No matter age & circumstances it CAN be done!

SuePedB

Hi, everybody! I'm a 58 year old grandmother of 6 (ages 8, 7, 6, 5, 3, & 2). I had gastric bypass surgery June 2014 & am down 75 pounds with about another 60-70 to go. I've a veritable litany of medical issues - type 2 diabetes (I'm now off ALL meds/injections & enjoy being diet & exercise controlled), a pacemaker, full-body arthritis, scoliosis, high blood pressure, sleep apnea (no CPAP needed anymore), 38 screws/8 rods/8 levels of spinal fusion, metal plates & screws in both feet, a congenital bone defect in both hands/elbows, & mental health issues - just to name a FEW of them! Arthritic pain, constant stress fractures, chronic tendinitis, & joint & soft tissue injuries kept me in a vicious cycle of weight gain-inability to exercise on a regular basis. After having 17, yes I said SEVENTEEN, major surgeries in under 9 years the decision to have weight loss surgery was not made lightly. My endocrinologist helped me to see that more than 3/4 of my time was being spent in surgery/recovery/therapy/injury, etc & that there was more to life than what I was living. For me, it was the best (surgical) decision I've EVER made! Do I recommend it to everyone? NO! What's right for me may not be right for the person next to me. However, it was exactly what I needed. My bariatric team has been awesome, encouraging & supportive every step of the way. Downloading My Fitness Pal was one of their 1st recommendations, getting a fitness tracker & joining a gym were the next suggestions. Keeping track of meals & nutrition is so EASY with MFP. I use the food notes section to record pre-& post-meal blood sugar readings, keeping food & blood sugar logs together instead of having to log stuff in different notebooks. Used to be I hated to go to a gym & especially to sweat; overweight folks are prone to a NASTY skin fungus wherever there's a skin fold & diabetics are especially prone. Used to be I dreaded exercising for fear of injury. My diet has always been, truthfully, pretty good; my problem lay primarily in portion control & stress-eating. I found a gym that is incredibly user-friendly & really look forward to gym days. With the weight loss I now ENJOY getting sweaty, have had NO new injuries to joints & soft tissue, have dropped from size 26 to 16, have energy to spare, & feel absolutely FABULOUS. I have another surgery coming up in mid-April to repair the right hand/forearm. This surgery has a 3-6 month-in-a-cast healing time, THEN comes rehab. I've already discussed with the surgeon a modified gym routine so I continue to lose weight & maintain a healthy life-style while recovering from surgery. Sure, I've been through a lot but I know for certain there are many others out there who are in far more difficult circumstances. I have learned to use a valuable tool that I'd like to share with you. Ask yourself this 1 question: "Am I giving myself CREDIT for the things I do that take me to a BETTER place?" To you I say, "It doesn't matter how small or seemingly trivial that step might be. Set a goal & give yourself CREDIT for ALL those little things you do that are helping you achieve that goal. Write it down so you can SEE where those baby, CREDIT-WORTHY steps are taking you. Try writing it in the food or exercise notes section of MFP to keep it all together." Blessings to you on your journey!

queenliz99

Wow!! Thanks for sharing

SuePedB

Thank you! I'm very determined to enjoy my healthier life to the fullest with my beloved husband, children & grandchildren. Blessings to you!

smkondy

You are incredible for everything that you have achieved & a true inspiration to everyone!!! Thanks for sharing your story!!! (*)

Liftng4Lis

Thanks for sharing

MrsMizart

Blinking heck lass. Words fail me, other than very well done!

Holla4mom

Very inspirational! What a way to overcome obstacles and not make excuses!

Emi1974

I knew bariatric surgery had it's place. Good on you for going for it and that you are doing all the right things. Keep at it!
Congratulations on everything you have achieved despite all the health issues.

tracydecicco

Kudos to you for everything you have accomplished so far!!!

SuePedB

Thank you so very much! The support on MFP is amazing, a most welcome & pleasant surprise!