163 LBS DOWN

87 lbs to go!

SOME GREAT BEFORE

SOME MORE BEFORE

THINKING AND DREAMING I started my Journey in July of 2012 when I attended an informational session for bariatric surgery. I had

struggled with my weight all my adult life I have always been the big girl. I wanted help but never knew what to do. I had been using weight watchers for 3 years and walking a mile a day for most of those 3 years. I never lost any weight but managed to gain 30 lbs. I got the consult with the surgeon on July 17th weighing in at the heaviest I had ever been at 400 lbs with a bmi of 73.3! The surgeon had told me that I had to lose 50 lbs to be eligible to have surgery do to the fact that your liver needed to shrink. I went away from this appointment devastated depressed and overwhelmed. How was I ever going to lose that much weight? I started to cry and think if I could lose the weight on my own why would I be asking for help. I even had a dr I only saw for a short time tell me if he wired my jaw shut I would lose the weight. This was frustrating. I had a friend who said that he was losing weight with My Fitness Pal I had never heard of it but anything was better than nothing and the fact that I was killing myself! I started using it told me to eat 2500 calories so I ate 1500 the first 2 weeks I felt starved I cried and wanted to quit. I had lost no weight and said I was not going to live like this. I did not give up and it got easier and I did start to lose weight slowly. I got prescribed Victosa it is a diabetic medication that helps with Ghrelin. I started taking it and I got to the point that I could barely consume 1200 calories per day and OMG the weight started coming off. I lost the 50 lbs plus 7 I had my surgery and I continue to lose weight and I am amazed how I feel.

  July 17th 2013 I want to let everyone know that today is my one year mark since I began my incredible weight loss journey. I

started at a massive 400 lbs and BMI of 73.3 with a 70 inch waist wow even as I type this I think how horrible I felt and I wanted to change I was dying slow killing myself. I had a consult with WLS with grim news I had to loss 50 lbs to be healthy enough for the surgery. I went home crying just knowing I was going to die because how was I going to lose the necessary weight to save my life… I did a lot of soul searching and praying for strength. My friend Michael Sasser told me that he was using my fitness pal to assist in weight loss I had done weight watchers for 3 years unsuccessful so I am like how will that help? I started using it and the first 3 weeks were like hell on earth I felt starved and did not feel like going on but I was losing a little I had lost 3 lbs. I got used to the lower calorie diet and stopped feeling hungry and took the weight off it was slow but I weighed 57 lbs less on surgery day! I today weigh 275 my waist is 42 and my BMI is 50.3 and I have lost 125 lbs. I want to thank my wonderful Husband Darrell Larsen for standing beside me and doing this with me! I was a big skeptic about this and now I have everyone talking to me about it I love it!!! I never tire from hearing that I look great! The hard work is starting to pay off! I have a lot of work to do I have faith that I can do it! I want you all to know that you encouragement is super important and I feel blessed. Special Thanks to Nurse Ratchet who is amazing and the best friend I could ask for on this journey…. Let’s see where I am in another year.

WOW ITS WORKING!!

25 lbs down 30 lbs down

SO EXCITED!

50 lbs gone 70 lbs

GETTING BETTER

90 lbs gone 100 lbs

SERIOUSLY I HAVE A NECK

120 130

DOING GREAT!

140 DOWN 145 LBS DOWN

HAVING SOME FUN

150 LBS GONE!! I CRUSHED THESE CARS!!

What I have learned on this wonderful Journey

1) Self control is HARD2) You have to get up and do it even if you don't feel like it. You'll feel better after.3) Patience and balance are key. It's best that I take it slow. I've had to learn to be patient.4) Love and accept yourself before you lose the weight. Otherwise your journey will be centered on negativity and you won't

be happy at your goal weight.5) This is your journey. No one else’s. You can't expect others to change just because you decide to. And it's not your job to

harp on anyone or annoy people with it.6) I have to keep track of what I eat. It puts me in control.7) Stay persistent and have a LOT of patience8) Recycle your big clothes; if you are an 18/20 then everything 22 and above can go to a charity shop to sell on - another

(now expensive) reason not to gain weight again!9) Be honest with yourself, if you eat that chocolate and don't log it, it still counts.10)Help others who want it and want to stick to it11)At the end of the day if you did good have a treat!12)Have a support system whatever works for you

STILL SHOCKED

160 LBS DOWN

January 30th 2014 it has been one year since I had my Gastric surgery and I feel great I weigh today and 1 year ago I weighed 342 that is a difference of pounds wow!! I have begun to lose at slow rate and I am okay with it!! I lost 150 lbs with very little break so I feel happy and excited! I am wearing a size 16-18 I realize this is still a plus size but it is amazing! I began this weighing in at 400lbs and wearing a 34-36 and t-shirt size 6X I now can wear a xl comfortably who knew I could do it Guess what not me!! I had to re learn to eat and what worked for me I had so much fun this past year surprising people with my weight loss! I hope that in the next year I can lose what I remaining weight I have to lose 87 lbs to my personal goal. This will be in Overweight according to the BMI But I was in super morbid obesity when I started with BMI of 73.2 I need to lose 19 lbs to say goodbye to morbid obesity today my BMI is 43.3 a difference of almost 30 which is normal BMI so I have lost a normal person. I will continue on this Journey to see where it leads I have been happy with the progress up to this point. I am thankful to all that have assisted me and supported me been there for me cheered for me cried with me thanks