Human bodies come in all shapes and sizes, but it can be difficult to admit when we've let ourselves slip into one extreme or the other.
Those who struggle with being overweight are also often the victims of heartless bullies, like the army wife from Australia who suffered physical and emotional torment as a child, which obviously only makes things worse.
Growing up in Marion, AR, Mallory Manning knew she was bigger than the other girls in her school, but remained in denial about how bad things were getting as she got older, despite several comments at her expense, both kind and cruel. It wasn't until she saw a photo of herself at age 27 that she finally realized just how far her addiction to sweets and fast food caused her to fall.
Luckily, that was also when Mallory found the strength to make a change, rather than continue down the same unhealthy path.
At her heaviest, Mallory weighed 336 pounds and consumed roughly 5,000 calories each day, often sneaking candy into her room to binge on while she watched TV in bed.
She remembers being called a "fat pig" as a child, but still found a way to remain in denial as she continued to over-consume and convince herself that she wasn't "that bad."
Mallory would also put on a brave face around her loved ones, always smiling and appearing cheerful while secretly becoming more and more depressed.
She was also quite active and played softball in school, but couldn't help but feel a slight pang when she was the only team member who needed an extra-large uniform.
Stopping for a bite to eat at fast food restaurants on their way to and from out-of-town games didn't help matters much at all, either.
She was able to avoid the issue until she attended a friend's wedding as a bridesmaid in 2013. Thanks to the wedding photographer, Mallory finally got a good look at how much her body had changed without her realizing it.
All of the excuses she told herself over the years suddenly disappeared as she noticed just how much bigger she was than everyone else around her.
However, instead of hiding away in her room again, she decided to take action and head to the gym.
Although she was too embarrassed to let her friends and family know about her new workout and diet plan, Mallory still headed to the gym every day — she just waited for everyone to fall asleep first.
After two years of diligence, Mallory was able to drop a staggering 160 pounds.
She still has her dress from that friend's wedding in her closet, but now it's surrounded by a whole new wardrobe that shows off her impressive and well-earned physique.
You might think Mallory had to hire an expensive trainer and nutritionist, or undergo surgery, to make such a drastic transformation possible, but she found all of the information she needed by simply looking up plans online.
Close friends and family members could tell a difference as her clothes continued to get looser and looser, but those who hadn't seen her in a while were floored by just how different and healthy the emergency dispatcher looks now.
And it's clear her fiancé was by her side throughout the difficult process, not only cheering her on but finding inspiration in her perseverance to drop some pounds himself!
While she's received plenty of compliments on her smaller frame, Mallory admits the best thing anyone has told her so far is that she looks "truly happy."
Rather than continuing to mask her insecurities with a joke and a false smile, then finding comfort in chowing down, her life is only filled with joy.
Mallory bounced back to exactly how she wanted to see herself, similar to Shemar Moore in his new movie, The Bounce Back. Take a look at the trailer below, and be sure to SHARE her incredible transformation with your loved ones!
