School bullies called me 'whale' - so I lost HALF my bodyweight using a simple at-home method that cost nothing
Jessica Turner, 20, shed an incredible 8st 3lb after deciding she had had enough of taunting by cruel fellow pupils.
Though admitting she was always 'chubby', Jessica said she piled on the pounds after turning to junk food for comfort whilst at school.
This, combined with no exercise, saw the 5ft 3in student from Caterham, Surrey eventually tip the scales at 16st 5lb and balloon to a size 18.
Jessica says she was picked on by classmates for her weight, with some branding her 'too slow' when walking up stairs, while others dubbed her a 'whale'.
So when the Covid lockdown hit in 2020, Jessica decided to take things into her own hands.
The then-15-year-old began doing daily at-home YouTube workouts by watching videos from fitness influencers Joe Wicks and Chloe Ting.
She also cut out junk food from her diet - instead focusing on eating enough protein.
Now a size six, weighing 8st 2lbs and a successful fitness influencer herself, Jessica says she's had the last laugh—as cruel lads who tormented her at school now slide into her Instagram DMs but don't get any reply.
'Throughout my life I had been quite a chubby girl and struggled with my weight so until that point I didn't know what it felt like to feel confident in my body,' said Jessica.
'I looked at food as a source of comfort. I had very low self-esteem so I didn't like going out very much.
'I looked in the mirror and never really felt beautiful.
'Covid hit and everything shut down and I thought "I've got an opportunity to better myself and I have a lot of time on my hands".
'It started with home workouts on YouTube and I started learning lots about nutrition, I watched Joe Wicks and Chloe Ting.
'Once it started, I fell in love with the process and once you start seeing results it gets easier.
'I was 105kg [16st 5lbs], so my health was on the line.
'I was bigger than my mum and most people in my family. I felt so miserable in myself that I didn't really care what I was eating.'
Not only did the weight affect University of Exeter student Jessica's health, but also her social life.
Jessica said: '[At school] people would make comments like I was walking up the stairs 'too slowly', I had someone call me a whale before.
'They would laugh at me. I never felt like anybody found me attractive and people would pick on me in class because I was a bigger girl.
'A lot of boys I found as well will only respect girls that they find attractive
'My old classmates follow me on Instagram now, which feels a bit weird - almost scary - because they never really paid me any attention before.
'Then you have guys trying to speak to me [on Instagram] and I'm like 'no, I still remember what you did'.
'I never really got any male attention before uni.
'I haven't had any long-term relationships but I'm very career oriented so I'm prioritising that.
'My confidence has definitely increased physically and mentally. If I hadn't gone through my weight-loss journey, I wouldn't be at a Russell group uni and I wouldn't be studying law.
'People 100% treat me differently, even on the street.
'When you're a bigger girl people don't respect you as much. I never had someone hold the door open for me, but as a girl now I get that all the time.'
Previously, Jessica would regularly eat calorie-laden foods including pizza.
But now the trim influencer prioritises eating high-protein diet with minimal junk food - but urges people aiming to lose weight to not be 'scared' of eating.
Jessica said: 'You can do anything, it's a case of being willing to take that plunge and accept you need change.
'I looked a lot smaller but I had loose skin on my arms and legs, my inner thighs in particular.
'Only when I started weightlifting did I start to tone up and build muscle. I haven't looked back since.
'A typical day of eating would be cereal in the morning, at school it would be pizza or a muffin, then after school I'd probably go to the bakery down the road, and then at dinner it would be normal home-cooked food like a pasta bake.
'I used to eat lots of cakes and chocolate because it would give me short-time gratification.
'I had veg but after school I would do a little Tesco shop and get a bag of sweets and chocolates.
'Now I make sure I eat at least five fruits and veg every day, I have a protein goal I hit every day I eat over the government-recommended amount which is 2,000 calories a day.
'You don't have to be scared of eating, you can achieve your goals without starving yourself. I focus on balanced meals, which will fuel my workouts.
'I want to share my journey not just to celebrate how far I've come, but to inspire others - to show that no matter where you start, it's possible to rise, grow, and achieve what once felt out of reach. If I can do it, so can you.'
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