By Kate Harrold
THIS WOMAN was so ashamed that she couldn’t keep up with her ‘fit’ husband that she started fasting for one-hundred-and-sixty-hours a week – and has lost so much weight people don’t even believe her ID card is hers.
YouTuber, Rachel Sharp-Olsen (27), from Lees Summit, Missouri, USA, consumed cheap meals for much of her young adult life but this lack of nutrition meant that by age 23, Rachel weighed 16st 12lbs and was a UK dress size 22. After a two-mile hike with her boyfriend, Ian (26), left Rachel out of breath and unable to make it back to the car, she decided that things needed to change.
Over the space of 14-months, Rachel was able to lose 7st 10lb of fat after she adopted an intermittent fasting lifestyle. The weight-loss method focuses on when you eat more so than what you eat – although both are important.
Bullies once called Rachel ‘fat’ and ‘ugly,’ but now following her weight loss, many instead compliment her new appearance. Rachel is now a UK dress size-eight and weighs 10st 5lb.
“I do alternate day fasting so I go anything from thirty-eight to forty hours without food. It has so many benefits including reversing type-two diabetes and lowering blood sugar,” Rachel said.
“I haven’t found it to be dangerous at all and regularly seek medical advice on the safety of my weight loss.
“I used to reach for the cheapest foods which aren’t always the healthiest. On top of that, I didn’t do a lot of exercise. I had a hard time loving my body and myself. I felt unworthy and unlovable.
“My boyfriend – now husband – and I went on a two-mile hike and I felt as if I wouldn’t survive. By the time we finished, I was sore, tired, and miserable. I couldn’t make it back to the car.
“I felt so ashamed as my husband is fit so it was easy for him. It wasn’t where I wanted to be at twenty-three years old.
“A typical day for me used to include pancakes, waffles, burgers, pizza, chips, and pasta. Now I eat oats, salad, tuna wraps, and chicken or steak with a side salad and veggies.”
Whilst Rachel still struggles with body dysmorphia, bullies no longer criticise her, and Rachel has received an outpouring of support from her 62,000 YouTube subscribers.
“I still struggle with body dysmorphia as I tend to be hard on myself but I want to be the best me I can be,” Rachel said.
“I used to get a lot of nasty comments growing up. Once, I walked in on someone I had a crush on. I caught them mid-sentence as they said ‘her face is okay but her body is …’ which made me feel low.
“Losing weight has been the best thing I’ve ever done for my health and happiness. I feel better physically and mentally. I’m no longer shy and reserved.
“People now tell me how proud they are of my journey or how amazing I look. Sometimes I even get questioned about my driver’s license as I look so different in the picture.
“My favourite compliment is about how much happier I look. You have to work hard and stay dedicated. You can feel like giving up your weight loss journey if you don’t see results quickly, but the slower you lose it, the longer you will keep it off.”
