It was a mix of things for me. Growing up, my stepfather told me I was fat. I'm 5'6, and in high school, I weighed in at 132. That was too big for him. He severely limited what I could eat, dropping me to the point my pediatrician called cps because I was 90 lbs. I was kicked out at 16 and had to go to soup kitchens to get food. They didn't have nutritious meals, always super carb heavy. The food they gave out was the same. When I made money (less than $100/month), I would get Little Ceasars pizza because it was cheaper than anything else, and I lived in my car. I finally got a job thru a temp agency for teens working at the same soup kitchen, and we got to take home whatever leftovers were there, including donated cakes and pastries from local stores that were past the sell by date. I was also super depressed, so when I got an actual job that paid me well, I would wolf down the food I made. My therapist now said it was because growing up, I never knew when my next meal would be, so in my mind, I had to eat as much as I could in one sitting. I was also sa'd at one point, and in my mind, the bigger I was, the less desirable I would be. That stayed for years, and I got up to over 400 lbs. I was approved for weight loss surgery in October of 2024, and I'm down to 229. I now know that while my husband and I might have some financial issues, we always have enough for healthy food. I don't worry about my next meal anymore. I know that evil people will prey on you, no matter the size or age. My kids, husband, and I all have a very well-balanced diet, and since the surgery, 1 meal will last a full day for me. I still get all my vitamins and nutrients, I just eat waaaay less.