For me, it has been putting the weight on yet again after so many times of trying to keep it off. It has been getting to the point where my underwear and bra are tight, not being able to bend over to tie my shoes, etc.:cursing: But the worse has been my little one telling me " Mommy, you are fat!":frown::mad: I know he is only 5 but man that did sting:frown:. So I want to be here for him and my other kids. I want the outside to match the inside.

So what's your story?

I feel like Rasputia from Norbit trying to go down that devilish slide (but you know I did, right :biggrin:

I just wanted to say two things. First of all, congratulations on making this life changing decision!

And good for you, doing fun stuff NOW! I think too many of us spend our life missing golden moments, because we are waiting for the weight to come off. I know I wasted a lot of time before I figured out that, "This is life....today....start living it now. Tomorrow is not guaranteed!"

Good Job!!!

Thanks HopeEndures!

Now I will be able to really enjoy life to the fullest. There is a marathon runner and a moutain climber on the inside, just waiting to be set free! If you do it right, then this can be a truly spiritual experience. I'm discovering that I do have some will power after all. For a person that has struggle with self-esteem issues, drug, alcohol, and nicotine addictions for the last 10 yrs, this weight loss was one of the last things on the super important "to-do" list. Now I can focus on the smaller, more poignant things in life.

I just admire everyone on this forum, whether you have had it done or thinking about it. YOU GUYS ARE AWESOME!!!!

This list can go on...but I'll try to keep it short and sweet. I feel as if I have tried everything, Trimspa, Weight Watchers, Visiting with a Nutritionist and a Therapist / Psychologist for Binge eating. This isn't my first resort but with the improvements I've made mentally after so many years I feel I am ready to commit.

The straw...realizing I have gained a little over 100 lbs since 2003. I've always been a bigger girl but I was also very strong, now my body hurts especially my back, I am at my heaviest I've even been in my life, I can't tie my shoes or bend over with out my crack hanging out, I can't hang out with my friends without having an anxiety attack because I'm so worried about my weight. It might sound dumb but it's the honest truth!

I Married my Highschool sweetheart, and we want to be able to have a family someday but before we even go down that road I need to make sure I can physically provide for my future children. I can't handle the thought of not playing with them or not being able to take them to the park etc.

Sorry for the novel...Good luck to everyone. My first appointment with the Surgeon is on July 30th I hope it goes well!

<3 Steph

I think the straw(s) that broke the camel's back for me was that I would lose like 10 pounds and then gain back 15. That process went on so long that I went to the doctor to make sure that I didn't have a thyroid problem. Fortunately I don't have a thyroid problem. I've been overweight the majority of my life but i think it really hit me when my size 22 pants started getting tight.:biggrin:

"It is not what happens to you, but how you deal with it, that shapes who you are."

When I saw your quote I almost cried. My dad, (who passed a year ago) must have said this to me a thousand times over the years. And I have said it to my kids, and others many times myself.

I'm glad to hear you are beating those addictions. My story is much the same. I've been on a decade long Quest to make myself healthy, and happy. Great job on all of your victories!!!

Wow - southerngirl24 -

You got approved today!

congrats!

Edited July 22, 200818 yr by Elayne

For me, it has been putting the weight on yet again after so many times of trying to keep it off. It has been getting to the point where my underwear and bra are tight,:smile: not being able to bend over to tie my shoes, etc.:w00t::cursing: But the worse has been my little one telling me " Mommy, you are fat!":frown::frown: I know he is only 5 but man that did sting:frown:. So I want to be here for him and my other kids. I want the outside to match the inside.

So what's your story?

Same for me too. Gain lose over and over :tt2: Now I'm just gaining! :scared2: My little ones have been sayingthings here and there too "mamma, why is your belly so big"? :tt2: OR "Your Bum sure is BIG"! :crying: Out of the mouths of babes huh. :biggrin: I wanna be healthy for my gorls & myself! I don't want to feel tired all the time!!

For me, it has been various reasons, but yesterday while driving down the street, my 4 year old son saw a horse and announced "Look, that horse's butt is as big as mommy's!!!". I haven't been able to tear myself away from the computer all day (doing research).

Oh no!!!:scared2:

A few weeks ago we went to an amusement park & the lady almost couldn't shut the bar on the rollercoaster for me :smile: Granted it was a little kids ride BUT HOW :biggrin: I felt!!!

I don' think I had just one Aha moment - for me it was that my mother died of a massive heart attack a few years ago at the age of 62. I started thinking that only gives me a good 20 years left with my family. Also my friend had banding done last year and she is down 70lbs (although she has found a way of cheating) - I didn't want to be the only 'Fat' one anymore. I hate walking into a room and looking around for someone fatter than me. We had a family vacation to Cuba in May '08 and I can't stand to look at the pics - my daughters friends affectionally started calling me 'Big Mamma'. Trying to get into that Wetsuit for scuba diving is a whole different story!!!! I can file that memory under 'Horror'. I hate clothes shopping, Public events, Buying food in public and most of all I can hardly get an airplane seatbelt done up. I hate that I have given up wearing shoes with heels, belts and all my funky jewelry because I don't want to attract anymore attention to myself.....6 days to go and I am down 13lbs already. My fear is that I will have all this excess stomach fat that I will have to deal with after losing the weight. On a more positive note -

My Wish List:

1. Buy a leather coat

2. Tuck my top into my jeans

3. Go white Water rafting

4. Go para-sailing

5. Buy sexy lingerie

6. Finding a bra that fits

7. Travel to Italy and take pics that I can enjoy

8. Walk on the beach hand in hand with my hubby and not be distracted by my size.

It would have to be getting pneumonia in April and having so much pain in my lungs and side, I could not get out a chair without being pulled out. I had joined the local clinic in January but just kind of was there. Wasn't really doing much until after the pneumonia.

Lightly dancing on my porch at my husbands b-day party I felt my knee pop. I had ACL surgery 6 years ago (I haven't had MRI yet, since I am not crazy about doig that surgery again), but that was it! The frosting on that cake was the pictures of cute BUT fat me at the party. 40 fat and done...

Oh...HA! I forgot about this one, my PRE Aha moment. Went to Universal Studios in Florida from Texas. Harry Potter been open 2 weeks. They couldn't get "3" clicks on the safety bar, only 2...I did NOT GET TO RIDE HARRY POTTER! Ya'd think that would have done it, but it was the party in Sep that did it...

Oh...HA! I forgot about this one, my PRE Aha moment. Went to Universal Studios in Florida from Texas. Harry Potter been open 2 weeks. They couldn't get "3" clicks on the safety bar, only 2...I did NOT GET TO RIDE HARRY POTTER! Ya'd think that would have done it, but it was the party in Sep that did it...

OMG huge (pun intended) Harry potter fan..planning on making the pilgrimage this summer. If that doesn't motivate me nothing will!!!!

OK so mega embarrassing but a few months ago...my bed frame broke. It is a beautiful dark stained sleigh bed that my Father made for us and it is currently propped up with about 5 danielle steele novels. That combined with another failed attempt at losing weight this fall convinced me it was time to get this surgery. And yesterday I was trying to get on a par of boots to take my little girl outside to play in the snow and it was so hard to lace them up!!! SO yeah, it is LONG overdue, but not I'm ready.

OMG huge (pun intended) Harry potter fan..planning on making the pilgrimage this summer. If that doesn't motivate me nothing will!!!!

Sucky thing is, obviously overweight people aren't getting on that ride, but it is also your body SHAPE. I am tall and very hippy plus the never go away gut after a kid. The seat is like a child car set. hard plastic frame around your thighs, a piece between your legs, tight on shoulder, then, then the chest bar that comes down. There wasn't anywhere for my fat to swish to! A LOT of people where having issues with it. I think they need a car that is for larger people. But a family of tomato people got off the ride after me. All chins and chests and they got to ride. I didn't tell my friends that I didn't get on, I told them it was great (which it was). Sucked though..2 hour wait for nada..