Woman sheds 14 stone after she was ordered to buy two seats in an aeroplane
A woman who was once left feeling "depressed" after she was forced to purchase two seats on an aeroplane has lost over half her body weight.
Content creator Kayla LaVende says she's thrilled that people now tell her she resembles Barbie after her dramatic transformation.
The 38-year-old once weighed 24 stone but was motivated to change her lifestyle when she had a panic attack after needing to buy two seats to fit on a flight.
Kayla had braved the one-hour Southwest Airline from Las Vegas to Los Angeles — her first alone in 10 years — to renew her Australian passport.
Kayla is living life to the fullest and loves working out (mdwfeatures/@wls_barbie)She knew that she'd need a second seat, after previously travelling with somebody else and spilling into their seat, so pre-purchased it.
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The second seat wasn't a cheap addition as tickets for the route cost around £198 ($240), but Kayla was glad she did it.
She said: "Luckily I did because I did not realise just how much of that second seat I would take up. I actually took up two full seats".
Kayla has gone from a size 26 to a size 6 (mdwfeatures/@wls_barbie)But the experience still left her feeling uncomfortable, she added: "The employees at Southwest airlines let me board first and pick my seat so I chose the very last row of the aeroplane, so nobody would walk past me and stare.
"The entire time I tried to make myself as small as possible wishing I was invisible. There was a very small lady in the third seat of that row. She didn't mention anything but I could see her looking."
Kayla, who had been overweight since a child, had never been bullied for her size, but said the incident on the plane prompted her to make a change.
Kayla before at 24 stone and now at 10 stone (mdwfeatures/@wls_barbie)"I got very lucky as I was never bullied for my weight," she said.
"The turning point that motivated me to make a change once and for all was when I needed two seats on an aeroplane and a seatbelt extender. That was the one and only time in my life I felt depressed and actually had a panic attack.
"I knew this was no way to continue living. I wanted to be free, and I was feeling very restricted. not to mention my body started to hurt."
She revealed that she had thyroid disease and lipedema since her childhood, contributing to her weight, but that she also had a "poor diet" and "low activity level".
Kayla was always happy but her size began making her life difficult (mdwfeatures/@wls_barbie)Kayla explained: "Before, my diet was terrible, all the carbs and sweets, pasta, bread, rice, pizza, chips, ice cream.
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"Very little workout regime. I would yo-yo diet and exercise. But never stick to anything."
But now she's switched to healthier habits — including weight training, cardio workouts and a diet made up of 120g of protein, under 30g of carbs under 20g of sugar daily — and also underwent gastric band surgery.
The changes have resulted in Kayla dropping down to 10 stone, and she now wears a size six to eight, as opposed to the size 26 she used to shop for.
Kayla now sticks to a keto diet (mdwfeatures/@wls_barbie)
Kayla poses dressed up at a pageant (mdwfeatures/@wls_barbie)Kayla added: "Now I have structure in my eating habits and workout routine. Breakfast is a protein shake, lunch will be either chicken or turkey, dinner, usually the same.
"It all started with changing my mindset. Then I had the gastric sleeve surgery which helped me change my lifestyle and stay on track. I learned all about nutrition and how to eat to fuel my body versus eating for enjoyment.
"I also became heavily invested in fitness and working out every day."
Kayla is thrilled that she now gets compared to her childhood idol, Barbie.
Kayla's Barbie before and after (mdwfeatures/@wls_barbie)She said: "I have always been obsessed with Barbie and her style. I lived vicariously through her as a child Barbie inspired me to be creative, fun, vibrant, and colourful at any size.
"Fun clothing was never an option for me so I started to get crafty and make my own clothes.
"That led me into costume designing and moving to Las Vegas working for a show as a costume designer for many years. I have Barbie to thank.
"When people say I resemble Barbie, I guess that is a childhood dream come true. Although I have always dressed in the Barbie style, people only recognise it now."
Kayla is now training for a bodybuilding competiton (mdwfeatures/@wls_barbie)
She is so confident in her skin now (mdwfeatures/@wls_barbie)Kayla is currently trying to build more muscle ready for a bodybuilding competition this year, and is thrilled that her weight loss has led to a life without limitations.
She said: "I no longer have any physical limitations. I can go anywhere I want and not worry if I am going to fit into the seats, I can go shopping anywhere I want, I can do all the physical activities I was never able to do.
"I also enjoy theme park rides, previously I never went on any rides. Not to mention my career has since changed, and I am in the weight loss industry, helping and guiding others along the journey."
Kayla before her gastric sleeve and now (mdwfeatures/@wls_barbie)The Aussie national, who has over 84,000 followers on TikTok and nearly 24,000 on Instagram has been sharing her transformation on social media.
Giving some advice to others looking to start their own weight loss journey, she said: "Love your 'before self' don't go into this journey, hating yourself, love yourself enough to want to change. Your before self is who is going to get you to your goal
"Don't focus on the scale as it can deter you, focus on being consistent and changing your lifestyle. Enjoy the journey and keep a positive mindset.
"Do what works for you and don't compare your journey to somebody else's."
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