Got a success story of your own? Send it to us at success.stories@huffingtonpost.com and you could be featured on the site!
Name: Stevie Cone
Age: 16
Height: 5'6"
Before Weight: 270 pounds
How I Gained It: I never really "gained" the weight -- I've been overweight my whole entire life. My eating habits were just terrible -- I didn't care what I put in my body.
Breaking Point: My seventh and eighth grade years were the worst years in school for me. There were three guys who would make fun of me for my weight. I remember a kid would call me "baker", asking how many rolls do I have in the kitchen. It killed me when he would scream this down the hall. I would come home crying, which hurt my mom's heart. She hated seeing me upset. I tried to resolve this problem with violence. When the kid would constantly make fun of me in front of everyone, I pushed him, hoping it would make him stop, but it didn't. I knew violence wasn't the answer. The only answer was to lose weight.
How I Lost It: In the past six months I have lost 100 pounds, and it feels unreal. I eat fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish, chicken and nuts, and only foods that I know the ingredients in.
I am also a fitness fanatic; I love it. I work out every day and a few months ago I started running. Never in my life would I have imagined myself as a runner. I remember in middle school doing the mile run; for me, it should have been called the mile walk, since I wasn't able to run. I was just so out of shape. Now I am running five miles a day, I can't believe it. Running just relieves all my stress and clears out the thoughts in my mind.
Viewing how I was in the past compared to now, it's like I am a completely different person. I would have so much anxiety I wouldn't even want to get up in class to sharpen my pencil. Now when I get called up to the board I want people to look at me and see how much I have accomplished. When my friends would ask me to go to the mall or movies I'd always cancel because I felt depressed. Now I am the one who always wants to go out and meet new people.
My friends and especially my family have been so supportive during this journey. My parents and sisters have been pushing me to do my best, and every day I would receive a positive compliment from them. My mom says this has always been her dream, to see me healthy and joyful. She is just grateful it came true, as am I. My sister Cara says seeing how happy I am now makes her happy. I no longer have anger like I did that day, I am carefree and calm.
Knowing that some girls in my school look at me as inspiration makes me feel on top of the world. When they ask me how I did it, I tell them everything I know, in hopes that one day they too can accomplish anything they put their mind to. For my future career, I want to become a trainer. I know what people who want to lose weight go through, the struggle, the depression, the sadness. I am here to change that.
I am glad I went through this, because it made me a stronger and more caring person. I know to treat others the way they'd want to be treated and care for other people's feelings. A favorite quote of mine is "Life is too short to wake up with regrets. So love the people who treat you right. Forget about those who don't. Believe everything happens for a reason. If you get a chance, take it. If it changes your life, let it. Nobody said life would be easy, they just promised it would be worth it." Yes, not everything you do in life will be easy, but believe me, it is worth it! If you feel like your goals and dreams in life are impossible to grasp, know that they are not. It might take days, weeks, months or years to make them happen, but with enough determination and motivation they will come true!
After Weight: 169 pounds
Check out more of our inspiring weight loss stories below:
Weight Loss Success Stories
For more on weight loss, click here.