08/08/2026
Congratulations to Stacy Harker on her incredible weight loss journey. We at BMI Utah are incredibly proud of all the hard work she has put into her amazing success. Here is her inspiring story in her own words:
In October 2019, I was rushed into surgery with appendicitis. Before the procedure, the surgeon mentioned that my morbid obesity could complicate the surgery. I knew I was carrying more weight than I wanted, but hearing those two words out loud cut deep.
I've struggled with my weight ever since having my first son 21 years ago. Losing weight—and keeping it off—always felt like an uphill battle. Then, 12 years ago, my husband died unexpectedly, and raising our three boys on my own made taking care of myself even harder.
Four years ago, I decided it was time to explore surgical weight-loss options. A friend of a friend shared her experience with vertical sleeve gastrectomy on social media, and after reaching out to her, I scheduled a consultation with Dr. Medlin that very week. It still took me a couple of months to make the decision, but I will always be grateful that she shared her story.
On February 11, 2022, I had my VSG surgery—and my only regret is that I didn't do it sooner.
Today, I have lost exactly half of my original body weight—140 pounds.
The first 75 pounds came off after surgery, but eventually my progress stalled. Instead of giving up, I decided to try something that terrified me: I joined a local gym. Walking through those doors for the first time was incredibly intimidating. I signed up for a six-week HIIT boot camp...and that was almost four years ago. I never imagined I'd become someone who actually looks forward to going to the gym at 6am!
I've also completed six 5Ks, and I'm still not sure I'd call myself a runner!
A few weeks ago, I traveled to Japan with my 16-year-old son. We walked everywhere. One day I logged more than 27,000 steps—a personal record. The best part wasn't the number, though. It was how I felt. I carried my own luggage up flights of stairs, kept pace with a group of teenagers, and still had energy at the end of the day. Four years ago, I couldn't have imagined that version of myself.
I am incredibly grateful to Dr. Medlin and Dr. Cottam for giving me the tools to change my life.
But I'm equally grateful for the work I put in after surgery. The surgery gave me an opportunity; it didn't do the work for me. Every workout, every healthy choice, every early morning, and every step along the way added up to the life I'm living today.
Looking back, I don't just see 140 pounds lost. I see confidence gained, strength I didn't know I had, and the ability to fully show up for my family and for myself. And for that, I am incredibly thankful.
