Valley men take different paths on weight-loss road

By Nicole Mullins/Tribune-Star

January 10, 2005

In an era when more and more Americans are growing heavier, two Wabash Valley men decided to take the road less traveled. For Larry Baty and James McKinney, the weight loss road diverged into two paths.

Faced with several options, Baty chose gastric bypass surgery while McKinney opted for diet and exercise. Baty and McKinney, now more than a combined 200 pounds lighter, are on the road to better health -- and doubt they will ever go back.

A new lifestyle

Baty, 38, of Paris, Ill., didn't always have a weight problem. Standing at 6 feet, 1 inch, Baty was a healthy 235 pounds 16 years ago. But after he moved from California to Illinois, he became a truck driver, and everything changed. Gradually, his new profession brought added pounds to his waistline.

"The lifestyle -- you know, you eat and drive, eat and drive and sleep," he recalled. "You just don't get enough exercise."

Eventually Baty gained about 100 pounds and failed at several diets, which prompted him to consider bariatric surgery. He researched the procedure for about a year, but could never convince himself to do it. Finally, after calculating that he had a body mass index of 44 -- anything greater than 40 is considered obese -- he knew he needed to lose the extra weight and improve his life.

"I [calculated my BMI] a year ago the first time and thought I needed to do something ... but put it off because I didn't want to take time off work," he said.

Then, something unexpected pushed Baty's search for a surgeon into high gear.

Back pain

In April, Baty was at home when he bent over to grab a diaper bag off the floor. As he stood up, a pain shot through his back. A visit to the doctor revealed that Baty had a bulging disc and pinched nerve that would require surgery.

Ordinarily, the procedure wouldn't be a problem, but Baty was told that his weight could compromise the surgery's success. He would have to find a way to lose weight.

Baty opted for gastric bypass surgery, a procedure he thought would be the quickest way to lose weight. He chose Dr. RoseMarie Jones of the St. Vincent Bariatric Weight Loss Center of Excellence in Carmel; his insurance approved the procedure within 24 hours.

"You never know what they're going to say," he said. "I was just relieved that something could be done to get my life back."

Family matters

But Baty could not look forward without glancing back at how obesity had affected his life. For years, the disease that had robbed him of health also had restricted quality time with his family.

Before the surgery, Larry's wife, Susan, said she was happy her husband was finally taking the steps to regain his life.

"It's made him a lot more self-conscious, less active with the kids," she said. "It's a difficult time right now because his weight inhibits him from doing things with the kids and his friends."

Daughter Laura, 9, had become the object of teasing because of her dad's weight. Her classmates would call him "fat" when he would pick up Laura and her brother, Steven, 7, from school.

"I told my dad it made me feel upset. I didn't like my dad being called 'fat,'" said Laura, a thin, athletic redhead. She looked forward to being able to swim, ride bikes and play basketball with her father.

Larry, too, was hopeful the surgery would allow him to be more active in his children's lives.

"My kids can't wait," he said before the surgery. "They understand that Dad's gonna be skinny and be able to do the things he couldn't."

Larry's father, Orville Baty, had been concerned about his son's weight for some time. With a family history of heart problems, Orville said he feared his son's health would eventually take a turn for the worse.

"I don't feel that a parent should have to bury his children. I had a lot of anxiety about it," he said, confiding he often asked his son to lose weight. "I know he wasn't completely happy with his weight, but he never let me see if it got him down or not. He seemed to be OK with it."

Although hopeful that the surgery would give Larry a boost toward better health, Susan knew it wouldn't be easy for him to change his eating habits.

"I think it's very courageous that he's made that decision and plans to stick with it," Susan said of Larry's weight-loss plan, "because it will be a long road."

One last hope

At the time of his surgery, Sept. 9, Baty weighed 347.

"This really shows I need to do something," he said the day before the operation. "This is my last hope to lose weight, keep it off and change my life."

His excitement, however, was not without fear.

"I've lost all appetite," he said. "I'm nervous. I'm just scared that something might go wrong, and with any major surgery there's just those thoughts."

According to Jones, the surgery went as expected, lasting 45 minutes without complications. Jones, who said she has performed nearly 3,000 bariatric surgeries, separated the stomach into a small, functional organ and one large section that secretes acid for breaking down of food.

"They lose [weight] basically because they eat small portions and they fill up quickly," she said, adding that as long as a patient eats the correct foods and supplements them with vitamins, the weight loss is healthy. Patients can expect to lose about 100 pounds in six months, she said.

Baty's post-surgery meals were 2-ounce servings, or the size of a small medicine cup, of high-fiber foods. He ate with a baby spoon and drank with a "sippy cup" to aid him in portion control so he wouldn't harm his new stomach.

"[Portion size] gradually increases over the months as he needs to slow down his weight loss," Jones said.

Getting back his life

Since his surgery, Baty has lost 70 pounds and re-discovered his life. He spends more time with Laura and Steven as a part-time librarian at their schools, a parent chaperone at the after-school program and a coach for Laura's traveling basketball team.

Laura says her dad is more involved with her life.

"At the after-school program, no one can figure out the rules and he helps us play fair," she said. "He helps us get them [the other team] out."

Baty and his children also make regular visits to the Paris YMCA to swim or play basketball -- things he would never do before.

"It's nice to have energy," Baty admits. "It's nice to not see the scale say '340.'"

Baty said he has dropped six clothing sizes to a 40, and sees the biggest difference in his face and legs. Ironically, the problem that initiated the surgery has subsided.

"My back has really improved," he said. "I just have a couple times when my leg is in a certain position that it hurts. It used to be in pain all the time."

Nicole Mullins can be reached at (812) 231-4299 or nicole.mullins~tribstar.com.





Through diet, exercise patient loses 173 pounds of fat mass

James McKinney gained extra pounds as a boy and carried them into adulthood. He can't remember a time when he wasn't heavy -- until now.

As far back as grade school, McKinney said, he was overweight, but the problem didn't stem from overeating or a sweet tooth.

"Our family always ate late at night," he said. "I think that was a big contributing factor."

His grandmother, Madonna McKinney, said his diet consisted mainly of meat and potatoes and lacked sufficient fruits and vegetables. After his parents' divorced, he was left to do most of the cooking and look after his younger brother.

"He had a lot of responsibilities at a young age," she said.

After many failed attempts at dieting -- he tried Atkins, but thought the super-low carbohydrate diet was too restrictive -- McKinney finally decided that what he needed was a lifestyle change.

First impressions

A year ago, McKinney went to the Bariatric Center of Terre Haute. At the time, he weighed 383 pounds and wore size 56 jeans. Bariatric assistant Maria "Ched" Gonzales, whose husband, Dr. Ruben Gonzales, heads the center, remembers her first impression of the once-shy 23-year-old.

"He used to come in with his head down," she said, "but not anymore."

Since losing 154 pounds, McKinney has become more outgoing. At weekly weigh-ins, it's rare to catch him without an ear-to-ear smile.

"I don't really get any special attention, but everyone knows me when I come in," he said.

Even those visiting the center for the first time can see McKinney's weight-loss success. He is featured on the center's brochure holding up his size 56 pants.

The program

The Bariatric Center tailors its food program to each patient's schedule, weight-loss needs and eating habits. The program is based on a high-protein, moderate-carbohydrate, low-fat and low-calorie intake. Patients also are encouraged to exercise daily.

To keep his metabolism active, McKinney eats every two hours. He has two protein shakes for breakfast, a salad and protein shake for lunch and chicken and salad for dinner. He eats protein bars and shakes for snacks. Vegetables are considered "free foods."

"It's really not that hard," McKinney said. "You just have to find different ways to cook things you can eat."

For nearly eight months, McKinney hadn't eaten chili because it wasn't healthy enough when cooked with the usual ingredients. To adapt the dish to his diet, McKinney used ground turkey instead of beef and added a low-carb pasta.

Madonna McKinney said her grandson's decision to lose weight was a life-saving move.

"We were all concerned about his health and we were really glad he started in February over at Dr. Gonzales'," she said. "We know he's going to be a lot healthier by doing this."

McKinney pays for the program out of pocket -- $140 for the initial visit and $70 a month after that -- but he said the benefits far outweigh the cost.

"It costs you a little bit, but it's worth it," he said. "I knew if I didn't do something on my own, I wouldn't stick to it."

Right away, McKinney was shedding pounds and inches. As an overweight man, he had difficulty finding clothes that fit. Now, he said it much easier to find size 38s, and he again enjoys shopping.

"Same ol' guy, same ol' style. Nothing's changed. Just smaller clothes," he said. "I probably haven't worn 38s since fifth or sixth grade, so I was thrilled when I went shopping."

He may say he's the "same ol' guy," but the reactions he has been getting since his weight loss say otherwise. People who haven't seen him for a while instantly notice a difference, he said.

McKinney was working at Great Dane Trucking in Brazil earlier this year when a man he hadn't seen in a while asked if he had lost weight.

"I was like, 'Oh, just 115 pounds,'" he recalled with a grin and a twinkle in his eyes. "I didn't really notice that much of a change in myself, but everyone else did."

His grandmother said he gets that reaction all the time.

"People don't know him when they see him now," she said. "They say, 'Are you James?'"

On target

Ched Gonzales said McKinney is right on target with his weight loss. He now weighs 226 pounds, which translates into a scale loss of 157 pounds. However, Gonzales said McKinney's loss of 173 pounds of fat mass is what has made his weight loss so successful.

"You want to replace your fat mass with muscle," she tells her patients. The center has a special scale that gauges body fat and muscle mass so that dieters can see changes in body composition along with reduced weight.

Gonzales said McKinney's dedication is what has helped him lose the weight and keep it off, noting that McKinney has devoted himself to exercise.

"James, before, could not ever walk one-fourth of a mile when he started. He was out of breath," she said. "Now, he's doing a mile-and-a-half to two miles every day."

McKinney has long surpassed his goal to weigh 250 pounds. Nevertheless, he continues to eat right, exercise and make healthier decisions because he's seen the positive effect it has on his life.

McKinney admits that his weight loss has helped him gain confidence. He's no longer the guy in public with his head down.

Instead, he's looking up and focusing on the longer and healthier life ahead of him.

"Before, I'd rather be in the back of everybody else and hide," he said. "Now, I don't mind being in front."

Nicole Mullins can be reached at (812) 231-4299 or nicole.mullins~tribstar.com.

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