Teacher Loses 115 Pounds, Documents Weight Loss on Instagram

— -- A 25-year-old teacher lost 115 pounds in one year by relying on Instagram to publicly share her progress.

Laura Micetich said she struggled with her weight since childhood but it was during college that the 6-foot-tall woman’s weight spiraled out of control.

“I had finished college, I was going into my teaching degree [and] I stepped on a scale and I was over 300 pounds,” Micetich, of Memphis, Tenn., told ABC News.

When, at age 23, Micetich developed hypothyroidism, a condition in which the thyroid gland does not make enough thyroid hormone, she decided to take action.

Micetich changed her diet and began working out, documenting it all on Instagram. She said she lost 40 pounds in the first month alone.

“Instagram gave me this place where I could post my pictures and be accountable to myself but also I was accountable to that 12-year-old who didn't feel good about her body and suddenly could feel good about her body just by an adult telling her everything was okay,” she said.

Micetich’s diet today consists of eggs and oatmeal for breakfast and meals full of protein, such as fresh tuna, and vegetables like oven-baked broccoli. She also works out six days per week.

By sharing her story in pictures and posts on Instagram, Micetich became an inspiration to not just herself but her followers too.

“People were going to my pictures and saying, ‘How did you do this?’ and ‘Can you give me information?’” she said. “And I'd say, ‘Yeah shoot me an email,’ and I'd send them as much information as I could.”

Micetich’s message to others is that hard work pays off.

“It's about proving to yourself that you want that change enough to wait for it and work for it and when it gets there, then you appreciate it,” she said.