My name is Mary Lichtenwalter. I am 30 years old. I had been overweight pretty much my entire life. I am 5’8 and at my heaviest I was 280 lbs. But my story begins in about the 5th grade. My mother started to take me to a nutritionist so that I could learn how to eat better and hopefully lose some weight. The only problem was, food was my best friend. I would sneak food and hide in the closet to eat it. I was extremely outgoing but always tried to dodge the criticism of my weight by making a joke or two. To me my behavior seemed normal. I continued to become heavier as the years went on. By the time I was 18 and graduating high school I was over 200 lbs and in a size 18. It only got worse when I left to go to college. Most girls put on the freshman 15 but I put on the freshman 40.

Then in November of 2005 my grandfather called. He had heard of Ready4AChnage and the team in Mexico from a client of his. He asked me to look into it and see if the lap band was something I might be interested in. I was on the phone with Judy the next day. There was no looking into it. I knew I wanted this. I wanted this more than anything in the world.

After talking to Judy who answered all of my questions and calmed all of my fears I booked my surgery for December 27,2005.