It was the summer of 2003 and I had just finished my sophomore year at the University of Missouri-Columbia.

I remember feeling a sense of accomplishment for completing my second year of studies as well as an excitement for the opportunities that lay ahead. But I also felt a lingering insecurity around my weight.

During the first two years of my collegiate experience, I had spent many mornings, afternoons, and evenings, surveying the plethora of on-campus dormitories to gorge on unhealthy food options. To make things worse, I was inactive and out of shape.

As the summer approached, I traveled to the Woodlands, Texas, a sprawling suburban community nestled in a quiet area about 45 miles north of the Houston city limits, to live with my parents for the summer before returning back to school for the fall semester.

My father, a Nigerian immigrant known for his direct and unfiltered communicative style, was not impressed by my expanding and rotund shape when I arrived. He took one glance at my physical appearance, paused for a second, and did not mince words.

“You’re fat,” he told me, as I searched for food in the kitchen during one of my snack eating exploits.

The feedback was succinct, yet sharp, penetrating, stinging, sobering, and, most importantly, necessary. It became a source of motivation and a catalyst for a journey of self-improvement and self-acceptance. It cut through all my illusions, forcing me to confront a tough reality head-on.

Following my father’s blunt words, I stood in the kitchen for a moment, quiet, and motionless.

I found myself reflecting on the countless hours I spent training when I was a top athlete in soccer and basketball, the sacrifices made, the victories I achieved. Each drop of sweat shed, each muscle strained, all the physical and mental hurdles I had surpassed.

For years, keeping in shape had been a crucial part of my identity. It powered my confidence. Cultivated my esteem. Fortified my resilience. And had been a panacea for many of the obstacles I encountered, including the stinging racism I faced in Missouri.

Yet, in one swoop, my father’s raw honesty had exposed a sensitivity and vulnerability I had long tried to mask: my eroding identity and my declining physical well-being.

Time to Weigh In

Later that evening, I decided to confront something I had been trying to avoid for far too long. My true weight.

I slowly walked to the weight scale in my parent’s bathroom and begrudgingly stepped onto the machine. I could see the number creeping into the two hundreds. My heart sank. Finally, the moment of truth. 220 pounds. I couldn’t believe my eyes!

This was a sobering wake up call, but it was all the motivation I needed. I could feel the vigorous rush of my competitive fire again, a familiar feeling from my earlier days of high-level competition.

Though heart-breaking and soul-crushing, the moment represented a fresh opportunity to redefine my strength, resilience, and self-worth and set me on a path towards growth and self-discovery.

Locked In

A day after my father’s motivating words, I locked in and took on the daunting challenge of shedding the weight. I felt a giddy excitement, not just for the journey ahead, but for the opportunity to prove myself again and carve a remarkable path of recovery.

I was ready for my comeback.

The first thing I did was change my eating habits. I told my mother and father, “No Fufu, no fried foods, no processed food, or anything unhealthy.”

If I wanted to see quick changes, I knew I had to eat healthier food to fuel my workouts. I supplanted the dormitory buffet-style meals with clean vegetables and healthy proteins such as nuts, fish, shrimp, and chicken. I also limited my calorie intake. I ate no more than 1,200 calories a day.

Next, I created a dynamic exercise routine to keep me engaged throughout the summer.

I mixed up my weeks with outside runs, treadmill runs, and online cardio kickboxing workouts. I also sought and participated in neighborhood basketball games with local residents, joined a local soccer league, and played tennis with my little sister on alternate days throughout the week.

As my shape improved, my capacity to do longer and more intense workouts increased. I even got to a point where I was doing three workouts a day.

As the weeks passed, the pounds began to melt away. With every lost pound, I gained something more valuable: confidence, energy, a vibrant swagger, and a renewed zest for life.

My transformation was not just physical. I had faced my emotional battles head-on, and although the inner work to get there was grueling, it was necessary and worth it.

A Beautiful Metamorphosis

Three months after I had arrived in the Woodlands, I proudly stepped on the same scale that had set me on this crucial path of change.

I was beyond elated. I had lost 80 pounds by the end of the summer, but more importantly, I had gained a profound respect for myself and become an inspiration to my family and friends, a testament to the power of resilience and self-love.

Tips for the Weight Loss Journey

For those going through their own weight loss journey, I’ve listed some tips and nuggets I learned during my own experiences.

Celebrate Every Success

This includes every pound you lose. Every time you resist munching on a cookie or anything unhealthy. All the times you motivated yourself through a tough workout, even when it took you two hours just to put your shoes on. All the times you resisted the temptations of doing something that could knock you off the path of seizing your objectives.

Celebrate every achievement, every success, large or small.

Seek Advice if You Can

Reach out to those who are going through their own weight loss journeys, learn from them, share with them, and leverage this community to your betterment and to power your own determination and resilience in the process.

You’ll find that being part of a community with similar aspirations and goals can help keep you on track and push you through the hard times.

I recommend using the Meetup app to connect with others, but there are also a plethora of other options to use.

Leverage the Power of Visualization

This sounds fluffy but visualizing yourself having a great workout can help set a great tone and put you in a happy and wonderful space before an exercise routine.

One thing I also did was constantly visualize where I wanted to be at the end of my journey. I found this incredibly motivating in keeping me focused in achieving my ultimate goals.

Be Kind to Yourself

Losing weight is not easy and it can be full of ups and downs. So, be sure to be kind to yourself, uplift yourself, and be your own ultimate cheerleader.

Remember, you sit with your thoughts more than anyone else, so it’s important to shower yourself with self-love and compassion. You’ll find that this can help fuel your motivation and keep you on track with your goals.

Track Workouts and Food Intake

This can be a bit tedious, but trust me, it’s completely worth it. If you can, try to track all your workouts, calories burned, and your calorie intake from beverages and food.

I did this manually, but nowadays, there are a lot of great apps that can help effectively document your workouts, track your progress, and provide nutritional guidance.

Do Workouts You Enjoy

Being able to dip into different types of exercise routines can play a huge role in losing pounds quickly. It keeps the weight loss journey fun, fresh, dynamic, and exciting and gives you a natural enthusiasm to keep going.

Try to mix your routines with different forms of exercises to keep you engaged and focused.

Final Thoughts

My weight loss journey was not just about shedding pounds. It was about discovering my strength, reclaiming my health, arming myself with self-love, and rediscovering the same joy I had felt during my earlier days of high-level competition.

Throughout this transformative journey, I learned to appreciate the incredible resilience of the human body and the power of a determined mind.

Every milestone that I achieved served as a reminder of the amazing capacity we all possess to overcome insurmountable obstacles and embrace a thriving, balanced lifestyle.

So what are your thoughts on this topic? Do you have any stories of resilience you’d like to share? Do you have any additional weight loss tips I did not include?

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About the Author

I’m a communication coach, award-winning technical content communicator, music producer, songwriter, blogger, professor, and sports aficionado.

For communication advice, uplifting musical content, and thought-provoking interviews and blog content, join me at: https://anietiecommunity.com/why-i-started-this-community/.