'People' magazine profiles Lakeland mom's weight loss journey

LAKELAND (FOX 13) - A Lakeland mom is inspiring others to push the limits by sharing her drastic weight loss journey with 'People' magazine.

Adding to the excitement, Rachel Saintfort appears on the cover of the June 2018 issue of the magazine alongside a photo of Meghan Markle.

Saintfort's story caught the attention of People magazine staff because she documented her 121-pound weight loss journey on several social media platforms using the hashtag #Ms100lbs.

Saintfort started losing weight last year after what she said called a harsh reality check.

“The thing that pushed me over the top was the day I picked my daughter up from school, and she was like, '[A classmate] called you fat,'" Saintfort remembered. "At that moment I’m like, 'I’m not fat!'"

Saintfort started working out and eating healthier. Over the course of 10 months, she said she dropped from 291 pounds to 170 pounds.

By sharing her experience with hundreds of thousands of People magazine readers, Saintfort hopes to inspire others to achieve their goals - whatever they may be.

"I just want to inspire others and just remind people that you can do it," said Saintfort.