Please introduce yourself to our readers (i.e. your name, occupation, hobbies, etc.).

My name is Sherlianne Osepa. I am 22 years old, from Curacao. Curaçao is an island in the Caribbean. I live in Mexico at the moment, because I am a full time medicine student there.   I really love to sing and write songs. Exercising is also my passion.

See how a 22-year old from Curacao went from 352 lbs to 224 lbs and still has fitness goals….
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What sparked your weight-loss transformation journey?

I was always obese. Since I was little I was rejected by several people. I was always the mockery of the people. I was pointed out many times to be “the fat one” and suffered a lot for that cause.  I lived in the dark, afraid to leave the house and afraid of what people might say.  Many times I tried to lose weight with several diets, but I always gave up. I ended up eating more and gained weight very fast.  I was just tired of how I felt, I was tired of myself. I wasn’t happy at all. I even had suicidal thoughts at some point of my life.  One day after losing my best friends, after a bad relationship I decided that I need to take control of my life, because no one else will do it for me.  I changed my lifestyle completely and there is no turning back!!

What was your beginning and current weight or measurements?

My highest weight was 352 lbs.
My start weight was 288 lbs
My current weight is 224 lbs
My goal weight is 143 lbs

How long did it take for your weight-loss transformation from beginning to end?

It took me 2 and a half years from the beginning till now.  One year and a half I was doing diets on off on off, but in the beginning of 2018 I started with my healthy lifestyle

Which physical activities did you participate in during your journey?

I went to gym and I am still hitting the gym 5 times a week.

How did your eating habits change?

I went from eating a lot to small portions in specific times. Due to my depression I was always a binge eater. So I was basically eating the whole time and a lot of things. Now I do not let my feelings affect what and how much I eat.

What do you typically eat for breakfast, lunch, snacks and dinner?

For breakfast I have my smoothie. I just love smoothies and it is so easy to make. As a medicine student, I am looking for easy stuff that doesn’t take so much time.  I love strawberry smoothies. I just put unsweetened almond milk with some frozen strawberries, 1 tablespoon of sugar, and that is my breakfast.   For lunch I prepare an omelet.  I do it with 2 eggs, onions, spinach and some cheese.  For dinner I eat vegetables with meat, chicken or fish. I meal prep every Sunday, so that I can stay on track with my meals during the week.

What do you do now to maintain your physique?

I do a lot of exercise.. I go to the gym 5 times a week at least 1 hour and a half. When I have exams or school work, I’ll go for like 1 hour. But I try not to skip gym for anything!!

How did you develop and sustain the willpower to avoid the bad stuff (i.e. junk food, bad drinks, lack of activity, etc.)?

I just keep my goals in front of me. I know where I wanna go, and I just tell myself: “Shelly you can do it”. I started my instagram account, where I share my Journey. By motivating others, I also motivate myself.

What advice do you have for someone looking to get started with their fitness journey but not sure where to begin?

When you start a Fitness Journey, you need to know what you are doing it for. You need to have a goal. Believe me, doing it for others are not the right reasons. Do it for you, do it for your health, do it for your happiness. Once you know what you are working for, you will find 1 million of ways to do it. Besides that, there are a lot of material on the internet, where you can find a lot of ideas. I always say this: “If you really want something, you will find the way”.

What do you think is the biggest misconception about this journey?

People seeing weight loss as a diet. People wanna do fast diets, so that they can lose weight fast. I think the best way is changing your lifestyle. Do not do it for a certain of time only, do it for ever. You can lose the weight, but after that, can you keep it off?

Do you have any fitness inspirations? Who are they?

Yes of course! I follow fatgirlfedup, getfitwjessica and ioana_fit on instagram. These people are amazing

How can readers learn more about your transformation and journey online (i.e. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc.)?

I have a Instagram account: @sheely16.  I try to share most of the things I do daily. My goal is to be an inspiration to others. I want people to know that they are not alone in this, and that we all struggle, but with perseverance and determination, you can always reach to your goal!!