My weight struggle

Hello! My name is Liz and I am the last member of the Healthy Living group. You may wonder why my post is so late compared to the others, their is a reason for this. The reason is that it is difficult for me to discuss my weight and the struggles that I have with it. I have been overweight my entire life. Growing up I never really realized what weight was and how the food choices I made would eventually impact the way I look. I remember as a child my dad would tell me to go to bed and set a good example for my younger sister, but once she was asleep he would allow me to sneak downstairs and watch television with him and eat chips and dip, while enjoying his company. It wasn't until I was in 5th grade that my body began "changing". I was getting taller and heavier, but I just felt it was a normal change. I felt this way until fellow classmates started poking fun of me for my weight and the way I looked. I didn't let this bother me too much.
I was entering middle school, and the kids that once teased me about being a "giant" had "changed" as well. In middle school I was happy with who i was. I was active in three sports and felt good about myself. In 8th grade I was 5'10" and 180 pounds, not too heavy, but not too skinny either. As I finished middle school, I had to transition to high school. I still stayed active throughout my four years of high school, but there were more changes to my daily routine. Those changes were that I had my license and I had a job. The reason i mention this is because when I had a craving, something like McDonalds, Taco Bell, Hardees, etc... I would drive to satisfy my craving. Even though I usually ate what I wanted, I stayed pretty "solid" at 5'10" and 180 pounds at a size 16...or so I thought I was staying "solid".
There were many experiences throughout my high school years that destroyed the image I had of myself. One in particular that really sticks with me and still is painful to think about dealt with basketball. As I was coming off the basketball court, a group of boys from Berlin, the visiting team, started "moo-ing" at me and calling me a cow. This was just the "tip of the iceberg" the taunting and teasing continued up until I graduated. Then I had a fresh start.
I was now in college, where no one knew me nor knew my past. I commuted everyday and because of this I really didn't have a chance to make many friends. I felt lonely, so I turned to food. Everytime I would have a break between classes I would drive to a fast food establishment and buy food. I had gained a lot of weight. It wasn't until the summer between my sophomore and junior year of college where I started working out and running about 5 miles three times a week. Along with running, I also made better food options and I felt great about it. I had lost thirty-five pounds in three months. It was a positive life transformation, but then winter came and I gained all the weight back. Not only did I gain the weight back, but I also gained additional weight as well.
To date I have gained over 100 pounds since high school and I really want to do something about this. I hope that with the help of my family and friends that I can loose the weight and feel great.
Until next time!
Love--Liz