robinad
I am 22 years old. I have struggled with being overweight since i was a teenager. I was very active child, and even as a teenager. I participated in every sport imaginable, i played all the traveling teams etc. It's amazing i was never stick thin as active as i was. But participating in those sports kept me from being obese.
(age 14)
However, about halfway through my freshman year of high school my mother got diagnosed with cancer and she almost died during the exploratory surgery. So that took its toll. So during the next two years my mother went through countless treatments fighting her battle with cancer and my emotional battle was nothing compared to hers, but i did what i knew how to do to cope. I ate. It was my crutch.
(age 16)
Well somewhere in there i seriously injured my shoulder and had to quit all the sports I was playing. So all the exercise i had done all those years just to stay at a "chunky" weight, i wasn't able to do. But that didn't stop me from eating. If anything it gave me more reason to eat. It was how I dealt with it.
Right after my 17th birthday my mom went seriously down hill. She got to see me in my junior prom dress (size 18). I was happy about that. But a few weeks after prom she went into the hospital and she did not come out this time. She slipped into a coma and passed a few days later.
Well here comes the landslide of weight gain. No one was going to tell me to step away from the chicken fingers after that. I was pitiful.
So a steady weight gain through my senior year of high school.
Throw in a diet or two in that time frame. Nothing worked, i didn't have the will power. Everytime i'd have som success something would happen i'd get depressed and start eating again.
(age 18)
I decided I needed to go away to school. So i moved to Auburn. Well, I ate as cheap as possible. So my diet consisted of Mac and Cheese, Ramen, and TAKE-OUT. There was a little pizza place where you could buy 2 large pizzas for 6 bucks. Me and my roomate would do that and eat for a few days. Although she was a size 0 and could stand to gain a few pounds. That did nothing for me.
Freshman 15, HA!!! Try freshman 50.
(AGE 19)
The next year, i decided to live alone. MISTAKE! I would eat out of boredom, out of loneliness. It was sad.
Well between fall and spring semester my dad had two heart attacks. He almost died. So i start my emotional eating once again. I move home because we can't afford for me to live in auburn anymore. I start a new college (UAH). Stress eating begets stress eating I suppose.
So I gain more weight. I try to diet. I lost 10 pounds, i'd gain back 20. Every single time.
(19-20/21)So lets throw in an ugly break up and some more stress eating in that year.
(Age 20)
The next year lets throw in a stressful job and even more stress eating.
(AGE 21-Present)
Well last year I met my husband and I found someone who loves me unconditionally and is my support network. But oh my goodness, who knew being happy can make you want to eat. So i've gained more weight at this point.
Well i got hurt. Taking out the mail of all things. But it basically made me where i could not walk or stand very long for 2 months and i'm still having problems. So i've gained another 10-20 pounds just here recently.
The good news, I know i use food as a crutch, and slowly but surely i am trying my best to change that.
FOOD is like a member of my family. Everytime something good happens, bad happens, holidays come along, birthdays, babies being born, someone passing away we celebrate/mourn with a big feast. It has always been that way. I know severing ties from my favorite family member "BAD FOOD" is going to be rough. But I AM READY!!!
Right around the time i moved back home I had seriously considered having the gastric bypass. I went to the seminars and was seeing a dietitian. I was taking the neccessary steps toward having the surgery. However, I let other people stand in my way and talk me out of it. This time i have my husband and entire family to support me. I am very excited about jump-starting my journey toward WLS. This month i start my "insurance demand" 6 month doctor regulated diet. I can not wait to be active again and to have a life that I should have and that I deserve.
