Got a success story of your own? Send it to us at success.stories@huffingtonpost.com and you could be featured in our I Lost Weight series!
Name: RC Stabile
Age: 25
Height: 5'7"
Before Weight: 260 pounds
How I Gained It: I believe it started when my parents got a divorce when I was in elementary school. I gained weight from there due to my use of food as a healer when I was depressed or sad. I was comfortable being the fat, funny kid, which was probably the saddest part. I would eat when I was sad, bored, happy or angry. All emotions led to me eating, and nothing satisfied the pain more than something high in fat and calories.
Breaking Point: Upon graduating with my masters, I took a job in sunny Florida. My mother, a registered nurse, came to visit and was highly concerned with my weight. She encouraged me to check my blood pressure on a machine at a local grocery store. The numbers astonished us both: I was in the "very high" category and on my way to a very short-lived life. That following week I went to the doctor, and he confirmed I was on my way to diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
How I Lost It: On the way home from the doctor's, I downloaded a mobile app to track my food. I committed to tracking every day, and I started walking my dog a mile a day. As I got used to that, I took a leap and tried out a Spinning class. I quickly fell in love with the atmosphere and started going two to three times a week. As I lost weight I was asked to teach a class. I ended up becoming certified and now teach twice a week. Once I lost the first 30 pounds I started running, and I just recently completed a 10-mile Disney run. I partnered my food tracking and exercise with a meal replacement shake, and I am now down four pant sizes and four shirt sizes and feel amazing. I have always been educated, somewhat funny and now I get to add my most valued title -- athlete. I've committed to a 10K in February and two half-marathons next year. I'm also a health coach now, and love to assist others with their weight loss.
Current Weight: 175 Pounds
The Huffington Post publishes photographs as they are submitted to us by our readers.
Check out more of our inspiring weight loss stories below:
Weight Loss Success Stories
For more on weight loss, click here.