After struggling with her weight her entire life, Kimberly Nestrorick lost over 90 percent of her excess body weight—but the journey was far from over.
Nestrorick, 27, from Pennsylvania, told Newsweek the "hard truth" about losing such a large amount of weight.
"The heaviest weight I have recorded on my scale is 308 pounds," she told Newsweek. "It could very well have been more."
Weight had always been an issue, but it wasn't until a family holiday in 2021 that her journey started.
"I went on a family trip in July 2021. We took my daughter on her first train ride. I didn't even want to be part of the memories being made, I was so embarrassed of myself and the way I had looked," recalled Nestrorick.
"My family insisted on taking pictures of my daughter and I. When I saw the pictures, I didn't even recognize myself anymore. I had let myself go completely, and knew I needed to make some serious life changes if I wanted to be around for my four-year-old daughter," she said. "That was when I decided to give weight loss one last try and give it my absolute all."
Building up the courage to go to the closest gym and make the dietary changes that she could easily maintain were the first steps, and Nestrorick put the work in.
"I really worked on my mental health and the way I spoke to myself. I honestly feel like the mental challenge with weight loss is one of the hardest parts, and working on that contributes a lot to my success," she said.
Nestrorick has lost 175 pounds and shares her journey on her TikTok page @shrinking.kim where she has over 100,000 followers.
"I didn't start posting on my TikTok account until I lost my first 100 pounds. I was too embarrassed to show myself and progress at my heaviest," she said. "I regret not sharing sooner."
As she helps break down stereotypes and challenging conversations about substantial weight loss, Nestrorick has shared what she called the "hard truth" about losing 175 pounds—excess skin.
"I have tons of loose skin everywhere," she told her followers on TikTok. "People still judge me for not having a perfect body. I still feel trapped in a deflated version of my old body."
While she still struggles with the appearance of the excess skin, Nestrorick said she refuses to be ashamed.
"I decided this time, I am not hiding away just because I have excess skin. I've lost over 90 percent of my excess body weight. That's remarkable, and I am so proud of myself and proud of my journey. And I want to inspire people," she said.
Nestrorick's followers continue to support her journey and have even encouraged her to start a GoFundMe to pay for the skin removal surgery she needs.
"The next step for me is loose skin removal. I plan to consult with some plastic surgeons in my area that my doctor has recommended," she said. "But surgery to remove the skin is far from affordable, so currently I am funding my surgery through my TikTok."
With half of her goal already raised, Nestrorick hopes to raise $8,000 to put toward her skin removal.
"Everyone has been so supportive and encouraging. I didn't expect this much love and kindness from complete strangers—it's overwhelming, to say the least," she said.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Alice Gibbs is a Newsweek Senior Internet Trends & Culture Reporter based in the U.K. For the last two years ... Read more
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