Ariana Omipi is one of those people who refuse to give up despite all of the hate that’s coming their way. She has started her weight loss journey in 2012 and has continued fighting the good fight even when toxic low-lives were attacking her online. The results, however, speak for themselves. Not only the numbers are down, Ariana’s glowing!

Image credits: eatswithari

At her heaviest, the 24-year-old weighed around 285 pounds (130 kg), but since 11 months ago she’d lost a staggering 150 pounds (68 kg). “I’ve always been happy and satisfied with how I looked, however, I realized that my body was not in a healthy place and therefore wanted to change,” Ariana told Bored Panda. “This has been an ever-evolving journey from 2012 where I have been constantly working on it to be as healthy as possible. Change doesn’t happen overnight.”

Image credits: eatswithari

“The first changes I made were making sure I was in a healthy place with my mental health,” she said. “I believe that if you have a negative mindset or you’re wanting to lose weight purely for aesthetics then it’ll be hard to maintain. Once I was in a good place with my mental health I began seeking experts in their field to getting me where I wanted to be.”

At first, she started a keto (low carb) diet. “However, that wasn’t something that was sustainable for me as I had a constant feeling of hunger. So, I found other solutions to eliminate the root cause and have a sustainable weight loss and healthy eating regime.”

Image credits: eatswithari

But internal factors aside, Ariana has also had the ‘privilege’ of dealing with trolls. You see, she has been posting her journey on Instagram, and there were a few people who wanted to bring her down. “Online criticism and sharing my weight loss journey publicly was definitely difficult at times. There’s a lot of jealousy or misjudgment that was directed towards me and people are often cruel with their words so I took that tough.”

Image credits: arianaomipi

But she pulled through. Her next challenge was a gastric sleeve surgery. It’s a weight-loss procedure in which the stomach is reduced by surgically removing a large portion of it along the greater curvature. “This was me, […] unposed, raw and vulnerable in my hospital bed moments after surgery. I lay unconscious and unresponsive like this for 4 hours before my eyes opened. My boyfriend took this photo of me in shock as he’d never seen me like this.  I wanted to share this side of my journey because Gastric Sleeve Surgery is not glamorous nor is it a decision that is made lightly. Those who choose this path are in serious need of change. In most cases, to even be considered for Gastric Sleeve Surgery you will have a BMI of over 40 which is classed as morbidly obese. There are significant risks in the surgery alone – death, stomach leaks, internal bleeding, blood clots which could lead to a heart attack or stroke not to mention the risk of complications that can occur longer term. When I first chose to speak about my journey publicly, I promised to honestly and openly share my journey with you all. I often share an incredibly positive approach to my journey because that’s just the kind of person I am and the vibe I want to release  In saying that, I don’t want anyone to have the impression (whether you’re considering having this surgery or whether you’re just watching along in support) that this is an easy solution to weight loss or a way to get that ‘Instagram bod.’ I chose to make this decision because I wanted to prioritise my health so I could live a long and fulfilling life and any other positive changes are just a bonus. It’s going to take a lot of hard work, at times pain and lifestyle changes to conquer,” she wrote on Instagram.

Image credits: arianaomipi

“4 weeks since starting my journey and one week post surgery. I started at a weight of 277 pounds (125.5 kg) and managed to lose 16.75 pounds (7.6 kg) in the 3 weeks pre-op. Following the surgery, after the first week, I’m down 13.6 pounds (6.2 kg) post surgery. This is a total of 30.4 pounds (13.8 kg) in the past 4 weeks.”

Image credits: arianaomipi

So far, Ariana hasn’t had any cosmetic surgeries. “I have excess skin in lots of areas of my body and I have had stretch marks all over my stomach particularly,” she said. “I think it’s important to embrace them and wear it with confidence but if you want to minimize their appearance that’s okay too.”

Image credits: arianaomipi

“A year from now you, you will have wished you had started today,” she once wrote on Instagram. “Don’t underestimate how much transformation can occur in just one year but in order for transformation to happen you must be dedicated and committed to making the change and trying every option there is to get to where you need to be, even when it fails or you’re pushed back a few steps. I invested a lot into myself and my health one year ago and I’m reaping the rewards of it now as I celebrate one year later! It makes me so excited for the next year of transformation and growth.”

Image credits: arianaomipi

“Over the years, my weight has been something I’ve worked really really hard on. My discipline, determination and lifestyle changes have helped me to achieve significant weight loss in the past however my constant hunger is something that has made maintaining a healthy weight incredibly difficult. Within the last 5 years, I have lost, maintained, gained, lost and gained weight. This has been exhausting, physically and emotionally.”

Image credits: eatswithari

Image credits: arianaomipi

“This is me in the same pair of size 16 jeggings, 4 months apart with over 77-pound (35 kg) difference. This week I gained 2.2 pounds (1 kg) and to most people, it would be a failure or disappointment but throughout this journey, my body has changed every single week! What I remind myself is how far I’ve come and to keep on track by implementing my daily habits for my new healthy lifestyle!”

Image credits: eatswithari

Image credits: arianaomipi

“Change can be scary but you know what’s worst? Allowing fear to stop you from growing, progressing and evolving I’m loving myself as I was, as I am and where I’m going.”

Image credits: eatswithari

Image credits: arianaomipi

Image credits: arianaomipi

Image credits: arianaomipi

“It’s always hard when you’re constantly working on self love to have people critiquing your body, loose skin and sometimes even your happiness. But I know that there are those of you out there who are going through the same journey as me, who have had VSG or who are working on self love. I believe it’s so important to focus on your own individual journey but also to celebrate every single milestone you hit whether that’s a weight loss goal, fitting a goal outfit or even just recognising how far you’ve come mentally.”

Image credits: arianaomipi

Image credits: arianaomipi

“Just a friendly reminder that loose skin, stretch marks, belly rolls and cellulite are completely normal for lots of women – including me! They may not be obvious at every angle and they can look different depending on the light but they exist! I’m not afraid to show them because having them doesn’t change any part of the person I am. I know that when I look back on this photo, I’ll remember the fun time I had lounging out in the sun and swimming with my friends. I believe the more we talk about these things along with practising self love and acceptance (no matter what our bodies look like) the more comfortable we can all feel with ourselves.”

Image credits: eatswithari

Image credits: eatswithari

Image credits: eatswithari

Image credits: arianaomipi

Image credits: eatswithari

Image credits: eatswithari

Image credits: eatswithari

Image credits: eatswithari

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