I ate like a pig with secret McDonald's binges—then left my husband and lost 50 pounds
One woman's secret shame caused her to devour several portions of pasta, a whole tub of ice cream and fast food in one night.
Desiree Van Nice, 25, lost more than 100 pounds after tackling her binge eating disorder.
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The secret food addict had reached 253 pounds at the height of her binges.
After losing weight to 158 pounds, Desiree traded her size XXL clothes for a size medium.
The California native said she was ashamed of her weight and felt the need to hide her massive portions for fear people would judge her.
“To hide all the takeout packaging, I took out the trash and made sure to hide everything under the trash we already had. I was so ashamed of myself,” she explained.
“If I were to make lasagna, I wouldn't eat a normal portion, but at least three large portions instead of just one.
“Then sometimes in the evening I would grab a whole tub of ice cream and eat it and I would DoorDash all the fast food I could, one day it would be Taco Bell and the next day it would be McDonald's, it got really bad. “
Desiree described spending between $15 and $40 per takeout order, which she managed up to four times a week.
Realizing that she was no longer happy in her marriage, she divorced her husband and decided to reinvent herself.
Desiree replaced the late-night takeout with a tough cardio routine and a controlled diet.
“Now that my diet has more structure, my body actually gets what it needs throughout the day, so I don't get the junk food cravings I used to,” she explained.
She added that being alone helped her focus as she no longer prioritized her relationship over her own physical and mental well-being.
During her 10-month weight loss journey, she started doing cardio and lightweight training every day.
She also changed her diet, sticking to a maximum of 1,500 calories per day and increasing her protein intake to 160 grams to support her workouts.
Desiree reflected on her journey and shared how she used food as a crutch during difficult times.
“I used food to be sad and alone all the time, but I didn't want anyone to think I was eating like a pig, so I had to hide it,” she said.
It became so much for her that she even started hiding junk food containers at the bottom of the trash.
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“I've always been bigger my whole life, but I didn't really notice it until I got older. The older I got, the more I realized how big I was,” Desiree explained.
“When I went on a cruise with my friends, it was a moment where I realized I had to make a change. I just felt uncomfortable in my own skin all the time.”
Although she admits she struggled at first, Desiree quickly became determined on her health journey.
“It was hard to stay focused at first. I started with a healthy meal and then ruined it by making burritos on top of what I already had,” she said.
“I was eating random foods at random times instead of putting together real meals, so it meant I was starving at night and felt like I had to eat to satisfy the hunger.”
She explained that her controlled and balanced diet means she no longer has intense cravings.
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Desiree cited her newfound independence as another important factor in both her weight loss and her mental health journeys.
“There were so many things I was holding back because I was building my life around my relationship,” she explained.
“I learned that I had to find my happiness on my own before I could even think about loving someone else.”
She described how she had previously ignored her body and not taken care of it.
“I found it hard to love myself and I couldn't focus on what was best for my body,” Desiree said.
“I was unhappy with my life before, but I left everything behind and completely reimagined who I am. I'm finally proud of myself.”
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