"But I can't do it mom" I said as the tears rolled down my face. At 40 kgs, I was, let's just say, an 'extremely chubby' 11 year old. I loathed the very idea of physical activity. To me, playing a sport meant getting extremely tired and struggling endlessly to do what most kids did with ease and not being as good as them anyway, making it a very attractive option to stay off the sports field. This was why I was dismayed when my mother suggested that I take part in my school sports meet. As much as I longed to run races, play matches and win those gleaming medals and trophies, I felt deep down that I couldn't. That I wasn't good enough. That it would save me a lot of humiliation if I just didn't take part. However, the dream stayed. I so badly wanted to take home a prize for sports, to be the star of a sports meet.
English: A Private Swimming Pool
English: The entrance to the new swimming pool. Th...
Aaargh!Thus, I confided in my mother, my best friend at the time. I told her of my insecurities and of what I wanted to achieve. My mother was extremely supportive and began, from that day, to help me achieve my dream. She changed my diet including lots of fruits, vegetables, water and eliminating most sugary or junk foods. She enrolled me in swimming and basketball classes. She also encouraged me to occasionally go jogging with my dad. It killed me to eat all the boring broccoli instead of that sweet, heavenly chocolate and spend most of my TV time doing laps in the swimming pool or practicing layups. However, I soon learned to love my new lifestyle. It was difficult but everyday living this way made me fitter, healthier, more lively and energetic, bringing...