After struggling with weight loss her entire life, Tiesha Robinson found the motivation she needed to drop the weight — she didn’t want to leave her son parentless. When her son’s father died, she knew she was all DeVontay, 15, had left.
At this time, in 2018, Robinson weighed nearly 416lbs and had been trying every diet out there for years, with zero results. Robinson told PEOPLE that her mind “wasn’t there to be able to commit to anything.”
Diagnosed Pre-Diabetic at 416lbs
Robinson conveyed to PEOPLE that she was overweight by the age of five. By the time she finished high school, she was “probably more than 300lbs.”
All of the usual diets would only ever last a “few days,” she said. In 2017, after her aunt passed away, Robinson says she was “addicted to sweets” and “barely drank water.” She went to doctor visits in fear and eventually would be diagnosed pre-diabetic.
After her diagnosis, the pieces started falling into place, in regards to her health, but still hadn’t quite taken firm hold. She started doing Weight Watchers, but it wasn’t until DeVontay’s father passed away that everything clicked.
Leaving Her Son Parentless Motivated Robinson to Act Now
“It made me realize that my son only has one parent,” she said. “I didn’t want to be the reason why he lost both his parents, if I could help it. I didn’t want to leave my son prematurely because of the unhealthy decisions I was making.”
From there, Robinson committed fully to Weight Watchers and began to “show up for myself the way I would for anyone else.” She started doing Zumba and other dance workouts from the privacy of home, not wanting to feel intimidated by folks at the gym.
“I don’t have no excuse if I’m in my own house,” she jests with self-awareness.
Bit by bit, over two years, Robinson dropped off half her starting weight. Currently, she’s down to 208lbs and counting, and regularly posts motivation for others on Instagram.
“My confidence is higher, I’m no longer pre-diabetic and I don’t have any health issues. It’s a blessing,” says Robinson. “I know you can’t control everything, but if there’s something that I could prevent by eating healthy, then I’m glad I’m able to do it. I feel like I prolonged my life to be here for my son and everyone else that needs me.”
Would leaving your child parentless provoke this kind of motivation for you? Have you been motivated in a similar way? Let us know in the comments below.
