My battle with morbid obesity began when I was 19 years old, and for 16 years, I yo-yo dieted my way up to 367 lbs. My life changed on May 2, 2003 when I had Gastric Bypass Surgery through Coastal Center for Obesity. In my first year postop, alone, I lost 184 lbs - more than what I weighed at one year out! To date, I've lost 225 lbs and have been at goal since 15 months postop :) I've gone from a Women's Plus Size 7X to a Misses 4/6. It hasn't been an easy ride, but it is so true when they say that the surgery acts as a tool - not an easy tool but definately an effective one! I have found that it is no longer just willpower that is keeping me on the right path, and my new anatomy helps to "force" dietary compliance. I am more in touch with my body now more than ever, and I can actually feel hunger and fullness knowing when I need to eat something (and when it is time to stop). I never had this before - rather it was just eat and eat until there was no longer any food left. Before the surgery, I was always eating to feel full and thus satisfied, neither which ever really happened, but since surgery, most of the time I've been full before I am satisfied. For the first time in my life, I finally have control around food (instead of it controlling me), and I am confident that I'll be able to maintain the weight I've lost :) I definately have no regrets, other than wishing I hadn't waited so long to find out about and follow through with WLS!

I also run several online support groups related to WLS. Please feel free to visit and join the GastricBypass-PostOp group, the GastricBypass-AbuseSurvivors group, the GastricBypass-Plastic Surgery group and the GastricBypass-Pennsylvania group. All of these groups are very supportive, free from controversy, spam and flaming, and are very active.

Keeping track of what follows helped me to stay motivated and accountable to myself throughout my journey.

WEIGHT LOSS - OFFICIAL WEIGH-INS: I weighed myself daily (every morning upon waking) but kept track only on a weekly basis given how much fluctuation in weight there can be.)
5/02/03 - 367 lbs (MORNING OF SURGERY WITH BMI OF 61.1)
6/02/03 - 341 lbs (-26 lbs in 1st month, total -26 lbs)
7/02/03 - 318 lbs (-23 lbs in 2nd month, total -49 lbs)
8/02/03 - 304 lbs (-14 lbs in 3rd month, total -63 lbs)
9/02/03 - 287 lbs (-17 lbs in 4th month, total -80 lbs)
10/2/03 - 275 lbs (-12 lbs in 5th month, total -92 lbs)
11/2/03 - 263 lbs (-12 lbs in 6th month, total -104 lbs)
12/2/03 - 251 lbs (-12 lbs in 7th month, total -116 lbs)
01/2/04 - 238 lbs (-13 lbs in 8th month, total -129 lbs)
02/2/04 - 225 lbs (-13 lbs in 9th month, total -142 lbs)
3/02/04 - 210 lbs (-15 lbs in 10th month, total -157 lbs)
4/02/04 - 199 lbs (-11 lbs in 11th month, total -168 lbs)
5/02/04 - 183 lbs (-16 lbs in 12th month, total -184 lbs)
1 YEAR POSTOP - 183 lbs & 184 lbs lost! BMI is 30.5
6/02/04 - 175 lbs (-8 lbs in 13th month, total -192 lbs)
7/02/04 - 169 lbs (-6 lbs in 14th month, total -198 lbs)
8/02/04 - 164 lbs (-5 lbs in 15th month, total -203 lbs) AT GOAL!
9/02/04 - 157 lbs (-7 lbs in 16th month, total -210 lbs)
10/2/04 - 152 lbs (-5 lbs in 17th month, total -215 lbs)
11/2/04 - 147 lbs (-5 lbs in 18th month, total -220 lbs)
12/2/04 - 144 lbs (-3 lbs in 19th month, total -223 lbs)
1/02/04 - 149 lbs (+5 lbs in 20th month, total -218 lbs)
1/17/05 - 150 lbs (1st round of reconstructive surgery  - 7 lbs removed)

2/12/05 - 152 lbs (2nd round of reconstructive surgery - 2 lbs removed

4/21/05 - 155 lbs (3rd round of reconstructive surgery - 8 lbs removed)

5/02/05 - 158 lbs (still with tons of swelling from reconstructive surgeries)

6/02/05 - 147 lbs (still with lots of smelling but improving, total -220 lbs)

MEASUREMENTS BEFORE SURGERY AND NOW (As of 5/18/05 following 3 rounds of
reconstructive surgery and with LOTS of swelling)
Weight was: 367 now 147 (144 was low weight and I expect my true weight
is lower than this without swelling. -225 lbs)
Height was: 5'5 1/2" or 5'6" now: 5'5"
BMI was: 61.1 (super super morbidly obese) now: 23.9 (normal)
Body Fat % was: 53.8% As of 10/14/03: 46.5%.
As of 1/21/04: 37%. As of 3/8/04: 30.6%.
As of 5/18/04: 21.9%. As of 8/10/04: 19.6%
As of 5/05: 12.5%
Fat Body Weight was: 197.3 lbs. As of 10/14/03: 125.5 lbs.
As of 1/21/04: 84.1 lbs. As of 3/8/04: 63.3 lbs.
As of 5/18/04: 40.1 lbs. As of 8/10/04: 30.8 lbs.

As of 5/05: 19.9 lbs.
Lean Body Weight was: 169.7 lbs. As of 10/14/03: 144.5 lbs.
As of 1/21/04: 142.9 lbs. As of 3/8/04: 143.7 lbs.
As of 5/18/04: 142.9 lbs. As of 8/10/04: 126.2 lbs.
BMR (Kcal burned per lb per day) was: 6.38. As of 10/14/03: 7.39.
As of 1/21/04: 8.69. As of 3/8/04: 9.58.
As of 5/14/04: 10.78. As of 8/10/04: 11.10.
Bust was: 65 now: 40
Back was: 57 now: 30
Waist was: 56.5 now: 26
Hips were: 71.5 now: 37
Thigh was: 38 now: 20
Calf was: 20 now: 13
Upper Arm was: 22 now: 10
Forearm was: 12.5 now: 9
Neck was: 17 now: 12.25
Wrist was: 7.5 now: 6
Ankle was: ? now: 8
Ring size was: 7 now: 5 1/4
Pant size was: Women's 42 or 7X now: Misses XS to Small 2/4
Shirt size was: Womens 40/42 or 6X to 7X now: Misses XS to Small 2/4
Dress size was: ? now: Misses 2/4
Bathing suit size was: 32+ now: 2/4 though top is larger
Bra size was: 58 H to I (highest I could find was a 56 J) now: 32 G
Shoe size was: 9 1/2 to 10 now: 8 to 8 1/2
TOTAL INCHES LOST: 200+" (over 16 feet lost!)

SHORT & LONG TERM GOALS:
Lose 100 lbs - 10/21/03
Lose 200 lbs - 7/14/03
Weigh under 350 lbs - 5/12/03
Weigh under 325 lbs - 6/21/03
Weigh under 300 lbs - 8/06/03
Weigh under 275 lbs - 10/1/03
Weigh under 250 lbs - 12/4/03
(this is a HUGE milestone for me as it is almost the lowest I've been able to diet down to since age 20 & for 14 years!)
Weigh under 225 lbs - 2/03/04
Weigh under 200 lbs - 3/31/04
(another HUGE milestone as I haven't been in the ONEderfuls since age 19 when I initially gained over 80 lbs in less than 1 year.)
Weigh under 175 lbs - 6/9/04
Weigh under 150 lbs - 10/20/04 (was hoping this wouldn't happen until after PS...)
Weigh under 140 lbs - (hoping this won't happen until after PS)
Fit into a size 26/28 (3X) comfortably - 6/03
Fit into a size 22/24 (2X) comfortably - 9/03
Fit into a size 18/20 (1X) comfortably - 10/03 - 1/04 in pants
Fit into a size 14/16 (XL) - 1/04 in tops - 3/04 in pants
Fit into a Misses 14/16 (XL) - 2/04 in tops - 4/04 in pants
Fit into a Misses 12 (L) - 2/04 in tops - 5/04 in pants
Fit into a Misses 10 (M) - 4/04 in tops - 6/04 in jeans
Fit into a Misses 8 (S) - 5/04 in tops - 7/04 in jeans
Fit into a Misses 6 (S) - 6/04 in tops - 8/04 in jeans
(I am actually wearing Size 4 jeans as of 9/04)
Feel my hips/pelvic bone - 8/25/03 & 1/04 (totally feeling my hips :)
See my clavical bone - 8/9/03
Feel & see my knees - 8/24/03 (Yes! I have knees!!!)
Have Alan be able to hug me completely - 7/03
Have Alan be able to pick me up and hold me - 8/04
Be able to weigh myself using my digital scale - 6/12/03
Get the seatbelt of my car on and off with ease - 6/03
Sit in my car without the belt holder digging into my hip - 7/03
Sit in my car without my belly touching the wheel - 7/20/03
Climb a flight of stairs without catching my breath - 8/27/03
Sit in a plane seat and be able to pull the tray down - 8/12/03
Sit cross legged on the floor and be able to get back up gracefully - 2/04
Curl up in my papasan chair and feel protected like a bird in a nest :) - 11/03
Sit with my legs crossed - 8/03 (at the knee - 10/01)
Sit with my legs up against my chest (in a fetal position) - 12/03
Easily - 2/04
Sit on a swing and swing - 11/4/03 (see photo below)
Do the treadmill at the gym for 20+ minutes - 9/12/03
Do the eliptical machine at the gym for 10+ minutes - 2/26/04
Do the stairstepper at the gym for 10+ minutes - 3/04
Develop a swimming routine - 6/15/03
Develop a walking routine - 10/12/03
Develop a Resistance Band routine at home - 9/03
Develop a Yoga routine at home
Participate in a 5K - 9/20/03's Walk From Obesity &
10/5/03 CHOC Walk at Disneyland
Water aerobics at the gym - 8/03 but I prefer to swim laps :)
Step classes at the gym
Yoga classes at the gym - 6/04
Pilates classes at the gym
Be able to run - 1/04
Skip - 1/11/04 (thanks Pat C. for helping me to relearn this!)
Bike - I found my bike! & rode it!!! 10/11/03 (see photo below)
Bike tandem with my hubby - 8/21/04
Cross Country Ski - 2-04 hubby and I went to Big Bear but there wasn't enough snow for skiing. I did get to do some sledding and even made a snowbear though :)
Rollerskate (quad) - 1/30/04 (I actually tried my old 4 wheel skates in early December. Granted, I didn't get far nor without leaning on Alan the whole time, but it was fun! I tried again on 1/28/04 and was able to
skate, albeit very shaky. On 1/30, I skated for real! On 2/6/04, I skated at a rink and was even able to skate backwards and do some crossovers! I've since purchased a wonderful pair of RISport/Roll Line Opera skates :) There's no stopping me now! tehe :) See photos :)
Rollerblade - 1/30/04 was my first time ever on rollerblades :) Hubby and I have matching K2 Velocity 4.0 inline skates, and I can skate pretty good so far minus the stopping. I've yet to figure that out!
Ice Skating - As of 2/04, it's just a matter of finding a rink!
Sledding (without requiring a trip to the ER) - a long story LOL) - 2/04
Get in and out of a pool using a regular ladder - 8/03 - 1/30/04 (See photos :)
Have my weight finally be the same or less than what my driver's license says (200 lbs) LOL - 3/31/04
See my figure coming back & feel feminine - 10/03 - ABSOLUTELY feeling more and more feminine as of 2/04 :)
Shopping spree to buy feminine clothing that looks good - 6/04 and 8/04
Weigh less than my hubby - 3/3/04!!!
Fully be able to participate in my life! - 1/04
Get pregnant and have a baby
Live my life at a healthy, active, normal weight and be free from the addiction to food as a comfort and without weight regain - this will always be a goal whether or not I think I've reached it...