If someone were to tell the 16 year old me, that at over twice my age then, I’d be in shape now, let alone competing for a feature in Muscle & Fitness magazine, the response would have been an admixture of dismissiveness, indifference, & perhaps even ridicule.
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High School, High Blood Pressure, Etc.
Although the high school years are a ripe age for idealism & whimsical dreaming, concerning the future, personal health stats then did little to breed such opportunity, given my flirting with almost 250lbs, not to mention both high blood pressure & cholesterol.
Ironically, when my physician broke this discouraging news to me, there were at the time, local news reports of 2 high school students (athletes), that had fallen prey to heart attacks, & died prematurely as a result. Coming to grips with the fact that, apart from coerced gym class participation, the only exercise I engaged in was maneuvering the elbow to put food in my mouth, & therefore a fatal cardiac blow, having taken these young football players, was certainly not outside the realm of possibility for me. Therefore, the visceral response to this immediate problem was of course, to “go on a diet”.
Six Flags “Weight” Adventure
Having been overweight most of my childhood, the first experience I had with food intake modification began in the 2nd grade. This arguably, was the best “diet” I was put on by a clinician, given that, apart from a prescribed appetite suppressant, the primary tool stressed for losing weight was portion control. Although a simple solution, it is one likewise easily hidden & forgotten under the pop culture of diet pills, magic potions, saran wrap girdles, & other such microwave fixes.
If anyone like me, has had any experience with dieting & substantial weight loss, they’re probably also familiar with the “roller coaster” effect that often comes with it, esp. long-term. After the shedding of weight during my grade school years, there followed the “skinny euphoria”, whereby the hapless & undisciplined victim falls prey to the “I can eat anything now!” mentality. Fast forward through this time, & you’ll stumble across my middle school years, wherein other (questionable) clinicians were sought out, not to mention a brief stint with the Slim-Fast diet. Ultimately, these brought me to high school age, at which point, the only “loss” was my interest to tackle the problem altogether, as both my appetite & waistline expanded. That was of course, until co-morbidities came knocking at the door.
The Scare Diet
As with anything in it’s prototype phase, there is ofttimes, a laundry list of mistakes & kinks that warrant ironing out, over the passage of time. The radical shift in my food intake at 16 was certainly no exception, as it was what I like to coin, a “scare diet”. As you recall from above, I was triggered by the doctor’s report of my having high blood pressure & cholesterol, and as a knee-jerk response thereto, went on a “dietary exorcism”, to cast out the “unclean” victuals. The power of fear, COMPELS YOU!!!
Egg yolks: high in fat & cholesterol (albeit the main source of the egg’s nutrients), & therefore were the devil, for about a year’s time. Egg whites only. Cheese: another demonic entity – high in fat (namely saturated), & therefore was the perfect “cocktail” for a heart attack. It too was blacklisted for roughly a year or more. As an aside: one silver lining to this Pharisaical regimen was my waning passion for baked goods, sweets, candy, & the like, which (in my opinion) offer no real nutritional benefit, apart from stimulated taste buds.
Ultimately, while losing almost 100 lbs (coming down to 150, from 247), I still had not gained an appreciation for enjoying “bad foods” in moderation, nor retained the discipline for portion control, as I did during the span of the diet. Remember that neighbor, “Skinny Euphoria”, I told you about earlier? He dropped in again during this time, although not with the same vigor, nor outfit as he had before. And now, we segue into the fitness aspect of the journey…
The Gym Addiction Begins
Not having been particularly athletic, outside of Tae Kwon Do classes in my pre- teen years, it was approximately 40 lbs into the “scare diet”, that my aunt formally introduced me to the iron & rubber jungle, that is the gym. Going back to the motif of that “prototype phase”, I initially started by following her lead on cardio machines, & with the impetus of natural curiosity, moved on to explore the more strength-based/muscle building aspects of the club. From this time forward, I became hooked onto a salubrious habit, that being now in my early 30’s, I’ve
unregrettably not been able to “kick”.
Diet & Exercise: The Awkward Balance
As with all males this age (now roughly 17-18), the ultimate fitness goal in mind is of course, to “get big”, this having become my primary objective, after dropping almost a person in weight, & now desiring to fill in the residue of loose skin, & overall “strung-out” appeal which remained. Having no concept behind the science of caloric intake, deficit, surplus, or the respective usages of macros (proteins, carbs, & fat), my neighbor “Skinny Euphoria” from before, reappeared: clothed under a slightly new, fit-relevant context. Whereas before, the enchantment was being able to “eat anything” after becoming “skinny”, the new delusion was, that as long as I was working out, I’d never gain “too much weight”.
Again: having no grasp on the concept of a caloric surplus (more calories consumed than burned), I likewise fell prey to the notion, that eating “healthy foods” in excess was fine, as it contributed to the end-goal of “getting big”. Coming to terms with both my ego, & the familiar roller coaster effect on my weight (which at this point climbed back to around 210 lbs), it was then, that I began (you guessed it) another “diet”, yet with emphasis on reducing portions, rather than demonizing particular food items.
Fast forward to today, and admittedly, there have been yet other ups & downs on the scale, throughout the last 10 years or so. As stated above however, the passage of time has afforded me increased finesse, wherein these smaller “diet” periods focused moreso on tuning up my physique (losing “vanity pounds”), rather than wholesale overhauls & reformations, as aforetime. Last year, I studied the general purpose of macros (proteins, carbs, & fats), & began counting calories on a spreadsheet, both of which have been real game changers to my overall health routine.
Although much of this account focuses on the dietary aspect of my journey (arguably, the more important piece), the exercise facet likewise has had its own timeline of progression: from having wanted to simply “get big” in my high school years – early 20’s, to carving out more specific short-term goals, with health, wellness, & longevity as the blanket end-game. Since about 2011 for example, my overall approach to lifting has been relatively lighter weights, performed with slow, crisp form, sometimes mixed with isometrics. I could go further into detail (perhaps write a follow-up article) with this, but in the attempt to not bore you, I’ll now aim to bring this proverbial ship back to port.
Competition and a Call to Action for Black America
As stated in the article’s opening: there was no reason for me to believe at 16, that at 33, I’d be in a whole different frame of mind & body, concerning food & exercise, let alone competing for a chance to be featured in the nationally recognized publication, that is Muscle & Fitness magazine. My desire is to be able to share this story as I have with you, to an audience nationwide.
Reflecting also through the viewpoint of a Foundational Black American/Freedmen, who understands the suffering of his lineage disproportionately, from the co-morbidities that are high blood pressure, diabetes, & heart disease (to name a few), I furthermore hope to inspire other brothers & sisters, likewise struggling with weight & health issues, to invest in becoming better versions of themselves, simply by starting right where they are, & taking baby steps towards milestones.
In retrospect to the mistakes, progress, setbacks, & revelations made along the way, I now appreciate the experience (failures & all), knowing that, as I’ve titled this summation, it’s not about a single “diet”, nor being “active” for a short period of time, but indeed a personal life & health journey, that continues all the while we live, breathe, & have our being.
Having been in the current race aforementioned, since it began April 26th, it is the unmerited support of people like you, that have kept me going strong in the ranks. As of 5.19.22, I stand at 3rd place within my group, having made the cut for the Top 10, & am now able to pass over into Phase III, which will further glean the top candidates, & ultimately the 2022, Mr. Health & Fitness winner.
If so inclined, you can cast a ballot, using the link provided below. Voters can participate for FREE, once a day, via Facebook login. Your advocacy is met with nothing short of perpetual gratitude. God Bless you all Fam, & B1!
