I was bullied online for my weight — now people say I’m unrecognizable
A weight has been lifted off her shoulders.
After years of bullying that would “ruin” her whole day, Washington personal trainer Natalia Masterman took matters into her own hands. She says she revamped her entire diet and lifestyle, resulting in a jaw-dropping 90-pound weight loss.
Now, the unrecognizable 28-year-old has stunned the internet with her transformation that she claims took less than a year to achieve.
“I had a ‘life flashing before my eyes’ moment, where I didn’t like what I saw and decided I would finally never look back on my damaging habits,” Masterman, who lives in Tacoma, told Jam Press.
While her pre-metamorphosis diet wasn’t “absolutely terrible,” she admitted to indulging in “emotional eating” — she’d have a day of eating “normally,” then binge “thousands of calories” at night.
Now, her diet “varies” based on her goals — whether it’s bulking muscle or cutting body fat — while noting her staples are still oatmeal, lean meat, rice and more protein.
“Sometimes, I’ll have a protein bar, bagel or a spoonful of cookie dough if I have a sweet craving, but if I’m cutting (eating in a deficit), I eat a small quantity of these foods,” she explained.
Prior to her extreme weight loss, Masterman didn’t have a consistent exercise regimen, but she has since adopted a gym-centric lifestyle, participating both in cardio and weightlifting nearly every day.
“I love that I’m no longer stressed about wearing a bikini, and shopping for new clothes doesn’t give me anxiety anymore,” she gushed.
“There’s no such thing as perfect body image, but I am happy to say that I feel much better about my body,” she added.
She’s posted her transformation on TikTok, where she amasses thousands of views and likes on various clips — something she’d never dare before.
“I would post photos on social media and get comments like: ‘Let’s stop normalizing obesity,’ or ‘That’s a big girl,’ and ‘When are you going to kickstart the new year with a gym membership?,’ which would really ruin my day,” she recalled, adding that she would even be teased as “fat” or “chubby.”
“Before weight loss, my confidence was very low, and I was quite reserved, as I was hesitant to open up or put myself out there, which put a strain on relationships and dating,” she added.
“I had the assumption that I would be judged for my body, so I held myself back from connections that could have been good for me.”
After struggling with weight loss from as young as age 8, it took Masterman nearly two decades to muster up the motivation to achieve it.
“I used to tell myself that I’d start tomorrow on a daily basis,” she remembered. “But, I was very unhappy with my body — I felt I looked a way that was contrary to the person I wanted to be.”
“I was especially insecure about my gut, love handles and arms,” she confessed.
After failed vegetarian diets and other unsuccessful weight-loss efforts, she continued to over-indulge in pizza, takeout, processed snacks and cookies galore, claiming she would even consume up to 6,000 calories in one sitting.
But her lowest point was back in 2019, when Masterman realized how “tired” she was of her lifestyle — and thus, began her journey.
“It took me about a year to lose the weight, and I have been spending time now working on body recomposition, such as losing fat and building muscle, but most importantly, maintaining my weight,” she explained.
Now, she’s hoping to spread awareness to others who might be experiencing the same challenges around body image and weight loss.
“I remember how it feels to be discouraged when you’re just getting started, so I posted my story to show others what’s possible if you decide to show up for yourself and stay consistent,” she said, adding that she makes it a point to not share her prior or current weight for fear of people comparing themselves to her.
She does regularly post before-and-after images online, garnering applause and encouragement from her followers.
“Yessssss queen,” a user complimented under one of her posts.
“I hope you are so proud of yourself,” another agreed.
“You look amazing,” someone else cheered.
“Respectfully…DAYUMMMM,” a user emphasized.
Masterman’s advice to anyone struggling is to have grace and patience, as she knows “the gym can be an intimidating place for beginners.”
She assures people that they “can start as many times over as needed,” since fitness pursuits are “never-ending and not linear.”
“To make progress, you have to embrace discomfort, and I try to help my clients see this as something motivating, as opposed to discouraging,” she said, advising to “start small.” “Make sure you’re in a good place to give yourself the time and energy to be successful.”
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