I was a fat kid in high school at 285 lbs. Joined sport programs which made me realize how out-of shape I was and the competitve benefits of being faster, stronger, and increased endurance. Everything snowballed to the point where I took fitness as a hobby to better myself physically and mentally. The ladies don't exactly like mastodon's either. Knee surgery completly derailed me. It stripped away my ability to forever run and lift heavy with my legs and temporary made me lose my fitness goals. I still wanted to be trim, but I lost the desire to be bigger, faster, stronger. Surgery balloned me up to 250lbs! I rebounded to decent 210 where for a few years I'd do a dirty bulk in the fall/winter (to about 240) and cut back down to 210 for the spring and summer.
Recently I've decided to stop using the bad trend. While I want to put on mass and be lean, I want to do it right. Slowly and accurate. No more balloning up just to cut back. I want to get trimed down and then slowly add clean mass.
2002: 285lbs (High school freshmen - Journey begins as I join spring football camp)
2002: 260lbs
2004: 215lbs
2005-2007: 195lbs (tone but rather skinny)
2008: 250lbs (knee surgery, derails me)
2009-2012: bounce between 210-240 as I learn about bodybuilding, cutting, and bulking
2013: Average 200lbs as I get serious about overall fitness and health
It's a love hate relationship. I love the results. Sometimes I love the sweat and pain. There's enjoyment knowing I've turned everyday excuses on why I shouldn't go into reasons why I need to go; we do what other's are affraid to do. (My busted knee, time, energy, hobbies, work, laziness, etc).
But, in comes the hate. The time spent at the gym, planning around a lifestyle (diet) can get daunting. Sometimes I just want to skip the gym, leave work, and go home and game it out on my xbox. Rest, feast on food, and melt away the stress. But, I have the body type where if I skip few days and eat off the plan - I swell up and pack on the pounds like a boss -- and no matter what, in the end that's what I hate more than busting myself at the gym.