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Catherine Brazeau says bariatric surgery turned her life around

Looking at Catherine Brazeau these days, you'd never know she's half the woman she was last year. The 54 year old mother of four said bariatric surgery in January has given her a new lease on life.
After two decades of steady weight gain with a self-described food addiction, Catherine Brazeau opted for bariatric surgery in Jan. 2014. Her weight has so far dropped from 275 lbs to 158 lbs. (Supplied)

Catherine Brazeau describes her mood these days as "euphoric."   

The 54 year old mother of four, who is also a travelling sales representative, said a bariatric surgery in January has helped her to shed nearly 120 lbs, and given her a new lease on life. 

Brazeau said her weight wasn't an issue until she quit smoking at 35, but a self-described food addiction soon replaced cigarettes. 
Brazeau holding her granddaughter in 2010. At her heaviest, she says she started to limit her outings. (Supplied)

Often she said, she would find herself scraping extra bites off of plates as she was clearing the dinner table. Other times, she would hide what she was eating, and wait until her family was in bed to go out for food. 

"It was a comfort. You know, you're busy, you're raising your children", she said.

"As a woman, you're not even second—you're like ninth. You have your children, you have your job, you have your husband, you have your house... you put yourself really last."

'I tried everything'

Brazeau said she tried fad diets or other weight loss plans, but the most she ever lost was 20 lbs, and then she'd give up.  
Brazeau in 2014, post-bariatric surgery. (Supplied)

"It was just too hard to implement [diet changes] into life," she said. "You know, you're in a hurry. You put food last."

In two decades, Brazeau's weight reached a peak of 275 lbs. She said her once outgoing personality was no match for her new body. 

"You know, my granddaughter would have a play at the Capitol Centre in North Bay. I wouldn't want to go because I'd be uncomfortable ... in the seats."

Brazeau finally decided enough was enough. Her story was featured Tuesday on Morning North.

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For more on Greater Sudbury's obesity problem and what's being done to try to change it, tune in to CBC Sudbury's show Morning North with host Markus Schwabe all week at 7:10 a.m.