( CNN ) -- A picture is worth a thousand words -- but for Christie Morgan , those words were n't worth remembering . When she was forced to pose for photos at her niece 's Sweet 16 party in 2008 , she realized just how overweight she really was . If she did n't make a drastic change , she knew she would n't live to see future family milestones . At the time , she weighed in at 403 pounds . Because of her body size , she struggled throughout everyday life . She could n't walk more than a few steps in her own home , get out of a car or fit in airplane seats . `` I swear , every beat of my heart hurt , '' Morgan says . `` Any moment could be my last , and I felt one morning I simply would not wake up . '' Morgan grew up in a large family where every occasion centered around food . Every birthday , anniversary , graduation or accomplishment was an excuse to consume authentic Italian food . She wanted to be a role model for her daughter , Brielle , now 18 , but says it was difficult enforcing a healthy diet when she was n't following one herself . When Brielle had parent-teacher days at school , Morgan refused to attend because she did n't want to embarrass her daughter by being `` the fat mom . '' `` When you are that large and that miserable in your body , you feel like you 're a failure to your children , your parents and society , '' Morgan says . Doctors told her the only way to lose enough weight to be at a healthy BMI was through gastric bypass surgery . Her friends constantly told her she would n't be successful if she did n't get professional help . Morgan says she considered both , but ultimately she wanted to shed the pounds on her own naturally . `` I felt just from watching surgery-goers , their body changed , but they were n't all that healthy , '' Morgan says . `` They could continue to eat the junk , just not as much . '' In the past , she had tried almost every single diet fad known . `` Either I failed them , or they failed me , I just do n't know , '' Morgan says . So she decided to look at weight loss as a challenge to her doctors and herself , not as punishment . Days after seeing pictures from the birthday party , Morgan sat down and formed an eating plan . She took elements of other diets and her knowledge from nutrition classes she took in college and created her own diet plan . Lean meats and fish , fresh fruits and vegetables , KIND bars and unlimited water are essentials during the day . Morgan says she did n't want to feel deprived as she did in other diets -- she wanted a way to eat cleaner and feel full at the same time . `` I love cooking and entertaining , '' Morgan says . `` I needed to find a way to cook my favorite foods healthier , not cut them out entirely . '' She says exercising was a challenge in the beginning , but starting slow allowed her to keep realistic goals . `` The first day of exercising resulted in me breaking a `` Total Gym '' machine because I exceeded the weight limit , '' Morgan says . So she steered clear of the gym to avoid being ridiculed by strangers . `` It 's not about investing in supplements , gym memberships , programs or diet plans , '' she says . `` For me it was about investing in myself , my health , my mind and my body . '' In two years , Morgan has shed a total of 289 pounds . She now weighs 114 pounds . She says looking back at pictures , she can see the sadness in her eyes . The smile on her face was a facade to hide from how she truly felt about her body . `` Perfection is knowing that I am the best I can be in every way , '' she says . `` And now I 'm no longer an observer of life , but a participant . '' Have you lost weight ? Share your story on iReport .
Doctors encouraged Christie Morgan to have gastric bypass surgery , which she resisted . When she was 45 years old , Morgan weighed 403 pounds . She says she did n't want to be an observer of life anymore but a participant . In two years , Morgan has dropped 289 pounds without surgery .