An obese woman who spent years being labeled a ‘cow’ and a ‘whale’ because of her weight has revealed how a trip to Mexico finally gave her the motivation to get fit and shed 175lb – after she had to endure the embarrassment of being unable to fit into a plane seatbelt.
Middle school teacher Casey Canaday, 25, from Iowa, grew up with food at the center of her life. Whether it was for a celebration, a way to deal with boredom or a way to cope with difficult moments in her life, Casey would always turn to food – and by the time she reached adulthood, she was gorging herself on more than 3,000 calories a day.
Neither Casey or her mom Monica Yori, 55, had the energy or desire to cook so she lived off huge portions of takeout food and even ate doughnuts for breakfast which inevitably led to further weight gain.
Transformation: An Iowa woman who spent years battling obesity is now proudly showing off her healthy new figure after shedding a staggering 175lbs
Before: Casey Canaday, 25, struggled with her weight since childhood, and by the time she reached her 20s, she tipped the scales at 378lbs
Motivation: The teacher (pictured after weight loss) realized she needed to change her habits when she went on a trip to Mexico with her husband – and couldn’t fit into the airplane seatbelt
Snacks including tacos, chips and sweets dominated Casey’s diet and by the time she was 11-years-old, she weighed over 196lbs and at 5ft 7in, she was often mistaken for being a teacher by other children at school.
Bullies called Casey a ‘whale’ and a ‘pig’, however the comments that upset her the most were from those who told her that she was pretty for her size.
Casey was diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) at age 14, a condition that can lead to hormone imbalances, resulting in uncontrollable weight gain.
By the time she reached her 20s, Casey weighed 378lbs and struggled to fit a size 26 but a trip to Mexico in January 2020 proved to be a turning point for her. Struggling to fit into her seatbelt on the plane, Casey had to endure a horribly uncomfortable four hour flight.
With Casey also finding it difficult to walk up the three flights of stairs to the couple’s hotel room, she realized that her weight was ruining the couple’s holiday. Casey knew she had to make immediate changes to her life.
In July 2020, after losing an initial 60lbs through diet and exercise, Casey underwent a vertical sleeve gastrectomy, in which the size of the stomach is reduced to that of an egg to minimize a patient’s appetite.
During her weight loss journey, Casey lost 175lbs and now fits a size 6 and weighs 203lbs.
Since losing weight, Casey has more confidence and energy than ever before in her life and receives plenty of positive messages from strangers online who say she looks like a different person.
‘I believe that my life had always been centered around food,’ said Casey. ‘Whether it was a celebration, a way to cope, or something to turn to when bored, food was always my first go-to.
Then and now: The trip to Mexico proved to be the tipping point for Casey, who kickstarted her weight loss journey by overhauling her day-to-day life, starting with diet and exercise
Lengthy struggle: Casey first began struggling with her weight as a child, and by the time she was 11, she weighed 196lbs – prompting bullies to call her a ‘pig’ and a ‘whale’
Struggle: When she was 14, Casey was also diagnosed with PCOS, which contributed to her weight gain over the years
‘My mom has never enjoyed or been very talented in the kitchen, so the majority of my meals growing up were from restaurants.
‘This led to eating portion sizes that were too big, often not the most nutritious choices, and ultimately made me addicted to food.
‘I also have polycystic ovary syndrome, which causes women to have a hormone imbalance that leads to rapid weight gain. By the time I was 11 I weighed over 196lbs and was often mistaken for an adult.
‘Despite this, I have always been confident about myself. I have truly loved myself at all weights and sizes. However I reached a point where I felt like I didn’t recognize the body I was in.
‘It felt like my outward appearance did not match how I was feeling on the inside and I knew it was time for a change.
‘I have been called many derogatory names over the years, such as whale, pig, but, the comment that always bothered me the most was when people would tell me that I was “pretty for my size” or “had a pretty face”.
‘It was as if I was in a different category of beauty compared to others that weighed less than me.
‘I was able to outwardly brush off these comments for the most part, but they always stuck with me in the back of my mind.
‘The true breaking point was when my husband and I took a trip to Mexico in January 2020. On every single flight, I had to ask for seat belt extenders and I was incredibly uncomfortable on the planes
‘At our resort, we were on the third floor and had to walk upstairs to our room. I was hardly able to breathe after climbing the stairs each time.
‘I felt my weight taking over that trip and stealing away much of the joy I should have been feeling.
Changes: At her heaviest, Casey weighed 378lbs and was eating more than 3,000 calories a day. She now weighs 203lbs and eats 1,000 calories a day
Unhappy: ‘I have truly loved myself at all weights and sizes,’ Casey (pictured before weight loss) said. ‘However I reached a point where I felt like I didn’t recognize the body I was in’
Helping hand: Casey initially shed 60lbs through diet and exercise, and then in July 2020, she underwent a gastric sleeve procedure that reduced her stomach to the size of an egg
‘I had my first bariatric consultation in February 2020 and had surgery in July 2020.
‘In the preoperative period, I had to meet with dieticians, psychologists, surgeons, and doctors to prepare for surgery and the many life changes that come along with it.
‘Since my weight loss, my life has drastically changed for the better. I plan all of my meals for the week ahead of time to ensure that I get the proper nutrients and can stay in a calorie deficit.
‘I also have more energy than ever before and I love to be active. I just have a new-found love of life and I feel so lucky to be healthy enough to enjoy it.
‘I am so proud of the body I have worked so hard for and how healthy I feel daily.
‘I love shopping for new clothes and continually seeing the sizes get smaller and smaller.
‘The non-scale victories are my absolute favorites: a bath towel wrapping around my whole body and being able to cross my legs.
‘Many people have told me that they don’t recognize me or that I look like a whole new person.
‘My students have been the funniest about my weight loss so far, telling me that I look better and that I don’t look so big anymore.
‘The best compliments I have received about my weight loss focus more on my health and less on “beauty”. ‘I love when people tell me how healthy, strong, or fit I look or that I look happier.
‘Health and happiness are the most important things in life and I feel I have got back both.’
Pride: ‘I am so proud of the body I have worked so hard for and how healthy I feel daily,’ Casey said of her new physique
Day by day: Casey’s advice to anyone else attempting to lose weight is to ‘prioritize yourself and your health’ and ‘be patient’
Before her weight loss transformation, Casey would eat doughnuts, pre-made breakfast sandwiches and fast food for breakfast, fast food for lunch and huge portions of pasta or tacos for dinner, totaling over 3,000 calories per day. She struggled to do any exercise.
Since losing weight, Casey now has a protein shake with either fruit or eggs for breakfast, a chicken or tuna salad for lunch and turkey or pork with vegetables for dinner, totaling 1,000 calories per day. She now goes to a cycling class five days per week with sessions lasting 45 minutes.
Despite her success, Casey says that her weight loss journey hasn’t been without its challenges.
‘The hardest part about losing weight is the mental side of it all,’ said Casey. ‘It takes a lot of self-discipline and dedication to stay motivated and consistent in making the right choices.
‘Unfortunately, there are days when I still see myself as the nearly four-hundred-pound woman I was before.
‘That is something that I am still working on, and I try to only use positive self-talk on days when I find myself struggling.
‘I would say to anyone trying to lose weight that a great first step is to meet with a dietician. They have the best ideas about making food enjoyable but still nutritious.
‘Many dieticians will recommend tracking food as well, which is an easy way to begin holding yourself accountable when it comes to weight loss success.
‘Most of all if you want to lose weight you have to do it for you.
‘Prioritize yourself and your health, be patient, and be proud of every success that comes your way.’