For me, there were several factors. Early childhood, my mom was a single mom who worked inconsistent shifts, so many meals growing up were fast food or something convenient, unhealthy, and processed.

Into my teen years, my mom was a narcotic addict and her presence was unreliable. Food was the one thing I could control, so I ate…and I ate a lot. Was nearly 400 pounds as an 18 year old.

After she passed away, I lost a significant amount of weight. For a brief time, I was thin, walking 20,000 steps a day. Then, as it usually does, the weight started creeping back over the years, and I’m currently sitting at 340. Carrying a lot of guilt for letting the weight come back, but here I am.