This is the first of a three-part series explaining my experiences and resulting perspectives on the most basic of acts, eating. The story begins with some of my earliest recollections in elementary school where I was overweight, had trouble with athletics, and was made fun. That experience peaked in the 6th grade when I was my chubbiest, just before growing a few inches and losing some weight because of extensive exercise and minimal eating.

I felt much better through the rest of middle school and into high school where I began playing football. I was a lineman and the coaches encouraged us to eat a bunch and get bigger and get bigger I did. Eating and working out were my primary focuses in the last three years of high school and I increased my size to more than 330 lbs. That size, and some degree of athleticism, earned me a full scholarship to play offensive line at the University of South Florida, which I decided to give up the week before summer training camp.

So there I was, a 335 lbs 19 year old former athlete, who had to figure out what to do next.

That leads into part 2.

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MoNHm #012 Nutrition. My fitness journey of self-discovery.

• Bold intro
  • Explanation of need to get more lively
• Avoided nutrition
  • Though it is my main hobby
  • Because a lot of people talk about it
• Began with earliest memories from elementary school
  • Made fun of on play ground
    • “earthquake”
    • “Are you going to sit on me?”
  • Tumbling
    • Tripod
  • Forced to run in PE
    • Wheezing and crying while being prodded by coach
  • I don’t know why I’m big.
• 6th grade
  • My most doughy
  • Chickened out before pool party
• Formed my basic thought on food
  • Whatever I eat, I’ll just get fatter
• Play/Athletics were not fun
  • Winded
  • Crying outside basketball practice
• Mark youth of being made fun of/getting fatter
• Parents abided by going dietary recommendations of the day
  • Low fat
  • Avoid cholesterol
  • Snack Wells       
• Ate a lot of Burger King
• Wasn’t allowed regular soda, only diet soda
• Ate plenty of candy and sugar drinks like most kids
• Summer 6th/7th grade
  • Big exercise swimming and bike riding
  • Lost around 20lbs
  • Grew a few inches
• 8th grade
  • AAU basketball
  • Having more fun
• 9th grade
  • 6’3” 190lbs
  • Started playing football
  • Decent lineman
• 10th grade
  • Join varsity team
  • Was told to get bigger
    • Eat, lift, repeat
    • A buffet for every day
  • Routine through high school
    • Hang with friends, eat, workout
  • Was successful in getting much bigger
    • 335lbs
    • Big, strong, and fat
  • Was recruited to play college football
    • Earned full ride scholarship at USF
  • Summer after high school
    • Decided I didn’t want to play college football
    • Declined full ride scholarship
      • Did really like football
      • Still had fat kid mentality
        • Scared of extreme athletic demand
      • Stopped playing sports
        • Kept eating
      • Transition into Part 2
        • Post early adulthood