Weight loss is a deeply personal journey, often fraught with challenges, setbacks, and triumphs. These stories of individuals who have battled weight issues and emerged victorious offer hope and practical insights for those seeking to transform their own lives. This article delves into the inspiring weight loss journeys of Kyle Brown-Latham, Kyle Huffman, and others, highlighting their struggles, strategies, and the profound impact of their transformations.
Kyle Brown-Latham: Overcoming Crippling Injury and Addiction
Even at just 8 years old, Kyle Brown-Latham could remember being ridiculed for his weight. He was always the “funny fat kid” because he made himself the butt of jokes before anyone else could. Kyle Brown-Latham's weight fluctuated his entire life. One yo-yo diet and weight loss pill after another left him feeling heavier than ever. His story is a testament to the power of resilience and determination in the face of adversity. After an accident left him nearly crippled at the age of 30, Latham ballooned up an extra 95 pounds in just four months. He suffered a double blowout to his knee and twisted his spine, herniating three discs and fracturing a vertebrae. In November 2014, Latham couldn’t believe he had hit 395 pounds. For a while, he just gave up. He ate whatever he wanted. He couldn’t do his physical therapy correctly because his back pain was too much to bear. He couldn’t get himself up off the couch alone and often, his husband would have to help him force his body up. “I had a really big issue with my husband having to do so much,” he says. “He had to do everything, the housework, the cooking, everything. Because his husband hated doing yard work, Latham tried helping out by mowing the lawn, but even doing that was a struggle.
In January 2015, he decided to make a change once and for all, so he did some research. Because he was still recovering from his injuries, any type of physical activity was painful, so he started by overhauling his diet. Before, he was chugging eight cans of Pepsi and two to three energy drinks a day. Latham and his husband went through their kitchen and cleared it out. Any kind of junk food or processed snacks went in the trash. “I didn’t realize it was addiction until later on,” he says. “I could drink a soda and it would give me almost a euphoric feeling. It would calm my nerves and help me de-stress. Then he started packing his plate with proteins he had never tried before, like salmon. He started eating fresh vegetables like broccoli, kale, and Brussels sprouts.
While moving was still painful, Latham finally began dragging himself to the gym. He started with the elliptical, since it was easy on his joints: The first week he only went for 10 minutes at a time, and then he slowly worked up to longer sessions. “When I started going to the gym and working out, I would go and get a lot of looks and it really bothered me a lot, but I’m glad that I didn’t let it push me away from it,” Latham says. He made friends with the guys he saw working out every day and asked them about their diets and exercise routines. He now spends an hour and a half in the gym every morning 5 to 6 days a week, starting with 20 minutes of cardio. Then he spends the rest of his time focusing on building muscle. He loves to work his upper body, especially his arms (some of his favorite moves can be found in our list of the best exercises for your biceps). The best part? “I’ve been there, I know what’s it’s like mentally and physically,” he says. “It’s not easy, but nothing worthwhile ever is.”
Kyle Huffman: A Second Chance at Weight Loss
Kyle Huffman's journey underscores the importance of perseverance and addressing underlying issues for long-term weight management. Kyle Huffman lost 140 pounds after his first weight-loss surgery. It was an exciting but short-lived achievement. Eight years after surgery, Kyle’s weight had once again surpassed 300 pounds and was inching closer to his pre-surgery weight of 368 pounds. He decided to seek a second weight loss surgery, called bariatric conversion surgery, with a stronger commitment to sustain his weight loss the second time around. Kyle, 44, of Ankeny, Iowa went to the place where he had his sleeve gastrectomy in 2018, only to find the center didn’t offer conversion surgery. Bariatric conversion surgery may be an option if the original bariatric procedure didn’t result in optimal weight loss, or if the patient has regained a significant amount of excess body weight.
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In February 2024, Kyle underwent Roux en Y bypass surgery - a conversion of the sleeve gastrectomy he had in 2018. Eight months later, and still on his weight loss journey, Kyle has lost 75 pounds, with an end goal to reach 190 pounds. He especially looks forward to the day he reaches 200 pounds, a weight he’s never been in his entire adult life. “My experience with MercyOne has been phenomenal,” Kyle said. “It felt more personal and sincere and less like a business. From my surgeon, Dr. Smolik, to the dietitians and staff at the front desk, everyone truly cares. For a successful second weight loss surgery, MercyOne patients explore and address barriers that prevented success with their original weight loss surgery. That supportive environment has given Kyle more motivation to lose weight and keep it off for a lifetime.
Kyle says he has tolerated his Roux en Y surgery better than he did his first weight loss surgery -a sleeve gastrectomy. “This time around, I’m putting much more effort into this. I weigh myself every day and am tracking my food. I have such a fear of gaining weight again. I just don’t want to do it. I’m in a size of jeans I can’t ever remember being in. My shirts are passing the roller coaster test - I can raise my arms without my belly hanging out. Kyle is also working out more than he ever has, doing cardio, lifting weights and even running for the first time in his life. He’s more comfortable riding a bike and golfing. Kyle uses a baking analogy to explain. “You can use a KitchenAid® mixer or a wooden spoon to mix up cookie dough. Both do the same thing, but the electric mixer will get you there faster. He says he’s glad MercyOne Des Moines Bariatric Surgery offers conversion surgery. “Statistically, I’m told the odds are against me for gaining the weight back after conversion surgery. I plan to prove people wrong. I’ve learned sustainability is key.
The Truck Driver's Transformation: Awareness and Portion Control
The subject heading “My 270 lb weight loss”. Needless to say, he had my attention. A friend had linked him to Vasely’s story of overcoming obesity. Morbid obesity is not something many people came back from. His doctor told him he’s now in the top .05% of people in the US who’ve lost the amount of weight he has, without drugs or surgery. I’m a truck driver and I couldn’t walk or stand for more than two minutes at a time. I was constantly tethered to a chair. The day I started eating differently to improve my weight, I had no specific plan. That night I climbed down out of my truck determined to exercise. I walked the length of my truck (100 feet) one time, and I was already in pain. My only strategies from the beginning were using the myfitnesspal app on my phone, a digital food scale, and a set of measuring cups I bought from a grocery store.
Portion control was my overall strategy. I had no knowledge of nutrition, and I’m still fairly ignorant, but I’m just now AWARE of how much I eat. My first meal was literally one fried chicken strip from a fried chicken chain. I set my goal for the day at 1,500 calories, which was down from 7,000-10,000 daily, and sometimes as high as 15,000. I had a 120 dollar a day fast food habit. At my heaviest, I was 478 pounds. (Maybe closer to 500, but I had weighed in with my doctor for the last time at 478.) I couldn’t exercise. Once I had lost about 160 pounds, I was finally able to walk a bit without extreme pain. Soon a two-minute walk became five, five became ten, ten - twenty, and so on, until I was walking about 45 minutes every day. I am a firm believer in diet being 90% of losing weight. I really think I’m a testament to that.
I don’t really feel like I became obsessed with food. Before, I would obsess. If I’d go more than two hours without a meal, I’d get anxious and aggravated. I gained more awareness to my relationship with food. I thought of it more as a fuel source, rather than a source of emotion - since before I had used it to feel happy or satisfied. I’m not exactly sure how I got there, other than determination and exploring my mind as I got cravings. Honestly, my appetite was really under control after 30 days without sugar or sugar substitutes. Once my body was essentially detoxed from sugar, I had won the war on hunger. One mistake was probably going into this without much forethought. I dove right into this without thinking it through. Unfortunately, the only photos I have of myself were ones that people were able to sneak of me while I wasn’t aware. If I’m going to be completely honest here, I have to say my mind. Trying to keep both my mind and ego under control has been the most difficult thing I’ve experienced. Is that bad? Probably. However, it’s the truth. People didn’t notice me before but now people want to be near me? I’m the same man, just smaller. It’s a complex issue with many facets I haven’t even begun to touch. It’s interesting to think how much has changed about me since I started. I find myself less stubborn, more open, and progressive than I ever have been before. I like to fantasize about helping others. My weight loss has been so extreme and yet I’ve kept it natural. I have quite an interesting story, too. My personal plans? Just maintain. I’m going to learn how to ski and I plan on turning my walking into running once the weather breaks. I’ve already started skateboarding and posted a video of myself doing an ollie. From 500 pounds to an ollie.
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The only advice I can give is this - just know you’re not alone. I felt so hopeless at 500 pounds. I thought there wasn’t a person in the world who knew what I was going through. All the emotions I was dealing with or even the everyday tasks, like clothes shopping. Who could I blame? Eventually, I realized it doesn’t matter why, who, or how I got to be 500 pounds. I AM. I can be as upset and hurt by it as I want. I can try to find someone to blame. What I realized was all of that is irrelevant. I’m here. “I just don’t have your willpower,” is one I hear a lot. It always takes my mind to this place of remembering I was hands down the weakest man I knew. There is nothing in me that you don’t have in yourself.
Kyle Richards: A Holistic Approach to Health and Wellness
Kyle Richards has been on a health journey in recent years while making changes to her diet, workouts, drinking habits, and more. The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills cast member often shares glimpses of workouts in her home gym on social media, and in the video above, she gives BravoTV.com a detailed look at her exercise routine. "I always have to tailor my workout to some sort of something that's bothering me," she explains. After starting out with some stretching, Kyle does some cardio, which changes based on her day."I like to start working out while working, then I add in the arm weights," she noted, adding that she will throw in some punches if she's feeling particularly energetic. While the treadmill workout starts out with a walk, she then increases it to a run at 6 miles per hour. "I try to do four to five miles per day, alternating between walking on an incline and running. I get the runners high at the one mile mark," she noted. She then moves on to her upper body exercises, which she changes every day. But she doesn't workout alone. She always has River, her German Shepherd, to stay by her side and keep her company.
Kyle shut down speculation that her weight loss was due to plastic surgery in January 2023. After some commenters on an Instagram photo suspected that Kyle had some cosmetic enhancements or took a weight-loss drug, she replied, "I have never tried [Ozempic] and this is not from plastic surgery." Kyle previously spoke with E! News in June 2023, where she revealed that she previously had a "breast reduction" and lost "12 pounds" which resulted in a major change in her body. "I've been working out so hard," she admitted. "I'm just not doing the cardio that I used to, I'm lifting weights." Later that year, in December 2023, Kyle spoke with Us Weekly where she revealed that she weighed 117 pounds. She continued to open up about what inspired her to focus on her body, noting that after her breast reduction, she was unable to work out for eight weeks. "At the time, I was on vacation in Europe, and eating pasta and drinking wine and cocktails. By the end of the trip, I didn't recognize myself," the mom of four explained. "I had also just lost my best friend to suicide, and I wasn't taking care of myself. And [it was] making me feel more depressed. So after we left, I said, 'That's it. I'm not going to have bad carbs - no sugar, no pasta, no bread, no alcohol. And I'm going to work out every single day."
In July 2024, Kyle marked two years alcohol-free. She took to Instagram at the time, where she posted a photo of herself in her home gym, flexing her muscles. She took to the caption of the post, where she opened up about how her "mental and physical health" improved when she stopped drinking. "My mental and physical health became a lot more important to me than feeling like I had to be 'on' at a party or social setting," she wrote. "I'm not going to lie…the fact that I looked better because I wasn't drinking was also an incentive to not veer from the road I am on. But the real reward is how I feel inside. I feel strong, energetic, and grateful for my body. I want to take care of it like it has taken care of me…I want to wake up every day feeling my best. Mentally and physically strong enough to face whatever comes my way." During a January 2023 interview on Two T's in a Pod, Kyle revealed that she did not think her sobriety would become permanent. "I thought for maybe two, three weeks until I lost weight," she admitted. "But then I was losing weight, I was working out every single day, and I started losing weight and I felt so good, I'm like, 'Why would I go back to that?' So I still have not had alcohol at all."
In addition to cutting out sugar and bread, Kyle explained to Us Weekly in December 2023 that she has been eating at home so she can keep track of what goes into her body."Breakfast is either a protein shake with a banana or oatmeal with berries," she said. "I eat raw nuts when I want something crunchy or healthy popcorn. Lunch is chicken or grilled fish on a salad. At night, I eat a lot of salmon, halibut, chicken paillard with arugula and lemon. I like eating at home so I know what's going into my food." More recently, Kyle was suffering from some injuries, that left her feeling unwell. Although she did not reveal how she sustained the injuries, Kyle took to Amazon Live in October 2024, where she revealed that she had "so many problems" with her body. "I had two ribs out of place…I hurt my leg - the what it's called - sciatica situation," she noted.
Read also: Kyle Richards Diet and Exercise
Kyle, the Minister and Singer: Finding a New Life Through Bariatric Surgery
“Weight is a weight. Not just physically, but emotionally it takes its toll,” Kyle, who is a minister and singer at Grace Cathedral Fellowship Ministries in Trenton. “You can’t be effective in ministry with that load on you. There is so much to do in such little time,” he explains. When his doctor told Kyle he was pre-diabetic, had sleep apnea and would need to start taking blood pressure medicine, Kyle became concerned for his future. “I was so young with high blood pressure and sleep issues. The next step was full-on diabetes. It was scare factor for me. It enlightened me to say I need to make a change,” he recalls. Kyle met with Earl Noyan, MD, board certified, fellowship-trained bariatric surgeon, at the recommendation of his primary care physician. “Obesity is an epidemic. We have seen the rise of several chronic conditions including diabetes, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia and osteoarthritis. By losing weight alone, we see a lot of reversal in these diseases.”
“Kyle, like many others in his age group, was being proactive. A lot of patients have this procedure to avoid chronic illnesses that they see in parents and other family members.” Together, Kyle and Dr. Noyan decided Kyle’s best choice was gastric sleeve surgery. “Gastric sleeve has become the most prevalent operation we do. We still do gastric band and bypass surgery, but much less now with the advent of the gastric sleeve,” explains Dr. Noyan. The popularity of the gastric sleeve surgery can be attributed to the “Goldilocks effect.” While the gastric band is a lower risk and allows the patient to avoid a change in the actual anatomy, it can also be less effective than the other surgeries. Gastric bypass is highly effective in terms of significant weight loss. However, the risks of gastric bypass are much higher than those of gastric sleeve and banding. Gastric sleeve offers a middle ground that is lower risk, but can lead to substantial weight loss success.
Kyle turned 30 two months after his surgery. By the time of his birthday party, Kyle notes he had already lost 67 pounds. His blood pressure and sleep problems faded away within months. By the time he reached his goal, Kyle had lost a whopping total of 165 pounds. Throughout this process, Kyle touched base with Dr. Noyan regularly. While he was happy to celebrate his successes, Kyle admits there were times when he felt down as well. “There came a point when I became kind of depressed after a couple months,” Kyle recalls. “I remember Dr. Noyan saying to me, ‘Son, you fell into a depression because food is like a friend. Now that you’ve lost that friend, or that clutch you’d hold onto, you have to learn how to re-focus your mentality when it comes to food.’ It’s powerful when you realize the hold these habits have on your life,” says Kyle. “A lot of patients with significant weight issues suffer from depression before weight loss, and food has become for some of them not only a nutrition source, but a silent best friend,” says Dr. Noyan. “When they lose the ability to have large volume of food, many go back into their depressive state and mentally they are challenged to redirect their energy elsewhere.”
Today, Kyle has put his weight and his weight-loss journey in his past, and he’s taken on the challenge of re-directing his energy while he maintains a healthy weight. He has even inspired his best friend and his mother to have the surgery and improve their health. “I feel like the Lord has really given me a new life,” Kyle says gratefully. “Being heavier, singing and preaching, I could hardly breathe because my body was working overtime. Now, when I’m out of breath it’s a result of my passion.
Understanding Bariatric Surgery Options
Most commonly, today’s patient is looking at one of three approaches to weight loss surgery. These procedures include:
- Sleeve gastrectomy: creates a small pouch by surgical removal of a large portion of the stomach. This is a restrictive procedure which removes an area of the stomach responsible for producing ghrelin the ‘hunger hormone.'
- Gastric banding is a procedure in which the stomach is encircled with an inflatable plastic band that restricts food intake.
- Gastric bypass surgery separates the stomach into two unequal compartments. During digestion, the food empties from the tiny stomach pouch into the upper intestine.
The Profound Impact of Food on Emotions and Social Connections
With fantastic cooks like his mom and grandmother, and regular community events with his church, Kyle has always seen food as a social centerpiece. During times of joy, food added to the celebration. In times of grief, food brought with it comfort. After the passing of his beloved grandparents, Kyle found himself stress eating often. With 315 pounds on his small frame, Kyle began to realize he was on a dangerous path and he wasn’t yet 30 years old.
Key Strategies and Lessons Learned
These weight loss stories share common threads of dedication, adaptation, and a willingness to confront both physical and emotional challenges. Here are some key strategies and lessons learned from their experiences:
- Dietary Overhaul: All success stories emphasized the importance of changing eating habits, whether through portion control, eliminating processed foods and sugary drinks, or adopting a structured meal plan.
- Regular Exercise: From starting with small walks to incorporating cardio and weight training, physical activity played a crucial role in burning calories, building muscle, and improving overall health.
- Addressing Emotional Eating: Recognizing and addressing the emotional connection to food is essential for long-term success. Finding alternative coping mechanisms for stress and grief is paramount.
- Seeking Support: Whether through friends, family, support groups, or medical professionals, having a strong support system can provide encouragement, accountability, and guidance.
- Mindset and Determination: A positive mindset, unwavering determination, and a willingness to overcome obstacles are crucial for achieving and maintaining weight loss goals.
- Awareness: The truck driver's story highlights the importance of being aware of what you eat.