Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 5, Number 6, 1 June 1988 — Niʻihau-Born Hawaiian Weighed 512 a Year Ago [ARTICLE]

Niʻihau-Born Hawaiian Weighed 512 a Year Ago

Health Program Results in 172-Pound Weight Loss

By Dcborēih Lcc Ward, Assistant Editor Ka Wai Ola O OHA "Don't wait until it's too late!" are the words of Robert Waiolalani Kanahele, 43, a Ni'ihau-born Hawaiian who has taken his own advice on health and has in over a yearsuccessfully lost 172 pounds through his ongoing health-building weight reduction program. At 340 pounds today, he says he "feels great" and looks forward to reaching his goal of 200 pounds. In early 1987, Kanahele at 512 pounds recognized he faced a serious health crisis due to his weight. He tired easily in his job as a musician, had difficulty breathing and walking even short distances and could not even sleep without fear of sleep apnea, a cessation of breathing because of weight on the chest. He sought assistance from Dr. Lambert Lee Loy, a physician with the Garden Island Medical Group. Together, they began a personalized program of diet, exercise, respiratory andoccupational therapy to meet Kanahele's needs, working with a team of therapists at Kauai Veterans' Memorial Hospital in Waimea. Today he still goes regularly for checkups. After consulting with his family, Kanahele decided the only way to launeh his program seriously was to admit himself to the hospital. In the three weeks he spent there, he lost 75 pounds and learned how he could eonhnue the program on his own. Within three months he had lost 100 pounds. The weight loss meant he no longer needed to take oxygen at night for apnea, and tbat his oxygen-carbon dioxide levels had returned to normal. Keeping in mind that long-term gradual weight loss of between 60 to 80 pounds a year is best in his case, KVMH dietician Susan Nonaka switched his diet to include more fresh fruits and vegetables,

winner. Don't wait until it gets worse and worse, like I did. I ean be there to help you, but you are the only one who ean take care of you." Kanahele has talked to different groups about his health-building program. Dr. Lee Loy, who has since moved his practice to Kona, also made a video about Kanahele when he was in the hospital, explaining his health condition and his progress. Sharing his aloha through community work and music is also an important part of Robert Kanahele's life. He regularly visits elderly patients at Waimea hospital to "talk story", and his group, the Kahelelani Serenaders, often plays for patients in Kaua'i hospitals and senior centers. In May, the group was busy every weekend with music jobs. They also eame to the Na Hoku Hanohano awards banquet in Honolulu since their song "Lehua Mokupuni" was nominated for an award. Because of his weight, Kanahele has a Social Security temporary disability and costs of his hospitalization were paid by the State Department of Human Services and then by Social Security. When he has reached his weight loss goal, he plans to look fbr a job. He is interested in taking classes at Kauai Community College and possibly a training program through Alu Like ine. Kanahele is the son of Henry Waiola Kanahele and the late Eliza Kawahalau Kanahele of Ni'ihau. A member of a big family, he has four brothers and four sisters. He attended Ni'ihau school until the eighth grade. He worked for Ni'ihau Ranch and Robinson Plantation on Kaua'i where the family settled in 1964. Kanahele moved to O'ahu in 1969 and worked in construction for 13 years before returning to Kaua'i in 1983. His wife, Josephine Rosa Kanahele, passed away that same year they retumed to Kaua'i. They had no children.

lean meats, less salt and a reduced calorie intake of 1600 calories a day. Kanahele had been eating between 7,500 and 10,000 calories daily. Today, he still keeps a daily diary of calorie intake and is maintaining the weight-loss diet. Breakfast now consists of cereal, skim milk, whole wheat bread, banana and papayaand prune juice. Luneh may include poi and fish, vegetables and fruit, and skim milk. For dinner he has broiled fish or ehieken without the skin, vegetables, rice and fruit. He has also leamed to eat slowly. Kanahele began his exercise program with the help of KMVH physical therapist Paulette Lum. He began by moving his arms and legs as mueh as he could in bed, then started to walk increasing distances around the hospital. He now walks the seven-mile round trip between his Kekaha home and the hospital in Waimea every day. At the hospital he participates in a low-impact aerobic exercise class. It was hard at first, hesays, but gets easier eaeh day. He also swims several times a week at the Waimea High School pool. To keep his mind off food, Kanahele kept busy with Hawaiian crafts, working with hospital oeeupahonal therapist Betsy Davis. Nowhe keeps busy gardening around his house, planting and caring for a flower and vegetable garden. He also is proud he ean now do regular yardwork for his church, Waimea Hawaiian Church. Kanahele is living proof of the rewards of personal commitment and willpower and now shares his time as a volunteer health aide at KVMH, talking to others who also need to lose weight. He feels strongly that he ean help other Hawaiians because he knows what they are going through. He said, "Sometimes we Hawaiians know we need help, but we tend to put it off. It ean be hard for a big eater to adjust to smaller portions, and hard to start a weight-loss program. But you will be the