Charli Jepson

The Regret That Changed Everything: Charli’s Story

I have been overweight for as long as I can remember. Even as a little girl, I struggled with food. It became a cycle I couldn’t break. I would lose weight, only to put it back on. And even when I did lose weight, it was never enough to make me feel good about myself.

When I was 23, I had my first daughter. I was working on cruise ships and managed to stay on stage. But after my son was born, everything changed. I gained it all back and couldn’t lose it, no matter how hard I tried. My relationship at the time didn’t help either. My ex would constantly put me down, telling me how unattractive I was.

I convinced myself I needed to be perfect for him.

Looking back, I realize something. When I am happy, I gain weight. When I am sad, I lose it. It sounds backwards, but it’s been true for me. After COVID, things spiraled. I lost control and reached the heaviest weight I had ever been.

My partner and I went on a special vacation, something we had really been looking forward to. But while we were there, seeing other women crushed me. I didn't want to walk into restaurants. I didn’t want to be seen at all. My confidence hit rock bottom.

At the same time, my best friend was getting the sleeve. 

I felt jealous, even though I didn’t want to admit it. My health was getting worse too, and every doctor visit felt like a slap in the face. I hated being told to lose weight. It made me feel even more defensive.

I finally reached a breaking point. I told my partner, who had always been against the surgery, that I was going to do it no matter what. He could either support me or leave. It wasn’t easy, but eventually he gave me his full support.

One moment really stuck with me. I was on vacation by the pool when a woman called out my name. I turned around and realized it was someone I knew from back home. I used to teach her daughter. There I was, standing in my bathing suit, completely exposed. I wasn’t sure I even recognized myself. She even got a selfie with me. Compared to the person I used to be, I felt like a shadow.

And in that instant, something inside me cracked.

That was the moment I realized I couldn’t do this on my own. I didn’t have the willpower. I needed real change.

The surgery itself was awful. Right before they wheeled me in, I was terrified. And after—when it was all over—the regret hit me like a wave. I felt sick in every way: physically, emotionally, mentally. I thought I’d feel joy, maybe even relief. The kind of joy I felt when I held my kids for the first time. But it wasn’t that. Not even close. It was the exact opposite. A deep, dark regret I couldn’t shake.

For about two weeks, I thought I had ruined my life.

I grieved the old version of me. I spent too much time on Google, letting fear and doubt consume me. But slowly, I started to come through it. I realized I had been given a second chance.

I took it seriously. Day by day, things began to change. I hit milestones that once felt impossible. I remember my doctor giving me a high five during one of my check-ups. It meant the world to me. I felt confident again. Confident to go to the beach, confident to play with my kids. I felt like a new version of myself.

This surgery changed my life. It was the best decision I have ever made.

If I could give advice to anyone thinking about surgery, I would say this: Do your research. Don’t pick the cheapest option. Take each day as it comes, and celebrate the non-scale victories. Because there will be times when the scale doesn’t move, and it can feel crushing. But the changes are happening.

One of my proudest non-scale victories is the hill I walk near my house. It used to leave me gasping for air. Now, I climb it with ease.

That, to me, means everything.