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In 2013 during her sister's wedding, Irene had complications with her bridesmaid's dress and experienced an embarrassing moment.

“Noong kasal ng kapatid ko, sa sobrang bigat ko, na-pigtas, natanggal yung takong ng sapatos ko. Abay pa naman ako noon sa cord so kumapit na lang ako sa partner ko,” she said.

When Irene was younger, overeating was never a problem because she wasn't conscious of her 203 lbs body then.

“Noong bata pa ako, chubby lang. Pero noong lumalaki ako, lumalaki din po ang timbang ko. As in LUMALAKI talaga ako," she said.

According to them, their family is prone to obesity which is why Irene and her sister are both plus-size. Because of that, she did not enjoy college life.

“Yung sa mga damit, hindi po talaga ako nakakabili ng mga gusto kong outfit. Ang size ko noon, triple XL pa. Hindi talaga ako makahanap noon unless sa plus-size ako maghanap,” she said.

“Tapos yung mga activities kasi 'yung mga college friends ko mahilig mag-hike, so hindi ako sumasama kasi 'yung confidence ko [mababa]-- kaya ba ng katawan ko umakyat ng bundok? Nagu-guilty naman po ako na hindi nakakasama sa kanila.”

Food also became her stress-reliever during demanding school projects and when she was doing her thesis,

“Usually four times pa nga po ako kumakain ng rice. Kahit meryenda nagra-rice po ako. And then dahil sa thesis, nagpupuyat po kami palagi. Wala talagang tulog, tapos walang exercise. As in yung lifestyle ko lang: aral, kain, tulog.”

When she graduated, Irene's health situation got even more complicated. She experienced shortness of breath and became sickly. At the age of 19, her body weight was classified as Obese Class 2. In her medical report, she was diagnosed with pre-hypertension.

“Noong nalaman ko na may pre-hypertension ako, natakot na po talaga ako noon. Kasi iniisip ko, bata pa lang ako, may maintenance na ako ng gamot. Tapos kakatapos ko pa lang sa school,” she said.

That unfortunate event prompted Irene to worry about her health, considering her family's medical history of diabetes and high blood pressure. From thereon, she decided to embark on a journey to a healthy and fit lifestyle. For Irene, her inspiring body transformation was fulfilled because of effort, discipline, and a steady mindset.

From Irene's 203 lbs weight, XXXL size, and 47-inch waistline, she achieved a remarkable 128 lbs and 35-inch waistline!

Watch how Irene achieved her #FitnessGoals in this full episode of Pinoy MD:

Hosted by Connie Sison and its resident doctors, Pinoy MD is an informative magazine show that provides wellness tips and answers to some important medical questions. Watch it every Saturday, 6 AM on GMA Network.