An Adelaide woman has revealed the “embarrassing” moment that sparked her to completely overhaul her life after weighing 117kg.
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Charlotte Snelgrove, 25, struggled with he weight from a young age.
She recalled always being the “funny fat girl” at school, a term she said she “had to come to terms with”.
It came to a point where she refused to weigh herself, particularly after her favourite store no longer stocked clothes in her size.
“I just thought to myself if I didn’t know, it can’t be that bad.”
However, in 2017 when she was 21 years old, Charlotte said she needed to undergo an operation to have her tonsils removed and it was that moment her life changed.
“I had to weigh myself during pre-op — a protocol before undergoing any surgery — and I couldn’t believe what I saw on the scales — it shocked me,” Charlotte told news.com.au
“I was embarrassed and angry that I had let myself get to 117kg.
“I was with my mum when I saw the numbers on the scales. Mum and I looked at each other and we both cried. I knew it then that something had to be done as I couldn’t fathom seeing that number again.”
Charlotte, a registered nurse from Adelaide, said there was no consistency when it came to her eating habits and “absolutely no structure”.
“I loved everything from chocolate and lollies to pizza and pasta. I ate what I wanted, when I wanted,” she said.
She said she binged to the point of feeling nauseas and would get up again the next day and do it all over again.
“Don’t get me wrong, I ate regular meals at times but I never went a day without eating over sized portions of fast food, cakes and bakery.”
“My brain didn’t have the ability to know when to stop, it was almost abuse.”
After coming to terms with being overweight, Charlotte made the decision to overhaul her eating habits one week after recovering from her operation.
She joined Lite n’ Easy, telling news.com.au the biggest challenge was having to drop her calorie intake.
“I couldn’t see a finish line in front of me,” she said. “Nonetheless, I did it.”
Charlotte went on to lose an incredible 50kg over two and a half years.
She added that it mostly came down to her nutrition and working an active job — which in more recent times has meant doing a whopping 19,000 steps in just one shift due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“I still enjoy chocolates and a pepperoni pizza, but it’s all about moderation. I make healthy decisions for the most part without depriving myself from foods I enjoy. Balance is key,” she said.
The 25-year-old said she has also recently incorporated weights training into her new lifestyle where she will try and go to the gym four times a week, depending on her shifts.
“One of the biggest difficulties I didn’t expect was the mental strength that came with such a drastic transformation,” Charlotte said.
“I wake up every day excited for the day, feeling energetic and filled with self-love is honestly a feeling of pure empowerment. You look forward to photos rather than shy away from them.”
Charlotte said her new found confidence also helped her find love.
“I am very independent and happy to be on my own, but I have found the love of my life, my soul late,” she said,
“One of my colleagues who I have known for years, introduced me to her brother and we’ve now moved in together and are wanting to have a baby — it’s crazy.”
Charlotte said when you feel better in yourself, it shows on the outside without you realising.
“I still look in the mirror and don’t recognise myself sometimes, its all worth it for that feeling, life is all about growth and bettering yourself.”
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