I Gained 20 Lbs One Summer

In the summer of 2017, I moved to LA to pursue a internship at a small museum. Traffic was disgusting. It took an hour to get to work despite only being 7 miles away. By the time I got home, I was too exhausted to cook and always ate out. My favorite place to eat was Fat Sals (in Westwood), which by name, you can imagine what their subs were like. Regardless, in 10 weeks, I gained 20 lbs. 

Being raised in an Asian household, my parents were brutally honest to me. For my birthday this year, they bought me a scale. They are not subtle...

I understand. After being gone for so long, I had a noticeable physical change. However, I never really noticed it until I came home.  I increasingly became self-conscious of my image. Even in hot summers, I wore jeans to mask my thick thighs. I hated the way I looked and put myself in a place of discomfort because I wasn't confident enough.

I tried many different tactics: working out, fasting, calorie counting. Nothing seemed to work. Today, I never lost that weight. 

The thing is, I don't think I really was ever fat. Sure, I'm not skinny like my sister, but somewhere along my journey, I gained my self-confidence. I styled my fashion sense around my body and I love the way I look. Fashion helps give me the confidence I need.

I'm not leading an unhealthy lifestyle. I exercise a bit here and there, I make sure to eat nutritious meals. I feel good, I look good, and that is really all that matters.