Kenyaaus
An overweight child:
I went on my first diet when I was 12 years old. I watched my mother struggle with her weight for many years so naturally I became very critical of my own body image. I tried the Cambridge diet, the cabbage diet, Dream Away peels, Sego meal supplements, and other “lose-10 lbs-instantly” kind of diets all before I started high school.
Throughout my teens, I fluctuated between 140 lbs and 165 lbs. Though I was not yet considered obese, I never fit between the ranges of the standard weight charts in my doctor’s office.
I joined Weight Watchers for the first time by age 14. It would be the first of many times joining them. My mother and I joined together, making the program much easier to live with. She’d make dinner for my Dad and brother, and then make a special WW dinner for us. It made the whole thing fun since we were doing it together. My mother lost 80 lbs on weight watchers, and never gained it back. I watched her become a new woman overnight. As for me, I met my goal too, but I put the 15 lbs I’d lost right back on after we stopped going to WW. I would join at least 6 more times over the next 20 years.
I remember walking into the Nutri-system office in Lakewood, Ca pleading with them to help me lose weight for my senor Prom. Needless to say, I couldn’t continue because the plan was very, very expensive and I couldn’t afford to buy the expensive program food on my pitiful part-time wages. Right after high-school I attempted Jenny Craig after a co-worker tried and lost a lot of weight. 6 months after he dropped about 50 lbs, he gained back the 50 plus 20 more.
Obese adult:
It was not until my mid 20’s that I broke the 200 lbs barrier. I could blame it on my work and school schedule, but that would be too easy. The truth is there were a lot of things that contributed to my weight gain.
New Years promise:
I’m not going to call them resolutions because I have always broken them. Here are the promises that I am making to myself for 2007.
Promise #1 Next year I will not spend New Years at home alone. I say the same thing each and every New Year but just like last year, and the year before that, I find myself in the exact same spot. Not another New Year…
Promise #2 I will participate in my life: I will no longer turn down invites, events and any other activities simply because I am embarrassed to be seen fat.
Promise #3 Dating: I will not turn down dates from nice man simply because I am embarrassed to go on a date fat. I will never again date a man who does not value me or treat me with respect.
Promise #4 Health: I promised to follow all nutrition, vitamin, and exercise protocol for the best possible outcome from my surgery. I promise to read labels and know the nutrition value of every item I put in my mouth.
Promise #5 Exercise: I promise to enroll or began at least one new activity and stick with for the entire year.
My Theme song: "Take Me As I Am", Mary J Blige
Gastric Bypass
Scheduled for Feb 12, 2007.
