St. Luke's Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Clinic
Lost: 111 Pounds
Gained: A Healthy Lifestyle
Colleen Owen changed her life two years ago when she made the decision to undergo weight loss surgery. Now she wants to help remove the stigma that she feels is attached to the surgery.
“It’s not some easy way out,” she says. “I’d like to get rid of that stigma, that feeling of shame that we couldn’t lose the weight on our own.”
Colleen had always struggled with her weight. After she had her son at age 28, it became harder to maintain a healthy weight, and when she injured her knee and couldn’t exercise, the weight piled on.
Colleen lost and then gained huge amounts of weight in short periods of time, as much as 80 pounds in a few months. Her weight kept climbing. She developed high cholesterol and high blood pressure. She had a family history of both, along with diabetes and heart disease. She was only 39 years old. That’s when she decided to have surgery.
Colleen underwent a minimally invasive surgical procedure called Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass at
St. Luke’s. She knew going in that the surgery was not a quick fix. She knew she had to commit to the post-operative program that included nutrition, exercise, vitamin supplements, and what was most important for her – the support group.
“The support group has brought me a lot of friends and mentors, and the opportunity to be a mentor,” she says. “I try never to miss a meeting – it’s a critical part of my program.”
Colleen started walking after her surgery, and then progressed to running. Now she runs marathons and half-marathons. She says she is learning to understand what reasonable eating is, and has come to recognize that in the past she overate to subconsciously punish herself for not being good enough. She has lost 111 pounds and is learning to have confidence in her body.
“This has been a blessing, and I have no words for how absolutely grateful I am for this gift,” she says. “I know I will have challenges every day, that I have to rededicate myself to this lifestyle every morning when I wake up. But I want to be alive to see my kids grow up and know my grandkids. I want my children to see me as strong and capable and healthy and happy.”
Learn More
Click here to learn more about St. Luke's Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Clinic, or attend a free seminar to hear more about the pros and cons of various surgical weight loss options.
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