Mary-Ann

Mary-Ann has lost 165 lbs.

My health prompted me to consider bariatric surgery.   I can recollect being on 14 different “diets” over the years – shakes, Bernstein, Weight Watchers, Low carb, etc. etc. etc. You name it, I’ve tried it.  I believe I’ve lost over 500 lbs over the years yet gained back over 600 lbs!  This yo-yo dieting was simply not working and at 53, my weight was causing my health to deteriorate at a very fast pace.  I was on 7 different medications including insulin.  I am a wife and a working mother with six children and I was having difficulty keeping up with the demands of life.  I needed to do something that had long term results, statistical evidence that it works and I was able to eat dinner with my family without making “special food”.

I’ve had weight issues since the 6th grade. The number on the scale was creeping up little by little year after year.

I did extensive research on bariatric surgery and consulted with different surgeons and specialists. It was not a quick nor easy decision to make. I determined that the MGB was the best solution for me that satisfied my personal criteria:

  1. The surgery is non-invasive (microscopic) and lasted less than one hour. I wasn’t convinced that I was healthy enough to undergo extensive surgery and I wasn’t willing to take that risk.
  2. The surgery had to be reversible in case I didn’t respond well or errors were made.
  3. There had to be concrete statistical medical information supporting success rates.
  4. I did not want to make two different menus each meal. I wanted to eat what the rest of my family eats – just less portion sizes.
  5. I needed to be confident that the facility doing the surgery was superior in quality, experience with follow through consultation.

SmartShape has historical success data, longevity in bariatric experience and exceeded my expectations when I made inquiries. The staff was phenomenal. They were attentive, caring, passionate and non-judgemental. The surgeon and I chatted several times about best options for me and he LISTENED to me. I sincerely felt that he cared about his patients and wanted them to be successful.

I did use the follow up care offered by SmartShape and was very happy that I did. It was extremely useful to me and I was grateful it was available. I do feel strong and educated now but I certainly would not hesitate to contact SmartShape for further consultation if I feel the need for it.

When I decided to write this article, I was able to locate an “after” full photo of myself but not a “before” photo of my full self. In fact, in almost every photo of me, I am strategically in the last row, had something in front of me to hide behind, etc. I didn’t even realize I was doing this for years! There is no shame in being overweight yet I felt ashamed and didn’t even recognize it. That to me, is sad and part and parcel of being obese. No one should be ashamed of who they are – NO ONE! I elected to have surgery for one reason and one reason only – my health. I am discovering now how obesity played a large role in many aspects of my life.

In 9 months I’ve lost 165 lbs! I am only 15 lbs. from MY goal weight. I don’t care what the BMI calculator says or what the “weight chart” indicates what MY ideal weight should be. I determine my ideal weight. MGB was the best decision of my life – a true game changer.

I believe I secured an additional 20-25 years of life which I need – I have a lot more to do in my life and my “bucket list” is growing. I now not only drive my kids to various activities, I participate in them! Best result – I no longer take medication including insulin – the medication has gone to medication heaven.

My hope is that people feel good about themselves. If you are overweight just be happy regardless. Enjoy life to its fullest. If being overweight is affecting your health and yo-yo dieting hasn’t worked in the past, I would suggest looking into bariatric surgery. It’s not for everyone, but it is for some and you might be that “some”.

Mary-Ann with a before photo of herself
“MGB was the best decision of my life – a true game changer.”

Results may vary.

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