Oklahoma Man Struts Down the Runway 200 Pounds Lighter

By Rusty Surette, NEWS 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- When Steve Leisinger walks down the runway at the Annual Bariatric Fashion Show, he will not only be more than 200 pounds lighter, he'll be free of other things as well.

He no longer has joint aches or back aches. He no longer takes medication for high cholesterol and high blood pressure. He no longer suffers from sleep apnea.

"Having a gastric bypass surgery was the best life change I've ever made," Leisinger said.

He will be one of the many patients celebrating their successes at the Fourth Annual Bariatric Fashion Show at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City. The show will feature patients who've undergone weight loss surgery at Oklahoma Weight Loss Options, the practice of surgeons Ronnie Keith and Lana Nelson.

Both surgeons are affiliated with Norman Regional Health System. The fashion show will also feature a silent auction that will raise money for the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery.

For patients like 49-year-old Leisinger, the motivation to strut their stuff is clear.

"I look good," Leisinger said. "I was 489 pounds in 2007 and now I'm at 207."

Leisinger said surgery isn't the only thing he's changed. He's also eating right and he's joined a local gym and has hired a personal trainer.

"You have to follow the regimen and diet plan," Leisinger said. "But I went into it with the mindset that I would not fail."

More than 300 people attended the last fashion show including the family and friends of patients. Each patient model has lost anywhere from 100 to 200 pounds.

Find out more information on Oklahoma Weight Loss Options