A woman who has struggled with obesity and binge eating for much of her life has proudly shown off her dramatic transformation after losing half her body weight with the help of stomach surgery.
When Candace Streich turned 30, she realized that she had been hiding her 300-pound body from the world for most of her life — and made the decision to have stomach surgery to lose weight.
The Michigan-based 33-year-old had struggled with obesity for most of her life, consuming more than 3,000 calories a day and admitting that she constantly ate for comfort.
Desperate to make some changes in her life, she underwent vertical sleeve gastrectomy surgery in 2022. Since the surgery 15 months ago, she has lost a whopping 150 pounds, completing her incredible transformation to social media.
It’s been a long journey for Candace, who remembers being bullied from an early age because of her size.
Candace Streich, 33, struggled with obesity for most of her life, consuming more than 3,000 calories a day and indulging in fast food binges
Candace underwent a vertical sleeve gastrectomy in 2022 as she was desperate to make some changes in her life
“As a child, I was labeled ‘big boned’ and suffered a fair amount of teasing and bullying because I wasn’t small like the other girls,” she recalled sadly.
“I’ll never forget the time I tried out for cheerleading and my solo cheer turned into a giggle-fest because I was the ‘bigger’ girl at tryouts,” she continued. “They even made fun of my so-called chubby hands with ‘missing’ knuckles.”
Candace said the more she was mocked, the more she turned to food in search of comfort.
“In my teenage years I ate a whopping 3,000+ calories a day,” the vlogger admitted. “I would go all in on bags and boxes of food just to see if I could finish it all. Greasy, salty, and highly processed foods were my kryptonite.”
The Decatur resident said her McDonald’s order was a double quarter pounder with cheese, a 10-piece nugget, large fries, a sweet tea and a McChicken.
“Depression was my constant companion,” she said. “I felt like life had trapped me, my self-esteem was a no-show, and I was stuck in an oversized, frumpy outfit.”
As she got older. Candace began to reflect on her life and realized how unhappy she was, adding that conditions like sleep apnea, plantar fasciitis, prediabetes and more had taken their toll.
‘I had turned thirty. Others my age were happy and prosperous, but here I was, just trying to survive and hide from the world,” she shared, recalling that she was “too scared” to step on the scale but knew her weight crept over 300 pounds.
After turning 30, Candace started to reflect on her life and realized how unhappy she was, adding that conditions like sleep apnea, plantar fasciitis and prediabetes had taken their toll.
Candance said she realized she was “just trying to survive and hide from the world,” and recalled being “too scared” to step on the scale but knowing her weight had crept over 300 pounds.
Candace said the more she was mocked, the more she turned to food in search of comfort
Candace, who now weighs about 150 pounds less, said she was bullied because of her weight as a child
Candace admitted it was more than just weight loss and a huge battle against mental and emotional demons.
“I’ve had my fair share of ups and downs,” the content creator said.
“Some days those changing hormones would cause tears and cravings for comfort food, even though I physically couldn’t indulge in it,” she explained.
Candace added that she also suffered from body dysmorphia, which made her doubt her progress.
“That’s where therapy came in, helping me process those emotions and changes,” she explained.
The stunning red haired shared the importance of mentally preparing herself for the weight loss journey
“I had to mentally prepare myself (to) understand that giving up was not an option; it was a lifelong commitment,” she explained. “Once I mentally prepared myself, I found the strength to trust and follow the process, knowing that setbacks and plateaus are all part of the deal.”
After surgery, Candace completely overhauled her lifestyle, with portion control being the key to maintaining her weight.
Candace added that she also suffered from body dysmorphia, which caused her to question her progress and undergo therapy.
Although she has a lot of loose skin from her weight loss, Candace says she has no plans to remove it yet
Candace has also adopted an exercise routine and hits the gym four to five times a week.
Now she meal preps twice a week and makes sure she has plenty of healthy alternatives for snacks and quick meals, with cottage cheese listed as a new favorite.
She eats between 85 and 141 grams of food daily, with a goal of consuming 75 to 150 grams of protein per day. She then fills her plate with vegetables and complex carbohydrates.
Candace has also adopted an exercise routine and hits the gym four to five times a week.
“If I skip the gym, I make it an active rest day, but I still get my steps in and run a mile,” she explained. ‘Being active has given me new energy. I no longer have to take a nap during the day and wake up energized every morning.’
Candace has also suffered from loose skin as a result of her impressive weight loss, although she says she has no plans yet to have surgery to remove it, saying it is not her top priority.
“My main focus is on taming that relentless inner dialogue about food,” she admitted. ‘Even though my weight is now at a healthy level, I recognize the importance of continually improving my relationship with food.’
Before the surgery, I was already in therapy to develop strategies to avoid emotional eating, and I continue to go to therapy to maintain that progress.”
Candace has documented her weight loss journey on Instagram and TikTok, where she connects with other people who have undergone or are planning to undergo weight-loss surgery.
Candace says she aims to maintain her weight loss, continue her fitness routine and embrace a happy and healthy life in the future.
She also encourages everyone to prioritize their health and research the options available when it comes to weight loss methods, joking that your future self will thank you.