Weighing In on Success

Zulma Rosario Recounts Her Struggle with Weight Loss Following Her Husband's Death

(CBS)  In the continuing the series, "Early Gets Down2Size," "The Early Show" featured the story of Zulma Rosario, a 39-year-old mother of three. After the birth of her third child, Zulma - just five feet tall - weighed 135 pounds. Soon after, her husband became sick, and the stress of his illness caused her to gain quite a bit of weight.

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Rosario said after her husband passed away was when she realized she was overweight.

"I had more time to focus on myself," she said, "and it was horrible."

Slowly, but surely, Rosario said her weight ballooned to 230 pounds.

"I'd get up two hours early to put together an outfit to come to work... I put something on, I took it off. I put something else on, I took it off. I put something back on," she said. "It was just a nightmare and eventually I'd start crying."

Rosario said she often wore black as a way to hide her weight. She also hid herself from others.

"I didn't socialize, I didn't want to go out," she said. "I just felt like I was the fat girl in the crowd, and no one would want to dance with the fat girl or talk to the fat girl."

Rosario said she knew she needed to lose weight and she tried several programs, but they didn't work for her.

"I dieted all day, and then I didn't diet at night when people weren't around," she said.

Rosario said she always ate alone.

"That was a big thing. I always ate alone and I hate eating alone. I had no choice because everyone would make me feel bad," she said. "No matter what I was eating or how much I was eating, it was always wrong."

Rosario said when she realized that her sons had lost their father, and were at risk of losing their mother to obesity, she said she had to do something.

Rosario had a lap band procedure performed in October of 2007. Since then, she has lost more than 100 pounds, and kept the weight off for over two years. Dr. Christine Ren, co-director of the New York University Program for Surgical Weight Loss joined Rosario on "The Early Show" to discuss Rosario's procedure and her weight loss success.

Rosario, who was thrilled to show off her weight loss on "The Early Show," has come a long way.

"Health wise I don't have to take any pills anymore and I am completely happy," she said.

She admitted that it was really tough to lose weight in the beginning.

"I tried everything. I tried Weight Watchers. I tried Nutrisystem. I tried dieting. I tried bicycling and I just couldn't breathe," she explained.

At first, Rosario thought about doing a gastric bypass, but she decided the lap band procedure was the best scenario for her.

"Rosario was at such a weight that was dangerous to her health and it also impinged on her quality of life. She could barely walk a few blocks without being winded," said Dr. Ren. "I think quality of life is very important especially with kids. She tried everything. She had nutritional insight. She knew what was bad for her and what was good for her, but it was the portions. As we get heavier, our bodies want more food."

According to Ren, a lap band procedure is the placement of a silicone device inside of your body. It wraps on top of the stomach and gently squeezes around the stomach and signals to the brain that you are full.

"So you can still eat healthy, but the portions that you are eating are much smaller," Ren added.

Dedication and focusing on her kids was the mindset Rosario needed to pull through and get rid of her feelings of isolation.

Zulma Rosario's Typical Day of Meals:

Breakfast: Yogurt and a small portion or tiny portion of oats
Lunch: Tuna fish with small salad also small portions
Snack: Cheese Nips or some dry crackers
Dinner: Small salad, small portion of dark meat chicken, and some olives or a small portion of mashed potatoes and very small amount of meatloaf

Everything is portioned.

[zulmarosario]

Thank you for your comments, and as I clearly stated. I tried it what I tried and it didn't work for me. What works for one person doesn't work for another. I didn't go out and snort cocaine to surpress my hunger and I didn't throw up to be skinny, but that works for some just like your hard work, worked for you. I will let you know that 2 years to loose 100 pounds takes strength and surgery may not be for everyone and perhaps everyone can't afford it either, but it happens. I believe you have a lot of dedication and i applaud you for that, but don't think that i am prompting lapband or down playing weight watchers this is a simple story about struggle and choices. You made a choice and I made a different one. Congrads to you and congrads to me. Take care of yourself and remember always that what works for you doesn't work for me.

[sam-kiley]

coucou maggie..zulma
re-re-wow!!!!zulma..vous etes superbe, beau travail, attention de ne pas reprendre les mauvaises habitudes alimentaires..bonne continuation..au revoir

[zulmarosario]

Please write to me in english and I will reply to any questions you wish. Zulma Rosario

[kevkev227]

I found a site that helped me lose weight and get back in shape. You can check it out here:

http://loseweightwithacaiberrydiet.blogspot.com/

[zulmarosario]

That's nice that people are sharing their resources. That's the point!
Hooray to you.
Thanks
Zulma Rosario

[howbizarre]

Good for her for seeing that she was obese. I think she should have taken the 2 hours she spent each morning changing outfits, and spent those 2 hours on a treadmill first though. It doesn't say what "programs" she tried to lose weight. Were they just fad diets or did she try exercise? Did she try running (even slowly) for 2 hours every morning before resorting to surgery?

[zulmarosario]

Actually if you would take 2 mins to review the broadcast, that is if you have time for other things then wasting time "judging" other people's decisions or misfortune then perhaps you would have listened to 'again' the 2 mins where they tried to cluster my 6 years of battling my weight. I noticed that's the point. Have you noticed that you have no sympathy for others. Perhaps it would be best if you listened more carefully to the statement. "I tried diets, I tired the gym, I tired bike riding...I couldn't breathe!" Do you believe that insurance companies are paying $50,000.00 to someone who hasn't tired everything. The only thing that you should be focusing in on as that you my dear have no right to judge me or anyone else. This segement was put together to give people "Suggestions" and "Alternatives" to life struggles not to applaud me, but to give people hope that life can change. People's opinions such as yours may remain the same, but I have changed and welcome anyone to try it and think that it's easy, because it's not. If you or anyone else is looking for support contact me [e-mail] if you are looking to critize take a number there are far too many of you out there. Zulma Rosario

[Salenah123]

I think the show was very inspiring. I have been looking for a real view of someone else how the surgery works and if it is a sucessful procedure. I too have four children three teens and one that is 5. I really would like to be around to see him and my other grow up and go to college and to live to be a grandmother. My mother passed at the age 48 and I don't want that to be me. This really have made my mind up to have the surgery. I went to the seminar in STL in July. However, I have not made any other steps do to not know anyone that have had this procedure. I know a few that have had the bypass surgery. However, I rather not do this procedure. I think the lapband seem to be much safer after doing research. So my question for you is, do you have to have cosmetic surgery if you workout and how did you save your insurance company $15,000?

[zulmarosario]

I don't have a clue on how he saved the company $15k, i would assume that it is in medication since he has stated that he no longer takes meds. Congrads to him on the healthy choices he has made. As for the lapband I completely believe it is a great thing and I am NOT on commission I am a surviver. [e-mail] is you have real questions and i have real answers.

Thanks Zulma

[outlaw740]

Not sure why this is a very big story, there are a lot of people in the same condition. I have lost 110 lbs on the lapband over two years after my wife became sick. I was on 6 different medications and am not currently on any. So while I am very happy for her losing the weight I am not sure it was any bigger accomplishment than any of the rest of us that have also done that. Maybe you should do a story on why after people like us loose all this weight then get rejected by the insurance company for removing the excess skin beacuse it is only "cosmetic" even though I saved my insurance compnay approx $15,000 in the last two years.