“I knew to even have a future, I had to change.”

A 34-year-old, obese, Australian woman has shed 82 kilos on a vegan diet after binge eating and a fast-food addition made her tip the scales at 167kg and reach a size 26 in clothing.

Kirsty Young, from Geelong, Victoria, has also reversed her weight related health complications including aching joints and high sugar levels as well as overcome feelings of low self-esteem, “self-shame and the constant unhappiness that comes with it.”

Recounting her weight loss journey, Young, who works as a Manager Census 2021 at the Australian Bureau of Statistics, said her weight started ballooning soon after graduation because of her addiction to eating at McDonald’s or KFC while returning home from work.

 “It got out of control when I graduated from university and got a desk job,” Daily Mail reports.” I was sitting for eight or more hours a day, and I’d secretly binge on fast food when I wasn’t in a good headspace.”

She added: “On my bad days I would go through several drive-thrus and order multiple takeaway meals. I was so ashamed of myself, I’d eat it all in secret.”

Young admitted she gained a whopping 40 kg within a year of graduating, and this weight gain led to a vicious cycle of more emotional binge eating as she became increasingly self-conscious of her growing size.

Soon, Young started having health issues and in her late 20’s, she was diagnosed with pre-diabetes, aching joints, and other complications.

“I couldn’t even comfortably fit into a train seat on my morning commute. I switched to part time work because I couldn’t keep up with life. I carried a lot of self-shame and the constant unhappiness that comes with it,” Young said.

However, a will to change motivated Young to swap her high calorie fast-food binges for a healthy vegan diet, rich in nutritious fresh fruits, vegetables and wholesome carbs and she also opted for a gastric sleeve surgery in August, 2016, to help her shed the excess weight.

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Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything – George Bernard Shaw – I genuinely thought it was my lot in life to just exist. I took so many days off work I would chew through my yearly allowance of sick leave within a couple of months. I felt so useless. I just wanted to hide away from the world. – These feelings continued to manifest. With every kilogram I gained it was another step into despair. The food I was consuming wasn’t fuelling a healthy mind, the same way it wasn’t fuelling a healthy body. I didn’t hate myself, but I really hated the life I was living. I resented myself for letting me get to that point. – While I didn’t hate myself, I didn’t really love myself either. Perhaps if I had I wouldn’t have ended up at 167kgs and in a long term relationship with my couch. – I don’t know what spark flickered inside me, but I’m so glad I found that one little scrap of self love that recognised that I wasn’t too far gone. That I could change and that I deserved that change. That I was worthy of living a life that makes me happy. – This self love thing is still something I’m working on and this side by side kinda sums it up perfectly. I’m already 30kgs down in the before pic because I couldn’t bring myself to take any at the very start of my weight loss journey. I still couldn’t even include my face for fear someone might see the photos. To be fair, I’m not entirely comfortable on the right either. Losing weight doesn’t make you instantly more comfortable in your own skin. It doesn’t magically change how you see yourself. But my mind is a work in progress and it’s a progress that I’m so proud of. – I’ll continue this progress. To honour my mind along with my body and to nourish them both with the love they deserve ❤️ . . . . . . . . . #transformationtuesday #beforeandafter #whatveganslooklike #weightlosstransformation #vsg #weightlossjourney2020 #fitnessjourney #mentalhealth #healthjourney #wlstories @wlstories #weightlossjourney #selflove #vsgvegan #motivationalquote #sidebyside #beforeandafterweightloss #healthyliving #extremeweightloss

A post shared by Little Audrey // Kirsty (@littleaudrey) on Jan 27, 2020 at 8:58pm PST

“I knew to even have a future, I had to change,” Young said.

While the surgery has removed 80% of her stomach, Young clarified that “it doesn’t magically fix everything.”

 “You can still eat excessive calories, it doesn’t make you exercise or heal your head and the reasons you became morbidly obese in the first place,” she added.

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The comeback is always stronger than the setback If I couldn’t be stopped at 167kgs I sure can’t be now 80+kgs lighter 💪 When you overcome a struggle, overcome a setback, you inevitably become a stronger version of you. Time, experience, wisdom all play their part in that. You could almost describe 2020 as one big setback for me personally. Especially when it comes to exercise. With revision surgery in February, followed by covid lockdown 1.0 I’ve been out of my fitness routine for six months. And when it comes to exercise, routine is what works for me. I rarely have the motivation to go to the gym. I’m great at keeping my word though and that’s why I have a PT or go to classes. Because if I commit to going then I will be there. That doesn’t work so much in iso. But that’s okay. I’ve comeback before and know I’ll comeback again. I’d already started back at the gym over the past few weeks so I know I can do it. In the mean time I’ll move my body if/when/how I can. I may lose strength, my weight may fluctuate. But my body is doing its best to carry me through a global pandemic, how amazing is that? Lockdown 2.0 may be a setback, but just you wait til Comeback 2.0. It’s going to be great. Don’t forget to be kind to yourself, be kind to your body. Do the best that you can within the limitations we’ve been given. Stay home, stay safe and reach out if you need. We got this and one day we’ll comeback stronger than ever 💪 . . . . . . . . #beforeandafter #whatveganslooklike #vsg #rny #weightlosssurgery #transformationtuesday #beforeandafter @wlstories #wlstories #weightlosstransformation2020 #healthjourney #lockdown2.0 #iso #wls #wlscommunity #bekind #vegansofmelbourne #extremeweightloss #veganfit #iamabariatricpatient #health #progress #strength #selflove #transformation

A post shared by Little Audrey // Kirsty (@littleaudrey) on Aug 4, 2020 at 5:03am PDT

Apart from eating a wholesome vegan diet, Young started working out attending Zumba classes, and personal training, as well as hiking to achieve her dramatic transformation. Young now weighs a svelte 85kg, size 12 frame.     

She states that her new diet has also improved her skin, mental, and emotional health.

“I love food now, more than ever, but in a much healthier way,” Young concluded.

• Read: A plant-based diet could save your family $1,800 per year, new study finds

 Share this story to let others know about the health benefits of going vegan.

Mohsina Dodhiya

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