The Back Story....

Sometimes I wake up in the morning and think to myself, how did I get here? I mentally trace the connections and points though time.

So how did I end up middle aged and morbidly obese? When did that happen?

I was, at the onset, underweight. I was born premature and weighed only 4.3 pounds. I bet that was super scary for my parents. I spent many weeks in the hospital and as recounted to me - if I was awake, somebody was feeding me. Seems a bit prophetic looking back.

Teresa Marie - 5 yrs old

I have been overweight as long as I can remember.  My parents put me on a "diet" when I was around five years old. I remember my father asking me to put on my bathing suit and then taking this picture of me in the backyard.  It was then pasted up on the refrigerator with a bit sign that said "stop."  When I started in school, my mother sent me with a sack lunch of a hot dog or baloney, carrots/celery, and cottage cheese. It was the same almost everyday. Not only was it embarrassing, but the lack of diversity resulted in not only me eating lunch at school but also grazing when I came home. I recall grabbing food from the kitchen and sneaking into the basement to eat.  So it went throughout my school years until I graduated from high school standing 5'2" and weighing 140 pounds. By today's health calculators I was just overweight with a BMI at 25.6.

Then those college years! I gained another 10 pounds.

Mother & Son
Hiking El Morro National Monument, NM

I started my first job, travel, marriage, family deaths. I gained another 15 pounds.  I hiked over the continental divide. I learned to rock climb and scuba dive. I bike to work. I'm active and now I'm not overweight - I'm obese.

Baby time - gained 70 pounds during the pregnancy, of which 10 pounds stuck.

My father passes away, I eat those emotions. 5 pounds added to my enlarging frame. I take holiday in New Mexico and Utah. I carry my son in a backpack to the top of El Morro National Monument. Other tourists are amazed - probably because I'm a big girl and he's nearly 3 years old! I'm overweight and active and strong. 

Baby time again - another 10 pounds added.

Now I'm not obese; I'm morbidly obese. I change jobs, move homes, Mother-in-law passes away, Mom gets ill - add another 20. I change jobs again, more family drama - add some more weight...

Mother and Daughter
Hiking Antelope Canyon, AZ

My daughter and I headed out to Arizona to cross Antelope Canyon off my bucket list.  I have waited almost 20 years to come out here. I was both excited and scared for the hike through the canyon. The guides tried to discourage me from making the trip through the Lower Canyon. Mostly I was worried that I would fall and injure myself. Secondly I was worried that I wouldn't fit through the narrow passages ways. I made it and it was a trying experience as the guides advised. Check out that profile! OMG. It was memorable but should have been much more enjoyable :(

While the trajectory on my weight has been up - there were periodic dips down too. I thought I knew what I should do but clearly I didn't. 

So I was at my crossroads, I knew that I needed help to make the changes I needed to be successful for the rest of my life. I reached out. 

I'm turning over a new leaf and changing my habits. Here I am sharing my story. I don't even know how much I weight. I'll find out tomorrow.

TY for reading and TY for your support!

Teresa Marie