Transformation Tuesday: How My Weight Loss was More than Just a Smaller Size

“I honestly did not even recognize you, it’s like you’re a completely different person!”

Starting my third year of college, that’s usually the kind of reaction I get when I see someone I graduated high school with. That’s because the last time I saw them in person, I was about 60 pounds heavier.

For me, losing weight and making a healthy change was more than just wearing a smaller size. I wasn’t social in high school. I was self-conscious because I was overweight and I missed out on a lot because of it. Now, I wish I had senior prom pictures to look back on or memories of cheering with friends at pep assemblies. I was never involved with any extra-curricular activities besides what my broadcasting class required.

I knew back then if I gotten more involved and was more confident, I would’ve had more friends and actually enjoyed my high school years, but I couldn’t get over the fact that I spent everyday uncomfortable in my own skin.

I’d tell myself: “If I was skinnier, boys would ask me to dances.” “If I just looked liked the pretty girls in my class, I would be happier.”

In reality, the way I physically looked did not steer people away. I was the one doing the isolating. If I didn’t like myself, how would others?

It was my senior year of high school when I really wanted to make a change. I started running a few nights a week. At first, jogging down the road made me feel like I was going to die, but it didn’t take long for me to fall in love with how I felt afterwards. I also bought a gym membership and changed my eating habits.

Each day came with new improvement, whether it was beating my mile time by a few seconds or lifting a little more at the gym.

By the time graduation came around, I had lost around 20 pounds. Family and close friends noticed and for the first time, I was really proud of myself for what I was achieving. The feeling became addictive. I looked forward to waking up every morning and seeing what I was going to accomplish that day.

Coming to college was truly life changing for me. Freshman year was a clean slate – nobody knew the girl who was overweight and socially uncomfortable. Instead, I introduced myself as the girl who is loving who she has become and working towards a better self everyday.

Being confident in clothes and feeling good about how I look has been awesome. I have an entirely new outlook on every day – I focus on my relationships and school rather than wishing I looked like other girls in my class.

Most importantly, though, I learned to love life and what it has offers me. The only thing holding me back is myself. I can be outgoing and make friends, I can fall in love and let someone love me, I can be successful in school and get involved on campus.

Today, I am 60 pounds down, but I’ve learned it isn’t about how much I weigh as long as I have a healthy mind and body. I still try to workout and eat well throughout my busy weeks, (though not the easiest task in college). When I see people from high school now, they not only notice a physical change, but that I am happier and excited about life.

From size 18 to 4, I won’t say “thank God for puberty”, but I thank myself for finding the strength to make the change.