What are the 'real' stories behind the weightloss pictures

It just needs to become what you do and eventually the rest happens on its own.

It's a long story....

Basically, I changed the way I live my life. I made the "healthy lifestyle" become the everyday way I live my life. It has become a habit that I don't think about as much as I used to. Everyday, every hour, every minute used to be a massive struggle, but as time has gone on it has become easier. Not that I don't have struggles anymore, but I feel that I am more equipped to deal with them.

I am always reluctant to tell people specifically how I've lost the weight beyond "Eating right and exercising" because what worked for me may not work for others, and I don't want anyone to feel discouraged.

Once piece of advice I will give is "Live your life the best way you can...everything will fall into place in time. Because this process takes time".

I'm not at goal yet, but almost 3/4 of the way there.

Ah, where do I start?

This is my first time posting my whole story on here. It's long, I must warn you.

Well, I was always a slim person. As a baby, I was slim. As a child, I was skinny. And as a teenager, despite my developing curves, I was still very slim and maintained it easily.

When I was 14 years old, due to problems at home and emerging inability to cope with my emotions, I ran away from home. I was gone for four months. In this time, I became very underweight. To the point that ribs, hibs and collarbones jutted out. I remember many weeks of not eating, in fact, one time that comes to mind is not having a proper meal in a week, and begging some guy I knew to give me £1. He eventually relinquished one to me, and I went and bought some chicken and chips. It was a relief. And I, always an animal lover, wouldn't even give one to the dog, who was also starving (wasn't around very nice people, I still think about that poor dog).

Once I came back home, my appetite was phenomenal. It was like nothing I'd ever experienced before. I couldn't get enough food. I was constantly hungry. I would go to people's houses just to eat, and I'd still feel empty and starved. I remember devouring packets of kit kats, yogurts, bananas and crisps, and still feel insatiably hungry.

I put weight back on quickly. But it was nice weight. Nothing drastic. I looked good. But, little did I know, my weight and food troubles were soon to start...

Over the summer of 2008 (I think that was then. I was about 15 or so), I really packed on the lbs. I used to eat whole cakes daily. A favourite of mine was chocolate trifle or chocolate gateaux. By the time I got back to school for my final year, I was noticeably bigger (though, I was still pretty slim). EVERYONE gave me flack for it. I was honestly fine with the way I looked, but after the constant comments, the jokes about food and the shock on people's faces when they saw me eating, I started to feel insecure about my weight.

Fast forward two years to sixth form. I was 16, going on 17, and clinical depression took over my life. My eating and binging got out of control, and I dropped out of college. I was disgusted with my appearence, but food was honestly my only friend. My only comfort.

The binging, the bad eating, the comfort eating carried on.

Fast forward, again, to September 2011. I met my ex, and in the same month, started work at Starbucks. Being in a comfortable, serious relationship, dealing with the emotional issues that being with him brought back up and working in a place inundated with sugar = massive weight gain. I got so fat, I had to unbutton my work trousers to avoid stomach aches. It cut into me so bad, I had marks on my skin. I looked massive. I had started to look obese. I am 5"5 and, as far as I know, my highest weight was 196lbs. I honestly hated my body, so much. I couldn't find anything to truly like about my appearence. I felt like a beast.

Then, one day, in March, I was on the app store on my iPhone. I found an app called calorie count, and downloaded it on a whim. I tried it out, liking the concept of being able to log food and scan them (I like scanning things :laugh:). But, to be completely honest, CC was BS. It was rubbish.

So, I downloaded MFP.

I already had a log in, as I joined this site in 2010 (was on a thing called Diet Chef. Lost 11lbs, gained 9 back very soon after). And I stated logging!

30.5lbs later, here I am!

How has this journey been for me?

Amazing. Difficult. Inspiring. Worrying. Confusing. Upsetting. Distressing. Frustrating. Exciting, and many more.

It's not all roses for me. I still have deep set issues with food. I am currently struggling with constant hunger pangs and little to no willpower. I have this constant worry that I'll regain the weight. And sometimes, I get so damned angry that I can't just eat what I want without calorie counting.

But, to see my body change and curves re-emerge, like a flower blooming in summer. To feel my confidence growing. To know I look good.

All worth it

Sorry this was so long!

Wow hun your story really touched a few heart strings. You have definitely being on a life change through weightloss and everything else. We have similar lifestyles and this has given me hope that I can continue no matter what. thanks