Finding the New ‘You’ Experiencing similar stories of overeating, depression and obesity, local residents Marcus Johnson and Victoria Champion took control of their lives, becoming an inspiration to others. After battling a depressing weight gain, these two decided to start new lives and lost more than 400 pounds combined.
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Marcus Johnson
For Marcus Johnson, operations manager for Star Struck Entertainment, his weight gain began in college and after marriage. It only became worse when, like so many others, Johnson was laid off after the economy dropped in 2008. Johnson, 40, described his overeating as a means of self-medicating from depression. After hitting an all-time high of 469 pounds, he decided to get help and undergo gastric bypass surgery in April 2011. Today, he weighs 227 pounds. After losing so much weight, he is still getting use to the new him. “You know, it’s you, but you don’t know you like that. You have days where you’re like, ‘Is this really me? Am I really still Marcus?’” said Johnson. His journey was not traveled alone; alongside him were his wife and daughter who have continuously supported him. “It’s a journey for the family members as well, especially for the spouse, because you’re changing in front of them. What use to be this wide hug is now a smaller hug. It’s exciting, but it takes getting use to this new person,” said Johnson. a
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"You know, it’s you, but you don’t know you like that. You have days where you’re like, ‘Is this really me?..." April 2012
. bakersfield-wellness.com
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