Hi. My name is Jessie. I am 27 years old. I have been strugling with my weight issues for 8 years now and I am about 115 pounds overweight.

I started gaining weight after I graduated from high school when I became ill and had to take several medications in order to function, one of which was a very high dose of steriods. The steroids I had to take for over one year had many bad side effects, the main of which was increased hunger. When I graduated from high school, I was in the 140 - 150 pounds range. After I started taking the steroids, my hunger increased ten fold and I ended up putting on over 50 pounds in the course of a year and a half.

After I was able to completely come off of the steroids, my weight continued to go up because my stomach was stretched out by this point and I was used to eating larger portions during every meal and snack time. Over the next 6 years, I have continued to eat unhealthy foods in large amounts and have continued to gain weight at a rapid rate.

Over time, I have balloned up to 269 pounds (in August 2012). I am now obese. I am the fattest I have ever been and I am ashamed of how I look and feel. Over the last 8 years, I have tried numerous times to lose weight. Each time, I either lose some weight and gain it right back or I don't stick with the diet for more than a few days. I need to change. I want to lose weight not only to become more healthy, but to also be able to start living again. My weight holds me back both professionally and personally. I need and want to make this change in my life.