Weight. Fat. Overweight. Three words that made me feel ashamed of myself. You clicked on the article, knowing that in the title, I would mention my weight loss. So let us address the elephant, more like lack of one in the room: my weight.

I was never skinny growing up as a kid. I always remember having a little bit of normal and healthy baby fat. I was never really conscious of my size because when you are you, you just have no cares. Insecurity was just another long, complicated word on my spelling tests. I ate pretty much all that I wanted and enjoyed it.

Me at age 6: Carefree

I had that baby fat for a while until I was in third grade. In the spring of 2008, I began taking medication for my ADHD. These substances that are called stimulants have a lot of benefits for people with ADHD. Despite this, there are a varying amount of side-effects that can occur when taken.

One of the biggest side-effects is a loss of appetite, and that hit me like a brick. Over that summer, I had lost over 10 pounds of baby fat because I just was not hungry. The transformation was obvious because I lacked that signature baby fat. When I noticed it, everyone else began to as well.

I was content with myself but at the same time, I did not really understand it. Why were people so obsessed with my weight? Why did everyone notice?

Christmas Break 2008: Significantly Skinnier

As I continued on the ADHD medication, my body stayed skinny. I never developed that pre-pubescent fat that a lot of girls did. Sure, I did have more fat on certain parts of my body like my thighs, however, they were still pretty small. When I hit puberty, I only gained weight in the places most women do.

Throughout middle school, I would scarf down the most disgustingly delicious foods like french fries, frozen yogurt, chicken nuggets, and nachos without gaining a pound. I would literally have the biggest portions ever but never gained weight. My middle school self-was happy because I was skinny with little to no effort.

Summer 2013: Not stick thin, but relatively thin

High school is when my body had a complete transformation. In 9th grade, I stopped taking ADHD medication and stopped leasing a horse. This combo caused a weight gain.

At first, it was slow. I maybe gained like 10 pounds, but I really did not notice. All of my stuff fit a little tighter but it was not a dramatic change. However, as time progressed, I began to get more insecure with my body image.

Sophomore year was the absolute worst for me, physically and mentally. I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety. Unfortunately, happiness at that time came with a price.

I was put on a SSRI (Selective Seratonin Reuptake Inhibitor) which basically prevents the reuptake of serotonin. An increase in serotonin helps regulate mood and anxiety, however, one of its side effects is weight gain because it can stimulate appetite. In addition to this stronger appetite, I began to emotional eat to relieve the pain that I was experiencing on the daily. I kept promising myself that I would go on a diet, however, it never followed through.

So I kept gaining and gaining. At this point, I was 20 pounds heavier than middle school me.

Nothing fit, and I was insecure again.

I kept gaining weight until the end of my senior year of high school. I had reached my all-time high in Junior year, however, I never planned on losing weight deliberately until my dad started.

My dad was a big inspiration to me because he began meeting with a nutritionist and the weight melted off of him. I was sick and tired of being a stranger in my own body. I knew I had the capabilities of eating healthy and exercising, so I began to meet with her.

My nutritionist changed my life. She taught me how to eat like I am actually trying to live. I was never 'fat' per say. I was maybe a couple pounds overweight, but I felt like a whale because my body was not meant to carry that extra weight. At the point when I started meeting with her, I was vegan, for ethical reasons.

Even though I was vegan, I still ate very unhealthily and she noticed that. We began to correct my dieting habits like to include more leafy greens and exclude excess overt fats. Over time, this method worked. I began to lose weight quickly because I was fueling my body correctly. It was first five pounds, then 10, then 15.

I am currently 22 pounds less than my all-time high, which is pretty good for being on this journey for only a few months. I am currently okay with my weight and I am at a point where I have a pretty consistent weight that fluctuates between a few numbers.

Weight loss is not easy, neither is maintaining it. It takes a lot of effort in order to keep the weight off, regardless you are trying to lose weight or maintain it. I exercise regularly and try to eat as healthy as possible, even though that is pretty difficult in college.

For me, it is all about balance. I still eat the occasional (sometimes daily) sugary snack but, I know how to portion myself. It is all about just thinking before you eat and making good decisions.

As I have stated in the title, losing weight was the best thing that happened to my self-confidence. I think one of the biggest aspects of loving yourself is nourishing your body properly and providing it with exercise.

When I learned how to eat properly, I just felt better. It is hard to explain, but I think the phrase 'eat good, feel good' describes it best. When I eat well and exercise, I simply feel the best. The compliments like 'oh you look so thin' and the satisfaction of wearing loose jeans are great, but there is something so rewarding in the fact that I finally feel comfortable in my own skin.