No longer wanting to be known as a “big” girl, she used others’ negativity to push herself to lose weight and become more body positive. Sick of the deteriorating comments that impacted her self esteem, she decided to pursue a change in her physical appearance and her state of mind.

Sophomore Mabry Smith started the Barbell Butterfly diet in January after being inspired by other girls who have taken part in the program. The program focuses on portioning food and building muscle. It involves an intensive nutrition program, motivation rallies and full body sculpting and weight lifting education.

“I have always been known as the ‘fat’ girl. Every time someone called me a name it stuck to me,” Smith said. “It still does, but it slowly goes away the harder I work. What really made me want to start this program was the constant bullying.”

After four months of being on the diet, she has lost 42 pounds.

“I never really realized how much weight I lost until I looked at a before and after picture of myself,” Smith said. “I feel so much more confident in myself.”

Smith’s diet consists of grilled lean meats, no sugars or artificial sweeteners. She is going to start working out at 4:30 every morning and with a personal trainer in the afternoon over the summer. She is determined to get to a point of fitness that is consistent and makes her happy to feel healthy.

“The hardest thing has been to keep the routine everyday,” Smith said. “If I don’t get a workout in or eat what I have planned, I just pick up where I left off the next time.”

Smith stresses the importance of having people behind you that push you to work your hardest and achieve full potential. It is hard to reach your goals on your own, that’s why it’s best to have others standing behind you.

“Me and my mom started Barbell Butterfly together,” Smith said. “She wanted to be there for me and help me and push me to do better. If she wouldn’t have been there beside me through it I wouldn’t have gotten through it.”

Her main reason for losing weight is to feel more confident in her own skin and to know that she is in control her appearance. Smith knows that she is the only one that can change herself so she has to stay determined and inspire others to do the same.

“Don’t let someone determine what you think about yourself,” Smith said. “I let people’s words define me until I realized I had control of what I looked like and I could change what people saw me as.”