My name is Maira Damiani, I am 35 years old, and I am a native here in Reading Pa. Like most Americans, I have struggled with my weight since I could even remember. I was a newborn weighing 11lbs. Hence why growing up for me was very challenging. I was 12 years old and weighed 150 lbs. So, my childhood was not so easy for me. I just made the best of my situation.
After graduating high school, I promised myself that I would make big changes. I attempted so many home weight loss remedies, I tried so many different supplements and shakes but weight loss is also mental changes. I learned in the darkest of times, I needed to love myself. I needed to tell myself that looking good is also feeling good. That is where you maintain the strength and drive.
I sought out a little extra help and came across some very helpful people in the medical field. I kept trying and after some time elapsed, I was offered the chance to get surgery. Do not ever think that surgery is the easy way out. It is just as hard to keep and maintain not only physically but mentally as well. I was still in the gym 4 times a week while raising my children and working a full-time job. In 6 years, I lost 221lbs. I am now at a stable weight but promised myself that this new year 2025 I would take myself back to the gym. Maintenance is key! Although I know we cannot hide from food, I learned to stop hiding behind it.
Maira A. Damiani