Laura Bello, 50, struggled with her weight on and off for most of her life. Her issues never majorly affected her health, but she began not feeling like herself when she spent seven consecutive years pregnant and breastfeeding.

“My mental health deteriorated immensely, not just because I lost my legs, but because I lost my life,” Diaz said. “I was very worried about what my future would look like.”

“I couldn’t make it through the park when we went to Disney. Most of my weight was in my belly and I would get horrendous backaches and leg pain. I couldn’t cook a whole meal for my family without sitting to rest. My husband and I were fighting because I was so angry and miserable.”

“I was always on the heavier side,” she said. “I always felt left out, and it was such a traumatic experience for me. Clothes did not fit me, and I hardly wanted to go out.”

Danies was so focused on transforming his body, and would look up workout videos and recipes online.

On January 24, 2018, Dunn had gastric sleeve surgery, a weight-loss procedure where part of the stomach is removed.

At her heaviest, Martinez weighed 286 pounds, and was diagnosed with high blood pressure by the time she was 34-years-old. Her weight also caused other health problems, including back pain and shortness of breath.

While 35-year-old Juliette Accius was always active, she struggled to maintain a healthy weight. When she lost her brother to suicide in 2016 and then lost her sister a year later, stress and grief magnified the issue.

The time had come for Mike Llanes to courageously take his life back. He wanted to wear a pant size less than 68, fit into sneakers again, and stand without pain deep in his bones. Llanes, 28, wanted to live again, have people see him and not his weight.