Kathleen Barrett Lost 145 Pounds: ‘My Life Was My Health, So I Made That the Forefront of Everything’

Photo: Courtesy of Kathleen Barrett

“Weight-Loss Win” is an original Yahoo Beauty series that shares the inspiring stories of people who have shed pounds healthfully.

Kathleen Barrett is 31 years old and currently weighs 132 pounds. After being diagnosed with celiac disease and multiple sclerosis, she was determined to put her health first. This is the story of her weight-loss journey.

The turning point

I always knew my weight was a problem, and all my life people close to me would give me “the talk,” trying to convince me or inspire me to start losing weight. But all those talks ever did was lead me to overeat and binge. My turning point finally came 13 months after I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and two years after being diagnosed with celiac disease. I didn’t know if losing weight would ease my symptoms, but I had to try something. I was stuck in my bed much of the whole year that I was diagnosed with MS in agonizing pain.

The changes

When I started losing weight, I researched a lot and started following a few inspiring Instagrammers, like @GraciesJourney and @withouttheweight, who also has multiple sclerosis. I couldn’t afford to get a trainer or a coach, so I pushed everything aside and focused. My life was my health, so I made that the forefront of everything.

I was raw vegan for about 2 1/​2 months after I started on Jan. 6, 2015. I then transitioned into having chicken. I limited my dairy intake, having only goat cheese. I tried using Myfitnesspal regularly, but didn’t stick with it. Instead I just used portion sizes to limit myself so I wouldn’t overeat.

During my weight loss, I had a few MS relapses, but I knew that I just had to get into the gym and take the workouts one minute at a time. I told myself, Even if it’s painful now, it will be so rewarding in the end.

For a year, my MS symptoms didn’t affect my weight-loss journey. Now the symptoms are back to how they were before I started losing — neuropathy, migraines, fatigue, tingling, spasms, etc. I deal with these symptoms by exercising. It’s the only thing that helps me.

Photo: Courtesy of Kathleen Barrett

The after

I’m not someone who received male attention before. Now I do, and it makes me uncomfortable. That is something I’m still not used to, and I need to work on it.

I work out six to seven days per week, with 20 minutes of cardio every other day and weights 1 to 1.5 hours a day. I’m vegan and I eat this way purely because I feel healthier and it affords me productivity throughout the day.

I don’t typically take “cheat meals” and that is because, as someone who has struggled with bingeing and overeating, I decided to take bad influences out of my life. I will, however, have some Coconut Bliss coconut milk ice cream next month for my birthday.

The maintenance

I have learned to take things slow. I only have one body and I need to treat it as best I can. Using a meal prepping bag (I have one by Six Pack Fitness) has been a vital and healthy habit I’ve incorporated into my everyday life. It has made it easy and doable to never skip a snack or meal.

Exercising is so important to me. Sometimes I try and talk myself out of going to the gym but then remember how I’ll feel after I do. That said, I did have a gym injury a few months ago, where I couldn’t lift for five weeks, and that time off allowed me to experience new things besides the gym, like spending more time outside. I especially loved hiking through Rocky Mountain National park.

Photo: Courtesy of Kathleen Barrett

The struggles

Celiac disease is a horrible disease. I still get intense pains even though I don’t eat gluten, barley, or rye foods. Eating gluten-free is not a fad diet for those who suffer with celiac disease; it is a necessity. In the beginning for me, eating gluten-free was really hard, but now it’s a breeze. During those first few months, I followed GlutenDude and Jennifer Esposito, who are both vital resources in the celiac community.

The scale … it’s still a big problem for me. Self-confidence is also still tricky for me, and it’s something I struggle with daily. I need to work on taking compliments at face value, instead of pushing them off, or reading into them in a negative way.

I’m more critical of my body now than I ever was before my weight loss. Especially in regards to excess skin that I have (mostly on my upper legs, breasts, and arms). I always tell myself, I’d rather have this excess skin than be at 277 pounds again. I just have to start believing it.

Advice

Throw out temptation foods; they’re evil. It is not possible to spot-reduce fat, which is a question I get asked regularly, but if you work out and eat right, the pounds will melt off. Never starve yourself. Finally, it may seem like you have a long way to go, but just take it one day at a time and never give up.

Photo: Courtesy of Kathleen Barrett

“Weight-Loss Win” is authored by Andie Mitchell, who underwent a transformative 135-pound weight loss of her own.

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