KIDS can make the cruellest comments - and one mum resorted to locking herself in the bathroom in tears after her three-year-old son called her "fat".
Schauna Harshman, 35, said she hit "rock bottom" when her son Chase started mocking her weight and decided it was time to make a change after tipping the scales at 21 stone.
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The mum, from North Dakota in the US, explained she always felt like "the fat ugly friend" at school and when she first fell pregnant in 2004, she gained over four stone.
I have memories of being made fun of on the school bus, coming home crying and not wanting to go back," she said.
"I also remember wearing Spanx under my clothes at school while all my friends were skinny and pretty. I was the ugly fat friend."
Revealing how she gorged on fried food, processed meals, takeaways and pasta, Schauna continued to gain weight following her second and third pregnancies, reaching over 21 stone by the time her youngest son Logan was born.
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"I got pregnant at 18 and used that as an excuse to eat and drink whatever I wanted," she continued.
"I gained more than four stone during my first pregnancy. From there I just kept gaining weight with each child.
During my first pregnancy I was eating fast food like Taco Bell and Wendy's, I was obsessed with fries and I was regularly drinking Mountain Dew. Mason was born in October 2004 and as a new mum I most definitely didnt take care of myself.
I was making quick and easy processed meals. I was very uneducated about nutrition as Id grown up eating meat and potatoes, with a lot of canned foods. I never ate anything fresh or homemade, so I carried that on as a mother.
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When I delivered my third son, I was twenty-one stone and one pound, yet he was the smallest baby.
"It was the hardest pregnancy I had because I was hyper aware that I was already big, and my doctor told me that I shouldnt gain too much weight with him.
"I developed high blood pressure while I was pregnant and had a few scares.
"I was also very uncomfortable and had a lot of back and hip pain.
I went from 15 and a half stone in my first pregnancy to over 21 stone at the end of my third.
"With Logan, I was induced three weeks early because of my blood pressure.
I knew people were looking at me, thinking woah, shes big, and Id try to ignore it but couldnt. I didn't leave my house much, if I did, Id wear jeans and hoodies, even in the summer.
It makes me sad that I don't have many pictures with my sons when they were little because I refused to be in them.
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One day, my middle son was making fun of me, calling me fat and laughing about it.
"I was fed up of my weight but to hear my son, who loves me, make fun of me that way, Id had enough. That was my rock bottom.
I was angry and emotional. Of course, he had no idea the impact it had on me as he was only three.
"I remember locking myself in the bathroom and crying. Asking myself how I was going to fix the problem.
I told him that its not funny to call people fat and laugh about it. He could see I was really upset and he felt sad when he saw I was crying."
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At a size 28, the mum says she felt conscious of her weight, but when Chase started to mock her size, enough was enough.
She began researching weight loss surgeries and she decided on a gastric band a band placed around the top of the stomach to make it smaller.
Almost immediately, I began researching weight loss surgery," she said.
"I set up a consultation with a bariatric surgeon and we went over the options.
"I had to do a visit with a personal trainer to learn how working out is important.
"I also had to prove that I could lose some weight before my surgery, which I did! I was 17 stone when I went for surgery."
Schauna lost more than five stone initially, but has also tried numerous diets to encourage her weight loss through nutrition.
Since surgery, the mum has improved her diet and now eats eggs, chicken and turkey for protein, nuts, protein shakes and vegetables with every meal.
Now, Schauna weighs 11st 2lb and is a size 12.
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Having the lap band makes you eat slower, take smaller bites, and you pause in between to make sure your bites pass through the band, so ultimately you end up eating less," she said.
Within a month I joined the gym and I started doing the bike and the cross-trainer.
"I remember only being able to do 10 minutes when I first started, but I was proud of myself for being the big girl at the gym and I wasnt ashamed to be in the gym anymore.
Over the years Ive tried various diets, including shakes, fasting, low carb and keto.
"I lost most of my weight after surgery and through working out. For a good few years I was stuck around 12 stone and knew I had to try something else.
"So, in October 2018 I started a low-carb lifestyle mixed with protein shakes.
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In January 2019 I started the keto lifestyle.
"I spent some time researching and following accounts and decided to give it a try.
"Thats when I made my @lowcarb.godess Instagram account and started documenting my journey.
Through keto I learned that its about maintaining a lifestyle rather than constantly shedding, so I switched to macro counting, which is what Im currently doing and I feel amazing.
My friends and family are so proud of me and Im so thankful for their support.
"Its given me a real drive to keep going and to show people that you can do anything you put your mind to.
"Im a mum-of-three so Im constantly running around after my sons, I work full time and still manage to track my food, eat homemade meals and work out every day.
"Anyone who sees that I can do it can know that they can too.
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In other weight loss news, we told you about the 'secret binge eater who shed 6st after her sister asked her to be her bridesmaid.
We also revealed one mum says her secret to losing 9st was drinking Aldi meal replacement shakes.
And we showed you how to eat McDonalds, Nandos, KFC, Burger King and not ruin your diet.
See more here:
Weight loss: Mum loses half her body weight after being fat-shamed by her three-year-old son - The Sun
