From Doughnuts to Dumbbells: My Transformation Journey
Life's funny. One moment you're walking home from the dollar store, ready to tear into a box of Entenmann's donuts. You can just imagine every sweet morsel going down. Maybe I'll wash it down with milk. Sure, it won't help with my growing waistline, and no, teenage boys aren't supposed to be growing man boobs this large during puberty, but dammit, it makes me feel good in the moment.
The Struggle
Hopeless. That's what I was. A teenage boy with an overweight frame, large enough breasts to make a pre-teen girl jealous. They'd jiggle as I went up and down the steps of my junior high school. Many students suggested I wear a bra; I opted to ride the elevator. The pain of being socially outcast was tough, to say the least. But I always knew I had something at home that’d cheer me up.
Doughnuts. Yes, doughnuts. Chocolate frosted, Boston crème, and the ones with sprinkles on top. Perhaps my first love. My overweight adolescent frame was full of them. I’d go home, slump into my room, and break into my secret stash of doughnut holes. Weeks prior, I had discovered the greatness of the dollar store—all the heart-stopping snacks a kid could ask for, all for a reasonable price. I’d stuff the doughnuts in my mouth, the sugar coursing down my throat into my bloodstream. My pains and anxieties were momentarily silenced as I continued to devour the sweets. My pancreas desperately tried to produce enough insulin to prevent me from going into diabetic shock. Thankfully, I never did, but I sure gave it a run for its money.
The Turning Point
But then something changed. Maybe it was being rejected by the girl I liked, maybe it was watching my mother being buried six feet into the earth. Her health issues, which had been a significant part of our lives, also played a crucial role in my transformation. Seeing her struggle with her health motivated me to prioritize my own. Either way, I was quickly shoved in a better direction and a new love was discovered.
- Chest press
- Bicep curl
- Sit-ups
- Push-ups
Fitness. Thankfully, I had eventually found a new love. NEWSFLASH: everything that you love may not be a good thing. The doughnuts had led me astray. Made me a social pariah among my peers, stretched my belly beyond its limits, and not to mention the 40 bucks a month it was stealing from my bank account. It was time for a change.
The Transformation
The newly found muscle mass and body strength at times feel overshadowed by the stretch marks and loose skin. A humbling reminder of where I've been, how far I've come and where I do not want to go back to. The doughnuts had done irreversible damage. Unfortunately, doughnuts are a social food. Friends say, "Just have one, what's the harm?" They obviously don’t know our history.
The Mission
From hopeless to now helping others get out of their own hopelessness to become their best fit selves. It’s a story I couldn’t have even written myself, but I'm living it. The kid on the left was scared, broken, and miserable. The man on the right is glued back together and on a mission to help anyone who feels the same because change is possible and it’s in reach.
My goal and purpose are to touch every person who feels stuck, frustrated, and not good enough. No, I cannot magically change your fitness circumstance, but I can give you the map. And I promise you, if you go on this journey with me, you'll reach the destination of being your best self.
---
I’m André Piquion, personal trainer and owner of PEAQ Wellness. Helping people is my passion, and I’m excited to connect with anyone who may be reading this. Follow my journey, which I hope inspires you to start your own; and join me as I help others achieve their fitness goals.
Contact me at www.peaqwellness.net to start your transformation today!
