Growing up, Lisa Goetze always detested gym class. In fact, running was never an option for Ms. Goetze. For her, the mere act of walking was a battle. Throughout her life Ms. Goetze had struggled with morbid obesity. Her world as an adult consisted of commuting from home to work, and work to home. Venturing anywhere beyond those places was rare and extremely difficult because at 550 pounds she could only stand for a limited amount of time. In 2000, Ms Goetze underwent gastric bypass surgery—a decision that changed her life, and more importantly, her attitude regarding healthy living and remaining active. Today, she is a 32-year-old full-time business professional and part-time personal trainer in Bergen County, New Jersey. After a very long and difficulty journey, she has learned to appreciate a full routine—and a little sweat in her life.
Ms. Goetze describes herself as “the fat kid at school,” even going back to kindergarten. She says her food intake was always monitored, limited, and criticized. By her 21st birthday, Ms Goetze had seen her fair share of therapists, doctors, and had been to countless weight clinics and programs. She had clinical diagnoses for depression and eating disorders, and had been hospitalized and medicated for both
Obesity penetrated every corner of Ms. Goetze’s life. If I flew anywhere, I had to buy two tickets and dehydrate myself so that I would not have to use the plane’s bathroom during the flight—and just forget the whole seatbelt issue. If I went to the movies or a concert I had to bring my own extra-sturdy folding chair and sit in handicapped areas,” she explains
“When I decided that surgery was the way to go, my next step was finding someone who specialized in not just surgical options and procedures, but who truly understood obesity. That meant understanding its very nature—from its origin, its progression, and its effects physically and emotionally,” she explains. “I didn’t want just any doctor who could and would perform the surgery. I wanted the right doctor.
Ms. Goetze had her surgery on September 11, 2000. The decision to have the surgery was a clear one for her, even though her family was concerned. “I remember closing my eyes on the OR table and saying to myself, ‘I can’t wait to start my life,'” says Ms. Goetze. “I was very aware of all the risks, but what I had already endured physically and emotionally through struggling with my obesity was far worse than any of the possible risks that Dr. Bessler and his staff explained.”
Today, exercise has become an integral part of Ms. Goetze’s personal life and professional life. Once she began feeling and seeing the changes exercise brought to her life, she decided it was something she wanted to do for a living. She explains, “I became a personal trainer because I know what exercise has done for me and if others need help incorporating exercise into their lives, then I want to be the one to help them. I still don’t like to sweat, but feel great once I have, so go figure! And I still won’t run unless my life is in immediate danger, but not because I don’t see the point—but because my poor over-worn joints just can’t handle the impact.”
Ms. Goetze’s advice to others who have had weight loss surgery is simple and straightforward. It’s not the advice of a personal trainer, but of a survivor, and of a believer. “Be patient and compassionate with yourself. When you receive compliments, thank the person who is giving you the compliment and revel in it. Smile and laugh. Don’t diminish your accomplishments. Don’t slack off on prescribed vitamin and mineral supplementation, and make smart informed decisions about your food choices. Most of all, charter your own course, and never, never put limits on yourself. Today, I realize I own it all. No one can limit my success. I have the power to either create my own failures, or achieve my own successes—and that’s exactly what I did.”