( CNN ) -- At the last minute , Morgan Victoria 's friend convinced her to attend their 10-year high school reunion . Victoria had n't had any intention of going to `` such a silly thing , '' but her friend 's significant other could n't make it and , well , peer pressure does n't end at 18 . Victoria balked as the former class president handed her a name tag . On it was Victoria 's senior photo . Walking around the event , something inside of her snapped . `` I 'm wearing a picture of me 10 years younger and 100 pounds lighter , '' Victoria remembers . `` It was humiliating . '' `` The next day I was like , 'That 's it . ' `` At the August 2012 reunion , Victoria weighed 255 pounds and wore a size 18 dress . Over the next nine months , she lost more than 100 pounds by moving more and eating less . `` There is no secret , '' Victoria says about weight loss . `` All you have to do is care . If you honestly care about yourself , if you honestly care about getting it done -- that 's all you have to do . '' Victoria did n't grow up overweight , though she sometimes felt like it in her athletic family . Her parents cooked healthy meals around the house , and Victoria swam , played tennis and ran cross country until she left for college . At the Savannah College of Art and Design in Georgia , where she majored in communication arts ( otherwise known as comic books and poetry , she jokes ) , she ate whatever she wanted . That included plenty of junk food . `` You eat the cheap stuff , '' Victoria remembers . `` It was n't like I was getting home from the studio and being like , ' I need some lean protein and vegetables . ' `` When she graduated and struggled to find work , she ate even worse . Though she lived in Savannah , Georgia , a walking city , she never went to the gym and could n't combat the excess calories she was consuming . At 5 ' 8 '' , her body mass index was 38 . ( Over 30 is considered obese . ) In 2011 , Victoria married Lyndsay Rosenlund in a small private ceremony with family and friends in Washington state . The couple moved to Atlanta and started going out for dinner frequently with friends . But the day after her high school reunion , Victoria went into the pantry of their home and got rid of anything with more than a few ingredients on the label . She read about serving sizes and started using an app to count calories . She even bought a food scale . `` Honestly , all of it was kind of hard , '' Victoria says . `` At 255 pounds , you do n't actually want to do anything . ... Exercising was hard because I was embarrassed . Nobody wants to be the fat girl working out . '' So she stayed out of the gym , and started walking with Rosenlund and their dogs , Giuseppe and Romona . She walked for about an hour every morning and an hour every night . Eventually she gained enough confidence to jog . Now she runs 5Ks . `` We tried running together when we first started our journey , but it turns out I hate running , '' Rosenlund says . `` However , we both enjoy hiking so we try and hike every chance we get . '' The couple also tried to limit how often they ate out . When they did go to a restaurant , they made a game plan and made smarter choices . Water instead of beer . Balsamic vinaigrette instead of ranch dressing . Victoria swears she never goes hungry . She relies on big salads , air-popped corn and lean protein to keep her full without a lot of calories . With these simple strategies , she lost about 2 pounds a week . Rosenlund also lost 50 pounds . Victoria now wears a size 6 and has maintained her final weight of 150 pounds for nearly a year . `` Morgan has a lot more energy and less anxiety , '' Rosenlund says . `` I think that the weight loss has definitely improved her outlook on life . '' `` I feel amazing , '' Victoria agrees . `` You feel totally different about yourself . You should n't feel all that from weight , but you do . ''
Morgan Victoria had an `` aha '' moment at her 10-year high school reunion . Victoria went from a size 18 to a size 6 by eating less and moving more . Victoria and her wife , Lyndsay , have lost a combined 150 pounds . Comment: