This woman lost 150 pounds — then gained 100 back after body shamers sent death threats
"They thought that I was a liar and a fraud, when I was just trying to be loved and accepted like anyone else"
"They thought that I was a liar and a fraud, when I was just trying to be loved and accepted like anyone else"
"They thought that I was a liar and a fraud, when I was just trying to be loved and accepted like anyone else"
Stephanie Seabrook has spent the last few years documenting her weight loss journey with her followers — the lifestyle blogger lost 150 pounds before for sharing a that showed many of the cruel online comments she's received written on her stomach. One day later, she went under the knife to remove excess skin, which — initially — people applauded her for. Then she was cyberbullied to the point that she began to gain back much of the weight she originally lost.
According to People, .
"At first I tried to just shrug it off, and not think about it, but it started to get progressively worse and more frequent," she told the magazine. "I got death threats, and people said I should go kill myself because I'm pathetic. They thought that I was a liar and a fraud, when I was just trying to be loved and accepted like anyone else."
Because of the hateful comments and the constant abuse she was receiving online, Seabrook started regaining the weight she shed in the years prior.
"I was getting really depressed, and I couldn't admit to everyone that I was gaining weight, because I felt that I had a duty to be there for these people who said they could relate to me," she said. "I didn't want to disappoint them."
Seabrook's weight gain initially caused her to really begin photoshopping her pictures as a way to not disappoint the followers who actually showed their support for her — but she pointed out that doing so made things "ten times worse," eventually causing her to temporarily shut down her Instagram account and seek help from a therapist in 2016. She returned to the app after six months, and since then she's been embracing her weight gain, citing in one of her recent photos that her experience taught her to love herself.
"Sure. She gained weight," reads. "She also gained: Self love. Freedom. A love of delicious foods. An open mind. Sleep. A sense of self worth. Enjoyment in life. Peace with her body. Room in her mind for more important things. The time to relax. The knowledge of what and who she needs in her life. A sense of humor. HAPPINESS."
Seabrook continued, "Gaining doesn't seem like such a bad thing after all! Remember: The fat on our bodies doesn't define who we are! What matters is what WE get out of life and what we leave behind for others. Enjoy those fries, sleep in when you need to, or if you miss a workout, don't stress ... there is always tomorrow! I choose to live with moderation and not deprivation."