Since last year, I’ve been trying to lose weight for different reasons. When I try to film myself in front of the camera, I feel bad because I look unpleasing. I look fat from any angle, especially when I look downward. My cheeks are puffed, and some of my clothes no longer fit because of my weight. That’s one reason, but the main reason I set this goal is my upcoming graduation photo.

Elementary to Senior High School Photos

This is just a collage of my photos from elementary to senior high school. When I was in sixth grade, I was very fat and already weighed 50 kilos at the age of 11. If we use the Body Mass Index with a height of 137 centimeters, I was obese at that time.

When I was in seventh grade, I lost a lot of weight since I barely ate dinner or didn’t eat at all. I still remember that my father’s suspension from work was also a major reason for that. I needed to reduce our spending, and I remember only having ₱20 as my allowance before. Fortunately, I managed to maintain my food intake and physical activity. I remember practicing for festivals, cheer dance, or other performance tasks.

When I was in senior high school, the pandemic hit, and I barely exercised. I also chose to eat a lot of food as a small reward for my hard work. Whenever I achieved something, I often went to fast-food chains or similar places. That’s why I gained weight again, and I admit that I was undisciplined.

Now that I’m already in college and graduating in the next few months, I’m slowly losing weight again. I’m not saying I’m thin, but I’ve made great progress. During my second to third year, I admit that I gained a lot of weight because of stress eating. Since I’m currently in vacation mode, I’ve focused more on my physical glow-up.

Did I try to diet before?

I’ve tried to diet before, but I wasn’t consistent. When I was a sophomore, I remember eating a lot because I was stressed with academic stuff. During review sessions, I loved eating chocolate because it helped boost my memory. I also drank a lot of 3-in-1 coffee (3–4 times a day), especially when I had a part-time online job. It was stressful, but my efforts were worth it. I’m now using this vacation to take care of myself.

Why lose weight even if it’s only for a graduation picture?

That’s a good question. Whenever I go to the town proper, I see many tarpaulins of students who graduated with Latin honors. Since I’m also aiming for that achievement, I want to look better in the tarpaulin. Imagine your parents displaying your face in front of your gate or during the celebration. I don’t want to look bad at all.