esizing their lives
esizing their lives Reaping the benefits of weight loss By Vanessa Denha Garmo Marcine Karmo is all smiles after losing nearly 200 pounds. Within eight months of making a lifestyle change, Carl Dallo was unrecognizable to many people. “I have had to reintroduce myself at events and the new identity feels good,” he said. The 53-year-old father of two girls has lost more than 100 pounds. A doctor’s visit turned into a wakeup call. “I had diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and very low energy,” recalled Dallo. “The pills I took for all of these issues were accumulating and it made me realize I needed to make some big changes.” His health is what prompted the drastic lifestyle change. Prior to that doctor’s visit, Dallo said he never felt like he fit inside the fat body he carried around. “I always felt out of place,” said Dallo. “I had no energy and clothing was a big issue for me. I bought whatever fit me, not what I truly wanted. Activities with the kids were very important to me and I couldn’t participate in any of them because of my weight.” His diet changes were simple. “I stayed away from the bad Chaldean habits, particularly the eating habits,” he said. “I cut carbs, oils and fats from all my foods but most importantly, I cut the portions. Exercise was also a key in my weight loss.” Staying motivated was a challenge in the beginning, he explained. “It is the hardest thing in the first three to four weeks. After that it became much easier.” It has been more than two years since he lost the weight and he is still overjoyed by the simple things. “I can tie my shoes,” said Dallo. “Losing the weight has given me so much energy and given me my health back. All the medications are eliminated.” Dallo credits his success to his dedication and to his wife for preparing healthy meals. Along with a wakeup call, he had a reality check. “There is nothing else that can replace your health,” he said. “There are so many issues in this world because of obesity, especially with the younger generations. This young generation is believed by experts to be the first to not outlive their parents due to obesity and lifestyle.” He says it takes determination to stay on track. “You have to keep a positive attitude and weigh yourself every morning. Remember your weight for that day when you eat but at the same time, do not beat yourself up.” Dallo has also inspired others to make some life changes. “My brothers and some friends have been motivated to lose weight “It was very hard to look at myself in the mirror. You reach a point where you hit rock bottom.” – Kim Shallal and get healthy,” he said. Kim Shallal, 45, is still getting used to her new figure, which she previously sported in her younger years. She melted 50 pounds of fat off her body in one year on Weight Watchers (WW). “You reach a point where you hit rock bottom,” she said. “I had reached that point mentally, physically and emotionally. It was very hard to look at myself in the mirror and I found myself avoiding them if I could. Looking back, I believe I was depressed as well but I did not realize it — or was in denial — at the time.” Shallal credits maintaining her weight by staying on the WW program and said she will stay on it for life. “I learned from WW that this is not just a diet I will get off of when I reach my goal,” she said. “This is a lifestyle change.” She tried dieting on her own in the past but realized she needed more structure and discipline. “I really like WW for that and also because WW teaches you what and how to eat using your own foods as opposed to being required to purchase the foods of other programs,” 20 CHALDEAN NEWS MAY 2013
Kim Shallal before and after. Shallal said. “I would bet that most people on those other programs gain their weight back soon after they go off of those programs.” The change for Shallal has not been just physical. “It is amazing to me the difference I feel, not just physically, but mentally and emotionally as well,” she said. “People have noticed a difference in my attitude and demeanor, saying that I am more uplifting. I have even noticed a spring in my step.” Shallal hopes her weight loss will inspire others who struggle with a weight problem to make the necessary changes. She shares her story with anyone who asks. “One part of the program that I am a huge believer in is keeping a daily log of everything you put into your mouth — and I mean everything,” she said with great emphasis, “even if it is one peanut.” She explained that keeping the log really helped with portion control and carb control. Two years after losing the weight, she still keeps a daily food log. “It really helps.” Excess weight was a lifelong struggle for Marcine Karmo. “I had been overweight since basically a toddler and my obesity kept getting worse,” she said. “Since I was a child, my mom had me on different diet and exercise programs and nothing seemed to work. Surgery was the only option for me if I wanted to stay alive and have a quality of life.” Karmo points out that obesity is not always attributed to behavior and lifestyle. “It can be genetic or it can be a disease from an overeating addiction. In my case it is genetic; both my siblings were obese.” In 2005, we featured Karmo’s Gastric Bypass Surgery, which she had done in 1997. Of the various types of bariatric surgery available, Karmo had the Duodenal Switch. Within two years of the surgery, she dropped nearly 200 pounds. Although she has managed to keep most of the weight off, she struggles just like everyone else with a tendency to gain weight. “I still have to watch what I eat and I have to exercise,” she said. “I did gain some weight but with dieting and exercising, I was able to lose it again.” Losing weight has been life changing. “It has helped me gain more self-confidence, raised my self-esteem, be more active and more sociable,” Karmo said. “I feel healthier too and am more conscious of what I eat.” Often, an obese life comes with a side of social cruelty. “I was always stared at like I was from another planet and people whispered about me,” recalled Karmo. “In school, others would talk behind my back about how fat I was. Plus, I was not able to do some activities that my friends did. The worst thing is when people say, ‘all you have to do is stop eating’ or ‘you did this to yourself.’” Like Shallal, Karmo, 45, is eager to talk to people who need support with their weightloss journey. “I have talked to many people about the surgery and tell them their options,” she said. “I was the spokesperson and ‘poster child’ for the support group for bariatric surgery. People are embarrassed to talk about their obesity and food addictions. I wish I could reach out and talk to anyone that I see who is obese because I know how it feels inside.” And when people ask for her advice, she says, “Find the best diet or surgery that works for you. Every program does not work the same for everybody. Don’t let people tell you that surgery is a ‘cop out’ or ‘the easy way out.’ Gastric Bypass Surgery is not easy. There are many struggles that you still have to deal with after the fact. Nobody knows what it is like until they are in that position. If you are dieting and have a bad day, don’t beat yourself up — just start again the next day.” Carl Dallo changed his diet and shed 100 pounds. MAY 2013 CHALDEAN NEWS 21
