Catharina Peterson

From Struggle to Strength

I always struggled with my weight, but it got worse after nursing school. The long, exhausting shifts led me to binge eating—something I’d always done, but now it was out of control. My life took a sharp turn three months into my job when a patient assaulted me, breaking my wrist. During the months I was off work, my weight ballooned.

I was in my twenties—young and naïve—and ignored the first suggestions to consider bariatric surgery. I convinced myself I could handle it, that I didn’t need drastic measures. But deep down, I knew I was addicted to food. The pandemic only made things worse. I’d eat healthy, then wash it down with fast food or sugar, justifying it as a reward. I couldn’t even walk up the stairs without getting winded. But in my mind, I was fine. Despite the pain in my feet every morning and the aches that lasted all day, I pretended everything was okay.

Then, we got a dog. My husband and I thought it would be a good way to get me moving. But I could barely keep up with our new puppy.

That was the push I needed to start taking surgery seriously. The real turning point came one day while I was trying on pants. I had to confront the size I was now wearing. I looked in the mirror and didn’t recognize myself. “Who the f**k is this?” I asked the stranger staring back at me. The person inside me was screaming to get out, but I felt trapped in a body that wasn’t mine.

I finally decided to move forward with bariatric surgery. I went through all the steps to prove I was a candidate. At my peak, I weighed 309 pounds. Heart failure and disease were always in the back of my mind. When it came time for surgery, I hoped it would be my last stop. I didn’t tell many people about it. I didn’t want to hear their opinions or listen to the horror stories about someone else’s failures.

After surgery, my life changed dramatically. I’ve lost over 130 pounds, and I’m thrilled with where I am now.

I’ve even run a 10k marathon and can walk up the stairs without getting winded. Physically, I wish I’d done the surgery sooner, but mentally, I wasn’t ready until I was. The surgery was a tool, but my mindset was the real game-changer.

Following five simple rules—protein first, vitamins, hydration, movement, and portion control—I transformed my life. Looking back, I barely recognize the person I was before. No one forced me to do this; it was entirely my decision. That’s why I did it quietly, without needing to explain or defend my choice.

Today, I feel stronger and more in control than ever. Bariatric surgery wasn’t an easy way out—it was the beginning of a lifelong journey. And for the first time in years, I finally feel like myself again.