Spotlight: Devon L.
To be honest, I don't recall exactly when I started gaining weight. I know I was bullied from the 3rd grade up until around 10th grade. The insults ranged from being told I smelled to being called fat. As a result, I didn't have many friends growing up. even now, my social circle remains small. The few friends I did have probably didn't know how bad it was for me. I tried to keep my struggles a secret out of embarrassment, although I doubt I hid it well.
As a result, I isolated myself from the world, I believed I didn't deserve friendships or a romantic relationship because I assumed others thought the same things about me that I thought about myself. So I did the thing I found comfort in the most. Eating, Looking back now, I realize it was one of the deepest and darkest holes I've ever gone down.
Trading your body and mind for a few moments of pleasure, only to be overwhelmed by waves of guilt and insults. Surprisingly, the worst insults came from me. I'm not sure exactly when I realized that my actions had consequences and would lead to a life of health issues and regret, but at my heaviest, I weighed around 400 pounds.
I attempted several diets on my own but would quickly give up when I didn't see immediate results. Quite the opposite would happen.. I felt embarrassed, I even briefly talked to my mom about pursuing weight loss surgery. I never fully considered that option, mainly because I was afraid to consult a doctor about it.
In 2018, I asked my mom if she'd do a diet with me. I chose the keto diet. almost immediately i added intermittent fasting (a 20/4 eating window). I went to extremes, and I do NOT recommend this approach, but if you do try it, make sure to do thorough research and consult a doctor beforehand.
During that time, I was probably eating around 1000 calories a day. I managed to keep this up for a little over two months before I had to increase my caloric intake because of health concerns. Within a year, I had lost over 100 pounds.
Over the following two years, my weight fluctuated. because of this, I decided to try one of the workout programs I had previously attempted but given up on, DDPYoga. I'm not gonna go deep on DDPYoga, I think there are plenty of videos showcasing how incredible it can be for ANYONE. (Check out "Arthur's Inspirational Transformation")
While DDPYoga may have kickstarted my physical fitness journey, I stumbled upon a simple yet impactful podcast that became the real key to my transformation: "American Glutton." I thought the name fit me well, so I gave it a shot.
The podcast features men and women who had faced similar challenges to mine. It included doctors and gym nuts who could help guide someone like me, who had no knowledge about health beyond "eat less, burn more." I knew I found something, and to my surprise, the host of the podcast was an actor I admired. partly because he was a bigger actor... Mr. Ethan Suplee.
Seeing his transformation and listening to his story gave me the courage and inspiration to push as hard as I had ever pushed before. Not necessarily caring about a specific number anymore but more so how I feel. My mindset on health and fitness has changed for the better and I look forward to the lifelong journey I have ahead.
That's why I decided to get this logo tattooed on me. It symbolizes everything I have endured and all that lies ahead.
I hope someone can draw inspiration from my story, and I cheer for anyone who chooses to take this long road. It may sound clichΓ©, but I wanted to end this with a famous quote.
"Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain't all sunshine and rainbows. It's a very mean and nasty place, and it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain't about how hard you hit. It's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done. Now, if you know what you're worth, then go out and get what you're worth. But you gotta be willing to take the hit and not point fingers, saying you ain't where you are because of him or her or anybody. Cowards do that, and that ain't you. You're better than that."