Hey Fat Bum

I've been fat pretty much all my life.

I think I first become aware of being overweight at around ten years of age. Could of even been before that. I don't remember being teased much, if at all at primary school. Secondary school was a completely different kettle of fish however.

Physical education was compulsory for the first three years of high school, and this become by dreaded part of the day. I was too tubby to really do activities to the same level as normal kids, and there were a few boys that basically gave me hell because of it.

My greatest feeling in my third year of high school was my last P.E. class. I can remember feeling completely elated when the bell rang.

I guess puberty happened to me going from years ten to eleven. I was fourteen at the end of year ten, and turned fifteen not long after starting year eleven. Something must of happened over those Christmas holidays, because I was pretty lean and about the same height I am now (around 180cm). I managed to stay this way through my senior years and the couple of years out of high school.

Things went downhill when I started a drafting cadetship, and all of a sudden had a lot of disposable income. I basically become addicted to food. I was pretty active at the time, but that could not negate the effect of eating such huge quantities of food.

Every Friday I would stop at the fish and chip shop on the way home and buy about thirty dollars worth of food. This was 1988 and that bought a LOT of food. I would pretend I was buying dinner for my family, telling the staff that such and such wanted five beef croquettes etc etc.

Other amazing feats of appetite were :

Eating an entire six pack of cream coffee rolls before dinner.

Ordering pizza at 11pm a couple of times a week.

I think I went from 80 kg to 130 kg is about a year and half. I actually had no idea I was getting fat either. The stark moment of realisation come when the heart foundation brought a travelling health truck to work and we all had a go at getting our vitals tested.

This was the first time I had known my weight for years, and at first it didn't mean anything. When I sat down with the nurse, a small woman, and she started saying things like : 'do you eat large meals?' my world really did come crashing down.

post to be continued...