“A little swollen, but not bad,” Debbie Schrader said to herself, testing her newly replaced knee as she got out of the car. She headed for her office. It was a chilly Ohio day, yet halfway across the parking lot, she began to perspire and grow short of breath. She sighed. The truth was, she was already regaining weight she’d lost before her surgery. My knee is better, but at 300 pounds, I’ll still have trouble getting around, she thought. I’m not even 60 yet and I feel a decade or two older. For the millionth time, the exact same words echoed through her mind: You have to do something
Debbie worked a desk job, but it still left her exhausted most days. At home, she’d collapse on her couch with pizza, cheesy bread and ice cream. She knew she should eat better, eat less, move more; it had worked when she was younger. But her cravings had become intense, and she no longer had the energy or motivation to fight them. She’d accepted she was meant to be heavy.
Yet… I want to get out and have fun, Debbie reminded herself. I don’t want to be trapped by my body. A recent trip to the Grand Canyon had been tough, with many trails too challenging and restaurant booths too small. And even when she’d gotten her weight down a bit, she huffed and puffed just walking around the block. She didn’t want to huff and puff through life.
This story is from the October 02, 2023 edition of Woman's World.
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This story is from the October 02, 2023 edition of Woman's World.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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