Dad Loses Pounds And Gains Hugs
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Since his daughter was born in 2006,Mililani resident Dallas Carter has lost 190 pounds - and it’s not from worrying about her welfare.
A campus minister at St. Joseph School in Waipahu, Carter saw family members die in their 40s because of health problems,and doctors had told him he needed to do something about his weight. The turning point for this new father was that he couldn’t hold his newborn daughter, Waimea, as close to his 355-pound body as he wanted to.
“If I didn’t take care of myself,“he thought at the time,“I wouldn’t be around for my wife and my daughter.”
So with the support of his family and wife, Monica, the 2000 Kamehameha graduate changed his diet and exercised. He said one of his biggest challenges was commitment.
“What I’ve had to learn - and I’m still mastering - is having a lifestyle change, where it’s not a temporary thing. The way I lived was not healthy.I had to give up certain things, but I didn’t give up all my favorite foods.”
He’s learned to modify some of his favorite meals by making turkey chili and turkey burgers for his family.He also allows himself to eat one of his favorite snacks two or three times a week - chocolate chip cookies.
His healthy lifestyle has included helping more than 30 people lose at least 80 pounds. One of his college friends from Ohio lost 80 pounds in five months.
“I completely understand people who need to lose weight,” explained Carter.“I was way worse than where they are now. I’m not one of those people who is in shape already trying to help you get in shape.I was there.I know what they are going through.”
For those who might need to lose 10 or 15 pounds, he offers one tip: “In the mornings, make sure every day you eat breakfast within one hour of waking up.Your body needs to start metabolizing something or it goes into starvation mode. That accounts for 30 to 40 pounds of my weight loss. Try to get a good amount of protein.You’ll burn 200 to 300 calories during the day without doing extra exercise because your body needs more energy to break down protein. I eat Cheerios and use a vanilla protein shake with 30 grams of protein.
“An easy way to do it is to eat tuna in the morning.”
Carter has sensed that people react to him differently these days - even people he didn’t know before.“Now people give me more smiles and treat me better.”
When he’s not at St. Joseph’s, or working out or spending time with family, Carter also co-owns Bistro Blends of Hawaii, which sells gourmet balsamic vinegar mixes.
Best of all, he’s all smiles now because when their son Dallas Michael Lanakila was born Sept.26, he declared,“I had no problem holding my baby as close as I wanted!”
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