A lot of people are surprised the hear that I was once overweight.
I casually mentioned my own fitness transformation in a recent post, and a number of people expressed interest in knowing more – and learning how I released my excess weight.
So here it goes.
As I very young child, I was healthy and active. But somewhere around second grade, I started really adding on the pounds. As many of us know, pounds have a way of adding up – and I was significantly overweight within a year.
Children can be very mean, especially if you’re an overweight gay kid. By of all the torment, it’s my mom’s teasing that I remember the most. Whenever an obese person would appear in a movie, nearby on a street or on television, my mom would say, “Look! It’s David!” I still remember that, and often still hear those words when I see someone that is significantly overweight.
Such things have a way of eroding self esteem in a young person, and so I decided to change my body in a very unhealthy way. By sixth grade, I was quickly losing weight through anorexia. Looking at pictures of myself in middle school, it’s very clear that I had an eating disorder; my face was gaunt and pale and I looked quite sickly.
As a male, it’s easy (though perhaps less so today) to get away with an eating disorder; many people associate eating disorders with women. In a single year I grew 4 inches but lost 10 pounds, and so the doctor expressed concern. “Are you eating?” he asked. “Yes,” I said. And that was that.
It wasn’t until age 15 or 16 that I finally took a much healthier route. I started exercising and adding muscle mass to my frail and malnourished body. I began to eat again and repair my relationship with food. Step by small step, I became healthier.
When I talk about the challenges of being healthy, I don’t do so theoretically. I’ve been there. It’s the driving reason that I write this blog and develop fitness products to share with you; it gives me great purpose to help others find strength to transform their bodies and their lives. There’s nothing that brings me greater fulfillment than sharing what I know to help others better themselves.
And even today, I’m still learning new things. My body and its needs continue to evolve. My fitness journey and transformation isn’t over. It never is.
Can’t imagine you as a chubby kid… Post a picture! (Not that I don’t believe you!)
But, it’s nice to know change is possible! <3
Yeah, post a chubby picture!
He has had his mother show school pictures of him through the years. Personally, I wouldn’t say he was fat by any means…maybe a bit chubby, key word being bit. If you didn’t see his video, check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUvvBDoegjM
Thanks Davey, you’re an inspiration!
I’ve just watched the youtube clip.
Obviously if Davey felt ‘overweight’, then that was significant for him.
But I do think it was dangerous for him to be called ‘overweight’, when he was very far from that.
truly inspirational!
Thank you for sharing. The battle of the bulge. Image issues. Feeling ugly. Social stresses. All the stuff we face in our efforts to accept ourselves and find others who accept and love us. I’m happy you found a solution that is healthy and chose to share that. I still strive to find my own way to healthy self love and image.
I’m 16 and currently an anorexic. I am about 129 lbs. And 5foot 7in. In elementry school i also felt fat so in middle school i slowly stopped eating untill cereal is the only thing i swallow most of the time. I hope that one day i can be as healthy/ fit as Davey and beat anorexia.
<3
Daniel, as someone of about your age who has struggled with an eating dissorder for a good portion of my life I want you to know that you can and SHOULD eat. I want you to know that you are only depriving yourself from so much — good food, nourishment, the body you really want. When ever you feel fat or the habit of skipping a meal I want you to hear me telling you to EAT. To feed your body and to feel good about yourself, but know that the only way you will get better is through eating. Best of luck.
Love,
Joseph
My little brother used to be overweight when he was in Elementary school and we, his family, would call him names. I would also think that because he was overweight I would not have to care for him and sometimes I would just forget he was my brother. We even got mad at each other and didn’t spoke for a while. I know we all were making him feel bad about himself, but in a way it also made him take the decision to change his life. He started working out and little by little he got thinner and a little muscular. Now he is taller and in better shape than I am. I feel so bad when I remember the type of human I used to be with my little brother. Now we all are happy with each other, not because he is in shape, but because We realized that we all are part of the same tree and should not be hurting each other in any way.
I am really sorry for what I did, I regret every bit of it. I also must include that it all happened when I was in the process of accepting myself and trying to make my family accept me the way I am. So I wasn’t really thinking at all.
I was a slender child but, due to a combination of physiological and emotional issues, began to gain weight as I entered puberty. I’ve now been overweight most of my life, though in good shape for relatively brief periods. It’s a struggle that only gets worse as I get older. I’m heartened to see people like you helping those who are in need to inspiration and guidance to get healthy and (hopefully) stay that way. Keep up the good work, Davey.
I am probably opening myself up to the shallowness of society, and the gay community especially, but here goes anyway. I am a 49 year old gay man who has been overweight all my life. As a child, I endured the continuous name calling and being chosen last. I weighed 240 pounds when I graduated from high school. In college, I started with gaining the “freshman 15″ and continued to gain 15-20 pounds a year for the next 20 years. While it is uplifting to see positive role models such as yourself, Davey, it also reinforces the notion that beauty and toned, muscular bodies are the standard by which all others are measured.
I am desperate for help, but am wary of placing myself in a situation where I am open to the stares and public humiliation that going to a gym would result in. I don’t go out in public much and haven’t been to a gay bar in over 15 years because I don’t want to be the object of everyone’s disgust and ridicule. If there is anyone out there with any positive comments or suggestions, please feel free to make them. Please refrain from the negative. I have heard more than my share of fat jokes. Thanks, Gene F.
Hey Gene,
There is a guy at my gym who is was very obese and still has a long way to go. But even now I’m seeing the difference in him. His chest is almost not so saggy and his waistline is probe half the size it was but he turns up regularly and gets on with it.
I think he is there not to be worried about what people think and more to change himself. If he did worry about what people think then he would not go.
I was very self contientious about going to a gym myself and working out amongst really fit muscular guys. Now I’m not now.
i have gained a friend too and we now go together as gym buddies!
I’m going there for myself, not for anyone else. The gains you will achieve will be worth it Gene. You owe it to yourself not to anyone else. You only have one life so make the most of it Gene. You are only robbing yourself of transforming yourself. When you go speak to a trainer what you want to achieve and the trainer will help you to get you kick started. The rest is up to you. And people will respect you too for making the effort in going too! Cause you will be doing something about it!
Follow Davey’s advise in his blogs and subscribe to his emails too.
Kindest Regards,
Jamie S
I gotta say I have been really overweight and we all have some form of catalyst that kicks our butt into doing something about shedding the flab and transforming ourselves.
For me it was a local kid who lives round the corner.
I’m 41yrs old and was very flabby round the waist. Walking to work always passed his house.
He would open up his bedroom window and shout down at me” Hey Fatty!”
Now I have no idea who this kid is, have never met him before and no idea why he said it. I did think about chapping his door and telling his parents what he had done but thought why bother.
Thats not gonna change me. I need to change myself.
So 3 months later after 4 days a week after joining a gym My waist is down from 40″ to 33′ Strangely though my weight has dropped some but not much as my muscles have grown so the balance of weight from the flab is shifting towards the muscle weight!
I almost there now I’m almost got rid of the spare tyre thats now the size of a BMX tyre thickness compared to the car tyre thickness it was.
Also Davey you blogs I really love reading and they really are no nonsense plain and not glorified hype like a lot of muscle growth fitness websites do. Keep up the good work Davey cause your an inspiration to lots!
Kindest regards,
Jamie S
KInd regards,
So all of my life I was severely over weight, and it never bothered me until I saw a photo of my self just a few years ago. Being a CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant) I knew that I was cutting my life span short (well shorter than it already is with my half-pack addiction=P) and so I began to try and get healthier…to no avail, so I began a terrible way of loosing weight (much as you said that you did Davey) via anorexia. I still shudder at the photos from that period of my life. But I am better now, and at a healthier weight, still have that darn addiction though. Thank you Davey, because of what my friends have shown me from your vids….I’m more than just healthy now, I’m still alive.
This story made me feel a bit bad for you
I want to give you a big hug!!!!!!! … and maybe squeeze your butt ^_^ I love you, David! X0X0
I can see why you became a fitness fenatic and a personal trainer, but I can’t say after reading this I’m not a little disappointed that you sell out. I would have thought because of your personal experiences you would want to help make the world a healthier place, rather than make money off of them. I understand everyone has to make a living, but 27 bucks for a 54 page book is extortionate!
I do love you though! And as they say, nobody’s perfect!
You’re my hero!
I admire you so much for taking control of your life–TWICE!
And you still have such a great attitude!
You’re very impressive, keep blogging (and vlogging)!
Thanks, Davey! That makes your present day encouragement even more inspirational!
I discovered you about a year ago and don’t recall a previous blog or vlog post in which you bared your soul the way you have here. Your personal journey is touching and endearing, but I also take offense to this post on your mom’s behalf. In video post featuring your mom, she comes off as sweet and unconditionally loving of her big baby Davey Wavey. But here, you essentially said, “My mom was bitch” and left it at that. You detail how you overcame issues with food and poor fitness. But as far as your new blog buddies are concerned, Mom’s still a bitch and would tease you today if you were still “fat.” And older blog buddies like me are scratching our heads, wondering if you sold mom out to garner sympathy. When you return home, young man, you need to get to work on another mom-centric blog or vlog post to set the record straight.
I would love it if you could go a little more into the way you overcame your eating disorder. As a young gay man, there are many who struggle with similar things, and as a person who has fought my own fight with anorexia, I believe that you are in a unique position to discuss your triumph over it. When some people delve into anorexia, what they don’t know is that choosing to stop being anorexic is not an overnight choice. When you enter more steep stages of it, your body simply will not accept food readily, and you need time to rehabilitate your digestive system, let alone your metabolism, to adjust to the gradual reintroduction of food. Davey, I know you have a lot of people who request things of you, but I would ask that maybe you could discuss your own situation with the disease, your personal experiences, and the process of recovery… I think that people would listen, and many need to hear what you have to say BEFORE they allow them self to fall into the quagmire. Please consider it. Thank you.
yeah-ive seen the transformation photos-chubby-but not fat.obviously you did change things around-before it was too late.and now we know DW-what he is today.yeah.
David, do you think that your mother’s comments to you were helpful in changing your direction when you were a teenager? Our society has adopted the concept that it is harmful to say anything to anyone that might lead them to either feel bad about themselves, or to let them know you recognize they have an issue. On the other hand, sometimes our best growing moments are when we are forced to recognize that we are wrong about something. I’d like to hear your thoughts about the impact of your family on your decision to follow a more healthful lifestyle, if you are willing. Keep on groovin’! All the best.
Thank you so much Davey. Reading your post, I saw myself. I had been the fat kid for so long. After being called tits for all of grade nine, as well as felt tons of self hatred for my sexuality. I finally did something about it. I stopped eating. Except for oatmeal, egg whites, tuna, lettuce and an apple. This went on for months, until I had gone from 230lbs to 140 lbs in about four months. I finally accepted help and am now a healthier, stronger person. I am now at a healthy weight (160lbs) and am friends with my body. I exercise it 6 days a week and nourish it with healthful foods, both in quantity and quality. I have discovered a talent for rowing, and I compete as a lightweight. I have already made fourth at the National Champs and have a goal for podium next year or the year after. I was so relieved to know that there is someone else out there who had gone through exactly what I had and came out alright. Thank you Davey, you have no idea how much better that post made me feel. ILY <3
Ben, from Canada (eh?)
Gosh, i am 17 now. Ive recently started goin to the gym, i started eating a bit more so i can put some kilos on, and try my best to develop my body and build some muscles. But its not workin out pretty good, at least i am not happy. The fitness instructor is explaining me a lot of the stuff but, i still need to know how much i should exercise, how much to eat and stuff. The main thing that annoys me a lot, is that i am still too weak and i cant lift too much weight! I am still stuck with the smaller weights!
I have no idea what to do, and i have never been more confused!