My complex relationship with food began early. As a teenager, I went on my first diet. Growing up, food variety was limited, treats were restricted, and finishing your plate was expected. At the same time, being slim was the social norm.

For years, I cycled through dieting and exercise—sometimes gaining 3kg, sometimes 5kg, sometimes 10kg. To the outside world, small weight fluctuations might seem insignificant, but when food takes up 80% of your thoughts, it controls your life. You love food, you hate food, you feel guilty about it. You wish you could focus your energy elsewhere, but instead, everything revolves around food.

At times, I structured my life to avoid temptation. I’d leave early for work so I could hit the gym in the evening, ensuring I had little time at home near the fridge. Other times, circumstances made control impossible. As a single mother at home with my child, my weight crept up. Sleepless nights, emotional exhaustion, and stress took over. I felt guilty, unattractive, and stuck.

I was always active—at my peak, I practically lived at the gym, training six days a week for hours. But I learned first hand what so many people misunderstand: Exercise, Mounjaro or Ozempic won’t make you lose weight long term if food is your coping mechanism.

At 30, while studying psychology, I used CBT and lost 13kg in three months. It worked, and I felt like I had finally cracked the code. Again it was another method - not any different to exercise or injection. The fix was great, but it was temporary. Over couple of months I gained weight back.

Later on in life I tried everything—structured exercise and diet plans, Keto for nearly a year, therapy specifically for weight issues, working with dietitians. Nothing lasted.

But why there are so many success stories you, including the one you see above? It is me in 2023 and 2025. It took me 6 months in 2023 to lose 22kg, without any injections or crazy exercising. We do see a lot of before and after photos, but we do not follow these people for 5 years. According to statistics, it is when 95% of people gain all the weight back, often with surplus. It is survivorship bias, you can’t see my life history behind these 2 photos, but I am sharing it with you. There were many failures before I got to success or I would like to say to a stable remission. I still live with my food struggles, but they are significantly less impactful, I am much happier than I was, I stopped feeling guilt and disgust and made piece with food. I understood what impacts my weight, how to deal with emotions without food and how to manage it without diets, suffering and guilt. Exhausting exercises and living in the gym are also were not necessary.