Weighty Matters

Just another WordPress.com site

Life Changes

on December 22, 2013

I had dinner last night with a dear, long time friend whom I haven’t seen since June. My body’s changed a lot since then.

Over our meal, she asked me about how my life has changed because of my weight loss surgery and transformation so far. It’s one thing for me to say how much better I feel physically and emotionally. I can talk about the increased physical ease and the reduction in aches, pains, exhausting effort.

But last night, I was struck by something even deeper when talking about the amazing positive changes. I asked her to imagine what it would be like to always, almost constantly, be hyper-aware of body size. To think about having to make continual assessments about almost everything. Would a chair hold my weight? Would the car I rented have a seat belt long enough to go around me if I was wearing a coat or jacket? Could I fit in the space between two tables in a restaurant? Would I be able to keep up with my friends when we went somewhere? If I fell and hurt myself at home, could I get up? Would I fit in a chair? How long would it be before my right knee gave ou completely? What did people think when they saw me struggle to go up stairs? Think about trying to disguise the effects of simple exertion on my breathing.

Think about constantly having your brain and feelings dealing with such a barrage of questions and assessments for decades.

Then think about not experiencing any of that any more, ever again.

The reduction of stress and pressure has been enormous, like I was caught between a boulder and a granite shelf and then suddenly freed.

In addition to my body feeling better, my mind is just so much more relaxed and at ease. It’s amazing.

Over the last two years at work, I feel like I’ve stepped up my game. I was never a slacker and always was a productive, efficient, even dynamic asset. (That’s not bragging. My boss would say the same.) However, I can look back and see where I’ve grown, matured, and developed into even more of a leader. You’ve heard the expression about all ships rise with the tide? There were also other things at play, but when the opportunities to grow and develop opened up, I was better able to step up and grow with them. I don’t know if this would have happened if I’d still had all of the other horrible mind clutter getting in my way.

Stress is a killer. It creates tension, contributes to poor health, triggers adverse body chemical reactions. The reduction of all of that stressful thinking, has lightened my spirit like losing pounds has lightened my body.

Change is good. The life changes I’ve experienced and continue to see are great.


2 responses to “Life Changes

  1. You may not have written about this stress-lifting aspect of the change with your weight loss, but I think your readers could see the deepening playing out.

  2. Hope says:

    You’ve made some amazing changes over the past couple of years! You have so many things to be proud of.

Leave a Reply


WordPress.com Logo


Google photo


Twitter picture


Facebook photo


Connecting to %s