XXL
As mentioned in the introduction I had regularly noticed that with the majority of articles on people loosing weight most of them had experienced a moment or a certain event in their life which helped them to kickstart their weightloss.I had been unhappy with my current appearance but I would definetly say that my momment of realisation was in April 2001.
I was visiting NewYork with my college and was having a fantastic time, the second we arrived you instantly knew you were in NewYork. The buildings, people on the streets, even the smell seemed to match the images I had previously only seen on television or in movies. Baring in mind this was 6 months before the attack on the twin towers, the place was fantastic.
We've all heard of American size portions, their famous for their sizes and how large just about everything is, especially NewYork. I was in fat-lad heaven, Mcdonalds supersize was bigger than ours, pizza slices I thought only excisted in Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles cartoons, a famous cafe, visited by Jamie Oliver just as he was starting out his TV career, called the Carnigi Deli served food by the pound weight, the beef sandwich nearly suffocated me it it was that densley packed!
On a visit to a department store to buy clothes and gifts I was extremely happy, designer clothes in sizes which back home would be impossible to find. Growing up as large as I was meant my only source of clothing had to come from mens shops such as Burtons Menswear. Not because I particularly liked the stuff they sold their but basically because they stocked shirts and trousers above size L and weighst 36".
Browsing through the piles and piles of Raulph Lauren jumpers and Tommy Hilfiger polo shirts I noticed that none of my friends were with me. I looked around but all I could see were several overweight shoppers such as myself all busy looking at the designer clothes in the same way I was, joyful at the sight of XL, XXL and even XXXL. I looked around and also realised I was the only teenager in that particular section. These guys were in their late 20's and 30's and looked unhappy, unhealthy and basically overweight, sweating under the halogen shop lights, glistening with glee at the sight of a pair or trousers that would actually fit and look half decent in.
I was the only teenager in the section and I was hitting XXL for some of the bargains on offer, I never wanted to reach the XXXL mark that I now felt closer too then more than I had ever before. It was at this point I knew that when I got home I needed to stop with the way of life I had grown so used too and begin to make some major changes.
I was visiting NewYork with my college and was having a fantastic time, the second we arrived you instantly knew you were in NewYork. The buildings, people on the streets, even the smell seemed to match the images I had previously only seen on television or in movies. Baring in mind this was 6 months before the attack on the twin towers, the place was fantastic.
We've all heard of American size portions, their famous for their sizes and how large just about everything is, especially NewYork. I was in fat-lad heaven, Mcdonalds supersize was bigger than ours, pizza slices I thought only excisted in Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles cartoons, a famous cafe, visited by Jamie Oliver just as he was starting out his TV career, called the Carnigi Deli served food by the pound weight, the beef sandwich nearly suffocated me it it was that densley packed!
On a visit to a department store to buy clothes and gifts I was extremely happy, designer clothes in sizes which back home would be impossible to find. Growing up as large as I was meant my only source of clothing had to come from mens shops such as Burtons Menswear. Not because I particularly liked the stuff they sold their but basically because they stocked shirts and trousers above size L and weighst 36".
Browsing through the piles and piles of Raulph Lauren jumpers and Tommy Hilfiger polo shirts I noticed that none of my friends were with me. I looked around but all I could see were several overweight shoppers such as myself all busy looking at the designer clothes in the same way I was, joyful at the sight of XL, XXL and even XXXL. I looked around and also realised I was the only teenager in that particular section. These guys were in their late 20's and 30's and looked unhappy, unhealthy and basically overweight, sweating under the halogen shop lights, glistening with glee at the sight of a pair or trousers that would actually fit and look half decent in.
I was the only teenager in the section and I was hitting XXL for some of the bargains on offer, I never wanted to reach the XXXL mark that I now felt closer too then more than I had ever before. It was at this point I knew that when I got home I needed to stop with the way of life I had grown so used too and begin to make some major changes.
posted by Matt Shirazi at 1:44 AM
4 Comments:
Really like your blog Matt, well done! With all of the issues surrounding over-weight teenagers I hope your blog reaches more people than just our Weblog class as I think you could be a real inspiration to them!
9:59 AM
I agree with Jaclyn, I find it inspiring that you took it upon yourself to do something to do something about your weight. It must have taken some willpower. I've never been to the gym in my life, I keep saying I'll join - but actually doing it is the difficult part!
3:51 AM
Hi Matt, I think you've done really well to loose the weight. I think it’s sad when you see kids today being raised on junk food, only experiencing exercise on a computer game and becoming ill. I had one of them moments on Saturday night- I asked my boyfriend to zip up my dress- and it was a mission and a half! I was so embarrassed and like a usual Monday I started a diet. Its now Tuesday and I’ve broken it! I look forward to your tips!
11:46 AM
I have already lost four stone and I have probably about another four to go, but I don't really think I had a particular time when I realised I needed to do something. I do remember I first started losing weight when I was working for the iom gov in the summer before I started uni. I have been on and off diets all my life, even as a child and I can't really explain why that one worked and none of the others did. Maybe because when I went on that diet, I was more concerned for my health than worrying about the way I looked. I haven't put any of the weight back on but I am finding it increasingly difficult to have a good lifestyle and look after myself at uni. It is really expensive to eat healthy and i can never be bothered to cook for myself. Although I do prefer the taste of healthy food! Plus, gym membership is ridiculous and the uni gym is about the size of a double bed! I really want to loose my last four stone but I have started to get really annoyed that I am 20 years old and in uni and I have to eat healthy, go to the gym and not drink to get the weight off, none of my mates have to do that! I basically need to kick myself up the arse, watch this space!
11:19 AM
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