3 years, one hell of a journey!

[bellabloom 2,467]

Hey all!

I wanted to post and update my progress and share my journey for newcomers.

I’m three years out of VSG surgery, start weight 240 lbs at 5’6.

 

My lowest weight after surgery was 114. Scary scary thin. After my surgery I could barely eat for an entire year and had malnutrition and many mental and physical barriers to overcome before I began eating again. It took a year to get my stomach straightened out to where I could eat solid food, and another two years to get my mind straightened out to where I was eating enough food.

Surgery like this is a big deal, easier for some, harder for others. Because we are a population that struggles with disordered eating behavior and many of us eating disorders, it’s hard to predict how it might affect you. For me, it leveled my life for awhile- but intimately put me into a better place.

My life before surgery consisted of constant dieting and deprivation with periods of intense binging on thousands and thousands of calories when I failed on the numerous diets I tried. Surgery was for me a last resort that I believed would stop this cycle and make me effortlessly thin forever or really just take away my ability to eat, because eating was a huge source of emotional pain.

Here I am at my lowest weight.

That’s some scary ****! I went through some very dark times after surgery that forced me to get super real about what I needed to be happy and healthy.

This past year I’ve been consistently rebuilding my health. I began doing this by saying no to dieting and calorie control. No counting, no obsessing, no weighing myself. My life now three years out consists of taking care of my health in a more holistic way. I eat in abundance, and I’ve recently began to be super inspired towards fitness and weight training. My calories average around 2500 per day although I don’t know exactly as I don’t count them. I’ve been able to go a lot of time without reading a food label or thinking too much about what I eat.

For me at this point weight has become something that I fight to be at peace with. I try to keep my mind off numbers and I’m focused on just feeling great and strong in my skin. I no longer believe being super thin is the path to happiness. Being able to eat and enjoy food, socialize without worry about food, and be in a healthy body is more important to me. My weight will always be secondary to those things.

I’m posting this to give you an idea of what’s possible long term. Surgery is a great tool in some ways but it comes at a high cost. It’s taken me years to rebuild my health and I’m still trying to get my metabolism and muscle mass back to wear it should be. But even without surgery I would have faced a hard road and surgery gave me the push I needed.

These days I’m happier than I’ve been in a long time and also I think, healthier.

 

Best wishes on your journey! And remember- you are beautiful right now. Weight doesn’t determine a persons beauty or worth!!!

[James Marusek 5,244]

Congratulations.

[NegreteLove 52]

Thank you for sharing..you are an inspiration.

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[JavaKnut 104]

Wow, what a journey, and some serious struggles. Kudos to you on getting through them all and thriving!

[FluffyChix 17,409]

Wow girl! You look fabulous! Congrats and so glad you've been able to work through all of your tough, tough, challenges.

[KimTriesRNY 1,853]

Thank you so much for sharing your story! You look beautiful, healthy, and strong!

[Miss Topaz 300]

Thanks for sharing and being honest that it's not all easy! You look amazing and your spirit is amazing too!

[ksadiq18 7]

Thanks for sharing it was truly inspirational!

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[Maggie1955 158]

Amazing transformation and so inspirational! Thank you for sharing.

[Nymea 87]

You look fantastic - glowing with health. I think that we all focus so much on numbers pre surgery and in the early months post that it is hard to let go and start just living and enjoying good health. Great job on over coming your own personal demons and find the balance in your life.

[336Mike 549]

Very inspirational!! Great job and thanks for sharing.

VSG 10/11/17
HW = 360
SW = 292
GW = 220 3/7/18
CW = 218 (6'5") [emoji256]

[frust8 962]

Thank you for sharing your story. You've had sadness, sorrow, been tired, be tried, and the ultimate victory is truly yours. I don't know if my own will be that spectacular but I do pledge I will be the best ME I can be at the conclusion of my own Bariatric Journey. Thank you again for sharing yours.[emoji12]HW355CW323 & Surgery Status: waiting for smile from Bariatric Gods-Spring 2018?

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