I was about 13-14 years old and obese. I remember standing on a scale the summer that I turned fourteen and saw the scale his 240 pounds, I couldn't believe my eyes. My self-esteem sunk and my health sunk even deeper. Everyone around me seemed happier than I was, and at just thirteen years old, I was depressed. My depression took me down a path of self-loathing and constantly trying to find ways to escape who I was and who I was becoming. I'd play video games as soon as I'd arrive home and eat huge amounts of food to temporarily mask the depression that I was in. In this world, I've noticed one thing, if you're not ready to defend yourself, no one will for you. I became my worst enemy, and people saw my weakness and struck me while I was down. I became severely bullied in school and often felt like an outcast. That summer, I tried to join a football team, thinking that my size may help me in something in life and that I'd be able to get into better shape. I was so out of shape, that after doing 2 laps around the football field, I puked everywhere. After just the second practice, I quit. Not only was this a massive depletion of my morale, but also in work ethic and dedication.

My lack of bodily concerns began to take over my personal life as well. I started failing at school, hating life and contemplating suicide. Life was becoming very strange, and I lost control. One week, my dad pestered me about joining the gym, so I did. My first visit there, I left puking, but this time, I didn't quit. I returned two or three times a week.

After about 5-6 months of going to the gym moderately and not taking it too seriously, I began to notice a physical change when I looked at the boy in the mirror. The summer leading up to my fifteenth birthday, I was going to the gym nearly 7 times a week, some days, twice a day. I did cardio and every machine in the gym possible. I had poor technique, no specific routines and barely knew what a muscle group was. Although I lacked in knowledge and was very ignorant, I worked hard, and lost 70 pounds.

That summer, my efforts went recognized by a local firefighter and natural bodybuilder. He introduced himself to me and said, ''If you want me to show how to workout properly, people won't recognize you by the end of the summer, I promise. If you don't want me to help you, then I won't bother you, it's up to you.'' This was the conversation that changed my life - literally.

I soaked in every little bit of information that I could from him. I began to work on form, technique, diet and routines. By the end of the summer, I had lost another 40 pounds and filled in with some muscle mass.

I returned to school in the fall. I recall going to get my books a week ahead of classes commencing, and no one even saying hi to me. I walked to the back of line, behind 200 or so parents and their kids. Although I wasn't the most popular of people, there was a nice enough guy whom I developed a good school relationship with me who seemed to completely ignore me. I then poked him to ask if the line was moving and his jaw dropped and was in complete shock due to of how much of a metamorphosis that I had gone through. Until this point, I hadn't realized just how much I did change. This is pretty much when I became an attention whore.

I vowed to never quit the gym and make it my primary concern in life. My daily lifts began to grow. By the time I was 16, I was always getting looks from strangers, compliments even, and I loved it. I'd go to the mall, stand in line somewhere, and get random people just ask me questions in regards to working out, often leaving them shocked when I'd tell them my age. (Must be something with me and lines).

At seventeen and eighteen years old, my lifts were really good and I began to develop a relationship with powerlifting. At seventeen and around 200 pounds, I remember getting my bench press to 365x6 and good form (maybe some help on the last rep - haha).

Today, I'm twenty two years old, and I'm looking to reinvent myself. I don't quite know where I stand after almost a year's hiatus with my soulmate, but I'm excited to rediscover myself and the sport that I love so much.

If you've read all of this, thank you and godspeed.

In my opinion, there's nothing better in this world than going to the gym and just jacking up weights everyday. Getting pumped day-in and day-out. The pump alone and the compliments I get from people everywhere, even complete strangers, keeps me going.