I was always the fat kid growing up, and I hated it. I was terribly insecure, and eating fast food made me feel better. It was a vicious circle, I hated myself for being fat, and I made myself feel better by eating the foods that made me fat.

After graduating college, my weight was at an all-time high. I was so big I could barely make it around the shopping mall with my friends. I was constantly buying new clothes because my weight kept increasing. I knew I had to do something about it, but I kept making excuses. Most of the women in my family are big, so I put it down to genetics. 

But one day, I looked in the mirror and felt such sadness for the person I saw staring back at me that I decided to take control of my life. No one was coming to rescue me from this mess I had created for myself. I had to take responsibility and lose weight. 

My weight fluctuated a lot during my teenage years because I was always fad dieting. I never kept the weight off because diets don’t work. Healthy eating is a way of life, and if I didn’t change the way I ate for good, I was going to be fat for the rest of my life. 

Losing weight was a long, slow process because I couldn’t overcome my fast food addiction. I forced myself to eat home-cooked meals, but the reality was I was too lazy to cook, and I would eat fast food eighty percent of the time. Within six months, I lost about 18 pounds, I felt a lot better about myself, but I still had a long way to go. 

I started eating a low-carb diet during the week and ate what I wanted on the weekends. Eating this way gave me the motivation I needed to keep going. I knew I couldn’t cut fast food out of my diet completely, so I did it gradually. The weight was falling off, and I was gaining more and more confidence, but I had to keep going. 

My friend told me about a bikini body guide program, it was a 28-minute workout, and it completely changed the game for me. The regime was difficult, but it was worth it. I completed the 12-week challenge and lost an extra 26 pounds, I was finally able to fit into a pair of size 12 jeans, and I was more than thrilled. 

Since losing weight, I can shop in any store and wear thigh-length shorts, and I recently ran my first half marathon. I’m so proud of what I’ve achieved. I wake up every morning full of life and vitality, excited about the future. Thinking about my life used to depress me because I couldn’t see myself happy and fat. 

I still have the odd takeaway and drink alcohol occasionally, but I eat healthy foods most of the time and exercise a lot. The past five years have been a difficult journey, but I wouldn’t change it for the world. I am happy with how I look and can look in the mirror and smile. I want every woman struggling to lose weight to know it’s possible. With consistency and determination, you can do anything.