Today we have a story about a person who used to be in this category of people. She was overweight since her childhood and this went on into her teen years. But, after her first rejection, a tiny fire started in her and it grew to be a flame that changed her life for the better.
Judgmental world
We live in a judgemental world. That is a sad but true fact about the society we have to live in. People judge us on practically any and every aspect. From what we wear to where we go to whom we hang out with is judged by everyone. They don’t have the time to get to know us then decide the type of person we are but they judge us based on our looks.
Size and weight
One aspect of our existence that we get judged on is our weight, size, and shape. For many people thin and skinny or well built is the preferred shape. People who have or look like this are the ones who get friends or are approached. This is something we try to ignore but deep down we know it is a sad reality of the society we live in.
New Year’s resolution
The biggest reason why every year we get a new ‘New Year’s resolution’ to hit the gym and get into shape is because society demands it. Round is a shape but society doesn’t want it. If people are trying to get healthier then they can just eat healthier and have a small change in lifestyle but it is our physical shape that we are trying to change.
Does our shape and weight affect our lives?
Yes, it does. There are a ton of people who will tell you that your shape or weight doesn’t affect who you are or what kind of life you will have but this is just not true. Your weight does affect your life as this will be the judging factor on how many friends you will have. Children are the ones who feel this the most.
Our story today
Today’s story follows the same idea about how the size and weight of a person can affect their lives. We’re talking about Rachael Heffner. This is the story about a woman whose crush rejected her because of her weight but this very rejection turned into the fuel she needed to change her life.
Growing up heavy
Rachael has said that growing up she was always a chubby girl and at one time was around 300 pounds. She knew she was overweight and was sure she will not live to see her 25th birthday. You must be wondering what kind of life she had that could’ve led to this situation, keep reading.
A life of grief
Both of Rachael’s parents were police officers and when she was a child this meant that she was home alone quite a lot and was allowed to eat anything she wanted. With no proper supervision at a young age, she began to eat whatever was at home and most of it was junk food.
Mother’s death
Rachael’s mom, Kim had been diagnosed with systemic mastocytosis. This is a rare disease that develops rapidly and leads to organ damage and organ failure. Since her mother was her best friend and they did everything together, Rachael was heartbroken when her mom passed away when she was just 7-years-old.
Turning to food
With her mom, Rachael used to go fishing and cook and bake together. The two were very close and her passing left Rachael alone and that is why she turned to food to fill the gap. Her mother passed away in 1998 when Rachael was just 7. She did know a bit about nutrition but that wasn’t enough and she began to eat anything and everything.
The beginning of insecurities
By the time Rachael started freshman year at Ball State in 2010 she was in her own words, “uncomfortable and unhappy”. She was filling with insecurities and not being able to get along with her roommate just fuelled her insecurities even more. She was starting to realize she needed to make a huge change in her life.
Rejection and motivation
While in college she was still on the disaster road she had taken, she was addicted to soda and used to have 4 bottles a day. Along with that, junk food and no exercise was making things worse. While in college she took a liking to a guy and when she gathered all her guts and expressed it, she was rejected and the guy even told her it was due to her weight.
The heartbreak that led to a change
After this, she bought a pair of running shoes and threw out all her junk food and took her health seriously. Her first goal was to become 139 pounds which was half her weight at that time. She said it herself that she hated being underestimated and when she told people she was going to lose weight, they underestimated her which gave her even more motivation to prove them wrong.
Her dad’s support
Ever since she said she wanted to get healthier and lose weight, her father always supported her. When she came home from college after a month since starting her new plan, she visibly lost 20 pounds; her father bought her granola bars instead of chocolates. After graduating in 2014 she became serious about weightlifting.
A new life
Later on in her new healthier life the guy that rejected her apologized for what he did but Rachael says that was the best thing that could’ve happened as it changed her and put her on a better path. After this, she raised enough money to get a $16,000 skin removal surgery to remove her sagging skin from her stomach
Current life
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