Reaching Normal Weight After 7 Year Journey: a Reddit User's Success Story

Struggles with Obesity and Yo-yoing: The Journey Begins

The Reddit user, notthatjesus, had been overweight most of his life. He admits to not having healthy eating habits when he was raised by his Hispanic grandmother who would want him to always be well fed. Thus, food had always been a means of addressing stress which he has had since being diagnosed with chronic depression at 12 years old. At his peak, he weighed 327 pounds at 17 years old, which led to physical and health difficulties. He later on decided that he did not want to be overweight anymore and started his weight loss journey.

The Secret to Weight Loss? A Complete Lifestyle Change

The Reddit user gradually lost weight, losing 137 pounds in less than two years. Unfortunately, he eventually gained some of the weight back due to his fluctuating weight management efforts. However, he soon got back on track and lost a further 64 pounds the past year after hitting an all-time high weight of 236 pounds. This time, he made sure that he has modified his lifestyle for the better where he managed his Basal Metabolic Rate and practiced healthy eating habits without reverting back to his old eating lifestyle. Furthermore, he made sure that he did not treat weight loss as a temporary diet change, but an overall lifestyle change for the benefit of his physical and mental health.

Recognizing Poor Eating Habits and Overcoming Them

The Reddit user admits that he still occasionally struggles to maintain his healthy lifestyle all these years after starting his weight loss journey. However, he now recognizes when his eating habits derail and immediately makes effort to go back to healthy eating practices. Not only has he adopted healthy eating habits, but he also initiated exercising every other day after starting slow and calm exercises. He recalls how well he had felt after running a straight mile without stopping and even crying tears of joy.

A Message of Hope: Kick Life in the Shins and Take Control

The Reddit user stresses that his post isn't weight-shaming anyone who isn't bothered with their own weight issues. In fact, he encourages them to continue living their lives as they please. Instead, his hope is for those who are, like he was, struggling with their own weight loss journey to find the strength they need to address the issue. He asks them to realize that they should never let the number on the scale define who they are, but rather use it as an inspiration to take control of their lives.

The Road to Happiness: Reddit User Shares Key to Mental Stability

Most inspiring of all was the Reddit user's admission that he has managed to gain stability with the help of a psychiatrist and psychologist that he had initially been avoiding for years. He had wanted to stay away from them from previous negative experiences during his teenage years. However, it was exactly what he needed to stir his brain into the right space. Finally, he was prescribed medication that worked for him, resolved his issues with chronic depression, and even improved his concentration. When he reached his goal weight of 172, he found more focus on building healthy muscle mass.