How I Got Fat by Jen Welty ;-)

I was inspired by my fellow bandsters telling their stories of weight battles, so I thought I'd share my own. I was always bigger than the kids in my class. Not a fat child, but larger than most. However, by the age of 12 I was on Weight Watchers and was on and off WW for years. I didn't let my weight stop me in highschool. Had lots of friends, dated a couple of really cute boys, got leads in the high school musicals and was the drum major of the band - however I was always overweight. I went through college fat, same thing, great friends, college marching band, cute boys (although not nearly as many as I wish thinking back...) Finally after I was laid off from my first job after college in 2001 and finishing a graduate certificate program at Georgetown, I decided enough was enough. I was 314 pounds (see lovely picture in red) and started Weight Watchers again with my parents. I managed to get down to 186.2 with my Dad's help. He would literally point out everything he cooked for me and freeze it. I lost all of that weight in about 14 months and probably weighed it for one whole day (picture in strapless dress). The day of my friend Shannon's wedding. I was pretty good about keeping most of it off. In fact my inspiration picture is from Shannon's baby shower (picture in reddish pants at bottom). Of course I don't remember ever being this skinny. Thank god for pictures to show me that it's possible. I was probably about 190, 195 in this picture.

I moved to the city, started a new job and grad school, discovered the amazing pizza place across the street and started going out a lot more which equaled many more jenni-tini's (stoli orange and tonic). With that, I probably put on about 20, 25 pounds and was up to about 220 and then the floor dropped out. I received a phone call that my father, whom I had just spoken with the night before, passed away from either a pulmonary embolism or a heart attack. He had double bypass surgery a year prior so they didn't do an autopsy based on all of the heart medication in his hotel room. He was on a business trip. I had McDonalds the day he died and thus started the weight gain. That was December 10th of 2004.

I found myself in January of 2009 at 283 inching even closer to the 314 that I had been back in 2001 and thus came my decision to get the lap band. I think about my Dad all of the time and know how proud he would be of my decision. I have the amazing support of my family and friends and strive everyday to live a better life and be healthier so that I'll be on this earth for many many years to come.

If you made it all the way through this, thanks for reading. It's nice to be able to share this with all of you!  xoxo, Jen