I was very unhappy being morbidly obese, I don't think someone can truly be "fat and happy". I missed "life" a real, true, and active life. For 3 years I went on a cycle of diet after diet, losing 30 pounds at one point on weight watchers, but it didn't last. When my youngest was a few months old, I reached my breaking point. I was only 26 and I was absolutely exhausted. Taking care of her and my oldest, going to the grocery store, cleaning the house, everything I did just wiped me out. I knew a young woman of my age shouldn't feel like this.When the baby would nap I would just cry, cry that I was morbidly obese, cry because I hated the way I looked, cry because I couldn't believe I let myself go like this.
Shortly after reaching my breaking point, I was flipping through my medical insurance benefits booklet, I found out I could get weight loss surgery since I met all the criteria. I poured myself into research, and decided that RNY gastric bypass was the right surgery for me. I met with my surgeon, and he agree. On November 17, 2009, I underwent RNY gastric bypass surgery.
I took my new lifestyle by storm. I followed all the rules, I exercised 6 days a week. 7 months later I had lost 140 pounds.
Having lost all that weight and now wearing "normal" sized clothes wasn't nearly enough for me. I started doing 5k races and I was hooked. After that came sprint triathlons and half marathons. I fell in love with triathlon. 13 months post op I ran my first marathon. Right after that I registered for my first ironman triathlon, which was to take place in Louisville in August of 2011. I finished the ironman triathlon, it was my true exodus from obesity.
Now I feel like a regular person. I am an Iraq War veteran, an Army wife, a mom, a weight loss surgery patient, and an endurance athlete among other things. This blog is basically about my adventures in life as all of the above. Thanks for reading!
