For me it was a life of abuse, I put on weight to keep people as a distance so I would not be hurt, and it nearly killed me! I'm also a professional baker and cake decorator. I was always tasting and eating left overs. When I started losing weight I had to keep a sink of hot soapy water to put the bowls in so I would not lick, taste or otherwise. We all have our stories, yours just might be the one to help someone overcome theirs. Blessings!

My weight history is so like everyone else! Had first baby at 18 gained 70 lbs(back in the 70's) lost so e weight before having baby2! Gained 72 lbs. Lost weight then baby 3. Yo yo dieted for ever. He's 33 now the baby. Decided it was time for me. I will be 60 on 9/22 and I lost all my weight since 11/6/12. But now all is see is wrinkles. Best of luck to everyone. I watch everything I eat. Love my lap band with p,ication. No fills and don't want any! Get stuck enough already! Eating too fast!

For me it was a lot of things over many years. I blame no one but myself for position I am in.

When I was very young I was a heavy toddler and always told I had a good appetite. I know chunky babies are cute though. As I grew a little older I was very thin and very active. A little older then that I got pretty heavy again. One summer I was about 3-4 grade when my father decided i was old enough to watch my slightly younger brother so he would not have to pay a babysitter. We were not allowed to go outside and play while he was not home 12-14 hours a day. So we ate as there was nothing else to do. That summer I was so embarrassed when school started back up and I

had out grown my school uniform. I was forced to wear it anyway. My pants did not button or the bottoms of my shirts. About 7th grade I no longer had that responsibility and was back to being active. I slimmed out and did very well. Of course looking back on it I was never happy with the way I looked and always had very poor self-esteem. I was always called fat so when I was not I always found

someone smaller then me I wished to be. Well at 17 I got pregnant and gained 60

spounds in just the 6 months I was preggo. My daughter was born 3 months early and was in NICU for 5 weeks. I never lost the baby weight and just kept going up from there. When she was about 4 I decided I had had enough and starved myself allowing myself only to eat baked chicken and veggies. Veggies for breakfast and lunch no more then 100 calories. Chicken for dinner only after I stuffed my self on 16oz of more veggies, then I allowed myself one or two bites of baked chicken until I

felt very sick. I actually kept this routine up till about 2001. My mom came down with

cancer. I ate for comfort. I gained about 25lbs from then till she passed away in 2003. After that I did not care any more. I ate what I wanted, when I wanted and did not give a crap what anyone thought. I used me being fat as a joke. Plus my job size is everything the bigger you are the less you get messed with. So my size had its benefits

One day almost a year ago I realized I hate being big. However always wanted the T-shirt that said fat people are harder to kidnap. I went to a seminar for the band. I had done my research previously already. I told my 18 year old daughter at the time who is a model (another thing to kill the self-esteem..lol) that I could not wait to go clothes shopping with her where I did not have to go to the men's section of t-shirts and sweat pants. She put her arms around me and said she wanted nothing more

and me being healthy was a bonus as she laughed.

My heart goes out to you...children should never be treated the way you and your brother were.

Best wishes for a successful journey to a healthier life!