There are countless reasons someone would want to lose weight.
It might be for better health, to fit into certain clothing sizes, or even just because of the social stigma associated with being overweight.
It was Instagram for Australian teen Josie Desgrand. Josie weighed 280 pounds at the age of 16, and she knew something had to give. She didn’t like her figure, and every time she browsed through her Instagram feed, she saw thin, attractive models beaming back at her, and she was reminded of how other ladies looked.
Everything became worse. She had even experienced bullying as a result of her size, which destroyed her self-esteem. Before Josie had tried dieting but she always failed. She ended up eating more and more, instead of getting thinner. It was a vicious cycle that only made her feel worse and worse until she made a promise to herself that changed everything.
The Australian teen knew something had to change when she saw images of slender models grinning at her.
Speaking to Bored Panda, Josie explained her ‘Eureka!’ moment.
“I went into my room and stripped down to my underwear,” she said. Then she made a deal with herself. “No longer fat Josie.”
She even had a special Instagram page for her transformation that she titled “My Transformation.”
“I took pictures of myself at different angles, excited for my next weight loss journey. I used tape measure and wrote down my dimensions knowing I had a long way to go, but I wanted to track every change, no matter how small,” she said.
Josie began to track her development after setting tiny goals for herself. The 16-year-old soon became aware of a few little changes. She started eating fewer carbohydrates, gave up sugar, and drank more water. She was able to lose 198 Ibbs by dieting on her own. joining her father in the process of losing weight by doing the same.
She then took things a step further by attending a gym. She said: “Working out at the gym gave me the extra push to reach my goal weight.”
“Being competitive with him pushed us both to go the extra mile, it was great to have my dad along for the ride,” Josie said. The father-daughter team helped and inspired one another.
Instagram, rather than being a source of envy and depression, became one of Josie’s most powerful motivators. She began to gain followers who wanted to see her transformation as well as receive tips and advice.
“I shared my meals and progress on my Instagram account @nolongerfatjosie. My followers quickly grew, and each was more supportive than the last. ‘You look great!’ They wrote. ‘Mmm, do you have the recipe?’”
“With people from all around the world along for my journey, I never thought about quitting. Putting aside an hour each night, I responded to every person. Being in their position before, I now wanted to help as many people as I could. ‘Keep going,’ I would write back when someone thought they couldn’t do it anymore.”
Josie now weighs around 138Ibs, which is less than half her previous weight. What began as a diet has evolved into a lifestyle change that Josie has benefited from.
Sources: Taphaps, Boredpanda, 7news