Marty Enokson’s Battle with Obesity

I am 13 years post bariatric surgery and still living with and battling the chronic disease of obesity. After having had a Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass (RNY), I can say that it is such incredibly hard work maintaining the weight you lose; so much harder than you think it’s going to be. The reality is that you could go through the surgery, lose weight, and then gain some, or all, of that weight back. I know it’s pretty depressing to think about, but that is the reality of obesity. Your body is fighting you every step of the way!

At 505 pounds, I had such hope for myself with the surgery. I lost 140 pounds fairly quickly and felt like a new man. I stayed at that lower weight for about a decade. A success!

That said, 2020 was extremely hard on me. Depression and stress conspired against me and brought me down, just when COVID-19 hit Edmonton, Alberta, where I live. My weight rocketed up and I was 430 pounds again as the world started to lockdown. Depression, which caused me not to care at all about my health, led me to engage my oldest and dearest “friends” – sugar and chocolate. This was not at all good for someone who also has type 2 diabetes.

You can’t let this kind of setback get you down. Don’t beat yourself up if that happens. The journey of our lives will be filled with many ups and just as many downs. It’s all good.

I am incredibly happy to say that I am still here two years later. Still kicking. Still making my way. Still taking this journey one day at a time.

The good news is that as of today, I am successfully back down to 365 pounds. I’m a tall man, and I know that weight is not perfect, but it is better than where I was 13 years ago. I am always looking to go a little bit lower, but I am not losing sleep if I don’t. That’s because my weight… that radical number on the scale… does not define me!

My courage, how I carry myself in this world, my compassion, my heart, my understanding, my inner and my outer beauty (yes… I am beautiful!), that is what absolutely defines me. Not a number on a scale or the size of my body. Being able to inspire, and encourage, and motivate, and share my experiences with others is truly a blessing for me.

Between 1986 and 1992, I worked at Sam the Record Man in the West Edmonton Mall and then at the Kingsway Garden Mall. During that time, I had so many breathtaking moments, so many brushes with musical greatness. I met Tina Turner, Janet Jackson, Roxette, Randy Travis, Rod Stewart, Reba McIntyre, Garth Brooks, Stevie Wonder, Elle MacPherson (yes, that supermodel, and she asked ME for a picture with her), Love & Sass, Tom Cochrane, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Dwight Yoakam, Ken Greer, Vince Gill, The Kentucky Headhunters, Skid Row, The Sweethearts of the Rodeo, Aerosmith, George Straight, Carlene Carter, Melissa Etheridge, k.d. lang (twice), and The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band.

Even though I was around 500 pounds back then, these celebrities accepted me for who I was and stood beside me for picture after picture.

Today, I work as a paralegal and don’t bump into famous people very often anymore. I believe that every experience, every good thing, and every bad thing I have lived through, including every trauma I have experienced in my life, are all lessons.

My words of wisdom for today: Don’t allow yourself to be defined by a number or by anyone who judges you, who has no idea what your journey has been. Until they walk a mile in your shoes and experience what you have experienced, pay them no mind whatsoever!

Just remember that if you fall, and let’s be very real here, you very likely will fall, make sure that you don’t stay down for too long. Get up, dust yourself off, and get back at it.

It’s not all roses and sunshine post-surgery; sometimes it’s beyond hard, but it’s still pretty amazing!

Cheers and LOVE everyone!

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First published in the Inside Tract® newsletter issue 221 – 2022
Images: Marty Enokson