By Mark McConville
MEET the mother-of-two who lost more than half her bodyweight after being shocked into action by accurate hospital scales.
Katie Eastgate, 33, from Akron, Ohio, USA, was 25st 9lb when she saw her weight on a set of scales in the hospital as they weighed her to determine her dosage of antibiotics.
The 5ft9 cashier then lost a whopping 13st 4lbs after adopting a much healthier diet and starting to exercise and weighs a svelte 12st 5lb.
“I feel like a completely different person,” said Katie.
“When I was heavy, I always felt like I was wearing a fat suit that I couldn’t take off – that the outside didn’t match the inside.
“Now, I feel like I’ve been able to take off the fat suit and show everyone what has always been inside this whole time.
“In March 2008, I ended up in the hospital with a terrible case of strep throat.
“By that time, my home scale stopped working, and I was asked to get on a scale at the hospital so they could determine my dosage of antobiotics.
“That’s when I saw what I could no longer ignore, that my weight was out of control. After I recovered, I knew I had to something – anything to change the direction my life was heading.”
Katie, who is married with two children – Mark (2) and Olivia (1), now feels better than ever after dropping from a UK dress size 30 to a UK size 14.
“Physically, I feel better than I ever have,” she added.
“I am able to run, jump, ride a bike, play sports, climb stairs without getting winded, and so many other things. I can shop for clothing without fear or anxiety now, a first for me.
“I love roller coasters, and now I can ride without fear that the safety belt will fit. So many things are different now.
“Mentally, I have a lot more confidence and feel like I’ve truly changed my life and not going back to who I used to be.”
Katie explained the drastic change in her diet and uptake in exercise that led to her dramatic weight loss.
“My diet before was whatever was convenient and lots of it,” she said.
“Pizza, soda, chips, cookies, candy, ice cream – you name it, I ate it. I would eat until I was bursting (think Christmas dinner full) and often would keep snacks handy while I watched TV all night.
“Exercise before? That’s a joke, right? There was no exercise at all before, unless you count trips to the fridge and lifting my arm to my mouth. I worked in an office at a desk all day and came home and sat in front of the television all night.
“When I first started, I really had no clue how much I was truly eating or what a proper portion size should be. I started tracking the food I consumed, just to have a starting point.
“I switched to smaller plates, bowls, and glasses to help naturally trick my mind. I always make sure to have protein with every meal or snack. I learned to listen to my body and realize when I was truly hungry or if I was just bored.
“As far as exercise goes, most of it has all been walking. For a number of years, I was very limited with my ankle injury, so I just did what my body allowed.
“Now, I have a pedometer on my phone and try to get to 10,000 steps a day. I take walks with my kids, dance around the house, chase the babies everywhere – anything I can do that keeps me moving.”