Stephanie Gonzalez

My name is Stephanie Gonzalez, I am Dominican and I live in Rhode Island. I had always been a thin person and didn’t worry about what I ate. I thought that by eating a lot, I was eating well because despite it, I didn’t gain weight and I could easily fit into my jeans. I don’t know when I gained weight, but my clothes didn’t fit anymore. I thought it was impossible and even if I ended up lying on the floor, holding my breath, I had to fit into my pants. All that squeezing and lying to myself by putting on smaller clothes just brought me unbearable pain all day. I couldn’t breathe, my stomach hurt, I had reflux, heartburn and even wanted to vomit because I squeezed in my 170 pounds. I didn’t want to show my body, so I would only take pictures of my face or put my children in front of me to cover me up. Until I realized that no matter how hard I tried to deny and hide it, I gained weight and needed help. I promised my coworkers that one day, they would see me as a success story next to Alejandro Chabán and thanks to Yes You Can!. Today, after losing 58 pounds and being an extra-small size, I know that it’s possible to be healthy, to feel comfortable and beautiful in your own skin. All of this is thanks to Yes You Can! and my hero, Alejandro Chabán.