The Path To Obesity
The Path to Obesity
Growing up, I always considered myself “stocky.” It wasn’t enough to get teased by other kids, but I still believed that my size was the reason I was picked last for teams. Looking back, I realize I had some self-image issues, but they never really weighed on me. In fact, one friend in high school even called me “Fred Flintstone” because of my weight, and I still joke about it today.
Bad Foods
Mom and Dad got married when she was only 16. She came from a household of women who did most of the cooking, so my Great Grandmother, Grandy, gave her a crash course two weeks before the wedding. The menu was simple: meat, potatoes, green beans, and corn. And that’s what I ate—almost every day.
Eating out was rare, but when we did, it was usually a hamburger with just meat, bread, and ketchup—because, as everyone knew, kids didn’t like veggies. So, my exposure to other foods was limited.
The High School Years
By high school, I was still “stocky,” but not overly so. People started to describe me as “big-boned,” a common euphemism for carrying a few extra pounds. Being heavier had its perks, though—I had the upper hand in wrestling during gym class and the occasional fight. But I started to notice my weight more in the mirror.
College: Where It All Changed
Once I got to college, nobody seemed to care about my weight. The cafeteria was run by little old ladies who made delicious, hearty meals. There was a salad bar, but I could count on one hand the number of times I used it. The best part? It was all-you-can-eat. That’s when the weight started piling on—about 25 pounds in my first semester alone.
Luckily, I met a dorm-mate who loved playing handball. He had asthma and was a bit “big-boned” himself, but we played three or four times a week. By the end of my sophomore year, I had slimmed down to 150 pounds—probably the healthiest weight for my 5’10” frame. But then came the comments: “You’re too skinny,” or “You need to put on a few pounds.”
Marriage and Stability
Right before my junior year, I got married. Balancing school, marriage, and a physically demanding part-time job kept my weight stable. I was digging post holes for fences 3–4 hours a day, and any weight I gained was solid muscle.
The Turning Point: Quitting Smoking
My weight remained stable until after the birth of my second child, when I made a life-altering decision: I quit smoking. For good this time. Within six months, I had packed on 50 to 60 pounds.
I remember traveling for work, and one of my colleagues hadn’t seen me since before I quit smoking. His reaction when we met again? “Whoa, what the hell happened to you?”
This was the true beginning of my obesity journey, a turning point that would lead to years of struggling with my weight. In the next post, I’ll dive into the roller-coaster of yo-yo dieting, losing significant weight only to gain back even more.
