Yahoo Lifestyle 
Woman's incredible 72kg transformation after beating depression
Just 13 months ago, Diana Bonazza weighed 155kg and suffered from high cholesterol, high blood pressure, was borderline diabetic, and struggling with severe depression.
But now the 48-year-old, from Ermington in NSW, looks almost unrecognisable after completely turning not only her physical health, losing an incredible 72kg, but also her mental health around.
Diana's weight gain was a result of severe, deep depression, compounded by grief from the loss of both her parents who she cared for.
"I’ve suffered depression on-and-off since childhood, but only 10 years ago did it really take a hold of my life, when I lost my mother, followed by my father a few years later. There would be times where six weeks would go by and I wouldn’t shower or brush my teeth," Diana tells Yahoo Lifestyle.
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Although she says it was "rewarding" looking after her parents before they passed, Diana ended up having to give up work to become a full-time caregiver, losing her home and suffering financial troubles, which only added to her mental struggles.
Diana explains she often resorted to going to her local churches for food.
"When you can't even afford food, you end up choosing the cheapest thing you can eat, which is junk food, hence why I put on a lot of weight," she adds.
"My mental health suffered too, pushing me to attempt suicide on a number of occasions - I’d even go as far as to say that there were days I hoped and prayed my underlying health issues as a result of my weight gain would end my life," she continues.
"It was a dark place, but I am so thankful I have come out on the other side healthier and happier."
After discovering Lite n’ Easy and using daily walks to help manage her mental health, not only was Diana able to shed almost half her body weight, but she has been able to overcome her depression and break her unhealthy eating habits.
"Before I would turn to food for comfort, the old me would have gone to bags of chips or something but instead now I say 'let's go for a walk' or something like that, so I've retrained myself with Lite n' Easy. I've trained myself to change that habit and go for a walk, it's good for my mental health," Diana says.
Diana was determined to live a healthier life after suffering for so many years, so she opted for a nutritious and balanced meal plan.
"It was a convenient way to lose weight for me, it really taught me about portion control and you can eat all the main food groups, it taught me that you can eat all these things but in moderation," she explains, adding that she made sure to stay in a caloric deficit, meaning eating and drinking less fewer calories than you burn each day.
"It is important to educate yourself and not get swept up in fad the diet hype. In this journey, there will be great losses, there will be plateaus, there will be gains, but it's all normal, it's just a process."
After her own weight loss journey, Diana stresses it was important to be patient and not compare yourself to others, and her advice to those looking to drop extra kilos is "be kind to yourself, set realistic goals, be persistent, trust the process and make sure you're getting enough sleep."
Thanks to her transformation, Diana has developed a sense of freedom to be proud of who she is, she feels that she can truly live again.
"I want people to know that the journey wasn’t easy, and it was unique to me! I hope I can inspire people to value their life enough to make a change but also encourage them to take it at their own pace," she says.
"Weight loss was so much more than physical for me, it helped me overcome some of my darkest days and I can proudly say I am more confident than ever."
Mental health support for yourself or a loved one can be found by calling Lifeline on 13 11 14, Mensline on 1300 789 978, or Kids Helpline on 1800 551 800. Online support is available via Beyond Blue.
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