Health and Real Food

THE STORY OF MY STRUGGLE
The struggle with my weight has been a lifelong struggle.  I can remember comments about my size back when I was in kindergarten.  I was a size 16 in high school, and after I left home and went to college, I went up to a size 22.  I continued to gain weight, and was a size 30 in my early 30's.  There were times I lost weight, but I would get to a certain point and get scared and gain it all back, plus a bit more.  When I was 34, I decided to have weight loss surgery.  My doctor said, "Why don't you just try a while longer?  Have the surgery in 10 years."  In tears, I pointed out that in 10 years my chance for marriage and children would be gone.  He saw my point and started the process. 

My experience with gastric bypass was a pretty positive one.  I would do it again.  I do still struggle with food, but I do it at a significantly lower weight.  I lost 150 pounds in nine months, and I was just starting to wrap my mind around that, when I got pregnant.  I would have lost a lot more weight if I had not had a baby, but then I would not have my sweet Miss Mae.  She is worth it!  After nearly nine years, two pregnancies and a major surgery, I have gained back only 30 pounds of the 150 pounds that I lost, which I understand is actually typical for gastric bypass patients. 

In general, I'm sort of okay with my weight, but I think my health and energy level are not what I need them to be.  I am an older mom (age 45 with a 6 and an 8-year-old), and I want to be alive to care for my children.  I see that I need to make some changes in the way that I live.

I am also concerned that my family gets REAL FOOD.  It is so easy to eat stuff that is not real food.  Chicken nuggets from Mc Donalds are not real food.  Macaroni and cheese from a box is not real food.  Most of the stuff we typically buy in the grocery store is filled with chemicals, anti-biotics, and all kinds of yucky stuff that I don't want to give to my kids or my husband.  So, I am on a quest, not only for my own health, but for the health of my entire family.  I also think that every time I purchase high quality, REAL food, I make it more possible for that real food to be more available at a more reasonable cost to more people.  So, this is my quest.  Health and real food.