Hey there – Anna here!

Nice to meet you! I guess I’m supposed to tell you a little bit about who I am and I am not someone who talks very much about myself.

I’m a wife and mother of two young adult sons. We have 2 cats (Apollo & Chi) and 2 dogs (Loki & Luna). I love all things Supernatural, Harry Potter, elephants, sunflowers, coffee, and online shopping. I have a slight post-it note hoarding issue. I’m a bit “woo woo” as my co-workers call it, also.

During the Pandemic of 2020, I started to adopt plants. What started out as a slight hobby has not turned into a huge obsession. I now have over 15 plants, and I’m not showing any signs of slowing down. My husband says I have a problem, but I just see it as collecting beautiful things that make me happy. Plus, they help to purify the air in our home, so it’s really a win-win situation.

I’ve been blogging since about 2012, but it’s only been in the last two years that I’ve taken it seriously. I started working two years ago for an Affiliate and Performance Marketing Agency, and currently work as the Lead Outreach Recruiter. My boss is to blame for relighting my blogging flame – she’s really pushed me to do better.

While yes, I have been blogging – though mostly been half-assed – I haven’t really done much as I should have. But that’s all changing now!  – Thanks, boss.

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Okay, now on to why I created A Bariatric Journey…

Picture it Sicily. . .

Okay, not Sicily – instead picture it…
…NorthEast Ohio – the early 1990s.

I guess this is where I’m supposed to tell you I’m some awesome weight loss guru who has all of the answers because I went to some fancy school. I wish I could tell you that, but I can’t. But what I can tell you, is that I am absolutely going through exactly what you are going through.

I had struggled with my weight since I was about 11 or 12 years old and being told that I was fat repeatedly by several kids I was in school with and family members. They were always commenting on my weight. I remember being told that no “real man” would ever love a fat woman. It stuck with me well into my 20s.

When I was about 17 years old, I weighed about 130-140lbs at graduation and was told constantly I was fat, overweight, “thick”, etc. While “thick” was supposed to be endearing, to me it was disgusting. It just fueled my need to force myself to throw up constantly. I would eat normally with my family, excuse myself, then spend time in the bathroom ridding my body of the food I just ate. It was disgusting.

Between graduating and giving birth twice to handsome boys (who are now handsome young men) I struggled a lot with postpartum depression, my weight spiraled out of control, which did not help my depression or anxiety at all. I ended up gaining at least 80lbs between my pregnancies.

Into my late 20s, almost every person I dated would comment or poke fun about my weight. From grabbing my “love handles” to slapping my “thick” thighs. They thought it was cute or loving, but it made me just more depressed and wear clothes to hide my love handles or thick thighs.

It wasn’t until I met my now-husband that I started to have a bit more confidence in myself. When we first started dating, he was the best at making me feel like who I was meant to be.

In December of 2013, I miscarried my third child. That is when I started to gain the last 100lbs, putting me over 319lbs within the next 8 years. My depression was horrible. I didn’t want to do anything, didn’t want to work, and barely left the house to get groceries, if I did I was only wearing pajama pants, a tank top, and an oversized hoodie to hide my weight.

During the Pandemic in the summer of 2021, I started to take both of our dogs for walks and was winded just going around ONE block. It was bad. I was in tears because I barely walked halfway around the block and my feet, knees, and back was all screaming at me.

JUST ONE FREAKING BLOCK!!!

That’s when I knew, it was time. This is the last time I was going to feel this way. I have attempted countless “diets” such as Ketogenic, Paleo, weight loss pills, weight loss meal delivery programs, low carb, etc, and struggled with my weight for almost 30 years.

Change is hard. Especially a change as big as talking to your doctor about weight loss surgery. I know what it feels like going at this almost completely alone.

Even with my husband and both of my son’s support, it is very hard sometimes, because they don’t understand what you are going through. While they are sitting there eating whatever they want without a care in the world, you are weighing, measuring, counting, and writing every single thing down to make sure you are getting the nutrients you are supposed to.

Why am I telling you all of this About Me?

This is why I wanted to create a place where others who are going through the journey can receive inspiration, motivation, & tips from real-life bariatric weight loss surgery success stories, who have been there.

If you have already gone through every single diet out there, started to think about weight loss surgery, are in the process of being approved, already had the surgery, or have gone in for a revision, this is the place to start.

I discuss the differences between the types of surgery, benefits, side effects, and what to expect before, during, and after the surgery.