Tara S.
My name is Tara and I am 36 years old. I have a wonderful 9yr old little boy named Jacob who is in fourth grade. My how they grow up fast!
My weight has always been somewhat of an issue for me. I remember being the heavy cheerleader in 7th grade. I was only a size nine but was bigger than everyone else so that made me the fat girl. I've always had boobs since I can remember. I was a C cup in sixth grade I don't think I ever wore a training bra. That made me popular with the boys, no other girl had boobs like mine, not even some of the teachers. In 8th grade I went to weight watchers for the first time. I weighed 152 lbs. I think that started a long trend of beginning to diet and watch my self roller coaster up and down. I played sports all through school and was pretty good. I have always been very strong and was known as the hammer in basketball because I always plowed people down when I was dribbling down court. I had several offensive fouls. I also played softball since I was old enough to hold the bat. I ran track competing in the long jump, 400meter relay and 100meter hurdles. I was great at the long jump and should of done shot put and discus with the strength I had. I was a football cheerleader in 7th grade and I also played volleyball. As you can see I was always active. In high school I continued with my sports but gradually the weight went up to around 175 at graduation. After graduation the sports were gone and also most of the exercise unless I was out on the weekends at clubs dancing, but thats not like having pratice at school everyday. I went to college and for the first time since 7th grade I didn't have a job. The weight fell on me like a bucket of water. I quickly gained another 40 pounds that first semester. I hated it. Slowly through the years I gained more and more weight. I tried adkins and pills of all sorts of varieties. I would always lose weight and then put it back on plus extra. In 2005 I tried hypnosis for a year. I lost about 20 pounds but never came close to what I once weighed. It did however help my self esteem which kept me from being the hermit crab that I was slowly becoming. I hate wearing oversized clothes. I can't wait until I buy something that looks better on me than it does on the rack. I am looking forward to feeling and looking like me again.
Things that I hate about being overweight:
Not being able to dress up in those pretty formal gowns when we go on cruises---Haven't tried yet, but shouldn't be a problem
Having wide fat feet, can't hardly find dress shoes that will fit-----This has been conquered
Underwear that roll down and sometimes end up below your butt----This has been conquered
Tying shoes that end up with that weird side bow----This has been conquered
Having to cross my legs like a man, usually with the help of my hand to hold my leg on my lap----This has been conquered
Feeling my belly touch my thigh when I bend over-----This has been conquered
Sitting in a booth at a restaurant and feeling like I am pressed against the table------This has been conquered
My reflection----love it other than the extra skin,
My feet hurting in the morning when I get out of bed-----This has been conquered
Hearing my nephew say I can play Santa Claus because I am already fat--- this has been conquered
Hearing myself breathe----This has been conquered
Not being able to put my arms down by my side all the way because of these weird extra pair of boobs I have on my side. Fat rolls.-----This has been conquered
Not being able to bend straight over and cut my toe nails, or paint them-----This has been conquered
Wearing pants that are elastic waisted.------This has been conquered
Scared of riding roller coasters because I am afraid that I am too big and will fall out----Rode a ton of them on Saturday and it was awesome
Not being able to zip up my coat because I refuse to buy a bigger size-----This has been conquered
I can't lay on the floor to watch a movie because it hurts my back-----This has been conquered
I can't sit down gracefully onto the ground. It's more like falling on the ground-----This has been conquered
Wearing a bathing suit is like wearing a shower curtain.------This has been conquered
Looking like the penguin from the Batman movie from behind.-----This has been conquered
Sitting in a dining chair that has arms and feeling the arms dig into the side of me.-----This has been conquered
Knowing that my weight will kill me someday.------This has been conquered
Always having to sit with my legs apart.-----This has been conquered
Feeling like I have to shower different cuz it's hard to reach around behind me with this extra weight. (You know what I mean)----This has been conquered
TRACKING MY PROGRESS
December 20th 286 pounds
January 29th 291 pounds (according to scale at work, I think I had too many last suppers.)
February 13th 2007 Preop 274 pounds (morning of surgery)
February 14th 2007 284 pounds (All IV fluids, they are killing me)
March 5th 2007 265 pounds
March 7th 2007 264 pounds
March 13th 2007 263.4 pounds (1 month anniversary -23 pounds)
March 24th 2007 262.0 pounds ( -24 pounds)
March 26th 2007 261.4 pounds
April 5th 2007 260.6 pounds
April 7th (first fill to 1.0cc)
April 9th 2007 259.0 pounds
April 10th 2007 257.8 pounds
April 13th 2007 255.6 pounds (two month anniversary -31 pounds)
April 14th 2007 254.8 pounds
April 20th 2007 253.0 pounds
April 27th 2007 251.8 pounds
April 29th 2007 250.4 pounds (started my first plateau that lasted 12 days)
May 10th 2007 249.2 pounds
May 13th 2007 246.6 pounds (3 month anniversary -40 pounds)
May 14th (second fill to 1.5cc)
May 20th 2007 245.2 pounds
May 22nd 2007 244.8 pounds
May 24th 2007 243.6 pounds
May 29th 2007 242.8 pounds
May 30th 2007 240.8 pounds
June 5th 2007 239.4 pounds (started my second plateau lasting 12 days)
June 13th 2007 239.8 pounds (4 month anniversary, I hate plateau's) -47 pounds
June 17th 2007 237.6 pounds (yeah my plateau broke!!)
June 25th 2007 236.0 pounds (-50 pounds! and 3rd fill in 2.0cc total)
June 30th 2007 234.4 pounds
July 2nd 2007 232.4 pounds
July 8th 2007 231.0 pounds
July 13th 2007 231 pounds (5 month anniversary -55 pounds)
July 15th 2007 230.6 pounds
August 1st 2007 233.4 pounds (grrrr...I quit smoking and can't quit snacking. 4th fill today and a total of 2.3cc
in my band. I am definately feeling some restriction now, let's hope the snacking is over and the weight loss is back on
track)
August 4th 2007 231.0 pounds- thank the Lord the scale is moving down again
August 5th 2007 230.4 pounds
August 6th 2007 229.6 pounds
August 17th 2007 228.8 pounds
August 24th 2007 227.4 pounds
August 25th 2007 226.6 pounds
September 2nd 2007 225.2 pounds
September 3rd 2007 224.6 pounds
September 10th 2007 221.6 pounds
September 12th 2007 220.6 pounds
September 13th 2007 219.6 pounds (started another plateau, lasted a month!! How frustrating)
September 17th 2007 (5th fill, 2.6cc and I definatley am feeling the restriction from this baby.)
September 30th 2007 218.8 pounds
October 8th 2007 217.4 pounds
October 15th 2007 216.2 pounds (close to 8 month anniversary lost 70 pounds so far)
October 26th 2007 215.6 pounds
October 29th 2007 215.0 pounds
November 13th 2007 214.4 pounds
November 16th 2007 (6th fill and a new doctor. I am up to 3cc in my band and oh my what restriction I have)
November 18th 2007 211.4 pounds
November 19th 2007 210.6 pounds
November 24th 2007 207.6 pounds
November 25th 2007 206.8 pounds
December 1st 2007 205.6 pounds
December 5th 2007 204.0 pounds
December 13th 2007 203.8 pounds (10 month anniversary 83 pounds down)
December 16th 2007 201.2 pounds
December 24th 2007 199.2 pounds
December 28th 2007 197.8 pounds
December 29th 2007 197.2 pounds
January 14th 2008 (7th fill and man he put a whopping .5cc in there, taking me up to 3.5cc. I think I will have to be on liquids all this week cuz man I am tight!)
January 18th 2008 196.2 pounds
January 20th 2008 194.2 pounds
January 21st 2008 193.2 pounds
January 22nd 2008 192.6 pounds
January 27th 2008 192.2 pounds
January 31st 2008 191.4 pounds
February 1st 2008 189.4 pounds ( doc took out the .5cc he put in on the 14th, I was having a hard time keeping fluids down. He took me back down to 3cc in my band)
February 11th 2008 188.4 pounds
March 9th 2008 187.6 pounds
March 13th 2008 (received .25cc fill today, taking me up to 3.25cc. Hope this kicks things back into gear!)
March 16th 2008 186.6 pounds I did it!! I hit 100 pounds down today!! Woohooo!!!
March 24th 2008 185.6 pounds
March 30th 2008 184.8 pounds
March 31st 2008 183.2 pounds
May 9th 2008 182.4 pounds (after a month long stall)
May 18th 2008 181.4 pounds
June 8th 2008 180.0 pounds
June 11th 2008 179.2 pounds
July 2nd 2008 178.6 pounds
July 6th 2008 177.4 pounds
May 4th 2010 172 pounds
August 16th 2011 147 pounds
NON SCALE VICTORIES
March 14th 2007 Had someone honk at me several times, and it wasn't because of my driving. I just waved at him and then he almost ran off the road! LOL it was a trucker with one of those double long trailers!
March 14th 2007 My boss came up to me and reached over and touched my wrist. She said I can see your bone starting to stick out there. :)
March 15th 2007 I noticed how much farther up on my back I can reach when I was in the shower this morning. Amazing what a difference the weight loss has made already
March 21st 2007 Today I have had a couple NSV's. First thing my husband told me he could tell my belly is getting smaller. Then a doctor I work with said my face is really starting to slim down. Another doctor called me skinny....LOL...whenever you start losing weight people call you skinny for some reason even though FAR from the truth.
And a huge first one of our doc's had a b-day today and they ordered pizza and salad for it. I had about 6 bites of salad and one piece of pizza (normally I could eat at least half of a pizza) this is a huge deal to me. This is also the first time in 8 weeks I even looked at a pizza, but felt totally comfortable having a small piece and still felt totally satisfied and full!!
April 4th 2007 It was cold today so I put on my winter coat and it zipped!!! What a good feeling
April 10th 2007 Today I am at the weight I was the day I got married six years ago and I haven't been that since, 257, very exciting. My husband told me I was looking really good and that he is proud of me.
April 13th 2007 Today I am in the extreme obese category instead of morbidly obese. I am just so excited about losing the morbid part!
April 19th 2007 This morning as I left for work I gave my husband the usual kiss goodbye and he put his arms around my waist to hug me, (I was standing and he was sitting in a chair), he said Ohh you are melting away. That made me feel really good!! He also said he will no longer be able to call me big momma, that now it will have to be little momma. :) Life is Grand with the Band!
May 4th 2007 I was walking through the parking lot on my way in to work this morning when I saw one of my co-workers across the way and as he was walking he kept looking at me and then stopped as I got closer to him. He said you are getting skinny girl, I didn't even recognize you, I was wondering who that new girl was and thinking I got to get to know her. LOL. That made me feel so good.
May 22nd I had three different people tell me this morning how good I looked and how they could really tell the weight is coming off. I can now wear an x-large pants which feels great.
May 29th A lady at work told me I was just melting away yesterday. A doctor I work with said that I already look like a different person. It feels so good to hear those things. I also noticed my wrist are looking skinny.
May 30th Taking a break in my car at work today and I was able to bend my leg enough that I could prop my foot up on the seat. We are talking the same seat that my butt was on. I haven't been this flexible in a while.
June 1st 2007 I went to a Lane Bryant store that they opened in my area today because they were having a huge %40 percent off sale, and I tried on some pants, low and behold they fit and they were a 22. 4 months ago at surgery I could barely fit into a 28, I mean they were cutting off my air supply tight. Wow I am just so excited about how things are changing.
July 2nd 2007 Went into a normal bathroom stall with plenty of room to spare. No more oversized handicapped bathrooms for me.
August 2nd 2007 I saw someone in the cafeteria at work today who doesn't work around me but I still know and see her
every so often. She said "wow! You look great!!" That felt so wonderful she asked if I was losing weight and I told her
that I was and that I had the LapBand surgery cuz I was sick of fighting it. Whatever in the world made me blurt out
everything about my existence I have no idea, but none the less I will take the compliment for sure!!!
August 24th 2007 Today someone at work all of a sudden said, you have lost some weight haven't you. Of course I said yes and he said " I was sitting here looking at your wondering what you had done to your face because you look like a different person". I will take that as a compliment
September 1st 2007 I went to my sister in law's baby shower today where I saw a lot of family that I hadn't seen in a while. Everyone kept raving over how great I looked and what a difference. My mother in law told my husband he better be good. He said " I know she will be off marrying a doctor in a couple years". Feels so good to hear people compliment you but it was almost embarrassing yesterday at how much everyone kept talking about it. I must have looked dreadful before!!
September 11th 2007 I had to dress up for work today for a leadership program that I am in. I shadowed the director of our facility all day. I received soooo many compliments about how beautiful I looked. It felt so good, and I felt beautiful.
December 5th 2007 I had an Obgyn appointment today and haven't seen my doc for about a year. She was amazed at my transformation and couldn't quit telling me how great I looked. She said that I look like a kid...lol. She gave me a great big hug and told me how proud of me she was.
March 8th 2008 I played poker with 3 of my guy friends who started talking about how much weight I lost. I play with them almost every week so they were astonished to hear of how many pounds it actually was. I guess people really don't notice that much when you see them all the time. Then they told me how good I looked. It feels so wonderful to hear people compliment you and you know they mean it. Loving my new self, it has made me and my family very happy.
