Growing up, I always knew that I was different. I had always been overweight, and by high school, it felt like that was just who I was. I tried countless diets and exercise plans; I failed again and again. Doctors warned me from a young age about my weight, and despite the advice given, I usually would just give up. I weighed 363 pounds when I graduated high school in 2015, and honestly, I really did feel like I would be “the fat girl” forever.
College didn’t make things any easier. I tried repeatedly skipping meals, going for walks every evening but nothing ever felt sustainable. I felt disappointment constantly wishing for a push that would finally help me change. That push came when I reconnected with my husband during my second year. We had met years before, and reconnecting brought a sense of support I hadn’t felt before. He encouraged me with patience and kindness, and slowly I began to realize just how much my weight was holding me back, both physically and emotionally.
The turning point came during our first family vacation when, at a water park, I was 20 pounds over the weight limit for the slides. I felt humiliated and stuck. That moment lit a spark inside me-I wanted to live a life where I wasn’t restricted by my size. I wanted to have a child someday, but I knew my current weight made that dream unlikely. After long conversations with my doctor and my husband, I decided it was time to take control.
I started a weight loss journey with WW, and in just three months alone, I lost almost 30 pounds. Then I got pregnant. The fear was real because I knew my body would have to change for my health and for that baby I had inside me. My husband became my partner in every sense as he helped me plan healthy meals and pushed me every step of the way. Even so, with a healthy plan, I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes, and it was then that I knew deeper, more lasting changes were due for myself and the life I was bringing into this world.
By the time my son was born, in June of 2018, I was already vested in a healthier lifestyle. I was continuing to limit sugar and starch, and at six months postpartum, I had reached 293 pounds-below 300 pounds for the first time in five years. It was a feeling like no other and, for the first time, I felt in control.
When he started walking, I knew I needed to be able to keep up with him. I recommitted fully in September 2019 to daily walks, exercise, and nutrition. My little partner in this journey, Gabriel, would join me on the yoga mat, volunteer as weight during squats, and inspire me to persevere. In 2020, I began running and completed my first 5K that October. With each step, I felt reminded of how far I had come.
In this process, emotional healing also occurred. The hurtful words of my past became increasingly powerless. I learned to forgive, love myself, and celebrate what my body could do instead of focusing on limitations. I started riding bicycles again, jumping on trampolines, and living an active life with my son. I proved to myself that change was possible and that I was able to create a life full of health, joy, and resilience. I lost 180 pounds over two and a half years naturally, and I am now preparing for skin removal surgery. But the most important change isn’t a number on a scale; it is about the life I have been building and the example to be offered to my son.
I learned that transformation does not happen overnight; it takes one decision at a time and one small goal at a time, and with the right support, it is absolutely possible. My son will be three years old in August 2021, and his birthday will include cake and ice cream with plenty of running, jumping, and skipping. Each day that I have lived since choosing to make improvements in my life has brought me closer to this day-one full of health, love, and hope. This started out as a weight loss journey but turned into a life transformation-one which I’m proud to share and grateful for every single day.
