OregonGal
Like so many here, I too, have fought the weight battle for dozens of years. Weight Watchers starting at the age of 8, off and on for the following 7-8 years. (My weight was up and down all thru WW, but of course I didn't want to be there, my mother wanted me to be there!) At the age of 18 I did the Shick program - got hooked up to a shock machine and got shocked every time I took a bite of my "binge" foods. (Lost about 20 lbs., I think.) Shortly after, I joined OA and was involved for about 10 years. (Lost 100 lbs. and gained it back over the years.) Optifast followed when I was in my late 20's - I knew the weight was keeping me from getting pregnant - it worked, I got pregnant and also gained back all the weight plus some that I lost. Next I did a hospital based program with a nutritionist, exercise physiologist. Again, lost a large amount of weight only to gain it back. In between all of this over the years there was many gym memberships, doctor's diets, etc., all with the same result.
Between the 90's and now, I have gone between "making peace" with the weight and designing my own eating and exercise plan, looking at it as more of a lifestyle and not a diet. There were several times during this period that I was able to "pull myself up by my bootstraps" and lost weight (between 75-100 lbs.), but still, in the end, gained it all back.
The last 2 years I have been considering WLS, feeling like I've reached my bottom - physically and emotionally. I've seen my sister lose over 100 lbs. with the surgery in this past year and she has been the catalyst for me to take a hard look at myself.
