I believe my mental battle was much worse prior to the weight loss journey than during it.
I went through a pretty bad cycle of depression for 2-3 years, which contributed to the weight gain.
I wanted to stay in bed as much as possible.
Once I got going, I started seeing the weight come off.
Being active made me feel much better overall.
I also felt more attractive, which was a huge win.
My overall motivation and energy levels increased.
I want to be more active and spend more time outdoors.
For me personally, I have to reach a point where I absolutely dislike the way I look in order to get into a cycle of weight loss.

Over the years, I have gained the weight back and repeated the cycle. However, now that I’m building better eating and training habits, I believe I can keep making progress.
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Going through my divorce wasn't easy.
I wanted to get back on track, gain self-confidence, and look good.
This was a huge motivation for me to finally get up and take action.
Mentally, I think the biggest change came from the increased physical activity.
Being outside, going for walks, and spending time in the gym—anywhere I could focus on improving myself instead of thinking about bad thoughts—was huge.
This is what I chose this time instead of staying in bed and feeling sad about everything.
Depression is no joke; it's a difficult and complex situation that’s hard to overcome.
But I did overcome it.
Every day, I show up for myself and my own improvement. I feel much better.
Only when you have a healthy relationship with yourself can you start building something with someone else. It’s a golden yet simple rule: Love yourself first.