OCEANS Lifestyles

209 South Rd.

Chapel Hill, NC 27599
910-850-3925

COLLEGE STUDENT CREATES COMMUNITY FOR KIDS

STRUGGLING WITH WEIGHT

One in five American children struggle with obesity, but the battle to beat it is often a

lonely one. Faith Anne Newsome, founder and president of OCEANS Lifestyles, knows this

hardship well. A senior at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill studying psychology

and journalism, Faith has grappled with weight issues her entire life. She can tell you stories

from nearly every stage of her life in which her weight has dominated her time, relationships and

mental health. As a young girl, she was bullied. As a high school student, she took days off to

visit physicians, dieticians and specialists. And in the past four years, she has had to be

especially mindful not to let the stress and unhealthy habits of college life compromise her

progress.
 After Faith spent a year visiting specialists and attempting supervised weight loss, she

still had not seen the results that she was hoping for. She was finally referred to a bariatric center

and underwent gastric bypass surgery at age 16. Many of her health complications improved

following the surgery, such as hypertension and prediabetes. It gave her the freedom to exercise

more frequently and the time to focus on other things that mattered to her, like education and

advocacy.

Throughout her journey, Faith felt like she had few people to turn to who could

understand what she was going through. She felt like she had not had access to all of the weight

loss options she could have as a child; and she did not want children to feel the same way she did

while battling obesity. She said, “all I wanted was to talk to someone who was going through the

same things as me.”

In the summer of 2018, Faith set out to found OCEANS Lifestyles, a support and

advocacy group for young people who struggle with weight. What began as a project that she

spent 40 hours a week on (outside of her regular classwork) earned official nonprofit status in

late 2019. Faith is intensely empathetic, passionate about change, and determined to make it

happen.

OCEANS Lifestyles has a mission of empowering young people with obesity through

themselves, their community and society. Faith has primed her organization to fulfill this mission

through blogs and forums that host discussions on weight related issues, community events, and

public advocacy. Activism is in Faith’s nature. Once she reached a point where she was

comfortable with her weight, her goal became helping others get there too. “I realized the

journey never ends and we all need support every step of the way,” Faith said.
 Whether it be in leading her teams of executives and ambassadors or speaking to young

adults seeking healthy lifestyles, Faith’s personal approach and dedication are her greatest assets.

She is open about her struggles, and helps others be too. She sets the welcoming, positive culture

that makes OCEANS what it is.

Now, Faith is leading her nonprofit in fundraising initiatives and planning events that will

bring young people together in their wellness journeys. She is active in combating the weight

stigma in our society, whether it be on social media or out in the community. And she is

constantly expanding the safe space she has created for kids who might otherwise feel alone in

battling obesity. Faith’s mission is one that takes hard work and time; but as she says, change is

made in waves.