Many overweight individuals seek to lose weight after their tests reveal high cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, diabetes, among other issues. This was never the case for Stefany Hernández.
In the first part of this special published yesterday on Parriva.com, this young Latina, creator of the page @wanderingstefany on Instagram and TikTok, shares the transformative physical and emotional impact of modifying her diet over the last 6 months.
In this continuation, Stefany delves into the reasons that led her to accept this challenge and even takes us back to her childhood, a stage when our diet is often influenced by the habits and beliefs of others.
She asserts that if there was any symptom or situation that prompted her to consider losing weight, it was when she physically struggled at events or felt limited during walks or hikes on her many travels. Weighing 250 pounds didn’t help. And despite never having trouble fitting into coach-class airplane seats, she did have some uncomfortable experiences.
“There were moments when I couldn’t move much in the seat, and once I had to ask the flight attendant for an extension because the seatbelt didn’t reach,” recalls Stefany Hernandez.
So, what encouraged her to accept the challenge posed by her nutritionist friend?
“My goal was never to lose weight but to be as healthy as possible to perform well at events, travel comfortably, and engage in all the physical activities required during my trips… When I started this weight loss plan, it wasn’t for vanity but to have more energy and feel better,” she asserts.
“There were moments when I couldn’t move much in the seat, and once I had to ask the flight attendant for an extension because the seatbelt didn’t reach,” recalls Stefany Hernandez.
When asked if being overweight has been a constant in her life, Stefany remembers that she has always been going up and down in weight.
“This has to do with the society we live in, with family always saying ‘Oh, you’re too skinny, eat’ or ‘You’re too fat, go on a diet.’ I’ve struggled with this my whole life,” she points out.
Stefany, born in the United States to Salvadoran parents, mentions that her mom didn’t cook much variety at home; it was her aunts who prepared everything imaginable.
“I remember them saying, ‘Eat all of this; if you don’t, you won’t grow,'” she comments. But then, when she gained weight, the ‘Oh, you’re fat, you need to lose weight, eat healthier’ comments would come into play.
“I know they said it with love, but a lot of trauma comes from that… Sometimes I feel like families don’t know how to communicate that in a way that’s productive and not traumatic,” she says.
The new chapter Stefany started on June 1st of this year has organized her diet but has also helped her understand herself better. She is clear that eating pupusas, tamales, and fried chicken – three of her favorites – every day isn’t very smart, but she’s also realistic.
“I want to maintain a balance where I do want to eat healthy food, and at the same time, I don’t want to give up certain foods that aren’t as healthy but that I love. I’m not going to let them go, but I am going to learn to balance everything and eat them in moderation,” she assures.
“And it’s because my goal is not to lose weight but to be as healthy as possible,” she adds.
READ PART I: Stefany’s Journey: “My only interest is to have more energy and feel better.” (1 of 3)
Stefany Hernandez’s Journey (Part 3): “At times, I feel like I’m abandoning them.”
