A 46-year-old father managed to lose over 200lbs after he had started suffering from sleep apnea.
Kedric Barrett from Georgia was overweight ever since he was just 9 years old. Although he was physically active in his early life, he would never say no to foods like pizza, chips, sweets, and soft drinks until his weight jumped to 461lbs.
Because of his excess weight, the father-of-three started experiencing numerous health problems, including sleep apnea – a serious sleep disorder that results in breathing suddenly stopping.
After Kedric was told by a sleep specialist that his breathing likely seized up to 150 times a night, the father started using a CPAP machine which helped him control his breathing at night.
Fortunately, that’s when the 46-year-old also realized he needed to turn his life around immediately if he wanted to survive in the long term.
“It took me many years to realize that I was cheating myself and my family out of a better quality of life,” Kedric expressed. “I developed an addiction to food and it became therapeutic for me as I grew older.
“If I carried on the way I was going, they were going to be burying me very early. Now that I think back on it, it was very selfish of me. I couldn’t even tell my wife my waist size when she wanted to buy gifts for me because I was ashamed of it.”
In 2018, the father-of-three underwent six months of evaluations and discussions about the surgery that would help him on his weight loss journey. A year later, Kedric underwent gastric sleeve surgery during which his stomach’s size was reduced by 85%
“Before my surgery, I would go into restaurants with my family and the servers would often try to seat us in a booth only to find that I couldn’t fit. It was humiliating to then have to be moved with everyone watching,” he recalled.
“I would take my kids to theme parks and I would just walk around because I wasn’t able to fit on the rides. The final straw was when I found out that if I was to become diabetic and required insulin, I wouldn’t be able to get my medical card needed for me to have my driver’s license for work.
“I was on the losing end of the battle and dying a slow agonizing death. I decided that enough was enough and I had to take back my health by any means necessary.”
Following his surgery, Kedric stayed loyal to his new, healthier lifestyle and eventually managed to shed an astounding 220 pounds.
“I can do so many things that I couldn’t do as an obese person,” he admitted. “I can now fly on a plane without a seatbelt extender. I can fit in my car without putting my seat all the way back and making the person who rides in the backseat uncomfortable.
“Working out has become a major part of my life. I’m running, riding bikes and going hiking with my family.”
As the father explained, there have still been occasions when he ate more than he should have. However, he remains determined to stay on the right track.
“I feel so good about myself now. I’m so proud of me. All of my accomplishments and success I’ve had so far have made me a better man,” he concluded.
Replaced!