Teen Girl Targeted and Teased Over Her Weight Loses 138 Pounds and Transforms into a Hollywood-Style Beauty

There are countless reasons why a person may decide they want to lose weight.

For some, it’s about improving their health and feeling stronger. For others, it’s about being able to wear certain clothes more comfortably. And sometimes, it’s driven by the pressure and judgment society places on people who are overweight.

For Josie Desgrand, a teenager from Australia, the trigger was social media. By the age of 16, Josie weighed around 280 pounds, and she knew she wasn’t happy with where she was. Each time she opened Instagram, she was confronted with images of slim, confident models smiling back at her, which only intensified her dissatisfaction with her own body.

She had tried dieting before, but struggling to stay consistent led her into a cycle of disappointment, frustration, and turning back to junk food for comfort. Each failed attempt made it harder to believe she could truly change.

Eventually, Josie reached a breaking point and decided something had to change.

In an interview with Bored Panda, she described the moment everything shifted for her mindset.

“I went into my room and stripped down to my underwear,” she shared. That moment became a personal turning point, when she made a firm promise to herself: “No longer fat Josie.”

She took photos of herself from different angles, feeling motivated rather than ashamed. She also used a tape measure to record her body measurements, fully aware that the journey ahead would be long. Still, she wanted to document every bit of progress, no matter how small, so she could see the changes over time.

Josie focused on setting manageable goals instead of overwhelming herself. She tracked her progress carefully and began noticing gradual changes. Her approach included reducing carbohydrates and sugar in her diet and increasing how much water she drank each day.

She wasn’t alone in her efforts. Her father decided to join her on the journey, working on his own weight loss alongside her. Through dietary changes alone, Josie was able to bring her weight down to 198 pounds.

After reaching that point, she decided to take the next step by joining a gym to support her progress.

“Working out at the gym gave me the extra push to reach my goal weight,” she explained.

Her journey was built on persistence, gradual change, and accountability, marking a significant shift from where she had started.

Rather than being a trigger for envy or self-doubt, Instagram became one of Josie’s most powerful sources of motivation. She started to gain followers who were eager not just to watch her transformation, but also to learn from her experience and pick up tips.

“I began sharing my meals and tracking my progress on my Instagram account, @nolongerfatjosie. My following grew rapidly, and each new comment was more encouraging than the last. People would write things like, ‘You look amazing!’ or ‘Can you share the recipe?’”

“Having people from all over the world following my journey kept me from even thinking about quitting. I dedicated an hour every night to respond to messages. Having once been in their shoes, I wanted to support as many people as possible. Whenever someone doubted themselves, I would reply with, ‘Keep going,’ encouraging them to keep pushing forward just as I was.”

The Transformation
At present, Josie maintains a weight of approximately 138 pounds—less than half of what she once weighed. What began as a temporary diet ultimately evolved into a complete lifestyle overhaul, one that has brought her countless benefits and improvements in her overall well-being.

Still skeptical? Take a look at the photos below to see the remarkable change for yourself.