will never have a life - just about every negative comment they could think of. Those negative folks fired me up that much more to show them a 45-46 yr old woman can transform their body and wear junior sizes again - it was a matter of discipline and perseverance.
The day of my surgery I was 240 lbs (5'6.5") 3/24/2009
12/31/2009 I was at goal 160 lbs
3/23/2010 my 1 yr band-anniversary I was 150 (those 10 lbs were tuff!) I had a tummy tuck!
6 weeks later (May 5, 2010) I began training for my bodybuilding competition
10/9/2010 (Competition) I was 139 lbs 12% Body Fat
After competition, we need to regain 10-20 lbs - impossible to stay that lean for very long. It's taken me since Oct to regain 15 lbs - its been hard - Im now 155 18% bodyfat and training to compete again in November.
My mom passed away on Christmas Day at my home rather unexpectedly. While she was fighting terminal cancer, she passed from cardiac arrest at the end of the day with our whole family surrounding her. It was very surreal. She didn't want to suffer on her death bed for weeks and months on end - she didn't want people to feel sorry for her - she didn't want to be a burden. So I believe to this day, God listens to the prayers of the dying. So now I care for my 92 yr grandmother and trying to get my head on straight to eat and train for the show in November. Having my mother quite against me losing weight and hated me weight lifting, its been hard to get back on track and often find myself reverting to those old childhood habits of eating the wrong things when I go to "nana's house". I don't buy anything bad in my house other than whole grain tortilla chips. My whole family has transformed and all are much healthier and they all come to the gym with me.
Hartford Hospital produces quarterly health series' on the local news channel. In November, they contacted me to be the Lapband Success Story. The producers interviewed and followed me in the gym. The show aired this past week. The link is http://www.wfsb.com/advancingmedicine/index.html Go to the video section on the right and I am featured in part 1 but mostly in part 2. In January I was contacted by the Advertising Company representing Allergen, the maker of Lapband to be part of the Lapband "re-branding" materials. I was flown out to LA in February for a photo and video shoot. I will be appearing in several magazines (I don't know which ones yet) and on the video section of lapband.com. I will heading back out in the fall to film a TV Commercial.
In addition to working as a fulltime IT Project Manager at a fortune 100 Health Insurer, I am also studying for my ACE Personal Training certification and Food Nutrition Life Coach. I will be embarking on an affiliate practice working with our local (Connecticut) Weight Loss Surgeons in providing pre and post op patients with life and fitness coaching. Dont' worry, I won't be looking for clients here - I have enough in CT already!
For the first time in my life, I can say I SMILE FROM THE INSIDE! This has shown thru at everything I do, I seem to have more pride in the work I do and in the way I look. I have more confidence. I have been granted several awards at work in the past year as compared to none in the years prior.
i can, without hesitation say, the Lapband has changed my life. The only regret is that I didn't do it sooner! But there is a glorious plan and I have to believe, I did it at the right time and everything is now falling into place. Its time to give back. My long long term goals is to become a non-profit and work with families in the inner cities to reteach Mom's to shop and to cook healthier and how to incorporate activity into their family's lives.
Thanks for reading my story and never ever hesitate to contact me for support or questions!
Leslee
About Me
Before & After
rollover to see after photo
