I lost my job after burnout. It became the fresh start I needed.

Mary Roberts before and after her transformation. Courtesy of Mary Roberts Mary Roberts has spent a decade working in stressful jobs, including disaster relief. A mixture of pressure, unhealthy eating, and poor sleep habits helped her reach over 340 pounds. She began exercising, ate a better diet, and looked after herself more, losing 125 pounds. This story is based on an interview with Mary Roberts, 33, from Miami. She is about to launch a consultancy. The interview has been edited for length and clarity. I was on the chubbier side growing up. However, as soon as I started competitive sports like basketball in high school, I got into good shape. It helped that I played volleyball multiple nights a week, too. Then, I began to gain weight during my freshman year of college.