Hello, my name is Becca Murphy and I’d like to share my story with you all. My entire life I was severely overweight. Every doctor’s visit I attended was a  reminder of my obesity and how unhealthy I was. Even my earliest childhood memories include struggling with my weight.

My childhood was not typical. I moved 5 times, dealt with financial burdens, my parents’ divorce, my mother’s remarriage, and then another divorce. I just didn’t have the energy to put towards eating right and exercising. It was a foreign concept to me. During my teenage years, these issues snowballed and my only outlet for my emotions was food. I don’t remember a life without feeling like the literal elephant in the room, and food was the only way I knew how to cope with my depression and anxiety. Needless to say, eating myself into obesity didn’t help. I’ve been harassed and bullied my entire life about my weight, from numerous people - both those who knew me, and who didn’t know me at all.

Through it all, though, I had the unconditional love and support of my mom. She always believed I could accomplish anything. And while she tried to help me with my weight, she struggled with her own eating issues, and I was - to be honest - not exactly open to her diet or eating advice.

Then, on December 23, 2015, my life came to a complete stop when I️ walked out of my room to find my mom  -- who I had spoken to only moments before -- lifeless on the couch. She had died of a heart attack. A healthy, 59-year-old who was the greatest woman I️ ever had the pleasure of knowing was gone forever. My mom fought for me, advocated for me, and always tried to push me in the right direction. She was my best friend and my biggest fan. Watching my mother die of a heart attack completely shocked me. It made me face the reality of my own health situation. So after a year of feeling sorry for myself over losing my best friend, I️ told myself it was time to make a change.

January of 2017 I️ was introduced to the person who would help me change my life forever. Jamie Colgan, the owner, and founder of Team No Xcuses Training (TNXT) was the light at the end of a very dark tunnel. I met Jamie weighing about 315 pounds. Jamie’s philosophy on balance in life, hard work, and teamwork gave me the focus and resources I needed to finally put my body and happiness first. Following his meal and exercise plan that highlighted proper nutrition and discipline is the reason I am still alive today. I’ve lost about 150 pounds and will never look back.

It has been over 3 years since I started my weight loss journey and have continued to maintain my weight. I am strong, I am healthy, and for the first time ever, I am excited each and every day to show up for MYSELF. But I have continued to deal with having a tremendous amount of excess skin on almost every part of my body. Due to the amount of weight I have lost, I am left with loose skin that brings a new thing for me to feel uncomfortable and insecure about. But it’s more than how I look. The amount of excess skin has left me dealing with painful and uncomfortable rashes - leaving me at risk for infection. Although I am humbled by the reminder of where I started, this excess skin also leaves me vulnerable to the kind of taunts and stares I thought I had left behind along with the 150 pounds I lost.

I am determined to reach my final goal and feel as though I have worked too hard to give up now.  But there’s no “cure” for excess skin. No amount of discipline or exercise will make it go away. Surgery is the only answer. Unfortunately, these procedures are not covered by insurance. So I find myself at a massive speed bump in my journey. Skin removal surgery is the final piece to my puzzle of being the best me I can possibly be. Jamie has given me a new lease on life, and I will never return to the lifestyle I used to live. With the removal of excess skin, I will be able to improve my overall quality of life, drastically. Despite the hard work I have contributed to my health, unfortunately each doctor I have seen has explained to me that I will not be able to transform my body much more, until the skin is gone. Regardless of the amount of dumb bell curls, or barbell squats I perform - that skin will always be there.

I’m sharing my story- painful as it is for me to do so - in the hopes that you might be inspired by my story, and would like to be a part of my journey.  Please help me reach my goal! Every little bit helps me make a difference in my life. Every little bit will help me become the person my mother always knew I could be, and the person I am continuing to become. Thank you so much in advance, your support means everything to me.