About me

I was incessantly conscious about my weight and what others thought of me, which severely dented my confidence. My appearance seemed to define how people saw me.

However, despite my slight build, there was a side to me that often went unnoticed: I was incredibly sporty and fit. My love for sports began at a young age when I realised that I was faster, fitter, and stronger than most of my friends. I hated school not just because of the bullying but also because I found the subjects boring despite being able to understand most of what was being taught. I simply didn’t apply myself.

The only thing I looked forward to at school was the PE (Physical Education) lessons. I’m not sure what it’s called where you’re from, but PE was the time for sports when I was at school. Of course, there were some sports I wasn’t good at or had no interest in (gymnastics, hockey, and lacrosse), but I thrived in sports such as football (soccer), cricket, badminton, volleyball, and athletics.

Encouraged by my teachers, I grabbed every sporting opportunity that came my way and represented my school in sports competitions and matches. However, I was still skinny and made fun of.

I wanted to build muscle but had no idea how. I would read magazines such as Men’s Fitness (now Men’s Journal) that my uncles had bought, get excited about the latest craze in building muscle, try it for a few weeks and then lose motivation due to lack of results. 

It was around 1994 that I saw an advert in a newspaper for a book that guaranteed a way to gain more muscle and strength using only a 

 This carried on through college, and my love of sports led me to study anatomy and physiology.

It was during this time that I started learning about weightlifting. One of my teachers was a strict old man with a white beard (who believed in doing things the old-fashioned way) and who always encouraged me. He introduced me to weightlifting, and I recall him teaching me exercises such as the snatch, clean and jerk, and the deadlift.

One of the things he was absolutely adamant about was that in order to build muscle, you had to train slowly and deliberately, focusing on the movement, not the weight.

From that moment on, I decided to focus on my strengths and not let others’ perceptions hold me back. I walked with more confidence and let my athletic abilities speak for themselves. Gradually, the teasing subsided, replaced by respect and admiration from my peers. I learned that my worth wasn’t determined by my appearance but by my actions and character.

Today, as an adult, I carry those lessons with me. My journey taught me the power of self-belief and the importance of seeing beyond appearances. Being sporty and fit was my way of redefining myself and showing that true strength comes from within.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story. I hope it inspires you to embrace your unique strengths and to never let others define your worth.