When you are morbidly obese for a long period of time, your metabolism stops working correctly. I did not know this until my doctor said this had happened to me. No matter what I tried, I'd lose 20 pounds, and that was it. My last effort was a year of working out with a personal trainer three times a week, and following Weight Watchers to the letter. I lost 20 pounds in a year.At that time, I gave up.
My surgeon said "I operated on your stomach, not your brain. The addiction is still there. You have to learn how to overcome that yourself." He was right. It came back. I struggle with it every day. Right now it's pretty easy. Tomorrow that may change.
The surgery is not a miracle. I still have to workout and eat right in order to keep the weight off and not gain it all back. Not too many know that I could expand my stomach back to it's original size, and gain every ounce of the 150 pounds I have lost, back. My family (immediate, as well as all of my aunts, uncles, and cousins) and close friends, know that this has been a long battle for me. It was very difficult being the only one that was so overweight.
I remember the one statement on Dr. Homan's webpage that told me "this is the one for you". He said "Morbidly obese people are some of the most misunderstood people in the world. They are also some of the nicest people I have ever met."
Do me a favor, when you see a morbidly obese person walking down the street, look at them in the eyes and smile. Do you know why they are always looking down? Not too many people look a morbidly obese person in the eyes. People usually look away. |
