I have definitely went through my ups and downs when it comes to fitness and lifestyle. Being an elite basketball player in High school, my routine was very different. I went from playing 2-6 hours a day and eating whatever I wanted without thinking about it, to being in my first year of university and hearing horror stories of the infamous “freshman 15” and how concerned everyone was. My routine shifted and I was not as active as I used to be. I began to internalize everything anyone said to me, especially about my food intake and body. Soon, I was in a downward spiral and developed body dysmorphia. At first it was minor, I stopped eating till I was full, obsessively did cardio and lied about not being hungry. No one noticed, no one said anything and I kept to myself. I began feeling extremely weak at the gym and still forced myself to push, because if I did not have my body, I had nothing.
One day, I looked at myself in the mirror, lifted up my shirt which became a regular routine of mine that I liked to call my “ab check” and noticed that I was bloated, not because I ate too much but because I was starving. My arms were not “toned” anymore, they were skinny and I was so tired. This was a major wake up call for me. By restricting myself and being obsessive with my body, I became unhappy and exhausted.
I reflected back to see what used to make me happy. Friends, basketball, activity and honestly, food came to mind.
One of my friends suggested that I try resistance/weight training and reduce my cardio. I began to lift weights and they became a major stress reliever for me. I did not exhaust my body anymore and began to eat whole, healthy foods but also treated myself to whatever I wanted. Now, if you follow me on instagram or any other social media you will probably want to say “when are you not eating out?”. I transformed food from a fear to a passion. I pretty much live for the gym, food and fitness now and am so proud of how far I have come.
Moral of this story is, you are only as strong as you tell yourself. I have never felt so happy, strong and full in my entire life and I have myself to thank for it. I have felt weak and helpless in the past and I have myself to blame for it. I have been at rock bottom before, and I refuse to go back . I love the gym, I love food and I love fitness. I aim to only get stronger.
Imran Rai.
Any individuals in sports and fitness who would like to share their voice, please submit to hank@hankfittraining.com