Jessica V., 38, struggled with her weight almost her entire life and tried different diets and exercise plans with no success.

“It seemed like I always lost and regained the same 30 pounds over and over again in a vicious cycle,” Jessica said. “I struggled with how I felt that I looked. I didn’t have as much confidence. It was hard to find clothes that fit.”

She dealt with a lack of energy taking care of her two young kids. Jessica also faced challenges at work as a nurse and house supervisor at Salem Hospital.

“I knew that being obese was a risk factor for so many medical conditions — and that actually kind of ate at my soul,” Jessica said. “I felt that I wasn’t living my best life and I wasn’t setting the right example.”

She started researching weight-loss surgery. In August 2016, she chose to undergo a sleeve gastrectomy at Salem Hospital. Jessica weighed 258 pounds beforehand.

Over the next two years, the reading on her scale eventually dropped to 163 pounds — and marked nearly a 100-pound weight loss.

“I couldn’t be happier with my decision,” Jessica said. “I’ve been able to maintain my weight loss and finally feel like I have a healthy relationship with food and with being active.”

Jessica also discovered more confidence since her surgery.

“I’m definitely more social and wanting to go out and live life and be happy,” she said. “The best compliment that I’ve had so far is that I’ve been told I’m an inspiration to others to get healthy.”

She now spends more time enjoying the great outdoors.

“I love putting on a pair of tennis shoes and going for a walk,” Jessica said. “My goal is to eventually run and eventually do a 5K and maybe even a 10K.”

Jessica has an inspiring vision of her future.

“Living the best life that I can — smiling, continuing to love my new body and love my new life.”

Click here to learn more about weight loss surgery at Salem Health.