I lost over 50kg which in turn improved my life drastically in many areas. Firstly, my confidence increased due to clothes fitting better and I was overall less self-conscious. This allowed me to give higher quality presentations and workshops, which is in integral part of my job, and thus engage with my audience better. The increase in self-confidence was also beneficial to my overall mental health and led to decreased stress and negative thoughts, which allowed me to be more productive and generally worry less. Secondly, the operation has forced me to eat less due to my smaller stomach size and adapting to this change has been extremely challenging. This has nurtured my self-discipline by learning how to control by cravings and adapt myself to deal with difficulties. This has also taught me to appreciate food and enjoy every meal I have rather than wolfing it down for pleasure’s sake. Furthermore, by going through this difficult period of surgery as well as recovery, I could bond with my family. Previously, my weight had already led to issues with my wife and children, mainly due to my short-temper due to my self-anxiety. However, by learning to trust them and open up to them when I was vulnerable, I was able to escalate our relationship to a higher level. This unforeseen benefit of the surgery is just as important to me as the weight loss, as losing weight while still being on bad terms with my family would simply be running away from my problems.
My improved health, in terms of my weight loss, has helped my running in various ways. Firstly, in terms of cardiovascular health, I am able to regulate my breathing more efficiently and my heart muscles have strengthened tremendously. I can physically feel my body requiring less energy per step taken, which has greatly decreased the strain on my heart and lungs since I do not have to breathe as deeply. I often use to face shortness of breath while running, especially when I increased my pace, but this has been greatly reduced. I am thus able to run at a faster pace in general for longer distances. Secondly, the strain on my muscles has decreased which has also reduced issues such as joint pains. My overall running posture has improved and I am able to keep my body upright with my shoulders wide to allow myself to inhale deeply and regulate my breathing. Previously, I was unable to maintain good running form due to my excess mass straining all my muscles, especially my knees and back. This would have undoubtedly led to further complications if I had continued running, and thus I am thankful to be able to continue to practice the sport I love without putting my body at risk any further. The discipline I gained from learning how to eat less and eat healthily has also disciplined me to stick with my training schedules and push myself to run longer distances at a faster rate.
I believe my story is a work-in-progress, with me overcoming many issues in my life at the same time acknowledging there are plenty of challenges left to face. Obesity may just be one issue that I have had to overcome, but many other issues that resulted from my obesity are far more common. For example, the low self-esteem and lack of self-discipline that was a part of my battle with obesity is an issue that not just other people suffering from obesity face, but many healthy individuals face as well. I hope my story inspires others by showing them there are many others struggling to face the same battles that they face and that these seemingly insurmountable challenges can indeed be overcome. It took me many years of experimentation and hard work before I found a solution to my problem and this is a theme common in not only health but in life in general. Furthermore, I believe obesity is a common problem that many people believe can simply be “exercised off” or “dieted off”. While that may work for some, I urge others to consider surgery as an option and I hope to get rid of the stigma attached to it. Many with obesity already suffer from low self-esteem and do not know who to turn to for help. Being in their shoes once, I wish to show that their problem can indeed be solved and helping them to do so would be extremely gratifying to me.
Running has meant different things to me throughout my life, with my perception of it constantly evolving. When I first began running while I was obese, running was a chore and I dreaded every minute of it. I ran by forcing myself to, because I believed it was the only way for me to lose wait effectively. After months of this, I began to enjoy the “runner’s high” I received at the end of a good run as well as the satisfaction of pushing myself. While I still dreaded the process of running, it became a love-hate relationship compared to the pure hate relationship it was before. Finally, after my surgery with my weight loss, running became much less physically taxing and I began to thoroughly enjoy it. It became a way for me to clear my mind and unwind while staying fit. Overall, running to me is a reflection of life. Although the issue was always the same, with time I grew to enjoy the problem and my initial perception changed drastically. Furthermore, running has allowed me to groom my self-discipline and perseverance skill which has made me grow as a person. I am also able to meet people from all walks of life when I train and run with other runners, and I realized challenges are often faced best with friends. By running overseas and exposing myself to other cultures, I realized how small my problems are in the grand scheme of things, allowing me to decrease my ego and enjoy life greatly.
PHOTOGRAPHS OF MY FAMILY
My lovely wife and Me
Award Reception – Medtronic Headquarters, USA
