All the Way to 5K: Diana's Surgical Weight Loss Journey

Throughout her life, 40-year-old Diana Roche, of Plymouth, MA, had tried just about every method of weight loss – the fad diets, the Atkins meals, the exercise programs – you name it, and Diana had probably tried it at least five times. Then a few years back, while on vacation with her husband, Diana finally reached a tipping point. She remembers just feeling so uncomfortable in her own skin. Simple things, like getting on a plane or going out to a restaurant caused anxiety. “It was a very lonely world, you just feel kind of trapped,” recalls Diana.

Some of Diana’s friends and relatives had undergone surgical weight loss (also known as bariatric surgery) through the program offered at BID Milton. She had witnessed their success firsthand, and the surgery was something she had been considering for some time. “In that moment, on vacation, I was just so uncomfortable in what I was wearing” shares Diana. “I turned to my husband and was like, I’m doing it, I signed up for it, no turning back now.”

Diana hit the ground running. Supported by the care team at BID Milton, she began to prepare for surgery, ramping up her exercise and working with a dietitian to modify her diet. Someone was there to help guide her, every step of the way.

A few months later, surgery day went off without a hitch! “I expected that it was going to hurt and that it was going to be a long recovery, but it was so much easier than I had even anticipated. Everyone at BID Milton was incredibly friendly.”

For the first couple week after surgery, Diana maintained a liquid diet, while her body healed and adjusted to the procedure. “That was probably the hardest part,” she shares. “But I’ll tell you, in the end I would do it all over again – and I would do it sooner.” 

Diana really began to thrive about six weeks out from surgery. “That’s when things really started to change – you’re going to the gym, and that’s when the weight really starts to fall off and you’re starting to be able to actually move your body in ways you’ve never been able to.” It was at this point that Diana decided she would run a 5K later that year, having never run a day in her life.

That December, her goal became a reality. “Once I ran that 5K, it really changed everything for me. That’s when I really realized that I could do things that I had never done before.” Since embarking on her weight loss journey, Diana has lost over 130 pounds! She continues her active lifestyle with a newfound love for biking.

For those considering surgical weight loss, Diana shares that “it’s definitely a huge change. It’s going to be the hardest but the best journey you’ll ever go on. It’s like getting a new life… It’s the hardest journey, but it’s worth all of it.”

To learn more about surgical weight loss and connect with our bariatric surgery team, call 617-313-1440 or visit our website.