When I graduated from high school I was a size 13 and thought I was fat. Now 26 years later, I am in a size 14 pants and I couldn't be more thrilled. 99 pounds gone and healthier than I was in high school. just over 2 weeks until I run a 10 mile race! (my first - although last weekend I ran more than 11 miles) Happier and more self confident than ever.

I even started teaching again this week. (I left teaching 9 years ago, not related to my weight, but...the time was right and I am now teaching ESL once a week. Can't believe how much I missed it.) I'm not sure I would have had the confidence or energy to try teaching after working a full day if I had even thought about it a year ago. I even interviewed last week on the phone for a more teaching focused position. I am just waiting to hear if I am being asked back for a second interview. Getting the job would mean moving 150+ miles to a small town, albeit near where I graduated from high school, and essentially starting over. The thought thrills me! I've stayed in the job I have now for 4 years, about 2 longer than I should have, because it was safe, but now...

Is this all related to my WLS? No, but do I have the confidence and energy to even pursue these big dreams because of the surgery? Yes, most definitely.

pam

Edited September 22, 20169 yr by mngreeneyes

@@mngreeneyes Woohoo!!! All wonderful news!!! So excited for you!!!

Hey Pam,

Good luck! I hope that you get called back for a second interview. Wouldn't that be great to have a new you in a new town? How exciting!

Wonderful achievements! It's so nice to hear that after surgery things can not only improve physically, but in many other unexpected ways as well. Congrats!

@@mngreeneyes I posted this on FB the other day. I thought I was fat in HS too - oh what I wouldn't do to be THAT fat again!

When I graduated from high school I was a size 13 and thought I was fat. Now 26 years later, I am in a size 14 pants and I couldn't be more thrilled. 99 pounds gone and healthier than I was in high school. just over 2 weeks until I run a 10 mile race! (my first - although last weekend I ran more than 11 miles) Happier and more self confident than ever.

I even started teaching again this week. (I left teaching 9 years ago, not related to my weight, but...the time was right and I am now teaching ESL once a week. Can't believe how much I missed it.) I'm not sure I would have had the confidence or energy to try teaching after working a full day if I had even thought about it a year ago. I even interviewed last week on the phone for a more teaching focused position. I am just waiting to hear if I am being asked back for a second interview. Getting the job would mean moving 150+ miles to a small town, albeit near where I graduated from high school, and essentially starting over. The thought thrills me! I've stayed in the job I have now for 4 years, about 2 longer than I should have, because it was safe, but now...

Is this all related to my WLS? No, but do I have the confidence and energy to even pursue these big dreams because of the surgery? Yes, most definitely.

pam

Actually Pam...I'd say that all of this is related to your WLS. It's the source of your newfound confidence and energy and I think all this good stuff can be traced back to the weight loss.

I still find it so amazing when I read stories about how people have literally claimed their lives back. And I'm not talking about just the obvious physical aspects. We all know that carrying less weight opens up a whole new world of pushing ourselves physically. It can mean anything from getting out of a wheelchair or off a cane, to running a marathon.

But...the stories about reclaiming our lives...that's what is so exciting. Sometimes it's hard. I've seen lots of posts about leaving bad relationships but it takes a strong person to do what is necessary. Losing the weight helps to make us strong. Or like yourself....going for a new position/leaving a position we stayed in because it was safe... Hell...there are dozens and dozens of stories like this and it makes me so proud of the people I've met here. THIS is the goal of WLS. Not what we weigh but what we do to embrace our lives with the extra weight gone.

Great story Pam...so inspiring!

@@KristenLe

I actually have a picture on my fridge of about 15 years ago, the last time I was below 200 pounds as my inspiration from before surgery. The sad thing is that now I weigh more than then, but am smaller! I love the meme!

pam

@@gowalking

I think that is the key. I am willing to do things that I might not have considered before because now I have more energy and confidence. In my case, I also had some healing emotionally to do, especially in the area of teaching. I think I had some degree of PTSD from my last teaching job and it took 9 years for me to get past that enough to realize that I can teach without being a classroom/high school teacher. I don't know that I will ever go back there, but college academic success uses my gifts without the other craziness that drove me from teaching in the first place. Was I able to heal the PTSD wounds because I had gotten past my other issues due to WLS, very possibly. I don't care why at the moment, but I am super excited about where I seem to be headed now.

pam

@@mngreeneyes,

What a great inspirational story. I'm praying more good things come your way!

@@mngreeneyes I posted this on FB the other day. I thought I was fat in HS too - oh what I wouldn't do to be THAT fat again!

FB_IMG_1474563249588.jpg

This is SO true!

In high school I weighed in the 140's and thought I was huge.

When I got pregnant with my first daughter 26 years ago I weighed 148 at my first OB visit, I thought I was a whale!

I wonder now if had someone had told me I was normal weight back then would it have made any difference?

I think part of my weight gain can be attributed to the fact that I always thought "oh well, I have never been skinny and never will be, why bother".

Sad how messed up our self image is ya know???

@@laceemouse

"They" started telling me I was fat at the age of 6 when the pediatrician put me on a diet (severely restrictive caloric intake) and had me lose 20 pounds. I did it, but at the time that was 1/3 of my weight. I was never a little skinny girl, but I was active and energetic, but with a healthy appetite. Enter the beginning of my issues with self image and food! I often wonder how my life would have been different if we had been given different advice from my pediatrician. Maybe more focus on healthy foods and portion sizes and being healthy rather than restricting calories and losing weight. I remember actually being told that my mom and I would get along better if I lost weight! I'm not sure how that tracked, especially since Mom had undiagnosed depression that caused her sometime violent outbursts. Talk about a huge weight to push on to a six year old. "If you lose weight, mom won't get so angry." or in a child's you are making mom mad because your fat so its all your fault. YIKES!

I had several points in my life where I had the same attitude "I'll never be skinny, why bother?" I am just now realizing all the things I had given up because of my weight, energy, confidence levels. I am having a blast picking and choosing what and who I add back to my life now.

pam