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Jan 11

It really can be a new you – Midland Daily News

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Kate Hessling, Daily News editor

It really can be a new you

Two and a half years ago, I was boarding a plane in Detroit to head to Houston, Texas, for a work summit.

I was excited about the travel opportunity, particularly because I was flying with other Hearst colleagues, including the then-managing editor of the Daily News, Tony Lascari.

Tony and I booked seats near the emergency exit, and we were settling into our designated areas when one of the most impactful and embarrassing moments of my life played out before me and every soul on that very large plane.

And all because of a damn seatbelt.

"SHE'S TOO BIG TO SIT IN THAT SEAT," the flight attendant loudly declared. "You can't sit there if you can't buckle your seatbelt. Someone is going to have to trade seats with her. IS THERE ANYONE WILLING TO SWITCH SEATS? SHE CAN'T BUCKLE HER SEATBELT."

The fit-and-trim flight attendant made no attempt to hide her disgust of my weight, and she spared no mercy in humiliating me in front of one of my favorite colleagues and that plane full of strangers.

The passengers, however, were kind. A switch was made with no fuss, and as I found myself in the back of the plane waiting for a seatbelt extender, the young woman I sat next to politely pretended not to notice how I was silently crying in shame and embarrassment.

I got off that plane feeling a mix of emotions: anger at the uncompassionate flight attendant; lingering mortification; and strong resolve to change.

Upon returning to Michigan, I immediately reached out to my family doctor to pursue bariatric surgery, a life-changing process that to date has resulted in me losing 132 pounds.

To be clear, I'm not here to brag about weight loss. In fact, I labored over writing this column because there's a stigma associated with bariatric surgery: That it's the easy way out. But those of us who have been through it -- and our loved ones -- know it's a faster way to lose weight, but it's certainly not the easiest way.

In the end, I've decided to share my story in hopes it might resonate with other readers. If one person reads my account and takes action to improve their health, it will make the embarrassment of discussing my weight struggles worthwhile.

My story is one like so many others: I've struggled with obesity my whole life. I participated in numerous weight loss programs, and consumed just about every weight loss medication imaginable. I'd go through periods where I'd lose 40, 60, 70 pounds, etc., and then I'd gain it back -- plus a little more.

In my early 30s, I just stopped caring about my weight. I told myself beauty comes in all shapes and sizes, and I was a big beautiful woman. I conveniently didn't let myself think about all the unhealthy choices I was making, and ignored the toll obesity was taking on my health, including the fact that I couldn't sleep at night without a CPAP machine.

In addition to an insatiable appetite that would only be appeased with plates and plates of food at each meal sitting, I looked at meal time as my prime source of enjoyment. It took me quite some time to realize I had an unhealthy relationship with food.

My doctor referred me to St. Mary's accredited bariatric center, and I spent about a year working with their team in preparation for my surgery, which was done in September 2018.

I had to prove I was serious about weight loss, and the program required substantial education about how my life would change following surgery. This education is crucial because it helps bariatric patients stay on track after their surgery. We all hear nightmare stories about how people had weight loss surgery and then gained back all the weight later in life. Or they lost all their hair following surgery. Or they could never drink alcohol again.

I went into the surgery knowing these were possible outcomes, but I was armed with the knowledge that this surgery is a tool, and it's up to me to make the lifestyle changes to prevent future weight gain. I learned about all the vitamins we should take to stay healthy (and keep our hair). And I was committed to the fact that my health is more important than my desire to drink alcohol.

Probably the biggest challenge for me was having to give up caffeine leading up to surgery. To this day, I'm allowed just 8 ounces of black coffee each day (though I've found that combining protein shakes with decaf coffee is not only a delicious drink, but it gives me the same amount of energy that I used to get from caffeinated coffee).

Like most anything, it's a journey, one that's taken me down many, many paths to realize that food is solely a fuel for my body. True, it's delicious, but every meal doesn't have to be a source of joy.

Though clich, there is no better time to consider improving your health. It's a new year -- and it really can be a new you.

Kate Hessling is the editor of the Midland Daily News. She can be reached at khessling@hearstnp.com

See the article here:
It really can be a new you - Midland Daily News

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