swflguy
I think my story is fairly typical. Since I was a small child, my parents would always reward me and comfort me with food. My mom, raising three kids born within four years, convinced my dad fast food was cheaper than shopping and cooking, so Happy Meals and pizzas were regular staples for a long time. In high school my weight topped out around 250. During college, I got down to about 210. I was so much more active then, mountain biking and working as a line cook in several different restaurants. After some frustrations at school, I finally realized a degree in Anthropology was next to worthless. I decided to make a career out of my passion- cooking! I went to culinary school and, between a frantic school and work schedule, I saw the south side of 200 for the first time since middle school!
I moved up to Orlando to get a job as a private chef. The pay was good but the work was almost sedentary. I stopped exercising, and with the decreased physical activity, the pounds started coming back. Then, 9/11 suddenly left me unemployed. I decided it was time for a change, so I became a Realtor. I enjoyed the new challenge, and although I was doing well, again the work was very sedentary. The pounds continued piling on...
Soon after I decided to tie the knot. It wasn't long before we had a beautiful baby boy. Unfortunately, things did not work out with her and I. The divorce was finalized two years ago, and I have spent those two years on the yo-yo train, and am just done with it. I am looking to this surgery as providing me with a tool to be the person, the man, the father I want to be. When my son was born, I told myself I wanted to be that dad coaching the soccer team, running up and down the sidelines, involved with everything. He is now four. The very thought someone may make fun of him over my weight breaks my heart. I grew up hearing it all, and knowing it may negatively affect him is the last thing I want. I want to live to a ripe old age, to see my own grandchildren and be an active part of their lives. I also want to show my body the same care and pride I take in my mind. I want my outside to finally, once more match my inside.
OK, so maybe my story is slightly atypical, but I hope other people can, if not fully understand, at least in some small way relate.
