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Weight Lost: Determined Teen Loses 40 Pounds In 7 Months, But She Isn't Done Yet

"I tried to pass off that I was proud of myself and what I looked like, but I truly wasn’t."
Katie Hutchinson

Who: Katie Hutchinson

Occupation: Clerk/Student

City: St. Catharines, Ont.

Age: 18

By The Numbers: 295 pounds at my heaviest, currently 255 pounds, for a total weight loss of 40 pounds.

The Weight Gain: I was always a heavier child and always the heaviest in my class. My ‘dieting’ started at about 11 — I struggled with starvation and I even tried puking [after meals].

Once I tried cutting out food completely by only drinking water — it was called a water fast. I got up to about seven days on pure water and no food. I passed out quite a bit and I was really lightheaded.

Through it all, I was going through depression and anxiety attacks. I could hardly push myself to strike up conversations with people, or go out in public. I hated posting pictures of myself below the shoulders.

Final Straw: I think the main thing that made me realize that I needed to change my life around was when I was at work, and I bent over and my pants split down the middle. I couldn’t believe how embarrassed I felt, and I knew I had to do something.

The Plan of Attack: I began eating healthier, cutting sugar right out of my diet and using portion control.

It has only been about seven months since I began my journey of weight loss, but I have lost about 40 pounds so far. I lost 20 pounds within my first two months, and gradually lost the next 20 pounds from dieting and exercise.

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The Exercise Factor: I always hated working out, and still do at home, but when I am at the gym, I absolutely love it. I can stay there for an hour easily! For the first few months, I hardly did any extra exercise. The first 20 to 25 pounds was purely eating healthier. The last four months I have been exercising.

I also now have fitness goals. I want to be able to lift more at the gym, I want to lose at least another 60 pounds for an even 100 pounds. I don’t have a very strict time frame, but am trying hard.

I work out about two to three times a week, sometimes more if I am feeling good, but sometimes less. I'm usually there for at least an hour or an hour and a half depending on how I feel.

Currently, I start off by doing 30 minutes of the elliptical, and my gym has a “fit fix”, which is nine machines working all muscle groups — this takes another 30 minutes. Depending on how I feel after that, I will do some extra machines focusing on my core, or the StairMaster, and 10 minutes in the sauna.

The Food Element: I ate more fruits, vegetables, different kinds of products with no sugar like apple butter, almond butter and different types of bread.

I paid no attention to any calories. I would only look at ingredients. If there was sugar in it, I would not eat it. If anything, when I began eating healthier, I was eating more than I was before, just different things.

The Current Day-to-Day: I honestly have a better outlook on life. I’m not negative most of the time and I try to look at the good things of life now.

I never thought I would lose weight, I was always very set in my ways, and I tried to pass off that I was proud of myself and what I looked like, but I truly wasn’t. I’m happy I can go out in public and not feel bad about myself. I still have a long ways to go, but I am trying!

My advice? I think that you should be proud of yourself no matter what, and to never let people tell you that you’re not good enough because you weigh more than someone else. If you are not ready to lose weight, you will never stay true to your diet and exercise. Exercise is important, but eating is probably the number one thing you should focus on. What you put in your body today, fuels your body for tomorrow!

Do you have a weight loss story to share? Send us an email at CanadaLiving@huffingtonpost.com to be featured on our Lost It series.

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