How One Woman Found the Motivation to Overcome a Lifelong Struggle With Food Addiction
Her son would beg her to play his favorite game -- but she couldn't say yes.
It was when she realized she couldn’t play tickle monster with her two-year-old son that Susan Chaney decided to turn her life around.
At her peak weight, she weighed 270 pounds.
“I hated myself. I felt worthless and pathetic,” said Chaney. “When I would look in the mirror, I would cry for hours at the reflection of this person who I wanted more than anything not to be.”
She struggled with depression, anxiety and a binge eating disorder for most of her life.
Self-deprecating humor hiding pain
As a child, Chaney was overweight, and she grew up developing negative coping mechanisms to deal with her pain.
“I made my weight a joke, but secretly cringed at my appearance,” she said.
“I developed the negative mindset of 'I'll say the punch line so they can't' after years of harassment because of my weight,” she continued.
“I avoided pools, sleeveless shirts, and going outside when it was hot, because I was so uncomfortable in my own skin.”
Rock bottom turns into motivation
The pain followed her into adulthood and she found herself in an unhappy marriage with a man who constantly cheated on her. The marriage ended. “Divorced with two kids and broken, I hated everything about myself,” she recalls.
She desperately wanted to be the parent who could play anything with her kids, but when her youngest child learned to walk and pleaded with her to chase him around the house to play, she just couldn’t keep up.
“This is what made me decide to lose weight. I felt that I could never give them the life they deserved without learning to love myself, getting healthy, and changing my life.”
It was a scary moment for Chaney, but she was determined to heal and become stronger.
For Chaney, this meant coming to understand and nurture her mental state first. “My mind craves food the way smokers crave cigarettes. These are all things I had to figure out in the beginning,” she said.
“I surfaced my emotions one by one and forced myself to cry and feel and accept what they were — I eventually allowed myself to feel enough to learn my triggers.”
Investing in herself
Once she learned to accept and love herself, she began to invest in her quality of life.
“I found strength in knowing I was in control. I used this mindset to develop a healthy relationship with food, understand how weight loss works, and lift weights,” she said. “I was consistent, because I reminded myself of who I had overcome.”
Finding balance
This was far from easy for the mother of two, and it took some trial and error. In fact, in the beginning of her weight loss journey, Chaney developed anorexia, because she initially equated happiness with being thin. “Instead of being proud of my accomplishment and focusing on being healthy, I had to be skinnier — this was one of the many mistakes that I made,” she said.
At her worst, she weighed 110 pounds, was weak and developed an addiction to weight loss pills. “My depression was at an all time high,” she recalled. “I made a home on my couch in my dark living room and would not leave.”
Attracting the right people into her life
Several months later, she met up with her now husband for a hike up Pinnacle Mountain and she remembers feeling like something finally clicked. She credits him for helping save her life.
“My whole life changed,” she said, ”He taught me how to physically and mentally have a healthy relationship with food, and introduced me to weightlifting.”
Today, Chaney is happily remarried, and has resolved to accept and celebrate who she is and what she has accomplished. She works as a personal trainer to help others achieve their weight loss goals and avoid the same mistakes she made.
Her advice to people wanting to lose weight and take charge of their lives? “I urge everyone to understand that there is a 'right' way to lose weight and how important your mental health is —you have to love yourself to ever celebrate your victories,” she said.
“Consistency is key.”
Military Dad Defends His 4 Little Daughters When Strangers Make This Rude Remark
Military Dad of 4 Daughters Defends His Girls When Strangers Make This Rude Remark
Austin von Letkemann is the military officer strangers feel "sorry" for — and the reason is infuriating.
Whenever the devoted father leaves the house with his four children, strangers can't help but notice the officer in uniform is holding hands with 4 adorable little girls. They will tell the traditionally "masculine" and "all American" dad they feel sorry for him, because he has no sons. This dad makes one thing very clear: They are his daughters, they aren't a burden.
In a passionate video, von Letkemann took to Instagram to share with his followers that the only thing that's "difficult" about being a girl dad — is clapping back to these sexist remarks over and over again.
They Mock His Daughters To Their Face
When strangers approach Austin von Letkemann and his four daughters, they don't always realize that their comments are being overheard. They seem oblivious to the fact that his girls understand every word. Von Letkemann describes how people will approach him and, without thinking, make remarks like "I'm sorry" or even joke about his lack of sons. What they don't realize is that these comments, intended to be light-hearted or humorous, can be deeply hurtful to his daughters. These strangers are not just disrespecting von Letkemann's choices as a father; they're also sending a message to his daughters that their presence is something to be pitied. It’s a message that von Letkemann won't stand for, and he's speaking out to defend his girls from these insensitive remarksSaying "Get Your Shotgun" Isn't Funny — It's Sexist
Another common comment that Austin von Letkemann encounters is the old "better get your shotgun ready" trope, often delivered with a smirk or a wink. This line is typically intended to suggest that a father with daughters should be on high alert to protect them from potential "suitors," implying that they are objects to be guarded rather than individuals with agency.
Von Letkemann finds this line of thinking outdated and sexist. In his viral Instagram video, he points out that these jokes are not just stale — they're damaging.
By suggesting that his daughters require armed protection, the joke reinforces the idea that women are inherently vulnerable and need to be shielded from men. Von Letkemann argues that instead of promoting this narrative, society should focus on teaching respect and consent, challenging these sexist tropes at their source.
Watch Austin von Letkemann's Video:
"If I Had A Fifth Child, I'd HOPE It Was A Girl" — One Dad's Message For Other Parents
Despite the constant remarks about his lack of sons, Austin von Letkemann is clear: He wouldn't trade his daughters for anything.
In fact, he told his Instagram followers that if he were to have a fifth child, he would hope for another girl. This declaration isn't just about doubling down on his pride in his family — it's a pointed response to those who see fathering daughters as a misfortune.
Von Letkemann's stance is a powerful one, rejecting the notion that a family is incomplete without sons. He encourages others to question the assumptions behind these comments and to appreciate the joy and fulfillment that his daughters bring. By sharing his story, von Letkemann hopes to create a more inclusive perspective on fatherhood, one that values daughters just as much as sons.