Take one look at Zoe Belle's before and after photos, and you'll be convinced that weight loss surgery can work. Start reading her book, and you will be astounded by this woman. Her story is so familiar to thousands who know what it is to struggle with obesity. Like many, she struggled with a weight problem her entire life. Genetics played a part, bad nutrition didn't help, and as the years went on, so did more weight. She could not lose no matter what diet or program she tried and she felt hopeless. She became the "Queen of Crop" - a master of "cropping" herself, or most of her body, out of photos.
Zoe is now living a dream life, and having bariatric surgery (the vertical sleeve) allowed her to create that life. She lost over 80 lbs (36 kilos), became healthier and happier, and she and her husband designed an entirely new chapter in their lives that could not have been possible in the body she had before surgery.
In 2011, Zoe and her husband sold their home and business in Hawaii and embarked on an extraordinary journey throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe. It was a dream come true, except for one thing: her weight. At only 5 foot 3 and over 200 lbs (223 at her highest), she was always the heaviest person in the room, but once they got to Europe, she felt like the fattest person on the entire continent! She decided to have weight loss surgery there, and a month after the surgery she and her husband started traveling again. So her story is not just a story of weight loss, it is a story of travel as well - an exciting journey in Europe, across the United States, several months in Hawaii, and back to Amsterdam, where they now live.
Zoe knew that weight loss surgery would change her life, so she chronicled her weight loss and travel journey in a blog she wrote every week for the first year. That blog was the basis for this book. Her year of travel with her husband became an adventure to amazing places in the world - and an internal journey of the mind and body for both of them. Once you read this inspirational book, you will be convinced that for many people, weight loss cannot be achieved or maintained by traditional diets. You will cheer Zoe on as she transforms from week to week!
If you are considering weight loss surgery, are about to have it, or are a veteran like Zoe, you will love her motivating story. Come along for the ride, not only in a new place in the world each week, but also in Zoe's self-confidence as her body transforms. Follow the twists and turns along the way, and you may learn something useful or it might inspire you to take this step for yourself. If you do, you will be in for your own exciting adventure!
About the Author: Zoe Belle grew up the youngest of five children in a blended San Francisco area family consisting of a very petite mother, two very petite sisters, two brothers, and an overweight father. Her mother was beautiful but not much of a homemaker (read: did not cook). The combination of bad genes from her father and the lack of good nutrition led to a lifetime of obesity until her weight loss surgery in her late 50s. Growing up with three beautiful, petite women, and having three best friends who were very small, Zoe became a master of "cropping" herself, or most of her body, out of photos. Although heavy all her life, Zoe managed to maintain high self-esteem and strong self-confidence along with an outgoing personality. She had a successful career, first in banking, then in sales during the 1990s dot-com boom in Silicon Valley, then as the owner of two small businesses, first in California and then Hawaii. The last business took a huge toll on her health: because she was always a success in business and a failure at weight loss, she spent more time working than taking care of herself. When she retired at age 57, she had hit her highest weight of 223 lbs (101 kilos). Her weight was taking a toll on her health, her happiness, and her marriage. With the support of her husband, she made a life-changing decision to have bariatric surgery - a decision that changed both of their lives in ways they had never imagined. The short story: she started at 223 lbs (101 kilos), had the surgery in October 2011 at 204 lbs (92 kilos), and by September 2012 reached her goal weight of 139 lbs (63 kilos). She has maintained her weight at goal since then. The full story is the subject of her book, Queen of Crop. Zoe and her husband now reside in Amsterdam - in their opinion the most interesting and welcoming city in the world. They walk or bike everywhere and do not own a car. They entertain often, travel some, and are making every moment of every day special.
