When I lost more than 65kg in 14 months during 2009/10, the process was as intense emotionally as it was physically. When you’re talking about losing more than what many people weigh, you’re talking big changes.
Men’s Health wanted the story from the perspective of what a (then) 28-year life is like in one body, and how the changes affect you when, in 14 months (a flash, relatively speaking), you wake up in entirely another.
What the obvious changes are like, as well as the unforseen emotional, physical, sexual and psychological challenges that come with a full “body transplant”.
The “how to lose a huge pile of weight” angle had been done before and, frankly, is of little interest to people who do not struggle with serious weight issues. This was far more interesting territory. For me, as a writer, and – as it turned out – for the readers of Men’s Health.
This feature won “Best in Category: Health and Wellness” at the 2013 PICA Awards. I’m very proud of it and thankful to Men’s Health for allowing me to tell my story and for their help with the research and the awesome shoot.
The sequel – tentatively titled “King of the Fat Guys II – Bouncing Back. Again” is presently in the works. Look out for it; in the January 2015 issue, if all goes according to plan.
This article was originally published in the September 2012 edition of Men’s Health South Africa. Reproduced with permission from the editor, Jason Brown.
