RackeSRN
Uhhh, my story...where to start? Once upon a time in a little town in Northern KY, there was this lady. Okay enough of that .
Hi all, I am 43 years young and the single parent of 3 kids. Two have flown the coop and one will not leave the nest no matter how many times I throw her out. Guess I need to be a little more patient, she is after all only 13. I have battled weight ALL my life, and I mean ALL my life. My mom could not believe a pediatrician would put a baby on a "diet" at the age of 1, but yep; that was me. I was never very athletic, I always got hurt so I stuck to things like being a band geek and was never obese as a teen; but always a little "chunky" (not unpleasantly so...but I think the PC phrase was "big-boned"). After baby number 1 and 2 and divorce court, life went to hell in a hand basket as I topped out about 270 (I am 5-6). I was only 23 at that time, but it began a merry-go-round of up and down weight that I thought I was through with after my toddler years. Over the course of the next 20 years I have gained and lost more than 80 pounds at least 6 times. I could get my weight down to a very healthy (and skinny) 150, but never seemed to keep it there. I went into competitive body building in my 30s, did very well too and had my body fat down to 6% at one time (and promptly got very sick). After age and weight lifting (and a very bad marriage) caught up with me in my middle 30s, the weight just seemed to pack right back on. I had a successful attempt with Meridia, got back to close to goal weight, and then tore an Achilles training for a marathon...age is REALLY telling me something I think! (Why is it exercise is so unhealthy?) After that, the weight came back on due to injuries and inactivity during recovery. I have traded my running and weight lifting for long distance cycling and yoga, but after the last bought of weight gain; it seemed nothing would get this off and I struggled and struggled and struggled...and finally my friend at work told me about LapBand surgery. To me (personally) I felt like a failure. I felt like something I had worked so hard all my life to keep control of was no longer under my control (yes, control is a BIG issue for me). I felt like going to a surgeon was admitting I could not take care of my own body. I had to overcome that, and I still struggle with it some because I struggle with sharing my surgery with my family. I have a grossly obese sister that says "we need to learn to be happy with what we are and some people are fat...learn to be happy with it" and I could NEVER accept that philosophy; because that would mean I had to learn to be happy with giving up the things I love most-outdoor activities with my daughter, cycling with the Cincinnati Cycle Club, doing bike trips with my friends (do you know how hard it is to ride for miles and miles when you are overweight, can't breath and are trying to oxygenate 90 extra pounds of fat?...Maybe some of you do 
)
Anyway, after many long talks with my friend at work who had the LapBand, I decided it was time since I was getting nowhere fast on my own...and here I am! Hi!
