Almost five years ago, I weighed in for my first high school sports physical at 250 pounds. I was 14 years-old and didn’t have a clue that it was a problem. See, my dad is in the military and my mom worked most of the time because she’s a caterer. Fast food, take out, frozen food were all the norm in my household. Growing up, my brother and I weren’t allowed sweets or soda during the week, but come the weekend, it was all fair game.
Then I hit high school PE where they started teaching us about nutrition and I joined my high school water polo team where I had to be in a swimsuit. I started getting the reality check that I was behind physically compared to my teammates and classmates. Slowly over the next year, I started making small changes. I cut out soda for good and stayed away from candy. Sophomore year came and I still participated in sports, but I also joined my high school’s AFJROTC program where my knowledge of fitness and nutrition began to grow even more. I cut out fast food as much as I could, but I still had a lot of processed foods and lots, lots, lots of carbs.
Junior year was the year it all finally changed for the best. I went to my first Marine Corps PT session at my local recruiting office . . . and got my ass kicked. I was told I couldn’t go back to PT until I got under 200 pounds. See, the Marine Corps is very strict on their weight requirements. Being 66 inches, I had to be 161 to enlist. The big ass reality check came upon me. I was 90 pounds overweight and I couldn’t be a Marine, or even begin my enlistment process, until I was 161 on the dot.
I cut out everything processed. I ate clean foods, no extra sugar, no unhealthy carbs. I started going to the gym before school and then I had my sports practice afterwards. In my off season, I went to the gym in the evenings. Intermittent fasting became my best friend. I didn’t have breakfast until 8 a.m. after waking up at 5 and working out. I started fasting at 4 p.m. which means I didn’t get to eat after practice most of the time. It was hard, but I kept in mind that to be a Marine, it wasn’t going to be easy.
The summer in between my Junior year and Senior year, I made it below 200 pounds. I could officially go back to Marine Corps PT. I still got my ass handed to me, but it helped me to be around the future Marines. I had more people counting on me to run faster, push longer.
I had my doubts and my setbacks. I can’t begin to tell you how many times I cried at my recruiting office because a weigh in didn’t go well. There were times where I was so close to saying “forget it”, but every time one of those days came, I knuckled down made it through the day. I had a goal and it wasn’t going to be easy to get to because nothing worth having in life is given. So, I stayed the course and kept grinding away. Hours spent in the gym, being hungry, missed parties.
Goals require sacrifices.
On April 12, 2019, I weighed in at 158.5. I could begin my enlistment. However, some more things came up and I got set back just over a month before I got to complete my enlistment. On May 2oth, I got my chance and took the first step in my goal to becoming a Marine. I swore in to the Delayed Entry Program for the United States Marine Corps.
Goals require sacrifices and in the end, it all was worth it.
Fitness, Food, and Life 