An obese mother who was addicted to fast food has revealed how she lost 112lbs after years of battling with an unhealthy lifestyle.
Kylie Hansen, 27, from Taft, California, had been overweight all her life and would eat huge portions of processed food until she tipped the scales at 260lbs, wearing size 18 clothing.
The mother-of-one decided to lose weight in 2013 after she worried her size could cause serious health problems in later life.
Kylie Hansen, 27, from Taft, California, had been overweight all her life and tipped the scales at 257lbs (left) and a US size 18 before losing 112lbs after weight loss surgery (right)
She decided to go under the knife to have a vertical sleeve gastrectomy and followed a rigorous dietary and exercise plan for more than two years before dropping to 170lbs and a US dress size of 10-12.
‘I wasn’t educated on nutrition. I turned to food for everything. When I was sad, I ate. When I was happy, I ate. When we celebrated, we ate. Everything I did revolved around food,’ she said.
‘People don’t realize that food addiction is real and that’s exactly what I battled.
‘I had a great life with lots of friends. I didn’t let my obesity take over the quality of my life, but I knew if I didn’t change something soon, I would eventually have health issues that could take over.
The mother-of-one decided to lose weight in 2013 after she worried her weight gain could cause serious health problems in later life
The mother-of-one decided to lose weight in 2013 after she worried her weight gain could cause serious health problems in later life
‘In the surgery they remove a portion of your stomach and is shaped to resemble a banana. The surgery is a tool to help kick-start the weight loss.’
The mother reveals her addiction to food post-surgery was difficult as she could only eat very small portions.
‘Waking up from surgery and being told “you can’t eat that” was the hardest part for me. Our brains are still wired the same. If I had a food addiction prior to surgery, I still had that addiction after surgery,’ she said.
‘I vividly remember my first restaurant trip after the operation. I ordered clam chowder, and had to scoop out everything inside the soup except the broth. I remember crying because of how hard it was for me to not eat the foods I so badly wanted.
Kylie dropped to 170lbs and a US dress size of 10-12 thanks to her surgery and exercise plan
Kylie has since married Jacob, 28, (pictured left before the surgery and right after) the couple used to be on the same swim team and have been friends since year nine
Kylie cut out her typical college kid eating habits of ramen, sugary cereal and frozen meals. Long gone are her days of fast food and no exercise.
Reducing her daily calorie intake from 2,500 to 1,500, Kylie now starts her day with two eggs, one slice of toast and broccoli.
Snacks of superfood shakes and peanut butter apples keeps her going throughout her day, which includes at least 30 minutes of exercise a day.
Kylie eats very little processed food and tucks into ground turkey with vegetables for lunch, and grilled chicken with sweet potato and beans for dinner.
But Kylie reveals her weight loss journey wasn’t without its struggles and she found herself addicted to losing weight.
‘I struggled with becoming obsessive to the idea of being skinny – something I had never experienced before. I struggled with my addiction to food and had to “train” my brain to want and crave foods that fuelled my body and not order the amount of food I was previously eating,’ she said.
‘I struggled when I reached my three-year post-op mark. I became addicted to losing weight and it was my only priority at the time. I was very self-conscious and still saw my 260lbs body in the mirror.
She also reveals her boyfriend, who was with her before her operation, began to feel ‘insecure’ the more weight she lost.
‘My boyfriend at the time of my surgery was my first and we had been together for roughly four years. He was not supportive. He felt more insecure the more I lost weight and eventually asked me to stop losing weight.
The mother reveals her addiction to food post-surgery was difficult as she could only eat very small portions
Kylie cut out her typical college kid eating habits of ramen, cereal and frozen meals. Long gone are her days of fast food and no exercise
‘At one point, people started saying I was too small. But I didn’t let it bother me. I gradually gained the courage and confidence to leave the relationship and learned to only accept people in my life who bring the energy I needed and wanted.’
Kylie has since married Jacob, 28. The couple used to be on the same swim team and have been friends since year nine. Kylie and her army-husband live together with their two-year-old son Jameson.
‘But over six years on, the quality of my life is much better. I can do things I wasn’t able to do before. I love running and now turn to exercise as my stress reliever.
Reducing her daily calorie intake from 2,500 to 1,500, Kylie now starts her day with two eggs, one slice of toast and broccoli
‘I have learned that I need to be a good example for my son and future children. I have learned how mentally tough I am, and how much work it takes – mentally and physically – to be on a health journey.’
The mother is now grateful for losing the weight, and it has inspired her whole family to have the surgery and look after their health.
‘My entire family was obese, and we all eventually had weight loss surgery. I’m proud to say that we’ve all made our health a priority and are living our best lives. It’s been great having each of them for support.
‘I had no idea how much my life would change after I grabbed my health by the horns.’
The mother is now grateful for losing the weight, and it has inspired her whole family to have the surgery and look after their health