The person in these two photos are completely changed, and it’s not because of the 250 pound difference between them.

The guy on the left is me in 2010. He’s about 400 pounds, and despite the wacky face in the picture, he feels incredibly lonely. He has no confidence, is incredibly harsh on himself and thinks that he needs to lose weight in order to be worth something to the world.

This is the important distinction.
I’ve lose half my body weight in the past six years, but the most important thing I’ve learned to do is love myself. Though dropping the pounds made my body fitter and stronger, learning to take care of my mental and emotional health is what really saved my life.

I’m proud of the person I am and the things I’ve gone through, but whether you’re 100 pounds or 500 pounds, I want you to know that your size does not define you.

You are beautiful, you are important, and you can do incredible things.
Growth and change is healthy and natural. It’s a part of life. All that matters is that any decisions or changes you make, you make out of self love and not out of shame.